Heavenly Treasure, OR MAN'S chiefest GOOD. Wherein The several Workings of the heart about, and in pursuance of its Chiefest Good, are Solidly and Judiciously discovered. By William Strong that godly, able, and faithful Minister of Christ, lately of the Abbey at Westminster. 〈…〉 by R. W. for Francis Titan, 〈…〉 three Daggers in Fleetstreet, 〈…〉 1656. ALthough it was not my happiness to have any personal knowledge of this worthy man during his life (having never to my remembrance, so much as seen his face) so that I cannot speak so amply of his worth as others may that knew him personally; Yet since his death, by a good providence, some of his Sermons, and in particular this of the Treasure being brought to mine hand, I had some real taste and experience of his worth, of whom I had heard so much before. I confess I had often heard of the great eminency of this worthy man, which made me the more greedily, and with more intentness to read what I could see of his: and this I must needs say, that which I met with, did not only answer mine expectation, but much exceed it: and the more I read, the greater was my admiration. And though I do not think myself to be such a one, from whose thoughts in such a kind any credit or estimation should come to such a Work: Yet I think that I own so much to him who is dead, and to some who are yet living, as to profess what I think, that there are scarce any Sermons extant wherein there is more strength of parts, depth of matter, and singular industry to be seen, then in the Labours of this reverend Man: and that the Church of God would sustain a great and invaluable loss, should his Labours be kept from public view. John Rowe. Reader, THE Box of Spikenard is broken; no wonder; for we have this treasure in earthen Vessels: when thou hast smelled the savour of this precious ointment, I doubt not but that thou wilt see cause to bless that Providence, which hath ordered the endeavour of them that have studied the preservation of it from loss; In this Paper-Vessel wherein it is commended to thee. The Author was a burning and a shining Light, as these and other his Sermons do bear witness; for they carry light into the understanding, and heat into the affections; the light not merely notional; the heat like that of the Sun, quickening, and prolifical: both are such as are requisite in a man that is in pursuance of his Chiefest Good, which is the noble subject of this Treatise, that points you to it, teaches the way of attainment of it; marks it out with such Characters as do discriminate it from false treasure; quickens the appetite unto the prosecution and fruition of it. And in short, shows you the shortest way unto your own happiness; whereof this is the property, that being but one, it alone makes the possessors happy, because it doth eminently comprehend in it all other particular good things whatsoever: And this he teaches not to be treasure on earth; but that it must be laid up by you on earth, as fruit gathered in the Orchard is thrown over the wall to be taken up when you are gone out. I undertake not to write the life, but commend the Labours of the man to thee; he was of an excellently tempered Spirit, both for humility and resolution; one that was not afraid to follow the truth close at the heels (though sometimes it strike out ones teeth) but an Orthodox propugnator of it; his stile is very familiar; in exposition of Scripture he is acute and accurate, a great searcher of hidden Treasures; a friend unto Free Grace, an advancer of practical holiness; when it fell in his way to strike wicked men with reprehensions, his arrow so pierced, that it is manifest he drew a strong Bow; when he had to deal with a wounded spirit, he shown by his soft touch, that he had felt the wounds himself. In fine, that Aug. de Civit. lib. 19 initio. which hath been the disquisition of the Learned Sages of the world in all ages; and yet not one of two hundred eighty eight positions, or opinions did hit upon it, because they wanted a light revealed, and so became fools in the Research of it; I mean Man's chiefest good, that I say is so delineate in this Treatise, that I will make bold to commend it to thee as thy pocket treasure, as it commends to thee thy Heavenly Treasure, and so remain Octob. 28. 1655. Thy ready Servant in the Lord, Rich. Vines. IT is abundantly known to the generality of the Godly throughout the Nation, though more especially about these Cities of London and Westminster, with what singular ability, full affection, and good success, the Author of the following Sermons (now at Rest from, and enjoying the crown of all his Labours) did spend himself, and was spent in the Service of the Gospel. He did the work of him that sent him, while it was day. The night (he would often say) was a coming, in which he should have no season; and while 'twas day therefore (he would add) that neither should the frowns, nor the flatteries of men divert him from his Work. His preaching was with very much freedom of speech, delivering the word without fear, in much boldness, and without partiality: He was not of the number of them who corrupt the word of God; but Chief among them that preached it, as 2 Cor. 2. 17. of sincerity, and as of God: He hath often told me, one main part of his study and prayer to God was, that in all his preaching he might not only be Led into the truth, but teach the present truth, that, that of any other, might be to them, to whom he preached, the most instantly useful, and most seasonable truth: God in his wisdom appointed him to one place after another, where all his abilities might be tried and shine forth in their lustre. * He was Lecturer at Dunstan's and Westminster, and one of the Reverend Assembly of Divines. His Preaching (ye that sat under the shadow of his Ministry with great delight are the witnesses of it: His preaching) though it was very frequent (thrice or four times a week, for some years together when seldomest) did not yet consist of any such thin notions, as being clothed with air only would melt upon the tongue, and quickly vanish in some little sweetness. No, but in all his Sermons, the intelligent Hearer (for he took himself to be a Debtor to as well the wise as the foolish) might observe, that as the materials of them were full of Spirit and vigour, so the Compilement of them was close, elaborate and pithy: and though he minded more what might profit, then what might please, yet did he please as well as profit them that heard him; Because he used to back what he did deliver with a very great strength of both harmonious and argumentative heads of Reasoning: His manner always being to compare (or suit) spiritual things with spiritual, and to teach, though not in the enticing words of man's wisdom, yet in the fullest demonstration of the Spirit. He was not worn away with rust, but did wear away himself with use; the emanation of the Spirit filling his Cistern so, as made him free to do much work in a little time. * Amplissimum vitae spatium usque ad sapientiam vivere. He understood well that the acceptance of our works follows upon the acceptance of our persons first; and he therefore did (to the admiration of them that heard him) open the whole Doctrine of the Covenant, through which our persons find acceptance with God: that Covenant of Grace, which comprehends what ever we are either by way of blessing to expect from God, or whatever we are by way of duty to return back to God again: that Covenant, I say, did he for years together labour in the opening of: had he lived to perfect, and to publish it, the Churches of Jesus Christ had received a much more special advantage, than now I fear they can have by it: but we must be content to have Elijah first taken from us, before his mantle will be given us. He vexed his righteous soul to see how among many professors of Religion, practical Godliness did seem to whither much: what truths therefore might serve best to revive, encourage and put on to holiness of life, or circumspect walking, those to choose would he most frequently acquaint his Hearers with: He judged the power of godliness to consist not so much in men's ability to Master this or the other high-towring, speculative doctrine (though himself was of excellent high-raised parts) as in men's affectionate hearty closing with, and living up to those more obvious common truths (for in facili & absoluto stat aeternitas. Aust. Enchir.) that are the great necessary things on which man's everlasting happiness, or misery does most depend: And he would therefore (therein following the direction Paul gave to Titus, * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. chap. 3. 8.) earnestly exhort professors to be known most by their maintaining of good works: and that however they might somewhat differ in matters of outward order, or Church Discipline, yet that they would all agree in what was more intimately consequtive to the Spiritual man: A being rich in holy works * Sancta & rectae vitae antistites esse. The Greek word which is a military word, taken from such as set themselves in the forward o● front of the Battle, and march before for the encouragement of the rest of the army; some translate it to go before others in good works. : Our works being the best (at least most sensible) evidence of our faith: He laboured much that parties disagreeing a little what in that part of the circumference which concerns ecclesiastics, might yet be one i'th' centre of an holy life: for indeed he knew well, that though Professors in matters possibly of less consequence, may show what party of Christians we side with, yet holiness of life only it was that should best evince our being set apart for God. He laid it much to heart to see how slightly and ungroundedly, not a few of latter years, (since the goodness of some in power had altered the face of times so much as that godliness was no longer now a reproach or hindrance in the way of, but the easiest step to preferment) for one or other loaves sake only took up Religion; (as from the manner of their walking might be suspected) He did therefore insist upon, and in the course of his Ministry press those doctrines of self examination, and self denial (both which subjects thou mayst hereafter, God willing, have put into thy hands) with much earnestness, searching power, and spiritual exactness; that if there were any who professed Christianity out of Faction, carrying a Pagan heart under a Christian name, they might be made manifest to themselves: His insight into the Gospel was wonderfully quick and singular: his delight was to lead his Hearers within the vail, and to show them the glory of that one Mediator, whom the Father set forth for the propitiation of our sins: great was his pains in opening those Relations (together with their respective virtue and influence) that he stood in to his Father, to Angels, to all Mankind, and to the Elect in special: sundry subjects and single Sermons the Author has left behind him, which will (God willing) be hastened into the Press; what he did last, does (herewith) come out first; because indeed an imperfect Copy hereof stole forth as a spurious obtrusion upon the world: Which the Author's Friends judged a great wrong unto the Public as well as to the Author himself; and for that reason, therefore have put the same subject first into thine hand, leaving thee to judge, how much more this Edition (thus published) hath of the signature and mark of his spirit in it, above what the former carried. Thus much premised, I shall only add by way of prayer, that the Spirit of life and power (who alone is able) may make the price here put into thy hand very useful for thy souls good. We are accountable, not only for what we hear, but for what we read; and 'tis equally dangerous to be found among the number of them that are unprofitable Readers, as to be one of those that are unprofitable Hearers. Geo. Griffith. Good Reader, IT is usually observed that God's children do best in their close and last farewell; as natural motion is slower in the beginning, and swifter in the end, so are their motions more vehement and stirring towards heaven and heavenly things, when their souls are ready to dislodge from the body, and to be at home with the Lord. Certain I am, the Scripture puts a special mark and consideration upon the last words of the Saints, 2 Sam. 23. 1. Now these be the last words of David; so the speeches of dying men have more weight in them; for as we draw near to eternity we grow wiser, and being about to return to the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. etc. Plotin. apud Ves. Original Divinity (as Plotinus speaketh) we are more Divine. And this not only when the Lord giveth his people fair warning of their approaching end, but many times when death stealeth upon them unawares, by a strange kind of presage their souls have been marvellously heightened in the contemplation of eternity, and wholly taken up with that blessedness into which God was about (though unknown to themselves) to translate them: 'tis one of the observations of this Treatise, That when the heart is in heaven the body will not be long out of it; our translation is but delayed till the months of our purification be ended, and we by growing dead to sin, & weary of the world, are made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. All this is spoken, to put thee in mind that these discourses, which are now put into thy hand, were the last works of that eminent and faithful Servant of God, Mr. Will. Strong, of whom without any unsavoury allusion to his name, I may truly say that he was, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Act. 18. 24. A man eloquent and strong, or mighty in the Scriptures; this discourse (I say) was the dying blaze of that burning and shining light, or his * Cantator cygnus Funeris ipse sui; quapropter, Plato in ●●aedone eum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, appellat. last Swanlike song, and preparation to his own death and Funerals, which unexpectedly, and alas too suddenly, as to our profit, followed the preaching of these Sermons: it was the secret instinct of the Spirit of God (no doubt) that engaged his thoughts to such an argument, not only for his own comfort in the agonies of death, but for our benefit who do survive him. These Sermons were formerly surreptitiously printed by an unknown and an unskilful hand; but as they now come forth thou mayst plainly discern the own spirit of the Author in them, which in those rude & broken notes was more hidden and obscure. I have heard of some that out of a superstition have been afraid in health to provide their last Will and Testament, taking it for a certain token of approaching death, the thoughts of which the carnal world cannot endure; and therefore seek to put off that which they cannot put away. To prepare for death, doth neither hasten nor hinder it; there's folly in the surmise; however this truth lieth hid under it, that when men are ripe and ready to die, usually they are not long-lived, but are gathered in like a shock of corn in its season: I hope none are afraid to be too soon in heaven; let us mend our pace thitherward, and get up as fast as we can, that every day our salvation may be nearer than when we first believed; this, as it is the design of these precious Sermons, so the unfeigned desire of him, who is, Thine in the Lords work, Tho. Manton. READER, THou hast here the first fruits of that seed which this Worthy, Reverend, Learned and Godly man sowed in the days of his Ministry: they were indeed in themselves, the Last crop of all his Labours, (being the Last Sermons that ever he Preached) but the overhasty hand of some unskilful, if not unjust Gatherer, hath occasioned they are first Gathered into sheaves: However it is now thy advantage▪ Thou hast here a Treasure; a Tried Treasure: This Piece which is his own, compared with those Imperfect notes, Printed since his death, and unjustly bearing his name, may be to thee a Test, to discriminate the true and counterfeit Copies, if any shall yet farther in that kind, do him, and the Church of Christ so great an injury. Know therefore, there are other things of his that follow: which that they may be his own, all care is taken, by transcription from, and comparing with his own notes: which is the only Cause (it may seem possibly) they make not haste: yet they so hast as that the engaged in this work, which their heart is in, and their hand has found to do, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they will do it with all their might; using therein, all possible care and diligence: Having a double earnest of their Acceptance with the Saints: The one their own spiritual senses, (as they hope) a little exercised therein; Humbly conceiving, more of the secrets of God, the deep things of the Law, and the mysteries of Godliness, (which are great,) fetched out from the very Bowels of the Scripture, have not from any one mouth been communicated in these latter days. The other earnest is, that Seal which therein, and thereby the Spirit of God hath fixed on their hearts, and of many others, very many, in the first hearing of them: witness that great and sad Assembly, in the day of his Funeral solemnity, when deep silence, heart. breaking sighs, and weeping eyes would have preached loud enough, had that Reverend Minister, and his dear friend been silent; His Works that followed him, are not all dead with him, But some of them are here brought forth for thy spiritual advantage; The good hand of God be on them: with this Tract God sealed up his Ministry, and his days, and whosoever shall observe the latter part thereof, shall find it a solemn seal. Having contemplated that Treasure which was his by choice before, he was now taken up into the full possession of it; for he was indeed, a meet Inheritor. He had intended the next Lord's day, to have entered a protest against that which is the treasure of the most of men, from that saying of our Lord, Luk. 12. 15. Take heed and beware of covetousness: but in the mean time his Master called; Well done thou good and faithful servant; 'tis enough; if they will be covetous, let them be so still; thou hast finished thy Testimony; Enter, now, into the Joy of thy Lord. How much might be spoken of him, were it necessary? But what needs it? His works praise him in the Gate. Few of the eminent Ministers in the Nation, but he was either personally known to them, or else they had heard of his worth: His name was indeed as an Ointment poured out; But for such, as Rose up speaking perverse things, he was a thorn in their sides; practising (what himself sometimes pressed as a duty) to love their persons, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to truth it in Love. He was a man mighty in the Scriptures therein lying a great part of his excellency, to open and explain (quoad sensum, non quoad sonum) dark Scripture, which we hear without profit, and read without understanding: He was frequent in preaching, for the most part 4 times weekly, sometimes many more; in season and out of season; besides the care that lay on him touching his Pastoral Relation; and yet though his work was so great, who could say, that he offered to God that which cost him nothing? There was nothing that came from him that savoured not of much labour, study and industry: He accounted himself a Debtor to the wise and to the weak; and his care was that by his Ministry, both might receive advantage. He was powerful with the Affections, and in order thereto, He throughly dealt with the Judgement. His doctrine was Practical, and his Application Doctrinal. He was a stout Champion for Truth and Liberty; in both, he set his face as an Adamant against the sins of the times. In a murmuring Age, he was a mourner in Zion: very conversant in days of Humiliation, Public, Private; enjoined, not enjoined; and at such times, This was his complaint, It is time for thee to arise oh Lord, for men have made void thy Law. He had a spirit fitted to that work, for he seldom prayed without Tears: an Israel he was, for, he pleaded when he prayed; nor was he less fitted for thanksgiving, for be had vials full of odours; he much breathed after Communion with God, and he had it, for he was strong, to hold the King in the Galleries; often would he complain of the Imperfection of our Communion here. 'Tis but (h● was wont to say) His back parts: Behind the wall; and through the Lattice: that we now see him: Oh, for that Vision that is face to face, when we shall see him as he is! The Lord hath now satisfied his des●res, and taught him▪ (which was much in his mouth) what means, The souls of just men made perfect, in taking him to himself: The Lord give us the same frame of spirit, that we in due season may follow after. The Contents of the Heavenly Treasure. 1. Man's happiness out of himself. page 1, 2 2. The words of the Text have 1. A Dehortation. 2. An Exhortation. Both backed with two Arguments p. 3 3. The words summed up in two propositions p. 4 4. The words explained and opened. Wherein Treasures are of two sorts, 1. God's Treasures, and they are of four sorts, from p. 5. to 9 2. Men have their treasures p. 9 where is noted, the difference between the godly, and the men of the world p. 10 5. The doctrine explained by clearing four several Propositions from p. 11, to 34 Wherein 1. By slinging of souls, three things noted p. 14, 15 2. By the fear of the Lord two things meant, from p. 19 to 21 3. Treasure is said to be a man's own from p. 22. to 27. upon a threefold account. 4. That which a man chooses is called his Treasure, from p. 28. to 34 6. In the first Use of Examination six rules. To know whether a man's Treasure be on earth or in heaven, from p. 35 to 48 Where follows five Trials, To know where a man's Treasure lieth, from p. 48 to 79 Wherein 1. To know whether we love God or no, two rules, and therein two seasons of Trial, from p. 57 to 65 2. To judge when a man seeks all things in subordination to God, two rules, from p. 66 to 72 7. In the Use of Conviction, To heighten the misery of those that misplace their chief good, six considerations, from p. 80 to 100 Wherein 1. Riches are said (not to be) upon a double Account p 83, 84 2. Deceit about good things fourfold; from p. 95 to 98 8. The misery of those that misplace their chief Good, lies in six things, from p. 100 to 113 Wherein Two things observed by Augustine, that blessedness require● p. 112 9 Before Christ's Exhortation is pressed, three things premised, from 114 to 126 Wherein 1. There are three sorts of Treasures that men lay up, and in three places, from p. 117 to 122 2. To Explain (not upon Earth) three hints, from p. 123 to 126 10. In the prosecution of Christ's Exhortation of laying up Treasure, four things, from p. 127 to 156 Wherein 1. A double Interpretation of Heaven, from p. 128 to 134 2. Why none but God can be a man's Treasure in heaven, ●hree things pointed to, from p. 136 to 1●9 3. How to lay up God for a Man's Treasure in heaven, six rules, from 140 to 146 4. To enforce Christ's Exhortation, several Arguments, from p. 147 to 156 11. The Use of Consolation shows, 1. The blessedness, and the Top of blessedness, 1. Of the Saints. 2. Of the Angels. 3 Of the Mediator, from p. 156 to 160. On the contrary the top of the Devil & damneds misery, to 162 2. Three grand promises mentioned in p. 164 12. To a man that his not misplaced his Treasure, seven grounds of the greatest comfort, from p 65 to 189 Wherein is explained delivering of a man up to Satan, twofold, from p. 166 to 168 13. That the Treasure is the attractive of the heart, four things by way of Explication, from p. 190 to 259 Wherein 1. The heart is put diversely in Scripture, 191. But especially three things intended, from p. 194 to 197 2. That man's Treasure is without himself, two things noted by the way, from p. 197 〈…〉 3. To those that seek happiness below God, three things to consider, from 205 to 207, where that of Jer. 2. 15. is fully opened, to p. 209 4. Why a man's heart should be rightly set, five great reasons for it, from p. 210 to 218 5. The heart that is set upon any worldly thing is lost, in two respects p. 219 Wherein by way of Caution, where to set a man's heart, two or three things, from p. 220 to 225 14. That the Treasure carries the heart with it, opened, from 225 to 229. And herein, How it comes to pass, that the Treasure always carries the heart with it, four demonstrative Arguments, from p. 230 to 240 Wherein two things noted in Conversion, in p. 238 so forward. 15. Why the heart always goeth out after the Treasure, six great Grounds, from p. 241 to 248 16. How the heart of man goeth after its treasure, six Conclusions named, from p. 248 to 259 17. More particularly, that the Treasure is the attractive of the heart, p. 259 Wherein 1. Those instances before given, of the Intendment of the heart, from 263 to 267 2. It's aim and tendency upon a double ground p. 267 The first ground manifested in two particulars, from p. 268 to 275 Wherein 1. To guests at the aim and tendency of the heart, six rules, from p. 276 to 302 2. Every man's wisdom in reference to his Treasure, is exercised in three things, from p. 306. to 318 3. To know where a man's thoughts are, four rules, from p. 321. to 329 4. Why it is of so great moment to know where a man sets his love, four grounds. 5. To know where a man's love is, eight several rules, from p. 340 to 372 Wherein is observed a double Union with God, from p. 341 to 347 8. The Application hath three Uses 372 The first General Use of Instruction first discovers the fullness of the Scriprures ibid. Wherein Eight Wonders are to be understood in it, from p. 375 to 379 2. It discovers six Cases that the Lord puts a special Mark upon, from p. 379 to 383 The second Use, or the First more particular and proper use, shows the absolute necessity of Conversion p. 84 Wherein The misery of that man whose Treasure is on earth, is seen in two things, from p. 385 to 388 20. The third and last Use shows, 1. The blessedness of that man whose Treasure is in heaven, upon a twofold account, from p. 388 to 390 2. The reasons why he is so blessed, that upon a fourfold account, from p. 390 to 393 Where note the Conclusion ibid. FINIS. The Names of such places of Scripture, as are occasionally handled, explained, and opened in the Heavenly Treasure. Genesis. Chap. Verse. Page. 1 1 132 6 5 285 10 9 344 Exodus. 19 5 137 Numbers. 14 24 239 Deuteronomy. 4 29 286 24 15 073 25 263 32 34 8 I. Samuel. 4 20 196 25 29 14 II. Samuel. 12 4 269 I. Kings. 13 23 290 15 10 272 II. Kings. Chap. Verse. Page. 5 25 194 10 15 300 I. Chron. 12 33 264 Esther. 3 9 293 Job. 8 15 243 13 15 63 20 15 312 Psalms. 17 3 270 14 121 18 21 185 36 4 274 10 148 39 12 261 41 6 228 62 10 196. ●02 63 8 238 73 6 12 112 8 242 116 7 11 119 37 218 Proverbs. 1 17 20 4 17 39 23 215 8 21 81 10 20 213 14 14 77.199 15 6 153 17 22 235 23 5 82 7 330 27 344 Eccles. 2 23 249 6 9 226 7 11 70 11 6 227 Canticles. 1 4 229 8 6 369 Isaiah. Chap. Verse. Page. 32 11 203 33 6 19.146 44 20 39.202 58 13 47 Jeremiah. 2 13 94.207 33 245 16 16 344 22 2 217 19 ibid. Ezekiel. 7 10 119 33 31 227 Daniel. 7 25 295 11 24 316 25 ibid. Hosea. 4 8 223 7 11 93 12 7 346 Amos. Chap. Verse. Page. 8 5 46 Habakkuk. 1 18 237 2 5 315 Haggai. 1 5 210 Zechariah. 5 8 120 Matthew. 6 19 172 20 1 & 127 22 177 33 50 10 37 55 12 43 235 19 21 141 21 25 129 Luke. 8 13 233 10 42 170 12 33 130 14 26 56 32 58 15 18 129 16 8 304 11 81 22 15 228 John. 8 21 257 44 87 12 35 339 Acts. 8 21 266 11 23 177 Romans. 10 10 192 I. Corinthians. 3 11 111 12 ibid. 5 5 167 7 29 147 15 10 355 II. Corinthians. 4 4 22 18 51 5 2 74 8 11 283 Galatians. 6 1 269 Ephesians. Chap. Verse. Page. 2 19 122 Philippians. 2 4 53 8 58 3 14 52 310 349 19 260 Colossians. 2 3 8. 30 3 1 260 I. Timothy. 6 9 220 5 23 374 II. Timothy. 6 29 91 Hebrews. Chap. Verse. Page. 6 7 102 8 ibid. 9 27 17. 18 James. 5 3 150 II. Peter. 2 14 287 I. John. 2 15 339 16 287 18 151 Revelation. 13 0 308 21 7 334 THe thing that I feared is come upon me, May the friends of this worthy Author at this time say; for they did in his life time (many of them) earnestly Solicit the publishing his own notes, (at least part of them) by his own hand: foreseeing, that (in the best construction) some good affections (out of Zeal, not according to knowledge) might after his death thrust into the world their broken and Imperfect notes as his: or if not so, yet knowing nothing is more ordinary Quis expedivit? venture. Persus. Prologue. than such abuses, for Advantage sake: whether the one or the other, we know not, but so it is; That since the foregoing was committed to the Press, and this Tract fully finished, another most Imperfect, if not counterfeit Bundle, entitled, The Saint's Communion with God, and God's Communion with them in Ordinances; Printed for George Sawbridge, and Robert Gibbs; Bearing also his name with the former, (touching which thou art advertised in the Epistles foregoing) and being both Bats (as is probably conjectured) brought into the world upon the knees of the same unhappy Midwife. And for Mr. John Herrings Epistles, (with a salvo to his Person and function) we know not what that Honourable Person, Colonel Purefoy may do, but do conceive, that neither himself nor the Readers, will give him any thanks, as knowing well that that excellent man would have been in Writing as he was in Preaching, A workman that needed not be ashamed. Only, It is humbly enquired of Mr. Herring, whether he knew not of a Widow the deceased Author left behind him? or had ever heard of any doing in his own notes? or if not, whether ever he enquired? Sure we are, in one half hour he might have received satisfaction touching both; we wish his labours better speed, than that measure he hath meted should be met to him again: It's only added, that if any Person in good affection, shall endeavour the hastening of his works, 'twill be acceptable service; Provided, their labours may endure the touchstone of his notes, which are all ready for such an end; But if not, its desired when they put them out, they would call them by their own names, not Mr. strong's. Heavenly Treasure, OR, MAN'S chiefest GOOD. MAT. 6. 20, 21. Heap up for yourselves treasure in heaven: for where your treasure is, there will your hearts be also. MAn was Created to have a happiness out of himself; for this is the blessedness of the blessed God only, to be his own happiness; he indeed is not only all sufficient to you, but he is in himself self-sufficient. But the reasonable creature was made to have a happiness without himself: and because he is so, therefore the soul of man is full of nothing but long: the Scripture calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Lusting; it goes out to some other thing; it is always saying, Who will show us any good? now that which the soul goeth out for, is that from whence it would fetch its happiness, its perfection, in which it places its felicity; and what ever a man doth in reference to such a good, this good is said in Scripture to be a man's treasure; and the storing of himself therewith, is the laying up a treasure to himself. In these words, You have a dehortation and an exhortation: First, a dehortation, in reference to treasures below. Secondly, an exhortation, in reference to treasures above: and both these are backed with two Arguments; first, from the uncertainty of the one, and the certainty of the other; the one being liable to violence, plunder and decay, so is not the other: but the second Argument is in the Text, Where your treasure is, it will carry your hearts with it; therefore it is of mighty concernment where a man places his treasure, because there he will set his heart. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The words are summed up in two Propositions, which are of marvellous high concernment both. 1. That every man hath a treasure in this life. He speaks it as an act to be performed not after this life, but in the life that now is: Hic mundus laboris, that mercedis: this life is the sowing time, that the reaping; this is the world of labour, that of reward; here is the treasuring time, there is the expending time, therefore every man hath a treasure in this life: so Christ saith, Where your treasure is, etc. therefore lay that for a ground, Every man hath a treasure; a treasure in this life. 2. That wheresoever the treasure is, it is attractive of the heart: Or thus, every man lays up his heart where he lays up his treasure. The first of them I shall enter upon at this time; every man lays up a treasure for himself in this life: every man hath something which is his, treasure, his own treasure; Where your treasure is, etc. I shall first a little explain the words, to open the notion of a treasure, as the Scripture speaks of it. There are two sorts of treasures the Holy Ghost in the Scripture speaks of: God hath his treasures, Men have their treasures. First God hath his treasures, and they are of four sorts. First, Thesauri naturae: there are the treasures of nature, which we read of in Job 38. 22. Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow; or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail? And the Lord when he speaks of the blessings of nature in Deut. 28. 12. saith, he will open his good treasure, the heaven to give rain, etc. and ler. 10. 13. he bringeth the wind out of his treasures: these are the treasures of nature that are Gods treasures. Secondly, Recondita providentiae: there are the treasures of providence: in Psal. 17. 14. he speaks it of wicked men. These are the ungodly, and they prosper in the world; they have their portion in this life, whose bellies thou fillest with thy hid treasure: What be those treasures with which God is said to fill ungodly men's bellies? Interpreters do observe, that there are some wicked men in this life, that have not only the common benefits of nature with the rest of this World, that God causes the Sun to shine, and the rain to fall upon them; but he doth afford them ezquisitas quasdam divitias some peculiar and choice mercies of this world; and doth in Providence order it so, that of all the honours in the world many ungodly men shall have the highest, of all the powers in the world many ungodly men shall have the greatest: the dainties of providence: the Lord many times affords them to those who have their portion in this world: but remember the text saith, He fills their bellies with treasures: 'tis but to satisfy their senses, it never fills their souls; their souls be empty of grace when their bellies be filled with treasures: how many ungodly wretches have the quintessence of all things, all the Lords treasure? & yet so 'tis ordered. Thirdly, Thesauri gratiae, the treasures of grace, Col. 2. 3. In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. It is said of Christ, in him are hid, etc. Whose are they? Why, they are his treasures that hide the● there; the Lord hide these treasures: He is made to us of God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption: the treasures of wisdom and grace are laid up in Jesus Christ as in a common treasury, but they be God's treasures. 4. Thesauri vindictionis, there are yet treasures of vengeance, treasures of wrath, Deut. 32. 34. Are not these things laid up by me, sealed up among my treasures? Many an ungodly man and wicked woman goes along ten years, twenty years together; and as they treasure up sin, I treasure up wrath; and vengeance is mine, and I will repay it; their feet shall slide in due time, the mean time I will forget none of their works; they are sealed up by me among my treasures: these are Gods treasures the Scripture speaks of. Secondly, men have their treasures also, and that which a man makes his chief good, wherein he doth place his happiness, that by which the comfort of his life comes, in that is a man's treasure: you shall see it expressed in other words, but the thing is one: in Luk 16. 25. Abraham is brought in there speaking to Dives in hell: Son, remember in thy life time thou hadst thy good things: that which Christ here calls your treasure, there Abraham calls thy good things: and in Psal. 17. 14. they have their portion in this life; that which in this place is called a man's treasure, that is there called their portion, but the thing is the same: and here give me leave to note the great difference between godly men and the men of the world: the men of the world are all for great provision in the way, but care not what portion they have at end: but a godly man is quite contrary, he will be content with small provision, but it is not a small portion will content him; a little in the passage, but he must have a large portion. So that which a man pitches upon as his chief good, by which the main comfort of his life comes in, these are his good things, that is his portion, his treasure; but only thus far for the opening of the phrase. Let us now come to open the Doctrine to you. Every man hath in this life a treasure, his own treasure. This I shall explain by clearing four several propositions, all which are included in the Doctrine. First, every man hath some chief good which his soul is set upon, and which as its centre it tends unto. I say every man: there's not a person of you but you have some chief good to which your souls do bend, and upon which they centre, wherein you place your happiness, which if you could attain perfectly, your souls would be at rest. This is that which David speaks of, Psal. 116. 7. Return unto thy rest, oh my soul. Why what was the rest of his soul? truly the rest of his soul was his chief good: and will you see what that was? in the 73. Psalms, Whom have I in heaven but thee, and I desire none on earth in comparison of thee: if a man have a chief good, it must either be on earth or in heaven: but saith David, God is my chief good, whether in heaven or in earth; and that's the reason why he calls God the Rest of his soul; and for this cause he tells you all the tendency of his soul went after God. My soul is athirst for God, the living God: many such expressions you have to let you see that God was his chief good: and until the soul attain its chief good, it is never at rest, but is in perpetuo motu, in a continual tendency thereto. But on the other side, take a poor carnal wretch that never knew any thing above the creature, because the creature is his chief good, and that not to be had in perfection, so that he cannot attain to his full desires, therefore his soul is continually restless: see him described Psal. 59 6. to ver. 14. ungodly men are said like a dog to run about the city, and like a dog to grudge and not be satisfied; what is the meaning of it? you know how many wearisome labours this creature takes, and all is for meat, and yet many times altogether in vain: now ungodly men in the pursuit of the things of this life are compared to dogs; how many circles do they take this way and that way; but many times altogether in vain, for they are never satisfied, and when they are not satisfied, they grudge; so that you see sometimes the dog when he hath eaten casts up his meat, and afterwards turns to his vomit again: here 'tis brought in only to this purpose, to let you see how restless their souls are, because they seek good in them. But there is one Scripture very remarkable, 1 Sam. 25. 29. But the soul of my Lord shall be bound up in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God: but the soul of thine enemies them he will sling out as out of the midst of a sling: to have David's soul bound up with God in the bundle of the living, that you may a little understand; but to have ungodly men's souls slung out by God out of the midst of a sling; what is that? to sling souls? truly there are three things in it: First it notes distance, as when you sling a stone, you cast it far from you: The Lord shall put the wicked far from him. Such expressions are frequent in Scripture. Secondly, it notes a distance in Judgement, as the Lord binds up souls in the bundle of the living, in mercy: So in wrath he slings out the souls of ungodly men. Thirdly, it doth not only note distance, but violence; when the Lord will do it with a sudden violent motion, as when stones are slung out of a sling; when the souls of ungodly men have nothing to rest upon, but yet some chief good they fancy to themselves, which they think if they could obtain they would be at rest: I am persuaded there is many of them do think, if I had as much riches, as much honours, as much pleasures as I would, my soul would then be satisfied, and be much content, as the fool in the Gospel: Soul, take thy rest, thou hast goods laid up for many years; thus every man hath some chief good or other to which his soul tends, and till he attain it, his soul is restless; this is the first particular, for the opening of the Doctrine. Secondly, every man hath some chief good in this life in regard of election: my meaning is, that there is some chief good he chooses to himself in this life: I do not say he enjoys it in this life: for the hope of the Saints is not in this life, but yet for all that they choose it here below: thou hadst in thy life time thy good things: it's not only true of ungodly men, but even of godly men; only the one hath fruition in this life, the other but election only: the one enjoys his portion here, the other hath it in the life to come; but a portion he doth choose here: the election is below, the fruition is to come: for remember that Solomon saith, There is no invention in the grave whither you are going: so there is no election in the grave; the good that you choose here to yourselves you must enjoy for ever: some choose pleasures, some choose wantonness, some choose vanity. Truly look to it, that is no portion: that which you have chosen here, you will enjoy hereafter: consider withal, that after death is the Judgement, Heb. 9 27. the meaning is not the general Judgement, though that be after death, but a long time after death; but the Judgement that passeth on every particular man when he dyeth, that Judgement will be an eternal Judgement: there will be no reversion: for there is a gulf set between us and you: an eternity of estate that follows this life: therefore while you live here indeed there is a translation, a man may change his chief good; he that made wealth, honour, or pleasure his chief good, he may by the patience of God choose the Lord for his chief Good; but after this life there is no change; that which is your chief good in this life, you must content yourselves with for ever; every man hath in this life his chief good: I mean not in regard of fruition, but of election. Thirdly, every man in this life hath his own chief good: it is your treasure; that which is one man's treasure is not another's; thy good things, and your treasure, and their portion; this the Scripture speaks of these things: for you must know, every man doth choose to himself a good that may properly be called his own. As, pray will you but observe in Isa. 33. 6. The fear of the Lord is his treasure. Mr. Calvin and some others do observe, that this is peculiarly spoken of Hezekiah, and in him of the Church of God: and it's said, wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, the fear of the Lord is his treasure: Pray what is meant by the fear of the Lord? I conceive these two things, as usually the fear of the Lord carries with it this double sense. 1. Reverential fear and awe of the majesty of God, from a right apprehension of his greatness and holiness; so Prov. 1. 17. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, that is, God being rightly known, and the soul thereby duly overawed; a man had never any wisdom till this entered into his soul: nay the word is, the top of wisdom. In this lies the perfection of all his wisdom, if he had never so much. Secondly, by the fear of the Lord also is meant an awful worship of God, to worship God with reverence and godly fear; the Prophet speaks, Psal. 19 9 The fear of the Lord is clean: he speaks it of the worship of God: compare the true Religion with all Religions in the world, all their worship is defiled; they be the more defiled for all their worship, whereas they that worship God in his way, they be the more holy: now will ye set what was Hezekiahs' great treasure? the fear of the Lord is his treasure: that is, in the holy awe he had of God, and the constant worship he performed to God, in these lay his treasure: but is this every man's treasure? No, I can tell you a great many account the worship of God their burden, look on it as their misery, not their treasure. How comes it to pass that every man hath his own treasure? On these three accounts a treasure or chief good may be said to be his own. 1. From the differing lights men have, some men see good, where other men see none: 2 Cor. 4. 18. We look upon things that are not seen: Some men have such eyes: other men can go no further than the sight of their eyes: and so some men have the eyes of their understandings enlightened to know what is the riches of glory in the Saints, Ephes. 1. 17, 18. other men cannot see so far off, neither the riches and glory the Saints have in their salvation, nor Christ in them: but 2 Cor. 4. 4. the god of this world hath blinded their eyes, that is, they look upon every thing as the Devil represents them; you know when Satan tempted Christ, he shown him all the Kingdoms in the world and the glory of them. The Devil represented them in his own glass. Take a poor creature that thinks riches a gallant thing, and honours a very fine thing; he sees these as the Devil represents them. But for the duties of God's worship, the word of God, and a regular walking, he sees no excellency in these. Why? Because these are represented in a glass that makes them most odious to that man; and hence it is that men have different good things, because they look on things with different light, and eyes: one man sees things as represented by God's Spirit, another looks on things in the Devil's Glass continually: this is one Reason. Secondly, because men have different tastes and savours as well as different lights. Rom. 8. 5. the Apostle saith, They that are after the flesh, savour the things of the flesh, and they that are after the spirit, savour the things of the spirit; that is, take spiritual things; he that is after the flesh, finds no more savour in them then in the white of an egg, as Job speaks: the sweetness of a promise is no more to him, then if he sucked a dry stick, he hath no savour: on the other side, tell him of riches, and plenty, and honours, prophesy to him of wine and strong drink, and he tastes a savour and sweetness in them, he is able to relish it: and this is the true Reason why men have such different chief goods, because they have different savours: they can taste a sweetness in dainty meats, and gorgeous apparel, and in the pleasures of sin: but now another man, he comes to look on the word of God, and he saith, 'tis sweeter to me then the honey, or the honey comb. The Philosopher saith of all sensitive creatures, vitam gustu ducunt, they live by taste: the truth is, if rightly understood, so do all rational creatures too live by taste: one man lives the life of God: Why? because he tastes the things of God: another man lives the life of Satan: Why? because he tastes the things of the devil: he hath no savour, no sweetness in any other thing: and that's the true reason why vain, foolish people in the world run after such vanities, 'tis because they savour no better things. Thirdly, men choose to themselves different good things; it proceeds I say from their own choice; I cannot now stand to distinguish, as the Schoolmen do, between Election and Volition; but that's the meaning, That that men will for themselves, that they choose. Would you know why Israel was God's peculiar treasure; it was because God chose them himself, I have chosen you to be my people. So how comes it to pass that God is one man's treasure and not another? one man chooses him: therefore you shall find still that a man that hath made choice of God as his chief good, he saith, Let me enjoy God, and if I have nothing else, I shall be content. Whom have I in heaven but thee? there's none on earth, whom I desire in comparison of thee, saith David. The good of the Creature is not the good I choose; but another man that chooses the things of this life to himself, riches, honours; pleasures, saith he, Let me have abundance of all things here, and though I have never any acquaintance with God all my life long. Let them take ordinances and Sermons that take pleasure in them: but let me enjoy my pleasures and abundance of all things here below, and I can be content to be without God for ever. So that if a man enjoy his chief good, he is content. This is the third Proposition. Fourthly, this chief good, which every man chooses according to the light and taste he hath, is in the Scripture called a man's treasure: you see every man hath a chief good, and every man hath his chief good in this life, and every man hath his own chief good. Now this chief good that every man chooses to himself, that is in Scripture called his treasure, and 'tis so upon a threefold account. First, from the preciousness of it in a man's own esteem: treasures are never made up but of things precious; no man speaks of treasures of dung, or treasures of stones, they be precious things that be a man's treasure: and therefore when the Lord speaks of precious things, he calls them a treasure: the Lord Jesus laid up in the Gospel, is called the treasure hid in the field, Matth. 13. 44. And so the Gospel being a depositum laid up with those to whom the Ministry of reconciliation is committed, is called a treasure in earthen vessels, 2 Cor. 4. 7. So that treasure carries a preciousness with it, whether it be in truth or in appearance: for example, take a man whose chief good is in God, this is his treasure. Why? saith he, take away God from me, and I am undone. So on the other side, take another man that makes wealth his treasure, or bravery his treasure, Take these things from me, and the comfort of my life is gone: those that love to be always praying or hearing, I wonder what comfort they can have, I would not live such a life for a world: that's the first reason why 'tis called a treasure, for the preciousness of it. Secondly, 'tis called a treasure for its plenty; for it is not a little that makes a treasure: If a man have a few pieces of gold, you do not say he hath a treasure: no, it is plenty that makes a treasure, Col. 2. 3. In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; plenitudinem denotat, Notes the fullness of wisdom and knowledge, so that treasure carries plenty in the notion of it, and it must needs be so; for what ever is a man's chief good, he desires appetitu infinito, with an infinite appetite. Take a man that makes riches his treasure, and he enlarges his desires as hell, and is not satisfied: and a man that desires pleasures, cries always as the horseleeches daughter, Give, give; let him glut himself to day, and he is hungry to morrow: Why? because it his is chief good: so take a man whose chief good is laid up in God, though he have glorious incomes from God, he is still calling for more and more, more grace from him, more communion with him, more consolation from the Spirit of God. Why? it is his chief good. The Spirit says Come, and the Bride says Come. Thirdly, 'tis called a man's treasure, because it is that by which a man doth value himself: pray mark it, as look how much a man hath in his treasure, so much he conceives he is worth: so look what is a man's chief good, by that the man doth value himself: there is a rate that the world puts upon a man, and a rate that the man puts upon himself: a rate that the world puts upon men, and they value their own as they love their own: and as for those they see God hath taken out of the world, they are men of no worth: but there is a value and a rate that every man puts upon himself, and that is by the treasure that he hath, as Nabuchadnezzar said, Is not this great Babel that I have built for the glory of my majesty: he speaks of his Empire: so Paul valued himself according to his moral righteousness, and thought that should have been gain to him: thus men do value themselves: but how doth God value them? he hath his rate on men too, Prov. 10. 20. he values men according to their hearts: God doth not value men according to their estates, their names, their birth: God values no man so, but God values them according to their hearts: and therefore he saith, The heart of the wicked is little worth: thus you see that men value themselves according to their treasure: & upon this account it is that a godly man doth, and aught to do, set a higher value upon himself, than all the men in the world: because thereby he sets a price upon his treasure: as Paul when he stood before King Agrippa: who was the better man now, Paul or the King? I would that thou wert such an one as I am, though he were a prisoner at the Bar, and the other a King: yet notwithstanding Paul values himself beyond him; wishes, I would his condition were no worse than mine: thus a man's treasure is, that by which every man values himself, and thinks he is so much worth: And upon these three Reasons, a man's chief good is called his treasure, b●cause of the price he sets upon it; the plenty he labours after in it, and the value and esteem he puts upon himself by it; and so much for the opening of this Doctrine. The first Use is of examination, it will put every one of you to it: you have a treasure, and 'tis either in heaven or earth. If it be a treasure on earth, where thy treasure is, there is thy heart: and where thy heart is, there is thy happiness: and where thy happiness is, thy God is: that I will tell thee, and there you must look for your salvation; therefore you have a treasure, and 'tis either on earth or in heaven: if your treasure be on earth, there is your chief good, and your portion is below. But how should a man know it, that every man may be able to say unto himself, where my treasure is, there my heart is: there are six Rules that I shall offer at present, though I shall give further light into it by God's assistance. First, what is it that you dig for, that you labour most for, that you are willing to spend your money for, as the Holy Ghost speaks? This is the first trial, if thou dig for wisdom, as for hidden treasure, Prov. 2. 4. what is it that you labour for? labour not for the meat that perisheth, Joh. 6. 57 What is the great thing you work for in this life? that is your treasure: what is it that you lay out your money for? Isa. 55. 3. that a man could willingly be at any cost to obtain, to part with any thing for: now what is it for that you do it, that is your treasure: Now when any man shall return to his own heart, and say, Truly I have laboured for wealth all my days, and wearied myself in seeking after pleasures and vanity all my days: and I that have been straight-handed enough, in reference to what belongs to God and spiritual things: yet I have been liberal enough for other things: as it was said of them, when they made an Image, they lavished gold out of their bags: but when they are to feed and a poor member of Christ, than every penny is but like a drop of blood: but when are to lay it out for this or that gallantry, than men lavish it out: Oh the foolery of some among us! Consider what is it you labour for? that is your treasure: What do you lay out your money for? see how strangely people will for that they place their chief good in; how ready they are to labour and to lay out themselves for it. The Israelites were to make a Calf, and then they gave Earrings and Jeweis for it from their sons and daughters: And that old Woman, Judg. 11. 2, 3. that had scraped together 1100. pieces of silver, & cursed him that had stolen it: Oh my son, saith she, I have dedicated it from thy hand to make a graven Image; it was nothing to part freely with when it came to make an Image; thus where men place their happiness and chief good, where their treasure is, there is the main of their labour, there is their great care, and for this they are willing to spare no cost. Secondly, would you know where your treasure is, upon what do you live? examine from whence do the comforts of your life come in; that is your treasure: It is called The food of the soul, the meat that perishes, and the meat that endures to eternal life, that is, that by which the soul lives, Joh. 6. 27. and Prov. 4. 17. They eat the bread of wickedness, and they drink the wine of violence; all the comforts of their life come in by sin: now examine by what the comforts of your life come in, Isa. 44. 20. He feedeth upon ashes, speaking of men who had the comforts of their lives come in by idolatry: the curse of the Serpent is come upon them, they feed upon ashes; by what do the comforts of your lives come in? I have a good estate, I have a plentiful Table, and herein all the comfort of my life lieth. Whereas another man saith, I have incomes from God, and have in some measure, fellowship with him: I taste the consolations of the Holy Ghost, and this I do in Sermons, and Ordinances, and therefore I wait upon them. Look wherein the comfort of your life lieth, there is your treasure laid up. These are plain Rules if you deal faithfully and plainly with yourselves, you may easily know it. Thirdly, what is it that is your greatest care to keep above all things in the world, sure that is your treasure; treasures are commonly hidden, because men would keep them safe; called therefore treasures of darkness, Isa. 45. 1. Now take a man that makes riches his treasure, and what doth he fear most? why, lest they should be taken from him by violence: and a man that makes God and grace his treasure, he fears Satan and sin most, because his great care is to keep these: therefore those that would rob him of these, he fears above all other enemies in the world. Another man that makes pleasure & wealth his care, I would not saith he be deprived of my wealth and pleasure for a world: let sin come, and Satan come, and take away his God, his grace, his soul and all, he is not troubled; these the man takes no care to keep: therefore that which is your treasure, it is your main care to keep. Fourthly, what doth your soul retreat to for comfort in trouble, in any danger or distress when a man's soul is put to the retreat, whither do you retire? as if a rich man at any time be in danger, whither doth he retreat? The rich man's wealth is his strong tower, Prov. 18. 11. Let a godly man be in danger, whither doth he retreat? to the name of the Lord; The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth to it, and is safe, and thither he retreats and is safe. Haman was in danger, and under disgrace; what doth the man bear up his heart with? he goes home and told of his wealth and the multitude of his children; here was the treasure of the man: to these his heart retired upon this occasion; and with these he comforted himself. And so it is, let a man be in disgrace, I have such an estate, and am descended from such Parentage; with these poor souls bear up themselves: but now another man, though none follow Christ but the poor of the world, contemptible men, what does he comfort himself with: just as Tertullian answered those that reviled the Christians, they came of no honourable parentage, At genus & proavos habent in Coelis, saith he. In heaven they have a Country, a Kingdom in heaven, though they be but poor here; and so Job: God had taken away all his estate and his children: now whither doth he retire? Job 19 28. The root of the matter is in me: I have a treasure of grace in my soul for all that: what is a man's treasure, that he retreats unto upon all occasions. Fifthly, look how you judge of other men; for you value men more or less, as they have of that which you account your treasure: a godly man that makes Grace his treasure, when the question is, who is the best man, the rich man or the godly man? truly saith he, the godly man is far the better man to me, though poor and contemptible in the world, Psal. 16. 3. They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight: here is a godly poor man, and there is a great Lord, but the godly man is the best man of the two to me, because he hath more of that which I account my treasure: 'tis so in other things: men that make wealth their treasure, their chief good, let the man be never so wise and godly, if he be not rich, he despiseth him; why? because he hath not that which he accounts his treasure: Another man that makes learning his treasure, he saith a godly man, though never so godly, without learning, is a poor, simple, well-meaning man, and that is all; he values all men according to that which he accounts his treasure; examine what value you put upon men. Dost thou prise a godly man above all the world? dost thou say a Godly poor man is better to me then an ungodly King; 'tis a sign that grace is thy treasure, for thou valuest all other men according to that which is thy treasure. The Waldenses were reproached and despised with this, The poor men of Lions; but God hath chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, be they never so poor; by this you shall easily judge where your treasure is: how do you value other men? for you value them by that which you value yourselves. Lastly, What be those times that you set most price upon, that you writ with red letters in the Calendar of your days? those times that bring a man in most treasure, those times the man values most; as look to them Amos 8. they made wealth their treasure; the Sabbath comes, it was a wearisome time to them, they took no pleasure in the world in it; When will the Sabbath be gone, that we may sell corn? as 'tis now with vain ones in the world, when will the Sabbath be gone, and the Sermon be done? we cannot take our pleasures as at other times, that day seems ten to them. Look on the other side, Isa. 58. 13. there is one that calls the Sabbath his delight: why should the Sabbath be a delight to him, because he looks upon it as the best day in the week, and most honourable, because it brings in great treasure. You never knew a rich man think the time long, so long as he is receiving of money; so 'tis with a gracious man, so long as he hath incomes from God, these are Exchequer-days to that soul; those times are most precious to such men which bring in that which they account their treasure; now examine yourselves by these Rules and deal faithfully with your selus, and you will find where your treasure is: for where your treasure is, there your hearts will be: and where your heart is, there is your happiness; and rules where your happiness is, there is your good, and there your reward will be. There are five rules of trial which I have prepared for this present time, which I desire every one would take as a looking glass to see his face by, thereby to judge of his own estate, that you may know where your chief good is laid up, where your treasure lieth. It is the greatest inquiry in the world, there is not a greater question to be asked in the world than this, Where is your chief good, where is your God? and therefore we had need stick a little the longer in it. The first rule to judge it by, A man's treasure or his chief good, is that which is first in his eye and aim in all things, in the whole bent and course of his life: that which hath the priority in all his intentions, that is his chief good, his treasure. Aquinas observs, Intentio est voluntatis propensio ad bonum quoddam agendum aut fruendum. Intention is the bent and aim of the will, in reference unto some good propounded unto it by the understanding; if it be a good to be affected, that rule takes place; that which is first in intention is last in execution; if it be a good to be obtained, than this rule takes place, That which was first in intention, is last in fruition: so that look now what is the great aim of a man's soul, that the bend of his heart is carried out after: the first thing that is in his eye, that is his chief good, his treasure. In the Scripture you find that God stands very much upon priority. Mat. 6. 33. Seek first the kingdom of God. Seek it first: why? is it not enough that the Kingdom of God be sought, suppose it be in the second place? no, it is not sought then; it is despised, it is undervalved, if men do not seek it first. So likewise the Lord commended his love to us in this, he loved us first, 1 Joh. 4. 19 So likewise in Matth. 22. 38. This is the first and great Commandment: God stands wonderfully upon precedency; so that that which should be first, if it be not sought for in God's order, the Lord looks upon it as neglected, and not sought for; for the Lord in this above all things else may be truly said to be the God of Order. Take a natural man, & his chief good is first in his eye: it hath the preeminency and precedency in all his actings and intentions. It's the voice of all covetous men in the world, Seek Godliness, seek Religion. I but quaerenda pecunia primum, seek an estate first: So of all ambitious men, seek honour first. First seek to be great in the world; for a man's chief good is that which draws out the first intentions of his soul: the first born of his soul: see this in godliness: the Scripture is plentiful in the proof of it: 2 Cor. 4. 18. It is the Apostle rule, We, saith he, seek not or look not at the things that are temporal, but at the things that are eternal, on things not seen, and not upon things that are seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, we aim not. He speaks it not only in his own name, but in the behalf of all the Saints: for all act alike in that respect, all have one chief good and utmost end; for we make these things our aim; there be many things that we look upon by the by; but we look upon these things in the first place, as that which we make our aim: so Paul calls it, I press hard unto the mark, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is properly a mark at which a man shoots: properly that which a man aims at in shooting: now you know when a man takes level, though there be many things at his right hand and at his left hand, that he may look at at another time: but when he levels he fixes his eye only upon the mark, that's the thing he only looks at: the Apostle on the other side speaking of other men, Phil. 2. 4. saith, Every man seeks his own things, that is, makes his own things his aim: this is the main thing they look at above all things else, they aim at: now see by this where a man's treasure is, what his chief good is upon this account. What is the first and main thing in all your intentions? If the Lord should come to any Saint here present, and make him Solomon's offer, Ask what I shall give thee. It may be in reference to things below, they would not be presently able to make choice: whether he should choose riches, or honour, or posterity, or long life or authority among men: if all these were laid before him, the man would not be presently able to make choice: but there is no Saint in the world, if God should ask, What shall I give thee? he would make answer without any dispute and reasoning of the business, hoc primum in votis. This is my first desire, an interest with thyself, and an inheritance with the Saints: It would be no trouble to a godly man to resolve it: in reference to the things of eternity there would be no dispute; that which is first in intention, is last in fruition: this is the first rule: pray examine yourselves, what is the main intention of the soul set upon? what hath the priority in all your aims and purposes? certain that is your chief good. Secondly, a man shall know where his treasure or chief good is, by this: that is a man's chief good which he desires for itself, and desires all things else in subordination thereunto: that's a man's chief good which he desires for itself. Christ gives you this Rule, in Matth. 10. 37. He that loves father and mother more than me, is not worthy of me: what doth Christ intent? a man is bound to love father and mother: but Christ saith, you must not love them more than me: what is that? When doth a man love any thing more than Christ? Truly then when it is beloved in competition with him, and not in subordination to him. He must love Christ for himself: that's clear: Christ lays down that as a Rule: Christ is to be beloved for himself, and God is to be loved for himself, and so likewise, Luke 14. 26. He that doth not hate father, and mother, and wife, and children, and his own life, cannot be my disciple: hate them? how hate them? non absolute, said comparative: A man is bound to love them all, and 'tis his duty; 'tis not to be understood absolutely, but in comparison of the Lord jesus: so he is to see that excellency in him, that in comparison of him he is bound to hate father and mother, yea and his own life: Why then Christ is to be loved for himself, and God for himself; and all things else are to be loved in subordination: nay if they do not come in subordination, they are to be hated: that rule is good always then that Austin lays down, Deum diligere propter seipsum, amicum in Deo, inimicum propter Deum: God is to be loved for himself: We are to love our friends in God, and our enemies for God; then a man's chief good is that which a man's loves for itself: but how shall I know whether I love God for himself: 'tis very true a man may love God but out of self love; and a man may love Christ but out of a principle of self love; but how shall I know when I love God for himself, & Christ for himself; You shall know it plainly by two Rules. 1. That which a man is willing to part with all things for, that he loves for itself; he doth love it above all things, part with all th●ngs for it: But how shall I know when I am willing to part with all things for God and Christ? There are two Seasons wherein a godly man is tried in this life; and never any man had grace in his heart, but he had two seasons to try himself by; I say two, to say no more: at the time of his conversion, and at the time of his dissolution. At the time of Conversion, Phil. 3 8. When Paul comes to be converted, put the Question to Paul, do you love Christ for himself? I account all things loss that I may be found in him. Now he loves nothing in comparison of him; he that forsakes not all, cannot be my disciple, Luke 14. 32. not actually forsake all, but in the disposition of his heart he forsakes all for him. Indeed a godly man forsakes all for Christ at his conversion: he forsakes all as a condition, that is, without this I cannot partake of him: For a man must sell all if he will buy the pearl: therefore at conversion a man parts with all as a condition without which he cannot obtain it; but after conversion the man parts with all as an oblation. Doth the Lord require any thing as a Sacrifice? Will he have an Isaac? the soul parts with all, and saith, he shall find all in him again: he parts with all as a condition, and as an oblation: for he knows he is not his own, 1 Cor. 6. 28. All that he is, and hath, belongs to to him: thus at the time of conversion, a godly man hath experience, that he loves Christ and God for himself; for he parts with all for him. Secondly, at the time of his dissolution, when a godly man comes to die, he sees all things here below, taking their leaves of him; his friends, his estate, his glory, his pomp descends not after him: Naked as he came into the world, so he must go out again: now a godly man can look on all these with rejoicing, and say, I have no more need of them; for I am to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, which is much the better, Phil. 1. 23. Consider I pray then, a godly man hath a double experience that he parts with all for Christ, and for God at his conversion, and at his own dissolution, and can do it with cheerfulness, just as that good Martyr, My wife and my children are dear unto me; so dear (said he, when he came to die at the stake) that I could look upon it as a mercy to live with them, though in a prison: but my Christ is dearer to me then all. That's your chief good, that you can part with all things else for. Secondly, when a man abstracts God and Christ, the good that is in them from all the good that comes by them, yet a man loves them for themselves: abstract and take away the good that comes by them, and the soul is carried after them for the good that is in them. I do not speak this to favour that Antinomian Doctrine, which says, that a godly man in his obedience may not, nay 'tis their sin to have respect to the recompense of reward: for Moses had so, and Christ had so: the one for the glory set before him, the other for the joy before him, omnis amor mercedis, non est amor mercenarius. It's not every respect to the recompense of reward makes a man a mercenary in God's service; provided that it be in the second place. Now you shall find there are two seasons, when all the good that comes by Religion and Godliness, seems to be abstracted from it; and what seasons be those? The time of affliction, and the time of desertion. Is there any outward benefit comes by Religion? the times of affliction and persecution deprive men of that. Is there any sweetness, any inward comfort by it? the time of desertion distracts and disturbs that: nay when you look upon job, and see him under both, under affliction and desertion too: and yet notwithstanding for all that, though a man say as Heman did, I am free among the dead, like those that are buried, and thou remember'st no more; for aught I know I shall never have good look from God more: yet I cry day and night: I have but little experience and hope of the good that comes by him, but my heart is carried after him for the good that is in him: Though he kill me I will trust in him. I will love him for the excellencies that are in himself, what ever becomes of it; this is clear and evident that he loves God for the good that is in him, and not for the good that comes by him: you shall find it thus with men in this world; for I would instance on both hands, those that have their portion or treasure here below; truth is they are content to part with all things else for their treasure; as take a man that makes riches his treasure; he will part with a good conscience, he will part with the best friends he hath: nay let him act to the grief of his friends and unto the reproach of his enemies: yet notwithstanding if the man can obtain that which is his treasure, it is enough: let his enemy's reproach and his friends grieve, it is well enough, Populus mihi Sibilat, at mihi plaudo: the man will part with any thing; an Argument that the man loves it for itself: and so 'tis true with an ambitious man, that makes honour his treasure and chief good, he will break all bonds and obligations, natural, civil and religious, to obtain it, nay let him be accounted the monster of men, let him be under Religious vows, he will break all these, he will despise counsel, tread upon friends, trample upon Laws, and all that he may be great: you see the treasure that men propose unto themselves in this world, they love it for itself, and will venture any thing for it: this is the second particular. Thirdly, that which is a man's treasure or chief good, he refers all things to it, he seeks all things else in subordination to it; for a man's chief good, and utmost end, as the Philosopher well observes, is that which order all his actions: but you will say, still you put us upon a strict inquiry; how can we tell that? When we seek all things, and love every thing in subordination to God: for this there are two Rules by which you may plainly judge. First, he that seeks all things in subordination to his chief good, there is nothing shall cross it; he seeks nothing that falls cross unto it: for whatever falls cross unto it, truly that is not sought in subordination. Subordinata non pugnant. Now see this in a godly man: what ever may cross him in that which is his chief good, to be sure his soul goes off from it: as for example, suppose it be the love of life, Acts 20. 24. I account not my life dear, saith Paul, so I may finish my course with joy. And so it may be, the body and bodily ease may stand in competition with duty. I cannot pray, nor I cannot fast, nor I cannot spend my time thus, and so: Why, saith he, I beat down my body, and make it serve: I serve. Coming in competition with the chief good, it must yield. And so it may be an estate: I cannot part with my money, no; but if God be thy chief good, and thine estate come in competition with God and Christ, then valeat vita, valeat pecunia, valeant omnia: farewel life, & farewell estate, and farewell all, as that good woman said. This a man shall see, when he seeks all things in subordination to God; for nothing else shall cross that which is his chief good; and so if a man would gain the world, he seeks all things else in subordination unto it: see an instance in Demas; will godliness abate his profit? no, it crosses his chief good, and therefore he forsakes it; and so it is with all men, that do deliberately choose sin to avoid suffering: or neglect a known duty for temporal advantage: Why? because somewhat else is their chief good, and the things of Religion are subordinate to that; if any thing in Religion cross my estate; or cross me in point of honour, then farewell Religion. Secondly, it must serve it; that which is subordinate to another, that must serve thereunto: take a man whose portion is in this world, whose chief good is here below: there is nothing in Religion, but must serve that man. Simon Magus his chief good is his money, his covetousness; now let me offer money to buy the gifts of the Holy Ghost, that by this means he might make gain of the gifts of the Holy Ghost: the gifts of the Holy Ghost shall increase his estate. And so Jehu's Reformation in Religion shall tend to this end, to settle Jehu in his Kingdom; for things subordinate must be useful to that to which they are subordinate; and if you look upon Popery in the whole frame of it, what is the aim and intention of it? Here is a great show of Religion, all to keep the woman that rides the scarlet coloured beast on horseback, the greatest shows and pretences to conscience that can be: Now on the contrary, take a godly man, whose chief good is God alone, why he doth value all things barely as they are subordinate to this end: an estate, what doth he love it for itself? no, but as he may thereby lay up a good foundation, that he may inherit eternal life; as he may make him friends of the unrighteous Mammon: Gifts, doth he value them for themselves? no, but for the edification of the body of Christ: so as every thing else he makes subordinate to his chiefest good. Ecclesiastes 7. 11. Wisdom is good with an inheritance; by wisdom is meant saving wisdom, grace, that which gins with the fear of the Lord; but why doth he say, wisdom is good with an inheritance; is not wisdom good without an inheritance? there are two things in it: grace teaches a man how to use an inheritance, and to subordinate it; wisdom is not so good in itself, in reference to others, without an inheritance: and wisdom teaches how to employ an inheritance to God's glory, and the good of others, to make it subordinate to a higher end; you love it not otherways then as it is subordinate, you do not seek any thing to cross it; but you make all things else serviceable thereunto; if some of you should go down into your own hearts, God hath given you honours and estates: do you love these in subordination to God: how then is your honour and estate employed for God? I am afraid many of us will be found seeking these things as our chief good, though we pretend that all is in subordination to God. Fourthly, where a man's treasure and chief good is, a man's soul goes out after it with continual and earnest breathe and gaspings; whatever is a man's chief good, his treasure, his heart goeth out after it, with continual and endless gaspings and breathe: so you shall find it with natural men, who have their treasure in this life, their souls are full of nothing but lusts endless desires: It is expressed, Psalm. 24. 4. these be the liftings up of a man's soul to vanity: A man now that makes riches, or pleasures, or honours, or any thing below his treasure, or his chief good, he lifts up his soul to vanity: to lift up the soul in Scripture, is to desire a thing earnestly, with continual earnest breathe after it, Deut. 24. 15. The poor lifts up his soul to his wages, that is, desires his wages, and Jer. 22. 27. The Land whereunto you lift up your souls, to that you shall never return: So that to lift up a man's soul to any thing in the Scripture is to desire it earnestly: thus if a man's chief good be here below, continual breathe and gaspings of soul go out after it: but take another man now that hath his treasure in Heaven, his chief good above: where are the continual pant and gaspings of his soul, Psal. 25. 1. Lord, I lift my soul to thee: the one lifts up his soul to vanity, another lifts up his soul to God: there is none that I desire in comparison of thee, my soul gasps for thee: 2 Cor. 5. 1. For this we groan earnestly; for our house which is from heaven, under continual groan and breathe always. And though it is true, the soul while it is here finds an impossibility of enjoying God here: yet you shall find this true, and 'tis a mighty speech, Love that is of the right kind, and carried after God indeed, truly is never satisfied nor at rest in this, that it is under a possibility of enjoying God, but works after, and tends to that enjoyment. Consider it I pray; it is with the soul, as all waters you know run into the sea: a tide may come and beat back the water at the present, but it returns after the tide, it returns to its own course: and so it is with a gracious heart, he can never be quiet; when the soul follows hard after God, it is beaten back again, but it makes after God again; now examine, what doth your souls breath and make after? that is your chief good. Lastly, that is a man's treasure and chief good wherein his soul receives satisfaction, without which he is never satisfied; in the enjoyment whereof a man blesses his soul, that is, thinks it happy; so the Scripture speaks this too Psal. 49. 18. take a natural man, and While he liveth he blesses his soul: while he doth live to himself he blesseth his soul, so you shall find that men are satisfied in nothing else. Take an ambitious man; let him have the wealth of Nations at command: let every man's purse be open unto him; yet notwithstanding he is not satisfied with all his wealth; for he cannot sit in a low place: why? because honour is his chief good. Take another man and let wealth be his chief good: let the man be never so wise, never so learned, have never so great esteem among men; he is not satisfied but he must be rich; for the soul is satisfied in nothing but that which the man makes his chief good. On the other side, take another man that makes God and godliness his chief good. In this he is satisfied, and satisfied in nothing else, Psa. 90. 14. Satisfy us early with thy mercy: take a soul that needs mercy, mercy satisfieth him, and nothing else, Psal. 66. 18. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house: Give him wealth, and that will not satisfy him; his soul is still empty; honour and preferment among men will not satisfy him, 'tis not his chief good, Prov. 14. 14. it is said, a good man is satisfied from himself: what doth Solomon mean by satisfaction from a man's self, it is self joined to a man's chief good; for a man's chief good is nearer to him then himself: take a man that enjoys his chief good, though he be stripped of all things else, he blesses his soul, he saith he is a happy man, for he is satisfied with himself; examine yourselves now by these Rules: look what that is that is first and chief in your aim in all you do in this world; what that is that you love for itself: what you love all things else in subordination to; where are the gaspings of your soul, and in what is it that you bless your souls? Where is your satisfaction? by these trials you shall certainly know where your chief good is; and where your treasure is, there is your heart; and where your heart is, there is your happiness, and there your portion will be at last; and so much for the Use of examination, how every man shall know; seeing every man hath a treasure in this life, by election, though not by fruition where his treasure is. The next thing that now we come to, is a Use of conviction: Hath every man that lives in this world some treasure? or something that may be called his chief good? why then this will set forth the misery, the most wretched condition of all those that mis-lay their treasure, misplace their chief good; the Lord Jesus Christ tells you there are two sorts of men; some whose treasure is laid up on earth, others whose treasure is laid up in Heaven. Some that have their chief good here below, their portion in this life: some it may be that have but the earnest here, the first-fruits, the harvest is to come: now all those that are mistaken in reference to their chief good that do mis-place their treasure; This doth clearly discover to them that they are in a most miserable condition: and truly this is, I will not say, the condition of most of you here present: but this is the condition of most in the world; that I am sure the Scripture warrants me to say. Now that I may a little heighten this conviction, if the Lord please to bless it to any soul: When upon examination you find your chief good misplaced, and you have not laid up your treasure where you should do: there are these six considerations that should marvellously heighten it unto you. First, consider the Scripture doth speak of a true treasure, Luke 16. 11. If you have not been faithful in the Mammon of unrighteousness, who will commit to your trust your true treasure? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. When I read such expressions in Scripture concerning riches, and see how strangely men run after them, how mad men are of them, either unjustly gotten or unjustly kept, or wickedly spent, the Mammon of unrighteousness every way: But who shall commit unto him the true treasure? Now here is an opposition that clearly argues a distinction. There is a treasure that is true, then certainly there is a treasure that is false: it behoves you then to consider, have I a treasure? is it true or false? as to that Prov. 8. 21. Where wisdom is brought in, saying, He that loveth me, I will cause him to inherit substance: the word signifies, I will cause him to inherit something that is, or somewhat that hath a being: what doth this argue? what do other men inherit that do not love wisdom? truly they inherit shadows: Take all the great-landed men in the world and they inherit a shadow. There is a true treasure that is substantial: pray hear what the Holy Ghost saith of all your wealth, you rich men, Prov. 23. 5. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? what is that which is not? riches betake themselves to their wings; riches is said not to be; why not to be? it is all the being that many of you have in this world; if it were not for your wealth you were no body; it's the only thing you bear up yourselves upon. It's said not to be upon a double account; there is no reality in them, there is no stability in them; both these I think the Spirit of God expresses. First, there is no Reality in them, that is, in reference to what you fancy them to be; it's more fancy that makes them such things, than any reality that is in the thing in itself; and in that respect covetousness is idolatry, riches an Idol, and an Idol is nothing in the world; so the Apostle saith, that is, it's nothing in substance: so riches is nothing of that which you fancy, 'tis not so in substance, 'tis but so in fancy; and there was never any godly man, whose eyes the Lord opened to see the vanity of the creature but he saw it was his own great thoughts made these things great: it's your fancy makes them idols: And, Secondly, there is nothing of stability in them, they betake themselves to their wings: you think now to have them to morrow where they were to day, no, they take themselves wings and are gone; you have seen this in your time in hundreds of instances, how men's treasures take themselves to their wings; in none of these things the true treasure lies; he is a miserable man therefore that doth not inherit substance, but fancies. Thou art a miserable man therefore that art in this mistake; that's the first Argument to enforce this conviction. Secondly, consider herein lieth the great deceit of sin and Satan, to deceive a man in his chief good. I, there is the great deceit, the Apostle Heb. 3. 12, 13. Speaks of the deceitfulness of sin, Lest any man be hardened with the deceitfulness of sin; there is in every sin a deceitfulness: It works with all deceivableness of unrighteousness; and so the devil is said to do with the deceivableness of unrighteousness: Now sin and Satan will labour to deceive you in every thing; but to what end is it? In ordine ad summum bonum. It is in reference to your chief good, there is the deceit; they will deceive you in all things else, but in order to your chief good; for as the Spirit of God is in direction, so Satan is in delusion. The Spirit of God in direction he will direct a man in all his ways, in every course and passage of his life, but all in reference to a man's chief good and utmost end: so Satan will deceive a man in every passage of his life; but to what end is it? that he may deceive him in that which is his chief good; and in this the great malice of Satan doth appear, that he will set a man's heart upon some particular good thing, which the soul shall take as its chief good: and embracing that, shall own the Devil as God, and worship him. Pray consider what I say, whatever Satan fixes a man's heart upon a particular good, and a man makes that his chief good, he owns the Devil as God, and worships him as God: And it is in this that Satan was a murderer from the beginning, Abbadon the destroyer: the devil deceived the woman: In what? in her chief good, and it is in this that he is the destroyer: and herein lies the happiness of godly men, that though Satan deceives them in many things, yet in their chief good he doth never deceive them; they are passed that: as he is never able to rob them of their chief good, so he is never able to deceive them there; that they are sure of; therefore he can never destroy them: why? because in their chief good he can never deceive them: able to deceive in this or that particular act: they may be cheated by Satan of the exercise of this or that particular grace: may be enticed to this or that sin: may be cheated by men of this or that temporal good: but in that which is their chief good they cannot be cheated. Thirdly, consider further, the nature of man doth exceedingly abhor to be deceived: 'tis so in all your natures, men do not love to be cheated: for there is not only a loss in the thing, but a disparagement left upon the man: he is not only deceived of some good thing, but he hath the blemish of a fool laid upon him, because he was deceived, being out-witted: you use to say, I had rather give away three times as much, then to be cheated of a small matter: now you shall find deceit is conversant about the understanding, and by this means a man is deceived through the failing of his understanding: The Holy Ghost charges, That no man should circumvent and overreach his brother: in bargaining men do not love to be overreached: the woman was deceived, 1 Tim. 2. 14. and 2 Cor. 11. 3. The Serpent beguiled the woman: out-witted, overreached, but never was there such a cheat as this in the world, to deceive a man in his chief good, this is the great deceit: you will say, to give a man Brass for Gold is a great deceit: for a man to take stones for bread, that were a greater; because there is a less similitude: but to take the Creature for the Creator, to set up the devil in the place of God: this is the deceit of being cheated in a man's chief good; there are 'tis true many lesser deceits of Satan; he doth deceive men in this or that particular act, and a man is many times deceived by Satan through the same sin: when a man hath been convinced of a sin, hath repent for it, hath prayed against it, cost him many tears, and sighs, and groans before God, and he hath resolved against that sin: yet a new temptation hath come, the devil hath varnished that sin over again, and the man is taken with it: this is a deceit in a particular act: but here lies the grand deceit, when a man is deceived in point of his chief good: the nature of man is exceedingly against being beguiled, overreached: consider further, Fourthly, you have the more reason to look unto it upon this account: because this is the deceit that above all others Satan takes care to hid from you; he would so deceive you in your chief good, that you should never know it, keep you under that deceit all the days of your lives. There are several deceits of Satan that may be discovered to men, and they may recover out of them, as the Apostle, 2 Tim. 2. 26. speaks of men recovering themselves out of the snare of the Devil, or as the word is, to come to a man's self after he hath been drunk, to come into his wits again; a man may do so in many things: A man may see that in this or that action he erred and hath been deceived, and that was not good, and this was not well; this a man may see and recover himself: nay, I think a man may go thus high, a man may see the deceit of Satan his guile in reference to his darling sin, that I conceive even in a state of unregeneracy, a man may change his darling sin; a man may have such discovery of the deceit of Satan; for the unclean spirit sometimes goes out of the man; in reference to particular acts a man may see himself deceived, and a man may see himself quite escaped those great errors among which he lives, 2 Pet. 2. 18. but in regard of a man's chief good whatever he can do to hinder a man from seeing the deceit in his chief good, he will do, 2 Cor. 4. The God of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not. What is the devils great design upon all unregenerate men? his great design is to keep them unregenerate, that's his business; for never was any man converted to Christ, but he did see that he had erred in his chief good; for you must consider what conversion is, it is a turning to God, that argues a departing from God: turn to the Lord, therefore we are departed from him. Now how is a man departed from God? Why, as his chief good, as his utmost end, and therein lies the true nature of all ungodliness; I am departed from God as my chief good, and have forsaken God as my utmost end: when a man returns to God again what doth he do? why, change his chief good: that place is observable, Jer. 2. 13. My people have committed two evils; forsaken me the fountain of living waters: what is that? departed from me as their chief good from whence all good flows: And dig to themselves broken Cisterns, that is, place their chief good somewhere else; that is the meaning of the Spirit of God; though a man see his particular error; yet in this he shall be blind; the God of this world will endeavour to blind his eyes: Further consider, Fifthly, this will be the deceit under which the greatest part of the world will perish, being deceived in a man's chief good. I say under this deceit the greatest part of the world will be damned; for strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that enter thereat, Mat. 7. 14. Now all men it is very true are carried out after some good thing or other, and that they pursue: Who will show us any good? Psal. 4. but there is a fourfold deceit, under which about good things diligently sought, the greatest part of the world will perish; pray observe them carefully. First, men take bonum apparens pro vero, that which is but a seeming good for a real and true good. Secondly, they take bonum particulare pro universali, a particular good for an universal good; that which is the chief good serves to all ends and purposes in all estates and conditions; 'tis good every way: whereas riches, its true, they profit against poverty, but not against death and wrath; honour keeps a man from disgrace, but will not prevail against sin; and hereby men are deceived. Thirdly, men take temporale pro aeterno, a temporal good, and they think this is an eternal good; they think their riches will last for ever, and that they will go down with them to the pit to bribe the flames, and corrupt the Tormenter. A man's chief good must last not only for this life, but in the life to come. Lastly, they take alienum pro proprio, that which is another man's good for their own: I that's the deceit. The holy Ghost when he speaks of all things of this life, saith, If thou be not faithful in that which is another man's, Luke 16. 11. I warrant there is never a rich man here, but thinks your estates are your own: a Nabal may say indeed, Shall I take my meat and my drink? and very thing is my and my; but the Spirit of God is quite contrary; he saith, Thou art the Steward of it for the present, but 'tis another man's; and therefore when he speaks of giving to the poor, he saith, withhold not from him to whom it is due: you do not think it is due, it is at your own liberty; now here is the deceit, men take that to be their own good which is another man's: this world's good: and under these four mistakes the greatest part of the world perish; they take that for a true good which is but good in appearance; for an universal good that is particular; for an eternal, that which is but temporal; and that which is another man's for their own. Lastly, it is this which will be unto Satan matter of insultation; and if thou be deceived in thy chief good, it will be matter of derision to thee for ever; remember that: to Satan matter of insultation: it is not with Cheaters as with Robbers, that take goods from a man by violence, but the Cheater boasts of his pranks afterwards, to tell how he hath outwitted a man: so it is with Satan as a deceiver, and you know every prevailing is an insulting evil, and Satan is the envious man: there are not only from Satan cruel murtherings, but there are cruel mockings: I pray do but consider, Isa. 14. 10, 11, 12. there is Nabuchadnezzar; the devil set the greatest good before him that this world could afford, to be the great Emperor of the world, and by this particular good the poor man is deceived: Well, he comes to Hell after all this; and the spirit beneath is moved at his coming. Do but see how the devil insults, How art thou fallen from heaven, Oh great Lucifer Son of the morning! Here is a man that I cheated, by varnishing over a particular good: riches one, by honours another; by pleasures a third: and it is that which will be to thee matter of derision for ever: it will be too late then to say, so foolish was I and ignorant, I was as a beast before thee: then a man must own his own shame, and lie down under it: and this is the great and grand deceit which men will look upon with shame and confusion of face to eternity. Certainly, you had need to take heed than you be not deceived in your chief good: thus men are miserable, whose chief good is misplaced. But wherein doth their misery lie, that misplace their chief good? There are six things; but it would spend a days time to reckon up the misery of that man; I and a day would be too little to recount the misery of that man who errs in his chief good, errs in placing his treasure. There are only six things at present I shall mention, that whoever finds that his chief good is misplaced, he may consider of it, and this may help towards his conversion for the change of his chief good. First, there is nothing good to that man who errs in his chief good: it's the old rule, Nil bonnm sine summo bono: There is nothing good to that man who is deceived in his chief good: look into Eccles. 5. 3. there be riches: why, is not that a good thing? a good thing for a man to have a great estate and a large portion; but to a man that makes these his chief good, there is no good in them to him. There be riches kept for the hurt of the owners: the man shall wish one day that he had been as poor as Lazarus when he lay at the rich man's gate: the man is the worse for them, he is but made rich for his hurt; and the same thing is true of honours and all outward things: many a man is made honourable to his hurt: for if he errs in his chief good, he errs in all things else. Is it not a good thing to live under the means of grace, the preaching of the Gospel, the droppings of the Spirit of grace in the Sanctuary, where he uses to work? look into Heb. 6. 7, 8. there is the ground that drinks in the rain, and yet is nigh to cursing. Why? because he errs in his chief good: for what fruit hath he of all these? truly they all tend to no other end but to ensnare his soul, to draw out his lusts, to ripen his sins, to hasten his ruin: here is all the good the man gets by it: as 'tis to a good man that hits right in his chief good, every thing is good to him: sufferings shall be good, sinning good, afflictions good, temptations good: Why, every thing is sanctified to him: so on the contrary to another man, nothing is good to him, because he errs in his chief good: As 'tis in order of causes, so 'tis in order of goodness too: all inferior things are never good to a man without an influence of the chief good: remember that is the misery of a man that misplaces his chief good, his treasure: if he err in that, nothing is good unto him. Secondly, if a man err in his chief good, this will make him err in his judgement of things and persons as long as he lives: that is his misery, he never judges aright of things and persons: the rule of every man's judgement is that which is to him his chief good: now if he err in that, he must needs err in his judgement both of things and persons: First, You shall see he errs, and must needs do so in reference to things: Take a man whose chief good is here below, and see how he judges of things; he judges sinning to be good, and therefore he chooses iniquity rather than affliction, Job 36. 21. he judges the praise of men better than the praise of God, and therefore chooses that, John 12. 43. nay he chooses things present as better then those that are to come. This is the way of a man that hath his chief good here below: he errs in his judgement of all things: whereas now 'tis contrary to a man whose chief good is in heaven: he saith, sin is worse than death, worse than Hell: as Anselm once professed, if hell were offered on the one side, and heaven on the other with sin, he would rather enter hell, and account that a good exchange; Mallem Gehennam intrare. And so he is not praiseworthy whom men, but whom the Lord commends: why does one judge of things one way, and another another way? 'tis because of different chief good: and as 'tis true of things, so 'tis true of persons; one that places his happiness here below, and hath his treasure in this life, he calls the proud happy; judges them happy that be set up in this world, Mal. 3. 15. he saith, they are happy that be rich and honourable, and have all things in this world in possession: because 'tis that wherein he places his chief good. Now another man that hath his treasure in heaven, saith, they be the godly that be the excellent ones, the precious ones of the earth, the Lords jewels, and so they are in his account: for he judges of them according to his own chief good: and this is the true reason why the men of the world put darkness for light, and light for darkness: because the rule of their judgement is their chief good, and a mistake there makes them to err: that is the second. Thirdly, if a man mis-place his chief good, this will cause him to mis-place all the affections of his soul all his life long: all the affections of his soul will be set wrong, and run upon wrong objects: the holy Ghost speaks of a perverse generation, crooked and perverse: when all the affections of the soul are set wrong, and run cross to every thing, they are so perverse: now thus you shall find a man that hath his chief good here below, his treasure on earth, he loves vanity, Psal. 4. 6. He fears where no fear is, he rejoices in a thing of nought, Amos 6. 13. all his affections are set upon wrong objects: why? they follow his judgement, follow that which he looks upon as his chief good; there be affections to that which is good in a way of prosecution, and affections to that which is evil in a way of aversion, and all these are set wrong; and all these follow that which a man places his chief good in: Other men fear man: a godly man fears sin; the other rejoiceth in a thing of nought: but he rejoiceth in the hope of the glory of God: to his chief good his affections are set: and is not this a miserable thing to have all the faculties of the soul disjointed and set awry? Fourthly, this makes a man to lose his labour in every thing he doth all his life long: if he err in his chief good, all his labour is lost; every man's labour in this life is in reference to his chief good, Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endures to everlasting life: Now if a man mistake and mis-place his chief good, than all his labour is lost; for that is the rule of all his labour: you will say it was a miserable curse, that upon the Princes of Zoar: they made Egypt to err in every work of their hands: as will you but consider, Prov. 11. 8. the wicked works a deceitful work: why a deceitful work? why because the man is deceived in his chief good, and therefore their work never answers their labour; they wove a spider's web: but it never becomes a garment: he that misplaces his chief good, he is deceived in every work of his hands: he spends his parts, his time in vain: he sows the wind, and reaps the whirlwind. Fifthly, this only will destroy the man; oh consider, this error only is the damning sin: a man may be deceived in a particular good thing or action, and his soul be saved in the day of the Lord: there is not the best man on earth, but in many things Satan deceives him, & in many things he may err and miscarry: but if he be not deceived in his chief good, his soul shall certainly be saved for all this. Now that which is your chief good here by way of election, shall be your chief good hereafter in way of fruition: as for example, as 'tis in errors in matter of Doctrine: the Apostle, 1 Cor. 3. 11, 12. speaks of such a man as holds the foundation, and builds hay and stubble upon it: that is, is deceived in doctrines of lesser concernment; he shall lose his labour, but his soul shall be saved for all that: so here in errors in matter of Practice, good things to be obtained; if a man err in a particular good thing, his soul may be saved; but if he err in his chief good, he will be destroyed; this is that which destroys the soul. Lastly, consider if there were nothing else but this, it is the greatest delusion, and the absurdest cheat that can be in the world: for a man is deceived, and makes that his happiness, which is quite contrary; a chief good must have a quite contrary ingredient. It is observed by Austin, that Blessedeness requires two things. First, a chief good is that which cannot be lost: now you place your chief good in things below; and Christ tells you, The rust and moth corrupts, and thiefs break through and steal: therefore to make them your chief good, is a perfect cheat. Secondly, happiness requires impeccability; the soul is put into a condition that it should not sin: Now whoever he be that misplaces his chief good, even in so doing he lives in a continual way of sinning; for 'tis setting up another God; he that places his chief good in any thing below God and heaven: for to be your God, and your chief good, is all one. In all these respects, see what a miserable condition that man is in, who misplaces his chief good: when his heart should be on things above, he sets it upon things below. And thus much for the Use of conviction: the Lord set it on upon our consciences. Do not misplace your chief good, do not be cheated and befooled in that: for 'tis that deceit which is destruction. Is this a truth, that every man that lives in this world hath somewhat that he lays up as his treasure? why then take Christ's exhortation in the verse before the text, lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven: that is the exhortation; if every man hath a treasure, then lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven; which before I can come to open, there are three things that I thought necessary to premise before I come to press home the Exhortation upon you. And pray mark, for they are very profitable things. First, some do observe here praecepti suavitatem, the sweetness of Christ's commands: see how he applies himself to the desires of a man: the Lord Jesus notes this, that as man in outward things is a prudent, so he is a provident creature; man is not content to have enough for the present: he must lay up somewhat for time to come: the Lord Jesus doth not forbid this: here is sweetness of the Command: if you will be laying up treasure, I will tell you where you shall lay it up to purpose, where you shall lay it up for time to come. Indeed he tells you where is the true and the safe treasure: you will be treasuring; why then that you may not deceive yourselves, lay up treasure in heaven. You have abundance of instances of this in Scripture; as for example, Luk. 10. The 72. Disciples are sent forth to preach the Gospel, and they return with joy, saith the Text, that devils were subject to them: Christ doth not forbid their joy, but rectifies it; set yourselves to rejoice in this, that your names are written in heaven. And so men are prone to fear evil; he doth not reprove their fear, Matth. 20. 18. but fear him that can cast body and soul into hell: I say fear him: he doth not forbid their fear altogether, but sets their fear upon the right objects; and so also men are apt to glory in some excellency. Christ doth not altogether forbidden their glorying, but saith, Jer. 9 23. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches, but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth, and knoweth me that I am the Lord. But let him glory in this that he knows me. Here is the sweetness of all Gospel commands: the Lord is pleased to fet them upon a right Object: he doth not forbid laying up of Riches, but be rich to God: he doth not forbid adorning and bravery, but saith he, be adorned with humility; love not the world, nor the things of the world, not absolutely forbade, but comparatively: only sets it upon the right object still. That's the first thing I observe by way of premise. Secondly, it is observable also, that there are divers ways of treasuring: the Text names two: some there be, their treasures are on earth; and some there be whose treasures are in heaven. But observing the Scripture, I find there are three sorts of treasures among men: men do lay up treasure three ways, and in three places. First, Thesauri in terra, men lay up treasures upon earth, that is, they place their happiness in the things below, they savour nothing else, they mind nothing else: look only to the things that are seen, and have no higher end in all their ways. Now these men, all their treasure is upon earth. It's well observed by one, finis amatus & intentus, thesaurus dicitur, that which a man doth love and aim at, that's his treasure; for a man's chief good and utmost end are the same. Now men that have no End beyond this life, have no treasure beyond this world, but all the projects of their lives they are terminated here below, that look for nothing beyond the life that now is, only in this world; let me be rich and honourable, and let me live in bravery and gallantry while I am here; in this they please themselves, and take this for their portion; now these are the men that lay up treasures upon earth. But there are Secondly, Thesauri in Gehenna: another sort of treasures: some men lay up treasures in hell; you have such an expression, Rom. 2. 5. Thou, after the hardness of thy heart and impenitency, dost treasure up wrath against the day of wrath: Here is a man that lives in sin: this man is a treasurer too, but he lays up treasures in hell: there is a treasure of sin, and a treasure of wrath; and as the man adds to the one, God adds unto the other: therefore you must know that as sin doth ripen, so doth judgement; as sin increases, so doth wrath, Ezek. 7. 10. the prophet hath this expression, The rod hath blossomed, pride hath budded, spoken of Gods bringing wrath upon the J●ws by Nabuchadnezzar; for as sin ripens, so the affliction ripens; nay in Zach. 5. 8. there is an ephah, that notes the full measure of their wickedness; and a talon of lead, proportionable to the sin, that covers the mouth of it: as you fill up the measure of your sins, so you fill up likewise the measure of the Lords wrath: oh that men would but consider this then: you only think you carry on one treasure, but remember there is another treasure goeth on: you treasure up sin: God treasures up wrath. 3. Thesauri in coelo: There are a third sort of treasurers, that lay up treasures in heaven, place their happiness 〈…〉 good in nothing 〈…〉 ●●●ven, that take aims 〈…〉 this life: the things present are the succours of their way, but far from being made their journey's end. The Philosopher could observe, every man is as his utmost end is: what thy utmost End is, what thy chief good is, that art thou: if thy end be earthly, thou art a man of earth: if thy end be heavenly, thou art a Citizen of heaven: therefore the Scripture speaks, as in Psalm 10. last verse, That the men of the earth may no more oppress: and Psal. 17. 14. They are the men of this world: Why the men of this world? their portion is in this life, they have no good beyond this life; therefore their utmost end is not beyond this world: and so likewise why are the people of God said to be Citizens with the Saints, Eph. 2. 19 and to seek after a C●ty whose builder and maker is God, Hebr. 11. 10, 16. what is the reason that he hath prepared for them a city? they are therefore said to be Citizens of heaven, because their End, their chief good is beyond this life: that's the second thing to be premised. There are several sorts of treasures, some lay up upon earth, others in Hell, and some lay up in heaven. Thirdly, we are to observe here, Modum praecepti, the manner or nature of this command: Lay up treasures in heaven: Christ's meaning is not, that men should lay up nothing upon earth, that's not the meaning: nay to lay up upon earth is their duty, Prov. 6. 6. Vain man is sent to the Ant, upon that account, that lays up in Summer against Winter: 'tis a lesson that the bruit Creatures must teach: nay, 2 Cor. 12. 14. Parents ought to lay up for their children, saith the Apostle, He that provides not for those of his own house is worse than an infidel: Then 'tis not unlawful to lay up upon earth: but what then is the meaning? I find three hints given by Interpreters, which all will help to explain it: Not upon earth: Non ut adversetur, sed ut subjiciatur Coelo. Do not lay up treasures on earth, as contrary to treasures in heaven; but lay up treasures on earth, as they may be helpful to treasures in heaven: There is a second hint. Camnissius and others give, Non absolute tanquam ex necessitate objecti: do not lay up treasures on earth, as if there were an absolute necessity of it, and a man could not live without it; according as God gives opportunity, so men may make provision for their own comfortable being, and those that God hath given them: but not as if I and my posterity were undone without it. They think they cannot live without so much by the year: How many poor simple people have we heard of that cannot live happily without so much a year, Luk. 12. 15. Take heed and beware of covetousness, for the comfort of a man's life comes not in from the abundance of things that he possesses: Happily thou mayest have so many thousands a year, and yet be a poor miserable man, and live a wretched life all thy days for all that: There is yet another hint. Coelo neglecto, do not lay up treasures on earth: how? that is so as to neglect heaven. Let not this be a means to take off your hearts from higher things: if it be your treasure on earth, it is your curse and plague: therefore look to it you whose estates take off your hearts from the things of God and eternity: God hath given you estates on earth: they are your plagues, your curses, and yet how many poor souls do we hear say, as those in Zach. 11. 6. Blessed be God, for they are rich. Notwithstanding they hope God will be good to them: but never hear them say, blessed be God, for I am gracious; or blessed be God I am converted, these are things their souls savour not. But rather as that poor wretch, that Cardinal said, I would not leave my part in Paris for my part in Paradise. Now do not you thus lay up treasures on earth, but lay up treasures in heaven: and thus I have given you these Cautions for the right understanding of the phrase. Let us now improve the Exhortation that hath been laid before you, which was this, Seeing every man in this life hath a treasure; some do lay it up upon earth, and some do lay it up in heaven: be you exhorted to lay up your treasure in heaven; now that we may gain the more benefit by it, we shall open it a little: For the more distinctly you understand spiritual truths, the more profit you get by them, and the more sweetness you taste in them, that I will tell you. Therefore there are four things I shall speak to briefly in the prosecution of this Use. First, what is meant by heaven, and why we are commanded to lay up treasures in heaven? Secondly, what are those treasures that a man may have in heaven? Thirdly, how can a man lay up treasures in heaven, or what is it for a man to lay up treasures in heaven, seeing no man in this world ever was in heaven? How is man said to lay up treasure there while he is in this life? how a man can lay up treasure on earth, we can understand. Lastly, give some Arguments to press and enforce the Exhortation on every one of us, as the Lord shall bless them unto us. First, what is heaven? what is meant by heaven? And here I meet with a double interpretation, and we may make improvement of both of them, and therefore I shall give them both unto you; for all such things tend to very great advantage to the opening of Scripture. First, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Heaven, some expound it of God, apud Deum, lay up your treasure in God, as Grotius; lay up your treasure with God; and so they take heaven for him that is the God of heaven, the possessor of heaven: this will help you to explain some other Scriptures, Matth. 21. 25. The baptism of John, was it from heaven or of men? The proper opposition lies, is it from God or man? Was it from man's authority, or from Gods? And so Luke 15. 18. I have sinned against heaven and before thee: Why it is the God that dwelleth in heaven; Why? so lay up your treasure in heaven, that is, place your happiness in God alone, be satisfied in nothing below himself. Let him be (who hath promised to be) your portion and your exceeding great reward: lay up treasure in heaven, that is, lay up treasure in God; for you are to consider, that, Though the Scripture do speak of some other treasures in heaven, as in Luke 12. 33. men are exhorted to give alms, and they should have treasures in heaven. Good works are treasures in heaven. But how? only as the Lord doth give himself there to the soul as a rewarder; pray observe, that you may not mistake (that your treasure in heaven is God, as after I shall show.) Why? this is very true, the exercise of every grace, and the performance of every duty, all these are said to be treasures in heaven. Why? because they stand upon record in heaven, and because the Lord himself in Heaven will be the rewarder: and therefore lay up your treasure in God, let him be your chief good; and for all good duties, lay them up wi●● God, that so he of all these may be your great rewarder: Lay up therefore your treasures in Deo, in God, that he may be your eternal portion: your good works, apud Deum, with God, that he may be your exceeding great reward: This is of great Use. Secondly, in Coelum, others take heaven here, For that which we commonly read of in Scripture, the third heaven, that is called commonly by the Schoolmen the highest heaven, the habitation of God's majesty and glory: It is the place where the Saints shall be glorified with God, when they shall enter into their master's joy: This third heaven, that was the first of the Creation of God; for so I conceive the highest heavens, with its inhabitants were first made, and the first day: In the beginning God created the heavens, the highest heavens, with its first inhabitants; for though it be true, God from eternity was his own heaven, as I may so speak, and though he hath created the highest heaven, yet he is not included and comprehended there; for he fills heaven and earth, Jer. 23. 23. He is God every where present, yet the highest heavens are the place of his Throne, the place where his honour dwells: Where he is pleased to show forth his majesty and glory, in a most eminent manner: and the place that he hath appointed where his people shall have both vision and fruition of him to eternity: called therefore their father's house; called therefore the City whose builder and maker is God: called therefore an inheritance, immortal, uncorruptible, undefiled, reserved in the heavens for us: Now this being the place of the Saints happiness, when they shall ever be with the Lord; they are exhorted to lay up their treasures there, for the time will shortly come, when all the Saints of God shall remove; for you have here no continuing City; you seek for a country, the time will shortly come when you shall leave all your treasure here behind you: for you shall carry nothing away with you; for their happiness is in heaven, to enjoy God and Christ unto all eternity: for this cause they are exhorted to lay up treasure in heaven: Where they shall receive the end of their faith, and the fruit of their obedience, the salvation of their souls, which consists in the enjoyment of God in heaven: then take either of these for heaven, 'tis true of both: either God, lay up your treasure in God, who is the God of heaven; or lay up your treasure in heaven, where your eternal enjoyment of God shall be: That is the first, what is meant by Heaven. But, Secondly, 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 man's treasure in heaven is, and truly almost every Interpreter differs; some 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 man's treasure on earth? that which stands in opposition to treasure any where else: The man hath nothing else but what he hath on earth, than a man's treasure on earth is his chief good on earth, be it what it will: riches, honours, pleasures, or whatever else: where his heart is, and his chief good, that is his treasure: then what is a man's treasure in heaven, with a man's chief good in heaven, that's his treasure. Now what is a godly man's chief good in heaven? why, '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 man's treasure in heaven. First, a man's treasure is that which he loveth most, and a man must love nothing more than God; nay a man's 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, Exod. 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 man's love goes, there truly the man dwells, that's 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 man's treasure is that, Quod maxime habetur in pretio: which he prizes most: and some observe upon this place, that is a man's treasure that he sets the highest price upon. Now a man should prise nothing more than God: so you see when God saith of his people, they are his peculiar treasure: all people in the world are undervalved for them, Isa. 43. 4. I will give men for thee, and princes for thy life: Kings and Nations are nothing in comparison of God's people to God: In this respect, God is the treasure of his people, because they are to prise nothing in comparison of him. Thirdly, God only is their treasure, because upon a man's treasure he doth rely for supply; and therefore that's 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 Lord is a strong tower, the righteous fly thither, and are safe: And in David's 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 and 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? First, 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; honours, that is his treasure; if he choose God, that is his treasure: therefore choose the Lord, as that which you prise 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, than you must part with all other things for him. All other treasure (remember that Matth. 19 21.) See the terms, 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 than 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 do 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 yourselves, may be you can be content; I have a great estate, and I am raised from a mean man and a Apprentice 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 say 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 glorieth 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 honourable, wise and learned, he will despise him: and so a godly man 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 than he is of value in God's 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: for 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 man's 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 all-sufficient reward. Fourthly, and lastly, to give some Arguments to enforce 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 enforce 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: what's the meaning of it, 'tis a Metaphor taken from things folded up; there 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 wound 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 behind: how many men have you seen already outlive them, but to be sure they will outlive the lives of the best men: therefore remember no Treasure below God will last. Secondly, consider this, heaven is the place where you hope 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 behind him; and poor soul, thou leavest a great estate and a fine house behind thee, and thou hopest to go to heaven, and thou hast no treasure there: it's 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 endeavour to lay up treasure there. Thirdly, consider with yourselves, if you lay up treasure in heaven, as God is a true Treasure, so God is a faithful treasurer; what thou dost commit to him, he will keep safe: and he is a treasury able to supply all your wants, and to make you happy for ever; he is self-sufficient in himself; much more will he be all-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, some 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 than take their leave of a man, they cease then to be treasures, but they will be tormentors: the Apostle tells them, the rust of them shall be a witness against them; they have heaped up riches against the 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 than 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 judas, 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 honour, this hath undone me for ever: when it ceases to be your treasure, than 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; that's 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 they are the fruit of the promise, and come in by virtue 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 man's 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 in 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 man's 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 man's eternal estate is cast here; and being so, that which was a man's 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 thy 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 aught 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 err in their chief good; Give me leave now for the comfort and support of the hearts of God's people, to show them their happiness in this, that whatever they are in this world, yet in regard of their chief good they have not miscarried. Oh blessed soul, that hast not misplaced 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 walk 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 endowments, their wisdom, their holiness, their power, their zeal; they are blessed likewise in regard of their office and employment, they are principalities and powers employed by Christ in ordering things below; ministering 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, it's the prophet's expression, Ezek 1. 19 but wherein lies the top of their blessedness: truly in this, they have pitched 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: but wherein lies the top of the blessedness of the Mediator? Psal. 16. 4. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul: It's 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 pitched upon the right chief good. On the contrary what is the misery 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: if 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 misery? 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 God hath forsaken me; I have hated God, and now the Lord hates me: put ten thousand hells together, there is most in this: here indeed doth lie the top of their misery: 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 God's 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 taking 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, I will be thy God: That's 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. But 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 misplaced 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 this 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 find grace in the sight of God, and was delivered from that deluge that swept away the world of the ungodly? To misplace a man's 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 a 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 entered 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 affright his conscience, and terrify 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 an executioner: A man is never delivered up to Satan, as a lord, until he be given up to him, so as that he shall deceive him in his chief good, than 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 honours, 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 chief 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, than that poor soul shall be able to triumph over all the powers of darkness: It's 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 lie a man's glory; for 'tis a man's 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 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 man's 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 been foolish in many things, & in many things I have erred; but yet blessed be the name of my God, 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 mocked 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, than 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. Secondly, 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 Mary's 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 tells us, Here is rust and moth, and here are thiefs 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 thiefs outward violence. Nabuchadnezzar one of the great robbers of the world, Isa. 10. 13. he robbed 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 man's treasure below. For all the creatures came under man's 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 man's treasure below doth come, they all perish with the using; but here is the happiness of a man that hath his true treasure laid up where neither rust nor moth, nor thiefs can come: 'tis an excellent observation that of Austin. Summum bonum nec invitis confertur, nec invitis aufertur. A man's chief good, it's given to no man against his will, but by a man's 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 men's wills: men will lose their riches, and their honours, 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 it's an excellent observation of the same Father, when he speaks of the assisting of saving grace, what kinds of helps go 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 thyself in this, 'tis true I have little in the world, and I see other men abound in riches and honours, and they wash their steps in butter, and bathe in rivers of oil. 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 God's people. Thirdly, hath a man chosen the true treasure? from hence he hath always something to guide his way: from hence he hath always something to reduce his wander. 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 man's 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 centre is to the stone: you know the stone moves towards its centre, & it will go the direct way if it be not hindered: what guides its motion? why the centre: so what guides the motions of all godly men? the chief good, that's their centre, & 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 man's 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 it's 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: if 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 man's whole life, the whole actions of thy life? for that is meant by the body here: as the light of the eye guides the body, so the intentions of the soul guide the way: now all a man's actions will be full of light: holy, acceptable to God, well pleasing to him. How comes it to pass? Why a single eye guides 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 man's 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 man, & puts all the determinations of God upon the will of man, is false. This general Rule will carry him through the whole controversy. '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 man's wander: 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 his journey's end, and observing the passage he 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 err on the right hand, and now on the left hand; but where doth he take that which reduces him? Still that's his chief good; observe Isa. 30. 21. They shall hear a voice behind 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 wonderful 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 reduce a man, than this consideration, I depart not from that which is my chief good: That is the third particular. Fourthly, Unto a man's 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 man's 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 godly 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 God like our God? The Lord is his treasure: it's 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: killed 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 of 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, burr wickedly I have not departed. What is it now for a man to departed 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 God's 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 account, and he professes, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: 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 man's blessedness gins in election here; what a man chooses for his chief good, shall be finished and 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 man's 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 God's blessedness 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 second general observation, which is this: The treasure is attractive of the heart; and wheresoever a man's 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 show 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 itself for happiness, for its chief good; for here is treasure laid up either in heaven or earth; the 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 man's heart is placed: that's the Argument that Christ uses here, Lay up treasure in heaven: Why, what matter is it where one's treasure is? Why, where your treasure is there your heart will be. Lastly, the heart doth always follow the treasure: wherever 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 for 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 find 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 desperately 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 belieus, Rom. 10. 10. I conceive that's the whole soul, and all the faculties collectively. But by heart in Scripture also is sometimes meant those things, quarum sedes est in Cord, 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 elsewhere, he that is wise in his own eyes. So likewise you find the heart put sometimes for conscience, and the actings thereof; David's heart smote him when he cut off the lap of saul's garment; it is spoken of the conviction of his conscience. Sometimes it is put for the memory, the treasury 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 man's treasure is, 2 Kin. 5. 25, 26. The Prophet said to his servant Gehazi, Went not my heart with thee, when thou goest out after the man? How did the Prophet's 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 choice 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 taste 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 long of the soul: for in these the soul goeth out towards its objects: so Sichem, Gen. 34. 8. His soul clavae to Dinah, jacob's daughter: so David's heart went out to Absolom: therefore where your treasure is, your love is, your soul goeth out in all manner of long and desires after it. Lastly, by the heart is meant a man's 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. There's 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 up 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 endeavour to open it, that's the first Proposition. Secondly, that the soul of man goeth out of itself for happiness; his treasure is without himself: It is God's 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, My goodness extended not to thee: its true the L. Jesus as Mediator in all his obedience, added nothing to the blessedness 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 than the soul is continually restless: why? because it seeks to join itself to its chief good which is without itself: and 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 man's 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 ourselves. So the man is satisfied, that is, goes not out to any thing besides God: but otherways a man's 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 good without itself: 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 itself; 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 it's own perfection: this is the condition of every creature, but much more of the reasonable creature, because it hath not a fountain in itself, 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 every one goeth out to somewhat, and saith, Who will show us any good? It is the observation of Austin, Anima quae vivit ad infimum vivit misere: ad summum beat. Man is a middle creature, and hath something above him, and something below him: that soul that hath its chief good below itself, 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, john 6. 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth, but for that which endureth to everlasting life: the soul goeth out of itself for somewhat to eat and drink; there are hungrings and thirstings; for its provision is not in himself: therefore the soul that lives upon some what above itself, that lives blessedly: but Isa. 44. 24. he feedeth upon ashes, etc. the man was seduced by the Serpent, and the Serpent's 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 earth, as the Philosopher saith, so do they here, apponere Cor: that as they suck the sap and juice, the nourishment that is proper to their natures: so take a man whose heart 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 fruitful 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 sucked 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 sucked, 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 the same Metaphor, Isa. 66. 11. They shall suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of consolation: This than 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 show you the folly of sucking dry teats: to let you see the misery 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. First, 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 that's 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 man's Covenant in the Creation, and by that means came under man's curse in the Transgression. Now there is this curse come upon all the creatures ever since the Fall, they enlarge the appetite but never satisfy them. Now you 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 man's 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 Jer. 2. 13. a known place: My people have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and have digged 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 implies this, it hath no good in themselves, they have no more than is put into them: Cisterns have no more water than 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. Secondly, 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, never 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 misery of that man, whose soul goeth out for treasure to any thing without God: that's the second general proposition, Every man's treasure is without himself. Thirdly, it is a matter of great concernment in Christ's account, 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. The Lord in the Scripture hath given special direction for the setting of a man's heart; therefore that a man's 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. 16. 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 calls 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 man's days, and saith, they are soon cut off, and they fly away: they leave the body behind, but the soul is gone: so that where the heart goeth the man goeth. Now do but look how the Lord observes the go 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 Patriarches and the Angels, 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 spirit: 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 God's account; 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 than 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 consequence 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 man's 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, for 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. Psalms, 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 itself; 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. It's said of Jeconiah, from whom the Lord in disgrace took one syllable of his name away, Jer. 22. 17. Thy eyes and thy heart are for thy covetousness: and that's 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; writ 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. It's that which I entreat you to observe: the 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 it's 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 the 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 robs 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 nourished by it as the root; there is no sin that will 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 lie with Gehazi; commit Sacrilege with Ananias and Saphira; rob God with them, Malachi 3. 8. Curse the people of God with Balaam; make merchandise of men's 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 outface 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 take 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 yourselves, you who set your hearts upon Creature-comforts: 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 it: '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 men's arm holes, that they might not turn from their imquities: and this the Lord calls hunting of souls to destruction; what is the reason of it? why they hunt souls to get dishonest gain: and was it any great matter that they got by it? no, but for a handful 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 possessed 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 possessed 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 power 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 understanding Hearer of greater use. The heart of man hath its several motions and out-going, its processes and recesses, and all this according as the treasure is: you shall find, Eccles. 6. 9 The sight of the eye is better than the wander of the desire: thus you translate it, it is rendered in your Margins, the walk of the soul: why then certainly the soul of man hath its walk, the heart hath its out-going; 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 object upon which it is set: and therefore, Eccles. 11. 6. you read of the way of the heart, Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart; so you read the word: the word is rendered 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 man's 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 sin 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 with you. It's the motion of the new man, spoken there of Christ, the motions of the new man: all these are called lustings, going out of the soul after an object; and so in an evil sense too, Eph. 4. 22. they are all called deceitful 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 than 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 man's treasure; and here there are four demonstrative Arguments that I shall give you of it, and then 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 man's treasure: by that a man's 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 man's own iniquity, Ezek. 7. 19 the Fathers use to style it Peccatum in deliciis, the sin of delight, or a man's darling sin: Job calls it a man's sweet morsel, ●ob 20. 11. Now what is the reason that 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 man's 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 reigning, the whole body of death: yet there is one sin that is as it were the Viceroy, in whom the body of sin doth rest, and that is grounded purely upon this consideration: the sin that brings in a man's treasure; that wherein the soul places its chief good, and wherein it takes full delight and contentment, to which he makes all other sins subservient; This is the first demonstration, because the sin that converses immediately with a man's treasure, and brings it in, that is the predominant lust. The second demonstrative Argument is, Because that sin, less than any other can the soul resist: pray mark it; what's 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 sins the heart is most foiled by this: 'tis true indeed every sin 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 spoken, 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 perished, but he did stumble at his darling sin, there he broke his neck, because where his treasure was, his heart goes after it: That's the meaning of that place of our Saviour, Luke 8. 13. It's 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, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: In the opportunity of temptation they fell away: every temptation doth 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 that's 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. That's 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. 17. 22. It is better to meet with a Bear robbed of her whelps, than 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 meet 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 robbed 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 robbed 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 endure no opposition, and bear no denial. And as it can bear no opposition, so it can endure no delay and procrastination: and therefore you shall find Balaams' covetousness was his predominant lust; he went after the wages of unrighteousness: now Balaams' lust is too swift for Balaams' Ass: the Ass cannot make so much haste as his lust, he can endure no delay; nay do but observe, 'tis an excellent expression, spoken of the Babylonians, when the King and his Army came to invade their neighbour 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; That's 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 changed and retires from that which before it went out unto with the greatest earnestness in the world: there is the happiness of God's 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 hard 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 man's heart: and to cleave after God, 'tis spoken of the constancy of a man's 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: what 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 heat is changed. Thus much for the demonstrations of it: I hope all these things may be useful to every 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 food his soul feeds upon; and for this cause in the Scripture you have so often expressions of hungering 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 itself, 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 propped, it is not able to stand of itself, it must 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 that's the reason that a rich man's wealth is said to be his strong tower: it is that which defends him: the heart must needs go to the treasure: 'tis the heart's food, and 'tis the heart's support: it cannot be supported one moment without it. Thirdly, 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 fullness of joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore; without delight the soul cannot live. Saith 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 man's 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 ; 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 ornaments; to be sure whatever you forget, you will not forget to make your selus fine, to deck yourselves: 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 man's treasure, and chief good. Fifthly, the heart must go out to to the treasure: for 'tis animae spiraculum: this is that in which the soul breathes; pray consider it; we rejoice 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 breathes no other breath: My soul pants after God, gasps after God, breathes 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 until 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 what's the reason of all its motions: truly 'tis 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 unsatiably, that where a man's 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 desires as hell, and can never be satisfied: true the chief good indeed gives measure to all subordinate things; but it is without measure itself; 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 infinite 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 man's treasure or 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 men's goods; but his chief good he possesses as his own; 'tis his own, 'tis his treasure: so observe, job 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 honour 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, and 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 man's 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 man's treasure, it is his marriage, 'tis an Almighty power must break that band: men are said to be married to sin upon that account, Rom. 7. 5. purely because it is a man's 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 remember'st 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 goeth 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 straight for a time; but after the force that was put upon it is spent, the bias 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 bias 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 touched with the loadstane will come about again to its own posture: so it's with the soul that hath the true touch from heaven. Fifthly, the change of a man's chief good is a godly man's 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 that's 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 thyself in thy own strength; and exalt God in his name jah, and rejoice before him: than you exalt the most High when you lift up God in your souls as the chief good; then the Lord exalts himself when he sets up himself in the soul as a treasure; and then with the change of a man's 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: that it is fastened 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 purchased, 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 perfect 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 in which your souls should be always employed; 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, than 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, than his mind is there, Col. 3. 1. 'tis true he doth use 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 man's 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 show: 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 Country: no, he doth seek a Country, because his treasure is not here; therefore he is a stranger here: 'tis an excellent observation, that of Bernard, Anima justi coelum est, & in coelo. A godly man's heart is heaven, because God dwells 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 immediately 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: for 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 is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: what's that? he is a hireling, and therefore neither love to his master, nor love to his work, but the aim and bend 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 mind is in a suspense, and hangs like a Meteor: that's the Metaphor that Christ uses, be ye not of doubtful minds, Luke 12. 20. so you read it. Whether it be in reference to opinion, or in reference to love, the mind is in doubt: 'tis very true, he that is so, sometimes propends this way, and sometimes that way: this man after a sort is a double-minded man. But I conceive the intention of Scripture, by a double heart, mainly refers to the aim and intention of the heart: when men are double in their intentions, the bent of their hearts goeth not all one way; but sometimes for God, and sometimes for the world: sometimes for heaven, and sometimes for earth; when men have not a single eye, that is, as I conceive, a single aim; this the Scripture calleth a double heart: when a man hath an aim at God, and the things of God, and looks at nothing else, but purely in subordination, this is a single heart; this man hath a single aim; but when men go sometimes very hot after the things of God, and by and by are as eager in pursuit after the things of this life, certainly this is a double heart; so the heart is said to be turned away from God, 1 Kin. 11. 3, 4. what is that? the bend and aim of the heart was from God; I will add no more but that Acts 8. 21. Peter said to Simon Magus, thy heart is not right: he had been baptised and desired the gift of the Holy Ghost: but he did not this with a pure intention, not with a right aim; God saw the crooked aims and purposes of his heart in all the service, and so the word is said to discover the intents of the heart, Heb. 4. 12. then in the Scriptures, by heart is meant the aims, the purposes, the bent, the tendency of the heart: where a man's treasure is, there is his bent and aim: and this I shall now pitch upon; it is a thing that above all others you had need be careful of: for the great thing you are to look to is your heart: keep thy heart above all things, and in the heart lieth the great deceit; the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: therefore especially look to your hearts; but in the heart above all other, the bent of the heart, what is its aim and tendency, and that upon a double ground, which I must premise, before I come to particulars. First, this is the great comfort, nay indeed the only comfort that a godly man hath to fly unto, in all his fa●lings and all his falls, the bent, the aim of his heart; and this I shall manifest in two particulars. First, in any particular failing or infirmity, what is it that the soul can retreat to? and truly when a godly man, his conscience bearing him witness, is able to say, Lord, this is my transgression, but thou knowest this was not my intention: the aim and bend of my heart went not this way: this is that we see in Peter: It was a desperate fall, the denying of his Master, especially in that word denying him with curses and abjuration, or as it were wishing an eternal curse upon himself, if ever he knew the man: for some conceive that was the meaning of his words: but yet Peter goes to the Lord Jesus, and saith, the resolution and bent of my heart was this before hand, If I die with thee I will not deny thee: this was my transgression, but not my intention: and that's the meaning of Gal. 6. 1. If any man be overtaken with a fault: sin comes upon a godly man as Judgement upon the wicked: how is that? it comes upon them by surprise: it was not their aim and purpose, but sin overtook them, came upon them in the way of surprise: that expression is very observable to that end, 2 Sam. 12. 4. 'tis nathan's parable concerning David's adultery; There was a rich man that had great store of sheep, and a poor man that had but one Ewe Lamb that he bred in his own bosom: and a stranger came to the rich man: whom doth he intent? Nathan speaks of the lust that risen in the heart of David, and he calls it a stranger or a traveller; for so the learned render the word, peregrinus non dominus; he was a stranger, he was not the master: that's the common interpretation given of the word; it's a stranger, a traveller, one that came suddenly, and unexpectedly, that he did not provide for, but the lust risen up in him suddenly, unexpectedly, Psal. 17. 3. I have purposed my mouth shall not offend; I have purposed: we know David did offend with his mouth many times; he complains of the way of lying, it was not his aim; I do offend with my mouth; but I have purposed my mouth shall not offend. I thought so before hand, it was the matter of my meditation and consultation, lest I should be surprised; I proposed this to myself, here was my intention; I miscarried indeed, but the aim of my heart was otherways: but the word in the Original signifies, Aliter proposui & machinatus sum. I plotted and designed. Psal. 37. 12. The word is used, The wicked plotteth against the just; my great design was, that my mouth might not offend: thus a godly man can say, and here is his comfort. 'tis necessary then to inquire, where the bent and aim of your heart is, because in all your failings this must support your souls, the aim of my heart was otherways: this is my transgression, but this was not my intention. Secondly, sometimes a godly man cannot comfort himself in this particular; for many times godly men commit plotted wickedness, wickedness and that out of consultation, from design, which is that the Scripture calls (and David deprecates) presumptuous sins: keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins, Psal. 19 13. When men sin and contrive it before hand, before hand intent it, do it as it were maliciously: but may a godly man do this? pray look into 1 Kin. 15. 10. David's heart was upright in all things, save in the matter of Uriah; save in the matter of Uriah? sure David's heart was not upright in his dissembling, and in the way of lying that he practised: his heart was not upright when he numbered the people; was david's heart upright in the matter of Bathsheba? What in nothing but in the matter of Uriah? in the matter of Bathsheba, it was a sudden temptation led him contrary to the bent of his heart: but in the matter of Uriah he committed the sin with intention, out of consultation: now he could not say, this was not my intention; now what may a godly man now retire unto? to the general bend of his heart, that though in this particular I miscarried, and my aim w●s to do evil, yet the general-aim and bent of my heart was not so: you find the Lord judges men so, and so ought godly men to judge of themselves. 1 Kings 15. 14. the Lord reckons up the several miscarriages of Asa; he oppressed the people and imprisoned the Prophet, two great evils; but the Lord comes in with a nevertheless his heart was upright with God all his days: though in some particulars he miscarried, and miscarried by advice and design; yet notwithstanding this was not the general bent and aim of his heart: you shall understand it by the contrary in ungodly men, Psal. 36. 4. He sets himself in a way that is wicked, he sets himself; the same word is used, Psal. 2. 2. The Kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take Council against the Lord and against his anointed: When doth a man set himself in a way of wickedness? from meditation and consultation, the bent of his heart goeth after that which is evil, and he sets himself, that is, he resolves to go on, and continue in it, he will not be turned out of the way; Now as this serves for an ungodly man's conviction, the bent of his heart is on evil; so this serves for a godly man's consolation. It is a mighty great thing which way the bent, aim and tendency of the heart of man doth lie; for where the treasure is, there is the heart, that is, the bent of the heart. But would you know how a man should find that out, which way the aim and tendency of his heart goeth. There are six Rules that I shall offer, by which every one of us may very much judge and guests of the aim of our hearts: and truly this should be our great study, the study of our hearts; as I remember it was that which comforted a godly Minister, when he died: I bless the Lord, I have stud●ed my own heart more than Books. It will be the great comfort of every Christian to be able to say, I have studied my own heart more than the world, more than my Trade; here will be the great comfort. The first Rule is this: What the soul is carried after under different conditions: this declares what the aim of the soul is, what it tends unto, by that you may judge of the tendency of the heart; as waters, though you may turn them out of their proper current, and alter the channel, yet they always run into the sea; you will say then, Certainly the tendency of these, as their proper place, is the sea, that turn them into what channel you will, they always run that way: if you see the Sun, whether the day be clear or cloudy, it always makes towards the West, you will conclude that is the end of his course, that is, the race and journey that he is to go; the going out of the heart to the same courses under different conditions, wonderfully clears to a man, what the aim and bend of the soul is. As for ex●mple, suppose the heart of a natural man, whose aim is at his own exaltation; here is his aim, Pride being his predominant and master lust; bring this man into prosperity, why then it vents itself in self-exaltation, admiration, Seeking of glory from men, setting himself in the face and glory of the times, in despising of others, and preferring himself. Bring this man at any time under trouble of conscience: why then pride vents itself in his humility and self-abasement: bring him into poverty, and then pride shows itself in its base dejection and despair; for as faith is the most humbling grace, so of all others despair is the highest fruit of pride, venting itself in murmuring and discontent; here is a heart showing the same aim in different conditions: all this clearly argues where the bend of the heart is; and so also let the aim of a man's heart go out to covetousness, the love of money, when he is in a low condition, truly if he observe his soul, it bends out with earnest desires that way, and the admiration of all those that are well stored with it; as the former calls the proud happy, so this accounts the rich a happy man. But now let him be brought into a wealthy condition, now he hath more opportunities, and by these the lust hath more vent; there is still the same bent of soul; this still argues what the aim of a man's heart is, when it is the same in different conditions, put a man into what condition you will, the heart still goes the same way; as covetousness was that which Judas heart went out to before he was an Apostle; now he is an Apostle, he is still a thief and carries the bag. Simon Magus when a Sorcerer, his heart run out to money, and became a Sorcerer upon that account: when a Christian, his heart goeth to his money still. Thus take a man in what condition you will, and you find the aim of his heart is the same: on the contrary, take another man that is godly, who hath another treasure, and by this means his soul hath another aim; put him into what condition you will, still the bent of his heart is the same, Psal. 44. 19 Though thou hast smitten us into the place of Dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death, yet we have not gone from thee: the bent of their souls was still with God; what affliction soever they met with in a way of godliness, could not turn their hearts away; so if Job be in the gate or on the dunghill, the aim of his heart is the same, Fearing God and eschewing evil; this I pray observe. It's very true in different conditions, men have not the same vent for their lusts, but still the bent of the heart is the same; consider what thou wast when thou wert young, and what now: what in adversity, and what in prosperity; consider what thou wert when a private man; and what now thou a●t a Magistrate: only 'tis true thou hast more opportunities to give vent to lust at one time then at another: but still the bent of thy heart is the same. Secondly, In all places and all companies, if opportunity be offered, consider what is it that thy heart most greedily catches at, there is the bent and aim of thy heart. What was the thing they aimed at, that were the Messengers of Benhadad to Ahab; the aim was to find some favour for their Master Benhadad and themselves; when Ahab said, he is my brother, they greedily catch at it, and said, thy brother Benhadad lives: so it is with the soul in every condition, as if the aim and bend of the soul be lust-carried out that way. In Prov. 7. 22. He went after her suddenly, or straight way, as you read it, that is, so soon as the motion was made, the heart catcht after it immediately; and so also suppose it be gain, at the least motion of it, the heart goeth out immediately. Josh. 7. 21. I saw among the spoil a wedge of gold and a goodly Babylonish garment; and I coveted and took it: the heart catcht after it: and so also let there be at any time a gracious motion from God to a godly man, his heart catches after it, 2 Cor. 8. 11. There was in you a readiness to will; there was a good motion made to relieve the distressed Churches, and they were men that had it to spare; there was a readiness not only at last, and with much ado as men that were brought now to it with a great deal of persuasion: no there was a readiness. Now you see by this, what do your souls on the first motion most greedily close with, as according to the aim of the heart, so all temptations be suited; this is a means to make them take presently, because they suit to the bent of the soul, whether it be from men, or from the devil; Sichem was to persuade the Sichemites, and knowing the bent of their hearts were for the world, what is his argument, Gen. 34. 23. Shall not their and their goods be ours: and so it is likewise from Satan, for the devil leads you captive at his will: but how be you taken? the Apostle uses that expression, to deceive you with a bait: now what doth Satan bait to take you withal? somewhat that suits the bend of your minds, and to that end the devils great policy is to observe what is the bend of your hearts, and he bea●s at that immediately: you may know where the bend of your hearts is by that, in all company's and upon all occasions. What do your hearts most greedily catch at? Thirdly, according to the bent of the heart, so doth the heart gather to itself (for this you shall find by experience, every one of these things) whether there be occasion or no; if there be occasion, the heart catches after it: if there be no occasion, the heart will gather occasion: you read, Gen. 6. 5. Every imagination of the heart: It is figmentum cordis, every creature of the heart; something that the heart frames unto itself, many times to the bent of his heart he frames that to himself which there is no occasion given of in the world, but the heart frames it to its own aim and inclination: as that you may observe it, take notice, Deut. 4. 29. When thou seest the Sun, Moon and Stars in the host of heaven, take heed that thou be'st not driven to worship them: what was there in seeing the Sun, Moon, and Stars to drive them to worship them? Is there occasion given to worship them? its only as Job expresses it, Job 37. 27. If my heart hath been secretly enticed: here is no occasion in the creatures in the world, but the heart frames such a temptation, according to its tendency; the heart is bend to idolatry, and so apt to choose any thing for God; which I think is the meaning of that place, 1 Joh. 2. 16. Whatsoever is in the world is the lust of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life. I conceive lust is put for the object of lust, as faith and hope are put for the object of faith and hope: whatever is in this world is the lusts of the flesh: that is, there is nothing that the heart makes not the object of some lust or other: and though in the creature there be no occasion, yet the heart takes occasion to vent some lust or other; but it is strange to observe, 2 Pet. 2. 14. They have eyes full of adultery, that is, though there be no occasion in the world; yet notwithstanding, even the lusts break ou● at the eyes; the heart vents itself there; they have eyes full of adultery, and they cannot cease from sin: note but that place, Psal. 41. 6. David speaks it of ungodly men, If he come to see me, his heart gathers wickedness to itself: how so? though I give him no occasion in the world, saith he, yet it is to the bent of his heart: There is not a word I speak, not any action I do, not any gesture of the mind, but the heart puts some constructions according to its bent: if there be no occasion given, truly the heart makes occasions: pray observe it, by this you wonderfully see where the bend of the heart lieth. On the contrary, take a godly man, look where the aim of his heart lieth, though there be no occasion given, yet you will quickly see his heart make occasion; there is an advantage the heart makes, as David tells you, Psal. 39 I held my mouth as with a bridle from the ungodly; doubtless they administered David little occasion of good thoughts; but at last the fire kindled; even in wicked company, according to the bent of his heart: It framed such meditations and go out as these, that as the one gathers wickedness, so the other gathers holiness to itself, though there be no occasion given; for the heart of man hath a selfsufficiency to wickedness, though there be no occasion given, yet there is a selfsufficiency in the heart of man: and therefore lust is said to be the father and mother too, able to beget and to bring forth of itself, James 1. 13. When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin: and 'tis truly said to be like the fire of hell, which burns without fuel: look which way the bend of the heart goeth, that way the heart will walk, whether there be occasion or no; take that one instance, 1 Kin. 13. 23. the Lord sent a Prophet from judah to cry against the altar at Bethel; this young Prophet disobeys the voice of the Lord, through the deceit of the old Prophet, and was destroyed by a Lion in the way: now will you see jeroboam? what doth his heart gather from this? is there any occasion that the man should say? therefore let me go out to sin against God: no, rather if God be so severe to a Prophet, and against his own, what will he be to other men? It is said expressly, After this jeroboam returned not from the evil of his ways: after this, that is, jeroboam heart made advantage by this Judgement upon the Prophet: surely Judgement is come upon him: and for this reason, certainly I will never return, never change my opinion. Pray observe, still you see how the heart, according to the bent, frame, and tendency of it (for I want words to express it to you) it gathers somewhat to itself, whether there be occasion given or no: by this you may much judge where the bent and frame of your hearts are: Fourthly, would a man know what the bent and aim of his heart is? it is that which causes a man to break through all oppositions to obtain; you will say that the bend of his heart is set upon; as I shall give clear instances▪ let the thing be never so costly, if the bent of the heart be upon it, it will spare no cost to obtain it; it will not stick at cost; you may take two instances, Gen. 34. 12. Sichem his heart clavae to Dinah jacobs' daughter, the bent of his heart went that way; now what doth this bring forth in him? A●k me never so much Dowry I will give it: cost me never so much I will give it: and so likewise they in the prophecy of Isaiah, their hearts were set on their idolatry; they spare no cost, they lavish gold out of their bags; if the heart be set upon it, it evil carry a man through that difficulty: carry these things home to your souls you that stick at all costs in matters of Religion. And so like wise if a man's heart be set on revenge, he will spare no cost: you have a strange instance for it, Esther 3. 9 I do give these things a little to lead you into your own thoughts: Merdecai did not bow the knee to Haman; and he did it not on this account, because Haman expected, as most of the Persian Emperors did, to be worshipped with Religious worship: upon this Hamans' heart is set upon revenge: now did he stick at any cost in it? no let him and the whole Nation of the Jews be destroyed, and that the King may receive no damage: I will give ten thousand talents of silver into the King's treasury; revenge is costly: and yet notwithstanding, if the bent of the heart be set upon it, it will stick at no cost; and that you may understand it, a talon of silver is 375. l. of our money: now judge by that what a sum ten thousand talents is: and yet if the bent of the heart be that way, it will carry the man through that opposition; and so let a man aim at ambition, let a man's honour be his chief good, he will stick at no opposition to obtain it: be it the murder of his father, Absolom will not stick at it, if it hinder his rising; if halting, and dissembling in the matters of Religion, jehu will not stick at it, if he may be settled in his dominion: if it be the making merchandise of the souls of men: for that is Rome's merchandise, Rev. 18. 13. to establish Antichrist in the Chair, truly that shall never hinder; if it be to change times and laws, that's the expression used of the little horn, Dan. 7. 25. times and laws, what is that? one expounds it the fundamental Laws of the Nation, to pluck up foundations: truly there is no sticking at it; for if the bent of the heart be set upon it, it will carry a man through all opposition. The same thing is true also in reference to spirituals: if a man's heart be set on God, and the bent of the soul go out that way. Psal. 84. 6. Go through the valley of Baca: but what for? That they may appear before their God in Zion. No difficulty shall put a man off, because the bent of the heart is set that way, as Jerome exhorts Heliodorus: per calcatum perge patrem, etc. the soul will find it so, tramples upon the greatest difficulties, and the nearest relations, despises all in comparison of Christ: if the loss of right hand, and right eye, the soul will not stick at it: why? because the bent of the heart is set that way: do but observe by this consideration also, where the aim, bend and propensity of your souls are; for where your treasure is, there is the bend of your souls. Fifthly, where the bent and aim of the heart is, there it is continually restless until it obtain that which it tendeth unto: the aim of the heart, it is pondus animae, the weight of the soul. It is always tending that way; if the bent of the soul be set on God, than my soul is athirst for God, even for the living God; and nothing but God will allay that thirst: if the heart be set on things below, why, after these things do the Gentiles seek, Matth. 6. 32. to seek, argues a sense of want and a restlessness under it; and it argues that a man will never give over until he find it; this is to seek; if the aim and bend of the heart be that way, the heart is restless, and never gives over; if the bent of the heart go after riches, do but observe how restless the man's soul is: how all means in the world is used to satisfy the heart, in that which it goeth after: they rise up early, and go to bed late, and eat the bread of carefulness, Psal. 127. 2. If there be a desire of Rule and Dominion, why the soul is restless; Nabuchadnezzar gathers the riches of the Nations like Eggs, robs their Treasuries; and yet notwithstanding for all that he was a mighty hunter upon Earth; and this hath ever been the manner of all the Nimrods' of the World; their souls are restless; and why? because that way the bend of the heart goeth; till that be obtained, they are never satisfied, they be always restless. Lastly, that which is the aim of a man's heart, that he makes use of all things else to obtain: makes all things else in the world serviceable and subordinate thereunto: if the bent of the heart be set on God, he cares for riches no further then that he may honour God with his substance, Prov. 3. 9 He looks on Ordinances, but Ordinances no further then in them he may enjoy communion with God; nay the Lord Jesus Christ himself as Mediator; no otherways desires him then as he may come to God by him; for we come unto God by Christ: therefore he makes use of every thing to bring him to that where the bend of his soul is; so is a man's heart set on carnal interests? then he makes use of all things to advance himself: will the name of Religion do it, the gift of the Holy Ghost? Simon Magus will buy them for money, but it is to advance a carnal interest: will the countenance of godly men do it, than they shall be courted from all parts: jehu when he meets jonadab the son of Rechab, a man so famous and honourable among the Jews for holiness and strictness in Religion: jehu falls on him especially, Is thy heart right with my heart? there is a double interpretation that Expositors give of the words. Cajetan and others. Ita me sincere amas? or, Ita ne mea facta probas? dost thou love me truly, as I love thee? for no man professed sincerity more than he whose whole trade was a way of hypocrisy. But Peter Martyr and some others: he had destroyed the house of Ahab, and was going now to destroy the house of Baal: if thy heart fall in with my in terest, approve what I have done, come up into my chariot; he doth not court every one thus: but jonadab is a man famous for Religion, and if this will advance Iehu's interest for Religion's sake, and under a pretence of Religion, he shall be thus kindly used and honoured before the people: what ever we can make use of to serve the ends, that the bend of the heart goeth after: if Reformation will tend to that work, we will reform: the worship of Baal was not for his interest: and therefore the worship of Baal and its worshippers must be destroyed; but the worship of the Calves hath been anciently among the people, and it is hazardous to take them away: and therefore let the Calves stand, and Baal fall: and thus many a man may be an executioner of an Idolater, when he is successor in the Idolatry: an executioner of an oppressor, and yet succeed him in the oppression: thus you may see and judge where the bend of the heart is; he makes use of all things to bring about, to accomplish that which his heart is set upon: weigh but these Rules, that every one may know which way his soul goeth out, and how the bent and tendency of the heart lieth; where the treasure is, there is the aim and bend of the heart: this is the first particular. The second particular for the opening of the Doctrine. The heart in Scripture, is put for the wisdom, the studies, the plots, the contrivances of the heart; and if it be so, then where the treasure is, there is the wisdom, and there are the designs of the heart: Let us take some instances of this, Prov. 8. 5. Ye fools, understand wisdom, understand the heart: so it is according to the Hebrew, Prov. 15. 32. He that heareth reproof getteth understanding; he gets a heart: and so also, Prov. 10. 20. Fools die for want of wisdom; it is for want of a heart; and Hos. 7. 11. Ephraim is a Dove without a heart, that is, without wisdom: so than the wisdom of the heart, the plots, counsels and designs of the heart, these are called the heart in Scripture, as the Apostle, 1 Cor. 4. 5. saith, At the last day he will make manifest the Counsels of the heart: there be the deep plots and designs; there is the wisdom of the man; then this is put for the heart: and where a man's treasure is, there are his designs, there is his wisdom; and for this cause, there is wisdom that is earthly, and there is wisdom ihat is from above, Jam. 3. 15, 17. If a man's treasure be on the earth, all the wisdom he hath goes no higher, all his plots and designs never rise above the earth; if his treasure be in heaven, his wisdom is heaven-ward. Do but observe that which is a very choice Scripture, Luke 16. 8. The children of this world are wiser in their generation, than the children of light: the children of this world; he doth intimate now of two sorts of men, and two sorts of wisdom; both of them are wlse in their generations: the one his wisdom reaches not beyond this world; the other his wisdom is in reference to the world to come; or as the Apostle saith, is wise unto salvation, 2 Tim. 3. 5. and so some do expound that expression, wiser in their generation. Grotius I remember saith, that the Hebrews do use to put generation for action: actiones denotat, actions are called generations: and Chemuisius goes likewise the same way, they are wiser in their generation: In rebus suis agendis, in doing their own business, and accomplishing their own ends: here they are wiser: in these things below, a godly man is said to be a babe, Matth. 11. 22. but the children of light are wiser in their generation too then the children of the world: now every man's wisdom in reference to his treasure is exercised in three things: In getting of it. In keeping of it. In improving and increasing it. And all the wisdom, plots, and designs of men are exercised in these three things, all about their treasure. First, every man's wisdom is exercised about his treasure in the getting of it: if it be pleasure, then observe the wisdom of Amnon, by the advice of his friend Jonadab, for the obtaining of his lust upon his sister Tamar, 2 Sam. 13. And certainly in this respect, even the counsels of the flesh are deep, and mightily assisted from below: and so if a man hath a desire to rise, and pre-eminence and to be superior is the thing aimed at, and the treasure be laid up in it, see with what wisdom he can do it: take the instance of jeroboam, his aim was to be head of the ten Tribes: observe his policy, and 'tis remarkable, 1 Kin. 12. It lets a man see that there is all knowledge in the Scripture: first, Jeroboam must come in and discontent the people, by telling them of their former pressures, and hard usages: this being done, he must take advantage of the same discontent of the people growing high in their demands: hereupon who so like to be the head of the people upon choice, as he that ventured and hazarded so much for them, and seems to be so far tender of their pressures, and to finish all, there must come in the old prophecy of Abijah the Prophet, that God will rend ten tribes from the house of David, and give them to Jeroboam. Do but observe, it is plain, as a man's treasure is, so his wisdom works in the getting of it; but there is another instance in Scripture that is a mighty one; which I shall not give the whole story of, but speak somewhat: it is that of Antichrist, The woman that rides upon the scarlet coloured beast, and sits upon many waters, that is, rules over many people: why? do but observe, dominion being the thing aimed at, the strange ways that have been taken; look to the rise of Antichrist, Revel. 13. and you see he arises in the double shape suitable to the twofold power he aims at: first, the beast that rises out rf the Sea: so he hath seven heads and ten horns: he comes in upon the breach of the Roman Empire, when the Goths and Vandals had given it its deadly wound; and he joins with the ten Kings to set up an Image of the former Roman Empire, and to put life into it: an Image it was and but an Image; they were all zealous for the Roman Empire; and this Antichrist got exceedingly by; he and the ten Kings that submitted to him, now made up one body of Empire; but this was not power enough, and therefore he arises under the shape of another beast, not out of the Sea, but out of the earth, stirpium more, after the manner of herbs that insensibly grow: and this is his Ecclesiastical power over the consciences of men; for all pretence of Civil power was to gain this complete power of ruling over the consciences of men; and thus you see, whatever a man makes his treasure, all his wisdom runs out unto: this you shall find in reference to Religion also, a godly man, all the wisdom he hath tends that way; for I told you, It was to make him wise unto salvation; there is all his wisdom; and so Paul saith he did, Phil. 3. 14. If by any means I may attain to the resurrection of the dead; he means the resurrection of the just: all the wisdom that he aimed at was upon this account: so that a godly man hath but one design in the world, and that is that he may enjoy God and Christ, where his treasure is, that he may get an interest in God by Christ, 'tis all the design he hath: and therefore Bernard doth very well observe, Mens sapientis semper est apud Deum: A wise man's heart is always with God, that is, all his plots and contrivance is, how he may bring about that great business: all his wisdom is said out upon this, how he may get his treasure. Secondly, when he hath once got it, his great design and wisdom is exercised therein, how he may keep it: thus it is with men, whose treasure is on the earth: they know that rust and moth will corrupt, and thiefs break through and steal: and therefore they all contrive to keep what they have gotten: for they do know that there be F●nners: saith the Lord, I will send fanners upon Babylon, Jer. 51. Take away all the chaff that now hangs about, that you may well spare, and yet endeavour to keep so close: now on this account men are marvellous solicitous: what care is there for conveyances and inheritances? and all is purely upon this, because men use their wisdom to keep their treasure: thou whosoever thou be that endeavourest to make safe here below, pray mark that place, and consider all you whose treasure is on earth, Job 20. 15. He swallows down riches, but he shall vomit them up: God will pull it out of his belly; and therefore in the midst of their sufficiency they are in straits, ver. 22. Upon this account it is that the wisdom of the world is mightily exercised about that, not only how to get, but how to secure their treasure: 'tis true of a godly man too: God in Christ is his chief good, his treasure; how he may secure it, that is his plot; he knows that 'tis only sin that separates between him and God: for this cause his design is not to sin: as Tertullian doth observe: nobis unica est necessitas non deliquendi: men may pretend necessity whiles they will, we have but one necessity: a godly man hath but one necessity, that he doth not sin; why? because his sin robs him of his treasure: nay a godly man knoweth though men may lose their treasure here unwillingly, yet not withstanding a treasure in heaven, nemo perdit nisi volens, no man loses it but with his own will: why therefore, now his great fear is, lest his soul and his heart should departed from God; and therefore, Psal. 86. 11. Unite my heart to thee, that I may fear thee; that I may with full purpose of heart cleave unto the Lord, Act. 11. 28. this his wisdom is in his treasure, not only in getting but in keeping it. Thirdly, his heart is where his treasure is, that is, how to improve it, and increase it: a treasure is such a thing as grows by a continual addition: a treasure is not filled up at once, but by degrees, by a constant addition thereunto: therefore now this is the great study of the man, all his plots and designs are there: as now take a man whose treasure is on earth; you may see the man, Hab. 2. 5. one that did desire Dominion, it is spoken of Nabuchadnezzar, he is a proud man, saith the Spirit of God: what is that? he looks on himself, as ad dominium natus, alii ad mancipium, as a man born to rule, and looks on all other men as born to be servants: well, but what doth this put him upon? to increase his treasure: how doth he do it? why he keeps not at home: what is that? that is, he is not content with his own condition: keeps not within his own territories and dominions, but gathers to himself all nations, and heaps to himself all people: his treasure lay in his Empire, and that is his business all his life t●me to increase it: this is a man whose treasure is on earth: you have another expression, Dan. 11. 24, 25. worthy your observation: the Kings of the north and south are there spoken of: the Text saith, He shall forecast devices against him: forecast devices, that is, plot and design: why now they endeavour to invade one other, who shall enlarge his Dominion most: and this they did by using all designs and plots one against another. So like wise consider a godly man whose treasure is above in heaven, in enjoying God and Christ: well truly, what esteem soever he hath in the world, it doth not much trouble him; that's a great speech of one of the ancients, Magis ardere quam lucere nititur sapiens: A wise man loveth heat rather than light, chooses rather to have it within in his own soul then to appear among others; now because the way to enjoy much of God is to be much in communion with him: therefore always his soul desires communion: the Spirit saith come, and the Bride saith come: if there be degrees of enjoyment, he would have the highest degree, it is his treasure, and he is adding to it, and his wisdom lies in that: Habet & sapientia sui generis superbiam: there is a holy pride, as the Father saith: now how is this obtained? he rewards every man according to his works: and what shall that reward be? I am your reward; not only that I may have fuller communion with him here, but fuller fruition of him hereafter: this is his design: yea this is his wisdom, his wisdom is always exercised about his treasure, in getting, or keeping, or in improving and increasing it. Thirdly, the heart in Scripture is used for the thoughts, not only for the consultations and counsels of the heart, but for the meditations of it; and so our Saviour's meaning is: where your treasure is, there will the thoughts of your hearts be: for this cause God is said to search the heart, and to know the heart, Cogitationes intimas & absconditas, that is, all the most secret thoughts of the heart; those secret thoughts which are hid from all else in the world God only knoweth, and therefore is said to search the heart, and know the heart, that is, to know the thoughts: and David interprets it so, Psal. 139. 23. Search me and know my heart, try me and know my thoughts: thus he explains it: and Judg. 16. 15, 17. Dalilah saith to Samson: How canst thou say thou lovest me, when thou hidest thy heart from me? and he told her all his heart, that is, all his thoughts. Now than the thoughts in Scripture, they are put for the heart, and indeed there is nothing carries the heart more with it, than the thoughts doth, and nothing wherein there is less deceit, in reference to the heart, then in thoughts: the thoughts are the firstborn of the soul, the hearts immediate issues: now if a man would taste water, the way not to be deceived, is to taste it in the Spring; if a man would taste wine, the way not to be deceived, is to taste it in the wine-press, before it is adulterated by the Vintner: so our actions and words many times are adulterated: therefore the heart mightily goes where the thoughts go; you cannot say men's hearts go with their words; no, very seldom, especially in this dissembling age; men seldom speak as they mean; Solomon speaks of a man that invites one to dinner, Prov. 23. 6, 7. Eat and drink, but his heart is not with thee: he bids thee eat, but his heart is not with his words: but I say, there is the least suspicion of deceit in thoughts; that if a man can but know which way his thoughts go, that way certainly his heart goes. Now I have but four Rules to offer in reference to your thoughts; but pray observe them; for I do but touch on these things on purpose, that you may a little know how you may espy out your own hearts: the thoughts you'll say, run upon ten thousand things, how is any man ever able to know where his thoughts are? a man's thoughts are every where. There are four Rules I shall give, whereby you may know where your thoughts, and by that where your hearts are. First, when you are alone, sequestered from company, out of the noise of your callings, and outward employments: whither then do your thoughts usually retire? where commonly are your thoughts then? for the truth is, the man is as he is when he is alone; such as the thoughts of the heart are, such is the man: as for example, Nabuchadnezzar; the question is not where his thoughts were when he was abroad in war: he was at peace, and walking in his palace at home: now where are his thoughts? is not this great Babel, that I have built for the honour of my Majesty? and how he had been the head of gold; the first that raised that glorious Empire; here were his thoughts: take a godly man, and where are his thoughts, when he is in his Closet, or upon his bed, or when he awakes in the night? Psal. 139. 18. saith David, when I awake, I am still with thee: therefore when you are alone, look where your thoughts usually go: for the man is as he is when he is alone. 2ly. Would you know where your thoughts are? why, then what are the thoughts that you use to find the greatest sweetness in? a man may think of a great many things that he finds no content in: but what are the thoughts wherein you use to find the greatest sweetness and content? sure there is your heart: David, Psal. 139. 17. How precious are thy thoughts unto me oh God: another man the thoughts of his lusts are sweet, and he acts over his wickedness in a contemplative way; but the thoughts of God are bitter to him, his thoughts trouble him, as it was with Belshazzar, when he saw the handwriting on the wall, Dan. 5. 6. His thoughts troubled him. But David because God was his treasure, his thoughts were sweet and precious to him; now examine what thoughts come in upon you with greatest pleasure and delight. Thirdly, what thoughts are of longest continuance, that your souls do most abide upon? the thoughts that abide upon your hearts, most discover where they are. Jer. 4. 14. How long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee? take a man whose heart is set upon things below, and not only thoughts come in to him (for so they do to Godly men) but they dwell and abide there: but as in reference to God, Psal. 10. 4. God is not in all his thoughts, his thoughts never stay on God, nor the things of eternity. Pray consider it, where do your thoughts stay most? take now a natural man, and cast in but a thought of his treasure, it abides upon him: he ruminates upon it afterwards, and he sucks great sweetness from it: but cast in a thought of heaven, or God, and he is like the dead sea, his heart is like the dead sea, of which it is said, whatever living thing is cast into it dies immediately; so cast in any such thought, and it dies presently, and will not abide. Lastly, what are those thoughts that commonly take up your hearts in holy duties? 'tis a very great Argument, there a man's heart is where his thoughts in holy duties most commonly are: what is that therefore that takes off your hearts, and takes up your hearts in holy duties? you know that place, Ezek: 33. 31. they came there to hear a Sermon, but their thoughts went after their covetousness. Now 'tis a great argument their thoughts were set upon their covetousness, because in the duties of God's worship, these are the thoughts that most take up their hearts; now the ground of this rule is this, Satan's great aim in all the duties of God's worship is to take off your thoughts from the duty; for grace acts by thoughts: therefore when the word is preached he will catch away the seed, if he can; if not, he will keep off the thoughts; and how doth the Devil do that? his way is this, he doth endeavour to prepossess us, fixes the thoughts of a man's heart on somewhat else; and what is that? that which is most likely to take with a man: truly the thoughts of that he endeavours to stir up in the soul, and what is that? the thoughts of a man's treasure, that's the thought upon which the heart rests most; and the thoughts to which he is most accustomed; it is a very great Argument on this ground that those thoughts which most commonly possess the soul in holy duties, that there a man's heart is, and there his treasure is; and so much the rather, because into the duties of God's worship many other thoughts dare not venture, the soul keeps them out; but it is in this respect as with a Prince, though at sometime the servant may not approach his presence, yet a wife, a Favourite may; just so it is with the thoughts of a man's heart: it is I know one great complaint in all the people of God: the wander of their souls in service: Bernard complains of it, Aliud canto, aliud cogito, I sing one thing, when I think another, so I pray one thing when I think another; and hear one thing when my thoughts are upon something else. But do you observe in all these wander of soul, what is there to which in duty most commonly your souls retire: a great argument that that is a man's chief good: examine by these Rules, and you shall find out where your thoughts, and by that where your hearts are; that's the third particular. Fourthly, the heart is put in Scripture for the love of the heart, Judg. 5. 9 My heart is towards the Governors of Israel that offered themselves willingly among the people: It is Deborahs' speech in her song, after that great victory God had given over Sisera: the people of God they love all those that are employed for God; but in an especial manner the more eminent men are that are employed, the more their love is drawn out; so that by heart is meant her love; she desires all may be thankful, especially the Governors of Israel, who had the greatest share in the mercy, and were the greatest instruments therein, Prov. 23. 7. Eat not the bread of him that hath an evil eye; for though he bid thee eat, yet his heart is not with thee; his heart is not with thee, what is that? he courts thee, but he loves thee not, and the more he compliments with thee, the less he affects thee; thus, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart: love carries the heart with it: so that the heart of man is truly said to be rather where it loves then where it lives; thus in Scripture the heart is put for the love: so than the meaning is this, where a man's treasure is, there his love will be. But how should a man know where his love is? It is a thing of marvellous great consequence, for a man to consider where he sets and fixes his love: And there are four grounds, why it is a thing of so great moment. First, because a man's love is his greatest gift; there is nothing else is a gift indeed without love, but amor per se donum, love is a gift of itself, though there be nothing else; Consider the love of God, though the Lord had never given you any thing, but set his love upon you, it had been the greatest gift, more than if he had given you all the creatures in heaven and earth: and if God had given you an inheritance among all the creatures, yet there is no gift indeed without love; so likewise the Lord Jesus Christ, if he had never given you an interest in his Sonship, in his victories, in the promises, in his privileges: if he had given you but his love, there is the great gift; all these are so far gifts, as they flow from love; so it is true in you, 1 Cor. 13. 3. If I give all my goods to feed the poor, and have not charity, that is, Love, it profiteth me not. Then a man may give great gifts without love; so hypocrites do many times give God great gifts, but reserve their love; so God deals with them, giveth many of of them great gifts, but reserves his love for his Saints: therefore it is love only is the greatest gift that a man hath; there is no man giveth more than his love: God gives no more, man can give no more: a great matter therefore where a man sets his love. Secondly, it is a great matter to inquire where a man's love is, because he that gives his love, giveth himself, gives all things else whatsoever he hath: this is liberal, free love indeed, to give all things to the person beloved: yea, he gives himself, and all things else: I remember 'tis Clopenburgs observation, Satis liberalis amor, omnia amato dans, & seipsum: so the Lord set his love upon his people from eternity, and then purposed to give himself; yea, therein lay his love: first, himself, and then all things else; so the people of God they love the Lord; and therefore they give themselves unto the Lord, 2 Cor. 8. 5. 1. Love gives itself, and then all things else whatever is in its power: so you find, Rev. 21. 7. He shall inherit all things, I will be his God; he shall have an interest in God, and then all things that God hath shall be his; thus as it is with God, so likewise it is with men, Qui amorem dat, omnia dat, he that giveth his love giveth all; for a man's love commands all that he hath; therefore a man inherits all that is Gods; why because God sets his love upon his people; a mighty thing therefore to consider where a man sets his love. Thirdly, a man's love is that which makes the thing beloved his; it's an excellent observation of a learned man; Qui nos super omnes amat, super omnes noster est, Deus: God is ours above all, because he loves us more than all: we call our estates ours, and our friends ours: Why? God is ours above all things: faith and love give us an interest in God; so when do we become God's, that the Lord saith they be mine, and they shall be mine when I make up my jewels? why truly by the love of God we become his; he loves us, and by this means he hath a title to us, as we love God, and have a title to him. It is our love that makes our beloved ours; of how great consequence must it be then, where a man sets his love? for thou canst call nothing thine but what thou lovest; for it is a man's love that makes it his. Lastly, consider it is a man's love that sets the price upon all things, as one observes, Amor imponit pretium rebus: Love sets the price on things; and truly great things are of small value where love is wanting: 'tis so with God, 'tis so with men; if the Lord give an ungodly man the greatest gifts in the world; as He sometimes gives Kingdoms to the basest of men: how do the Saints value this? this is without love, and therefore it is but as a scrap cast to a Dog; he values it no more, as he said of the Turkish Empire, Crustulam canibus projectam: so likewise, let a godly man give to God but a small thing, there is love in it, and love raises the price, That poor woman the widow that cast in two mites, gave more than they all, Luke 21. 12. how did she give more than they all? why they gave of their abundance: It was more in love and affection, and therefore more in worth and acceptation. Now if such things as these be true, and you will find them great truths; how doth it concern every man therefore to consider where he sets his love! But what should a man set his love upon, that by this means he may know where his heart is? Omne bonum est amabile, etiam naturale: Why truly, all good is lovely wherever it is, and to be beloved, even natural good. We have the example of the Lord for it; we have the example of God for it: God loves all his creatures, and of the Lord Jesus Christ himself, Mark 10. 21. He beheld the young man and loved him; then all good is lovely: but the question is not, whether we may not love any thing that is good; but quid primum amatur: but as the Schoolmen put a great question, all truth is to be known: but what is that as the first truth that the understanding closes withal? so what is first to be beloved, is the great question; for where the love is first set, there is the love, and there is the heart. Consider I pray what is the meaning of all those Scriptures, Mark 10. 37. He that loves father and mother more than me: to love father and mother is a duty; therefore not here reproved. But what is the first thing to be loved? what hath the chief place in your love? so Joh. 12. 35. He that loves his life shall lose it; every man is bound to love his life, and out of that love to preserve it; but he that loves his life more than me, more than my truth, and my honour, etc. 1 Joh. 2. 15. Love not the world, and the things of the world: it is lawful to love the world, and the things of the world; but still the question is, more than me: remember still that God have the priority; to love the creature more than God, it is that which makes it lust, as Austin speaks of it; but to love the creature in subordination to God, that is Charity; Hic amor est charitas, ille cupiditas: true love, love of the right kind; therefore all the things that I shall propose in this particular, I desire to be understood according to this Rule, What is it that you love most? not whether you love this more than that; but whether you love these more than me; and what is your first love? According to this we shall inquire, where a man's love is, that by this means, we may know where his heart is: and I am persuaded, if you take these following Rules, and observe them carefully, that you will not miscarry in your Judgement. First, Would a man know where his love is? what is that he especially desires union with? For, amor est affectus unionis: love is an affection that carries a tendency to union. Now this will appear, if you observe the love of God, the pattern: union with God was first in God's intention, because this is last in his execution; the people of God in glory are brought into immediate vision of him, and into the closest union with him. But this being last in execution, I say this was first in intention: He loved them with an everlasting love, that is, he had intention from eternity of union with them. Pray, observe it, there is indeed a double union with God. 1. Of Dependence: one is general of all the creatures, and that's a Union of dependency; In him we live, move, and have our being: Yea all the creatures have so; they cannot live separate from God one moment. The Angels in heaven, did not this union continue, they would fall to nothing immediately; there is a union of dependency; but that is general, and belongs to all the Creatures. But there is a special Union that is peculiar to the Saints, by the indwelling of God in them; they dwell in God, and God in them; such a union as no creature in the world but a Saint hath, by the elapses of God into the soul. Now God loves the Saints, and his love carries a tendency to union. So Jesus Christ loved his people: what for? that he might become one with them: That he that sanctifies, and they that are sanctified might become one: why so you will find that the love of the people of God carries them unto union with God and Christ: as the love of God and Christ carries them to union with the Saints: there is indeed a natural union that is by constitution; but there is a moral union by inclination, by sympathy, and that's double: there is a union of likeness, and there is a union of fruition and enjoyment: for the union that the Saints of God shall have hereafter, is far different from what they have here: here it is of similitude, there it is of enjoyment: where a man's love is, there is a tendency to union, an inclination to union, 1 Cor. 6. 17. He that is joined to the Lord, is one spirit, and the man that is glued to the Lord: so the word doth signify: then the man that loveth God is a man glued to God, he is united to him; for union is the tendency of the heart: so Sichem loved jacobs' daughter Dinah: and the text saith, His soul clavae to her: or as the Septuagint uses the same word, his soul was glued; so that where a man loveth, the soul goeth out to be united to that which is beloved. Now if a man love God, than my heart follows hard after God: the soul goeth out in the pursuit of the thing beloved, and all is that it may be made one with God; and to this end you have two Metaphors very remarkable in the Scripture: one is that of a hunter. Gen. 10. 9 Nimrod was a mighty hunter. jer. 16. 16. I will bring hunters among you, Prov. 23. 27. The wicked roasteth not that which he taketh in hunting. What is the meaning of these expressions? why they are all to set forth the pursuit of the soul, after that which it loveth; just as the hunter pursues the poor creature that flies: so the soul, what it loves it pursues, and is in continual pursuit of: take men that love riches and honours, their souls are continually going out to union with them: so a man that loves God, his soul is in pursuit of God; as that Hermit in a story, that sometime I have read finding a great Gallant hunting in a desolate wilderness Asked him what he did there; he told him, He came a hunting there: Et ego Deum venor meum. And I said he, came hither to hunt after my God, 'tis in pursuit of my God. There is another Metaphor, and that is a merchandise, Prov. 3. 15. the merchandise of wisdom: it's spoken of trading for Christ, and grace, and the things of eternity; he that Trades for Christ, is called a Merchant man, Matth. 13. 45. and so also they that trade for any earthly thing are said to be Merchants. Rome's merchandise you read of, Rev. 18. 11. Make merchandise of souls, 2. Pet. 2. 3. and of Ephraim, Hos. 12 7. He is a merchant? what is that? why the meaning is this, they wholly trade for things below: for as Merchant men go forth to make themselves possessors of riches, make it their business so to do: so it is with the soul of a man; the heart is a merchant, it goeth out to what it loves, and never leavs till it hath possessed it: now I pray do you consider, what is it your souls desire most? what do you hunt for? what do you trade in? there is thy love, whoever thou art: if it be Jesus Christ and Communion with God and the things of eternal life: if thou art in the pursuit of these constantly, there is thy heart: if it he after wealth and honour, these thou huntest for as pray: assuredly there is thy love, and thy heart, and thy treasure: that's the first Rule. Secondly, would a man know where his love is? the nearer love comes to the thing beloved, the swifter it moves; the nearer a man's love comes to possess the thing he loves, the swifter it moves: yea, it stretches after it then: see it in worldly things; or else what means that expression? Psal. 62. 10. If riches increase, set not your hearts upon them: if you want riches, set not your hearts upon them; take heed of that; for the nearer a man comes to enjoy them, the more his heart goeth out unto them; and therefore covetous men the richer they are, the more miserably they scrape and gape after riches; and the reason is this, because the nearer a man's love comes to the thing beloved, the swifter it moves after it, and with the greater earnestness, Hab. 1. 6. There is a man that loads himself with thick clay: the man hath already too much for his graces, for his parts, for his comforts, and already too much for his account; but yet notwithstanding the more he hath, the more his heart grasps after it; still thus it is with every man's love, the nearer it comes to possess its object, the swifter it moves after it: so the Apostle speaks of spirituals, Phil. 3. 13, 14. Not that I have already obtained, but I press hard to the mark: I am in a vehement pursuit; as if you could take a stone from the earth, and place it in the Orb of the Sun; yet the stone having a tendency downward still, moves towards its centre; and the nearer it comes to the centre, the swifter would its motion be; so if you could take an ungodly man, and place him in heaven, yet notwithstanding his heart would move towards the earth; his love is there, and the nearer it comes to enjoy it, the more earnest would his motion be towards it. I remember on this account it is, that Bernard saith, God puts his people here into the condition of betrothed persons: here are but the Espousals, the Marriage is to come; what is the reason that there must be time between the betrothing and the marriage? that desires may be kindled so much the more: the nearer a man comes to the enjoyment of a thing that he loves, sure the more vehemently his heart is carried after it; as for this cause you have the first fruits of the spirit; that the more you taste, the more you may be carried after the full crop of them: as the Lord carried the people of Israel to see the Land of Canaan before they enjoyed it; as the Goths having once tasted the sweet wines of Italy, would never be quiet until they enjoyed the Country where those sweet wines grew. Examine thyself by this; the nearer thou comest to enjoy that thou lovest, the swifter and the more vehement thy heart moves towards it; if the more thou hast of this world, with the more violence thou runnest upon it, as some men do that think they shall never have enough, grasp after it with great earnestness: so on the contrary, the more thou hast got of interest in Christ, the more communion thou hast with him, the more thy heart acts to him with the greater earnestness and impatiency; a great Argument, there is thy love. Thirdly, love is bountiful; where thy bounty is, there is thy love, that is certain; where a man bestows most bounty, there he shows most love; it is the opening of the heart that opens the hand; and therefore acts of the greatest bounty are demonstrations of the highest love: you read of a woman that had much forgiven her, and she loved much: the same woman came with a box of spikenard very costly, Joh. 12. she loved much, and therefore thought nothing too much for the thing beloved. God's love is so, he loves his people, and therefore because he can give no greater, he bestows himself; he loves his people, and therefore he gives his son: thus Sichem loved Dinah; and therefore said, Ask me never so much dowry: love is bountiful: Samson loved Dalilah, and though he ventured his life in it, yet notwithstanding he told her all his heart. Consider I beseech you, this is another trial; the Apostle, 2 Cor. 8. 3. stirs them up to a liberal contribution to the poor, what is it for to prove the sincerity of your love? men it may be will think the Minister speaks many times for particular interests and private respects: alas 'tis to prove the sincerity of your love, which is seen in bounty: now tell me where your bounty is laid out: why truly my bounty is on my apparel, and I think there I can never be too profuse, because I think this poor carcase of mine never fine enough; or on my body, I love to feast, and to have abundance of the creatures; certainly there is thy love; but is thy bounty to God, and things of Religion? Why then there is thy love. Take a man now that loves his belly, and he thinks nothing too much that he lays out upon it. Some of you have read the History of Sardanapalus, who thought nothing too much, no costs, no pains, so he might serve his belly: so Haman loved his revenge, and thought nothing too much for it. Pray examine where your bounty is; assuredly there is your love. David when he was to build the Temple, he thought no cost too much, but this I have done out of my poverty; this was an argument that the things of God carried the love of the man with them; this will prove the sincerity of your love very much; do not deceive and flatter yourselves, I pray; 'tis a large heart that makes an open hand. Fourthly, love is laborious, it grudges no pains for the thing beloved; then where a man's love goeth, his labour goeth; therefore called the labour of love, Heb. 6. 10. and truly a man may conclude easily from 1 Cor. 15. ●0. that he that said, I laboured more than they all, therein employed, I love more than they all; for a man's labour is suitable to his love; he that laboureth most, loveth most; now if a man love riches, all his pains go out that way; where his love is, there is his labour, Hab. 2. 13. Is it not of the Lord of hosts, that the people labour in the fire, and weary themselves? toilsome wasting labour, and labouring in vain, is called labouring in the fire: wicked men labour for vanity: what is that? why as the Psalmist saith, they love vanity, and therefore they weary themselves; for that you read of a man, Eccles. 4. 8. that there is no end of all his labour: why his love is endless to the things of this life; and therefore his labour is so: there is no end of his labour, his eye is not satisfied with riches: so the Lord Jesus Christ, he loves God the Father's business, and therefore laboured till he had spent his natural strength and radical moisture, Humidum radical, Isaiah 49. 4. I have laboured in vain, and spent my strength in vain. My brethren, a man that is slothful, there is no love in that man: lazy love is pretended love; for where love is, and according to the degrees of it, such will a man's labour be: you that find dulness in duties, and the ways of God, you do not run the ways of God's commands; strengthen your love, and you will mend your pace; that is certain: now pray, look to your whole lives, and observe what your labour is laid out for. It is the observation of one of the Ancients, and a very spiritual one; Infra vires amor iniquus est: juxta exiguus non capit: at ad impossibilitatem tendit amor: love that doth not put forth itself in utmost labour, is unsound love; that which goes to its measure and strength, and no more, is true love, but weak love: do not tell me, 'tis beyond my strength: no, love tends to impossibilities, to labour in those things which 'tis impossible for him to attain. It's observed of Mary, when she came to Christ's Sepulchre her love outbid her strength; If you have taken away my Lord, tell me where you have laid him, and I will carry him away: would you know where your love is? examine where the labour of your life is; and consider how much you have laboured for the things of this world: and how little for God and Christ; How little have I digged for wisdom? pray by these Rules examine, where you have placed your love. Fifthly, would you know where your love is? Love is venturous, it will hazard any thing for the thing beloved: Christ gives an evidence of it; he doth not only venture his life, but lay down his life; greater love than this hath no man, that a man lay down his life for his friend, Joh. 15. 13. Abishai out of his entire love to David when there came Ishbi-benob a giant, whose staff was like a Weavers beam, and struck at David, thinking to have killed him: he interposes, receives the blow, and slew the Philistine, 2 Sam. 21. 16. Love is venturous, it will put life in hazard for the thing beloved; 'tis that which the people of God speak as a testimony of their love to God: The reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me, Psal. 69. 9 and they do it to choose; as it was a gracious speech of that Ancient, Mallem in me sit murmur, quam in Deum: Bonum est quod dignetur Deus me uti pro clypeo. If the Lord will be pleased to make use of me, to keep off reproaches from himself, truly I shall look upon it as a very great privilege and honour. Now pray tell me where your hazards are? where is the man, that for the truths of God, and the interests of Christ w●ll hazard the loss of his estate, the loss of friends, the spoiling of his goods? where be the men that be apt thus to hazard any thing? The truth is, love turns cowardice into Courage: you may see it, the Hen though a feeble creature, how far out of love to her young will hazard herself against the most ravenous Bird? the mother, though a weak and fearful creature, yet how far, and with how little consideration will put herself in hazard, if her child be in danger? what is that for which you venture? Take a man whose love is set upon a lust, what will that man hazard? he will lose his friends, spend his estate, blast his reputation; nay he will venture his soul all this out of that cursed love; and indeed what is it else that makes men despise the judgements of God, and mock at fear? what is it that men are so courageous for? 'tis their love to sin makes them so: Now pray tell me where are your ventures? certainly there is your love. Sixthly, Love is zealous. I do not mean that of suspicion, a zeal of suspicion, that we commonly call jealousy: suspicio est amicitiae venenum, 'tis the poison of love, that suspicion of evil in the party beloved: no, the property of love is the contrary; for love thinks no evil. 1 Cor. 13. 4. But when I say love is zealous, my meaning is, it is full of solicitude, fearing lest any injury or wrong should be offered to the person and thing beloved: this love is zealous against any injury offered to the thing or person beloved. Consider, Moses was the meekest man upon earth, yet Moses meekness is turned into anger when an injury is done to the God of his love, as well as of his life: Moses by and by breaks the Tables: so likewise the Lord Jesus Christ out of love to his Father, the Zeal of thy house hath eaten me up, Joh. 2. 17. Zeal in the heart is like boiling water, that wastes in the seething: just so the Lord Jesus, the Zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. It makes a man overlook all interests concerning himself in the world, and be intent only upon the interest of the person beloved: so it is in God's love. I am zealous for my sanctuary with a very great jealousy, Zach. 1, 14. What is zeal? It is a mixed affection; it's nothing else but love provoked that is zeal. Esther speaks the language of love, Esth. 6. 8. How can I endure to see the destruction that shall come upon my kindred? the evil that shall come upon my people, how can I endure? this is the proper language of love. Now pray tell me, what are you zealous for? Where is your zeal? touch one man in his reputation, and you arm his zeal against you; touch another in point of goods, and you will quickly see where his love is: so on the contrary, touch God in h●s Name, Christ in his truth, To whom I gave place, no not for an hour, saith Paul, Gal. 2. 5. presently zeal is up, and love is provoked. I remember, it is Bernard's exhortation to Eugenius, Ignescat Zelus: when any thing came contrary to the interest of Christ, he would have his zeal turn into fire: and so it will be where love is: examine therefore what makes you hot upon every occasion: sure thats an injury done to the thing beloved: this is that which provokes thy zeal; therefore where thy zeal is, there is thy love. Seventhly, Love is fearful of separation from the thing beloved: it desires nothing more than union, it fears nothing more than separation: the Spouse gives an instance of that in the Canticles; I charge you, awake not my love till he please: Austin gives that as the difference between true and unclean love: between the love of a wife, and the love of an harlot: so he puts it; both fear the husband: true, Haec ne veniat, illa ne discedat: the one fears least the husband should come, the other fears lest he should departed: this love wherever it is, fears separation: the intirest affection of the soul in this world is unto the body: next to God and Christ, and heavenly things, there is the greatest indeerment between the body and the soul. Now why is death called the King of terrors? because death is the separation of the soul from the body, which especially the soul fears, because union it loves: and as Neriemberg saith, A man's moritur sibi, vivit in amato; he that loves, dies in himself, but lives in the thing beloved; for if a man die in himself, how loath were he to part with the thing beloved? for that were a double death: for this cause the great consolation of the Saints is (let some men of our times talk what they will, that the Doctrine of falling from Grace, is a Doctrine of great Consolation: but) the Scripture and Experience tells us, who shall separate us from the love of God? Rom. 8. ult. for in the absence of the thing beloved, the heart languishes, but in the separation from the thing beloved the heart dies: for this cause, as this is the greatest cordial to the Saints, there is no separation, they love that from which they shall never be separated: so it's the greatest corrosive to wicked men: they love that from which there shall be a separation; and therefore the Lord continually tells us, Riches betake themselves to their wings, Prov. 23. 5. Thou fool, this night I will take away thy soul, and then whose shall these things be? Luke 12. 20. I will take thy cup from thy mouth: I will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks, Amos 4. 2, 3. This I say, the greatest corrosive to an ungodly man is, there shall be a perpetual separation between him and the thing he loves: whereas the greatest cordial to godly man, is the contrary; and therefore an ungodly man when he dies, his love dies, because he is continually separated from the thing he loves; for love ceases in him, and all the comforts in the acts of it; so because a godly man shall never be separated from the thing he loves, therefore a godly man's love shall be made perfect. I am afraid, saith one, I shall lose my estate; another, I shall not die in honour: a third, I shall be cut off from such a pleasure that is the comfort of my life: by this you shall know your love: what you fear to be separated from, that the love of your hearts goes out after. Lastly, Love is victorious, love is strong as death, Cant. 8. 6. Strong as death: why? saith the Apostle, Rom. 5. death hath reigned: here lies the strength of death; it exercises such dominion, as no man was ever able to stand out against its Sceptre. No standing out against it, there is a kind of dominion in love. Consider I pray, look unto the love that men bear to the things of this life: Let them have the riches of Christ, and the glory of heaven tendered them, as the young man in the Gospel had, Sell all that thou hast, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: the love of the world overcomes; love is victorious: so on the other side, offer a godly man all the comforts of this life, whatsoever his heart could wish, yet not withstanding his love to God outbids them all; for love is like lime in that respect, Many waters cannot quench it: no, the more water you pour upon it, the more it burns. Consider I pray but that very instance of Luther, in his Epistle to Henry the eight King of England; he speaks of the abominable slanders that were cast upon him: for they did not spare him in that kind; they that thirsted for his blood did not spare to blast his name; but what doth he say of this? Si absque animorum suorum damno fieri posset, ex omnibus talia audirem: Lutherus pascitur convitiis: the truth is, if this could be done without hurt to their own souls, I should be glad if all the men in the world would lay as much upon me, as they could. By these reproaches, I am made fat: a man would have thought that this would have mightily cooled the man's zeal and earnestness in the profession of Religion, and the doctrine of the Gospel; no, his love to truth overcame these: so pray consider wherein are you Conquerors; for not only faith overcomes the world, but love conquers the world: Examine, what proffers so ever thou hast made thee: it may be the great things of this world, honours, preferment, riches, reputation, and whatever else: but still love to Christ, and the interest of Christ overcomes. Try yourselves by these Rules: where the love is, there is the heart; where the heart is, there is the treasure, and there is the heaven, and the happiness: And so much for the Doctrinal part. For the Application, there are three Uses that I shall propose to you of it. The first is general, a Use of Instruction, in two things. First, from hence see the fullness of the Scriptures: every short sentence you see how full of mystery it is; the Jews have an ordinary Proverb among them, In lege non un a literula a qua magni non suspensi sunt montes: there is not the smallest things in Scripture, but there are great truths depending upon them: and therefore the Father cries out, Adoro plenitudinem scripturae: that he did admire the fullness that he found in the Scriptures of God. I speak it the rather, because many things in the Scripture we are apt to pass over with a slight eye: It is an observation one hath worth our note, Intoleranda est blasphemia asserere in Scriptura vel unum inveniri verbum otiosum: It is the greatest blasphemy that can be, to think that in the word of God there should be found one idle word: he that will judge you for idle words, will not write one idle word unto you; that is certain: admire the fullness of the Scriptures, from what you have heard. The Jews indeed were superstitious in this; they made great matters of every word and tittle in the Law: but what they did in a way Cabalistical, that you should do in a way truly Christian and spiritual; there is one place which because Chrysostom instances in, I shall briefly hint to you; 'tis but barely to give you an instance, 1 Tim. 5. 23. Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach sake and for thy many infirmities. Chrysostom hath eight wonderful great truths out of this ordinary Scripture: and I speak it to this end, that you may pass by nothing in the Word, but that you may labour to understand wonders in it: as 〈◊〉, Godly men out of love to duty, neglect the body. Secondly, Godly men are very watchful and moderate in the use of the creatures, lest they should be brought under the power of them; they be great truths and clear in the Text, what need Timothy else to make a great scruple about drinking of wine, but he must drink water also? Thirdly, consider in this weakness, he did not cease from his charge: he had infirmities, yea, open infirmities: but yet he did not neglect the preaching of the Gospel, and the affairs of the Church. Fourthly, Godly men may yet too far neglect their bodies, even to offend therein: for he prescribes him this, that argues he did not do his duty to repair the breaches made upon his body. Fifthly, use a little wine: every creature is good in its season, yea those creatures that commonly by men are most abused. Sixthly, Godly men may be subject to great bodily infirmities, and often men of great service: when ungodly men and of little or no use in the world, are healthy and strong: yet many a man of great service in the Church of God are subject to great and often infirmities. Seventhly, In the decay of Nature, the creatures are to be used for its repair, but according to the proportion of nature's necessities: and Lastly, there is a moderation appointed in the receiving of the creature, even when a man doth it for necessity: for he that prescribes him the wine, prescribes him the measure: drink a little wine: he prescribes him to use herein as medicine. Now when men read over such portions of Scripture, let them consider and learn, there may be great mysteries in the smallest portions of Scripture: and know this, when the word of God upon this account becomes sweet to a man, and men love to hear it, delight to meditate upon it, it's a great argument of growth in grace, and spiritual knowledge in that man: as Quintilian tells us, It is a great argument of a man's profiting in eloquence, the more pleasure he takes in reading Cicero: it's a great argument of a man's profit in spiritual knowledge, and growth in grace, when a man can take delight in reading and meditating Scriptures, on this account, because he is always a digging up new Mines, and finding new treasure there: yet withal I would add this, do not only study the substance of the Scripture: true, there is a man among you tells you, the Scripture is not to be found in the original, nor in the translation out of the original. I wonder where he will find the Scripture then; he saith, only in the Saints. I pray consider, I am sure it was Chrysostoms' mind, Do not only study the substance of the word, but the phrases: for there are mysteries in the very expressions of Scripture: Non tantum verba sunt, sed Spiritus Sancti verba: they are not only words, but such words that the Spirit of God made choice of; for the holy men of God were inspired by the Holy Ghost: not only for the sense, but for the words; not the shortest sentence in the word of God, but is full of mystery; that is the first instruction. Secondly, though all the Scripture be to be studied; yet some portions of Scripture a man should especially lay up in his heart, that the Spirit of God sets, as it were, a star upon: such as this Scripture, is that we have been treating of. But there are six Cases the Scripture speaks of, that the Lord puts especial marks upon: As, First, those that the Lord hath added a note of attention and asseveration to: Behold the Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world: Verily, verily, except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. Verily, verily, except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven. There be marks on such places. Secondly, such Scriptures as the Lord hath often repeated, such should be diligently studied: The just shall live by faith: We are justified by faith, and not by the works of the Law; and riches profit not in the day of wrath: three or four times repeated in the Scripture. Thirdly, besides those Scriptures that God hath made use of in an especial manner to do you or any others good; them God requires you especially to take notice of; as Austin was converted by, Rom. 13. 7. Not in chambering and wantonness, but put you on the Lord Jesus Christ. Luther by Rom. 1. 17. The righteousness of God was revealed from faith to faith. Junius by Joh. 1. 1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God: Such Scriptures as the Lord hath made use of, to do thee or any other good, those especially he requires thee to mark. Fourthly, especially those Scriptures that speak concerning thy condition: the Lord requires every man to study the word proper to his own estate: whether he be in prosperity or adversity, honour, or disgrace, etc. those Scriptures that speak especially to thy case. Nehemiah did so, Nehem. 1. 8. I beseech thee remember the word that thou commandest thy servant Moses, saying, Ye will transgress, and I will scatter you abroad among the people. But if you return, I will bring you to the place that I have chosen to place my name there. Fifthly, those Scriptures that speak to the present controversy of the Age: the truths disputed in the times wherein you live, that you may be established in the present truth Lastly, those Scriptures that are most comprehensive, that carry with them the most general Rules to guide a man's life, such as this in the Text, Where your treasure is, your hearts will be: Blessed is the man that feareth always: Be content with the things that you have: God is a Spirit, and he that worships him, must worship him in Spirit and in truth: to be carnally minded is death, to be spiritually minded is life and peace: without holiness no man shall see the lord These in an especial manner the Lord requires you should be exercised in, that these should dwell richly in you: this is the general Use from the whole words. But to come more particularly, there are two Uses more, that are more proper to this point we have spoken of. First, is the heart inseparable from the treasure? then this shows to every unregenerate man, that there is an absolute necessity of conversion and regeneration. You have many poor carnal creatures, and they complain, I cannot keep my thoughts in order: my heart runs out sometimes after this, and sometimes after that thing. I have no command of the aims and studies of the heart, and the thoughts, and love of my heart: alas very true; what commands the heart? why, the treasure commands the heart; therefore until thou change thy treasure, thy heart will go after it: what is Conversion? its the change of a man's Treasure, of a man's Chief good: till thou change thy chief good, it's in vain to complain of the disorders of thy heart; therefore every unregenerate man may hence see the absolute necessity of Conversion; now the misery of that man, whose treasure is on earth, because his heart is there, is seen in two things: and I speak it to this end, that I may stir up every one to examine his estate, that if thou find thyself unregenerate, never give rest to thyself until thy treasure be changed. First, Let thy actions be what they will, if thy treasure be below, thy heart will be there; and therein lies a man's misery; a temporary believer may go far in the change of his actions; but his heart is the same, as long as his treasure is the same. Simon Magus his acts changed much, he confessed sin, professed the faith of Christ; but yet notwithstanding, his heart is not changed: why? his treasure was not changed: money was his treasure when he was a Sorcerer, and is now he is a Christian, Acts 8. 21. this is the misery of every unregenerate man; let him change his actions while he will, there is no change of his heart, because his treasure is the same. Secondly, there is a further misery; this is the ground of the greatest bondage to him in the world; let the man be convinced by never so evident reason out of the word of God, that his state is naught, that his ways are evil; let him find by woeful experience terrors upon his own soul, that it is so, let him resolve never so firmly against it, yet the man will never stop; 'tis in bondage: unregenerate men take up high resolutions, but they are held; the heart cannot leave its course: so that all their righteousness is but like the morning dew: and their purposes are soon broken off: and let a man be of never so high resolution, and under high conviction; this will keep off a man's heart still; thou art a miserable man then, that hast thy treasure on earth, because there thy heart is: there is an absolute necessity therefore of the change of a man's treasure, that is, of a work of regeneration: otherwise there is a treasure within, an evil man out of an evil heart, and there is a treasure without: oh pray therefore learn from hence, that there is no living in an unregenerate estate: change thy treasure, or otherways all thy changes will do thee no good. The last Use I especially aim at: see from hence the blessed and happy condition of a godly man, whose treasure is in heaven: he is blessed every way, but especially in this: his heart is in heaven, his body is on earth: its true: and there is a two fold blessedness upon this account. First, let this man at any time go astray, as godly men are subject to wander: Oh let me not wander from thy Commandments, Psal. 119. 10. We all as sheep have gone astray: but when they do wander, there is somewhat still to reduce them: their hearts will to their treasure: my treasure is not below; therefore my heart is not below, and this is the true reason, why a godly man cannot fall from grace; because it is impossible to separate the heart and the treasure; where the treasure is, there will the heart be: I will return unto my former husband: as it is the misery of an ungodly man, let him profess what he will, his treasure will bring him back again still: so it's the happiness of a godly man, though he wander from God, his treasure will reduce him, and his heart will bring him back. Secondly, he is a blessed man, who hath his heart always in heaven; certainly he must needs be a happy man, for he is a heavenly man: but now a godly man, whose treasure is in heaven, his heart is there: but why is he so happy a man, whose heart is in heaven? I will give you a brief account: truly, there are four accounts, why he is so happy a man whose treasure is in heaven, because his heart is there. First, because he is hereby made and evidenced to be a heavenly man. 1 Cor. 15 48. the first man is of the earth earthly; the second man is of the Lord from heaven heavenly: here is the difference between all the men in the world: there are some earthly, and some heavenly men: now this is an evidence thou art an heavenly man, because thy treasure is in heaven; as that wisdom that is conversant about earth is said to be earthly wisdom: so that wisdom which is conversant about heaven is said to be heavenly wisdom: my brethren, an earthly mind is a plague; an heavenly mind is a blessedness. Secondly, he that hath his heart in heaven, is not subject to those impressions of change as the men whose hearts are set upon earth; Here every thing is subject to change, and we have nothing but changes: Changes and War are against me, saith Job: but if a man's estate and condition change, so his heart do not change, it is no great matter; my heart is not subject to change: as I remember Tertullian observes of the Christians of his time, Nil crus sentit in nervo, si animus in coelo: true indeed, they were under great afflictions of body, but their souls were in heaven out of danger: the heart is out of danger; its true of a man whose heart is in heaven: and his heart is out of Gun-shot; afflictions may work on the body, make a change in the estate and outward condition; but his heart is above and out of danger; and therefore the people of God are said to be those that dwell in heaven, Rev. 13. 6. they blasphemed the tabernacle of God, and their names who were written in heaven: the heart changes not for any evil, because it's bound up in an unchangeable good. Thirdly, he is a happy man whose heart is in heaven, because where his heart is, his life will be, and his conversation. Phil. 3. 20, 21. Our conversation is in heaven: now keep thy heart above all keep, for out of it are the issues of life, Prov. 4. 23, 24. Therefore if a man's heart be on the earth, his conversation will be below; but if his heart be in heaven, there his life and conversation will be; now when other men are making great ado here below, his heart all the while is taken up about God as his Father, about Christ as Mediator, the Spirit as the Comforter, the Angels as his fellow Subjects, the souls of just men made perfect his fellow Citizens. Oh what a happy condition doth this man live in! his heart being in heaven, his life is there. * Note this last head, as an eminent seal to this tract, his life, and Ministry, they being the last words he ever spoke in the Pulpit. Lastly, it is a clear evidence to aman, that his heart being in heaven, his body shall shortly be there: as Christ when he went to heaven, was our better part, and went to heaven as our forerunner: just so the heart being in heaven; the better part is there. It is gone to heaven as the forerunner of the body; and as Christ's Ascension is an argument of our ascension; so the ascension of the heart is a clear argument that the whole man shall be there where the heart is, that they may be taken up together with the Lord in the clouds of heaven: Oh what a Comfort is this! no man is a happy man, but he who hath his heart in heaven, and his treasure there. So much shall serve for the Application of this point, and for this Text. Consider I humbly pray you what hath been said: It is of great concernment, and such as should have an influence into your whole lives; and know this for a Conclusion, the Word of God will not return to him empty and in vain, though it may be spent upon you in vain. June 25. 1654. Elisha his Lamentation, Upon the sudden Translation of ELIJAH. Opened in a SERMON At the Funeral of Mr. William Strong, That eminently Faithful Servant and Minister of CHRIST. By Obadiah Sedgwick, B. D. and Preacher of the Gospel in Covent Garden. Zach. 1. 5. And the Prophets, do they live for ever? Heb. 3. 7. To day if ye will hear his Voice. London, Printed by R. W. for Francis Titan, at the Sign of the three Daggers in Fleetstreet, near the Inner-Temple Gate. 1656. To the Right Worshipful, Colonel Boswell, Henry Scobel, Esq Mr. Thomas Rushall; and to all the rest of the Congregation, lately pertaining unto the care of that Faithful Pastor, Mr. William Strong, Preacher of the Gospel at Westminster Abbey. YOu were pleased to put me upon that sad service of Preaching at the Funeral of your worthy and dear Pastor; And shortly after that, upon another service of Printing what I then had publicly Preached; I confess that I never Preached a Sermon (in this kind) with more grief of heart, and never did I discern a Sermon heard and attended with more weeping eyes: certainly God had given in unto him the affections of many persons, who loved him in his life, and bitterly lamented him at his death. I was almost fallen out with the thoughts of publishing any occasional Sermons, as being most proper for scope, and use, and working, to the present Auditory: But your general desire hath prevailed upon me to deny my own judgement; and since it must be so, here you have those sudden and weak fruits (such as they are) and the blessing of the Lord go with them. Of what other advantage they may be (besides the keeping up a while the name and memory of so precious a servant of Christ) I know not; but yet I trust that God may intent them, and now doth send them abroad for the good of the living. Of this I am sure, that every personal change in the world is an effect of his Providence; and that there is a Doctrinal will for the living, in every providential will of God concerning the dead; and the greater that any person is in his relation of usefulness and serviceableness to Christ and his Church, the more emphatical Selah doth the Lord (in the removal of him) print out for the children of men. There was honey found by Samson in the carcase of the dead Lion; so are there many sweet instructions and lessons to be gathered, not only out of the lives, but also out of the deaths of the Ministers of Christ. The last Sermon which a people are to study, and diligently to peruse, is the death of their Godly Pastor; for in this God himself doth immediately preach unto them. As when Ministers do live, it is but hypocrisy to give them only a few good words: so when they die, it is but a formality only to shed over them a few sad tears. O that you yourselves, (and the many other Congregations) who of late have carried their Faithful and Laborious Ministers to the grave, would seriously remember that you must answer God for the quick and for the dead, for your living Ministers, and for your dead Ministers: there are living uses to be made out of dead instances: Live, and live the better, live up to the power of Truth and Godliness, live like such as are even parting with life, and in hazard about a season: Live like such who did enjoy, and who again would enjoy a choice servant to your Minister. Though Ministers die, yet Christ lives, and he is present with you, and he observes all your heart and ways: therefore as you formerly have, so now especially strive to abound much more in heavenly wisdom, in sound Judgement, in Faith and Love to our Lord Jesus, in meekness, and gentleness, and profitableness one towards another, and in all exactness of holy walking before your God; hereupon shall you find your late great loss graciously supplied in the answer of your fervent prayers: hereupon shall you find the testimony of a good conscience; hereupon shall you find peace in death, and after that, the Crown of life, which God will give to all that love him. And for other People, let them repent of the evil handling of their Faithful Ministers, and beseech the Lord to give them hearts in their day of Grace, yet to know the things which do concern their Peace; which that we all may do, shall be the prayer of Your servant in the Faith of Christ, Obadiah Sedgwick. A Sermon lately preached in the Abbey of Westminster, July 4. 1654. At the Funeral of Mr. William Strong, Preacher of the Gospel there. 2 Kin. 2. 12. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My Father, My Father; The chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof; and he saw him no more, and he took hold of his own , & rend them in two pieces. IN the former verse, Elijah and Elisha are passing on, and discoursing together: What that Discourse was, it is not expressed. Some do presume to tell us particularly As Lyra and others of the Papists. what it was: but very probable it is, that the discourse was altogether suitable unto so great and Holy a Prophet as Elijah was: It was very profitable, and very heavenly, he being presently to be taken up into heaven. Whiles they were thus discoursing, on a sudden there appeared a Chariot of fire, and horses Ver. 11. of fire, and parted them both asunder, and Elijah went up by P. Martyr. In Locum. a whirlwind into heaven. By the Chariot and horses of fire, Peter Martyr understands the Angels of God, who at this time did put on the species or appearance of fire: And with this fiery Apparition God was pleased to honour Elijah at his departure: who in his life time had so much honoured his God with the fire of Zeal for his Truth and Worship. And he went up by a whirlwind into heaven. Some do read it, that he went up by a whirlwind of heaven, or by an heavenly whirlwind: which denotes the manner of his Ascension: but our general Translation and Reading is best, which doth more significantly denote the place unto which he was then carried, Namely, Heaven. Therefore that opinion of the Papists is very fond: who do affirm that Elijah was carried into Paradise, there to stay with Enoch until towards the end of the world, and then both of them are to come forth, and to Preach against Contra perfidiam Antichristi. A threefold heaven. Antichrist. But this is a mere fancy all along: the Text saith plainly, Elijah went up by a Whirlwind into heaven. But what heaven he went into is somewhat argued, especially by the Papists, who it seems will by no means have that zealous enemy to idolatry to be carried into the heaven of the blessed: There is indeed Coelum Aerium (the Airy Heaven, where the Fowls of Heaven do flee) and there is Coelum Astriferum, where the Stars of heaven are; and there is Coelum Beatorum, the heaven of the Blessed, where God appears in eminency, and where Jesus Christ is in glory, and the souls of just men made perfect; thither is Elijah carried up, after all his pains, and sufferings, & troubles, & faithfulness: Thither I say, is he carried up, to receive his Reward, and Elisha is left behind to do his Master more service. But how doth El●sha take this sudden parting, and loss of precious Elijah? The Text tells you (Elisha saw it, and he cried my Father! my Father.) These words may be called, The Lamentation of Elisha, upon the sudden translation of that eminent Prophet Elijah: In which you may discern. 1. His exceeding grief and sorrow: He cried out, and until he saw him no more (so Junius and Tremellius Read those words, And he saw him no more) And he rend his in two pieces, as Anciently was the Practice upon the loss, and at the Funerals of dear friends, and of choice and eminent persons. 2. The causes of this his great grief and sorrow: And they were, 1. His own particular loss. The loss of Elijah was unto Elisha as the loss of a loving and dear Father unto a loving and dear Child (my Father! my Father!) As David once about Absolom, my Son, my Son! So Elisha here for Elijah, my Father, my Father! Ah my Father! my Father! Oh I have lost a Father, my Father, such a Father— The Chaldee Interpreter renders it, Rabbi, Rabbi: my Master, my Master: But in the Hebrew it is, Abba, Abba: my Father, my Father! 2. The public loss (The Chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof) As if he had said, one of the best instrumental helps and safeties that all Israel enjoyed, is now taken away; O the staff and the stay is broken! What the Chariot and the Horsemen are to an Army, or to a State, and what the loss of them is unto a State; That was the life, and that was the loss of this Prophet Elijah unto all Israel. There are two Propositions only which I would briefly discourse upon from this Text, at this time, and with respect to this sad occasion. 1. That even the most eminently Faithful and Zealous Prophets of God, may be, and shall be taken away from a people. 2. That the loss of any one eminently Faithful and Zealous Prophet of God, should affect the hearts of people with exceeding Grief and Lamentation. I begin with the first of these: 1. Proposition. That even the most eminently Faithful and Zealous Prophets of God, may be, and shall be taken away from a people. The Prophets or Ministers of God, they are of different parts and gifts, and they are of different Spirits, and they are of different Use and Service: Put them in comparison one with another, some are as Stars of the first Magnitude, and others of a lesser Magnitude: some are as the Cedars, and others are but as ordinary trees: Some are more richly As Elijah, Paul, Calvin and Luther. and plentifully endowed and furnished; others are not so, they are lower by the head: some are vigorously active, and are raised up, and laid out for the general Advantages and Managements of Religion; yet others are not so; though all be Builders, yet all of them are not Master-builders. They differ much in their Gifts, in their Graces, in their Services, Gifts will free from Indiscretion, & Grace from hell, but nothing from death. in their Usefulness: Nevertheless they must all agree in this, they must all die, they must all be taken away: Here in the text, Elijah was taken away, and what was he? he was a Prophet, and in some sense more than a Prophet: He was a Prophet of the highest rate, most eminent for faithfulness and zeal, (that was his excellency) Noah was eminent for uprightness, and Moses for meekness, and Job for patience, and Solomon for wisdom, and Joshua for prowess, and Josiah for tenderness, and Elisha for Miracles, and Elijah for zeal, and courage, and faithfulness. All the false Prophets were nothing to him, nor Jezabel the Queen, nor Ahab the King: and although (in his opinion) he was left alone to sustain the cause of God; yet he alone continued faithful and zealous. Nevertheless this holy and excellent man of God is taken away, and suddenly, and in a very needful time. Zach. 1. 5. Your Fathers, where are they? And the Prophets, do they live for ever? No, no, they do not live for ever; Nor yet (many times) very long! You may find them for a while in the Study, and for a while in the Pulpit, and after a little while you may find them in their graves. The Reasons of this Divine 4. Reasons why God takes away his most faithful prophets dispensation (besides many other) are these: 1. Because even the most faithful Prophets of God, are Stewards but for a time; of them as well as of others it must be said, Ye shall be no longer Stewards: they have their determined work, and their allotted time for that work; their reward shall be measured by eternity. But their work and their life are measured by time; so much work for so much time, and then their Master calls them home. In Scripture you read that they are sometimes called 2 Cor. 5. 20. Ambassadors, who are choice persons sent abroad by a special Commission; and when they have finished their Legation or Treaty, then must they return back unto their Prince; the Prophets or Ministers of God, are the Ambassadors of God in a special manner, Authorized to treat with sinners to be reconciled; perhaps sinners will hearken unto them, and conclude upon terms of saving agreement; perhaps they will not: These have but their time to hearken, and they have but their time to offer and persuade, and when that is expired, the Lord calls them home. Again, you find them 1 Cor. 3. 9 sometimes called labourers and workmen; the labourer goes forth in the morning, and he does his days work, which when he hath finished, than he comes home and takes his Rest. Thus it is, and thus it shall be with the best of God's Prophets and Ministers, who are also called the Messengers of God, and must return unto him an answer, what they have done, and how they have sped. 2. There is a day of recompense for them, their reward is with the Lord, they are employed by a good Master; and as there are the works of faithful servants for them to do, so there is the reward of a faithful master for them to receive: there is a Prophet's work here, and a Prophet's reward hereafter; Christ's calls it our Master's joy, and Paul calls it a Crown of Righteousness; the faithful and laborious Ministers of God, though despised and injured by men on earth, yet they are loved and encouraged by Christ: and as they are a means to save others, so they themselves shall be saved, and shall shine as the stars for ever and ever, they shall be with the Lord for ever, they shall be everlastingly blessed. And therefore they must die, they must away: else they cannot take possession of the inheritance reserved for them, nor of the Crown laid up for them; indeed in this life they have the assured hopes of eternal blessedness, and the first fruits, and some tastes; but the full & perfect possession and fruition comes not to them, nor to any in this life: that comes only after death; and therefore Paul desires to be dissolved, and so to be with Christ. 3. The Lord doth this to punish the ingratitude of people, who do despise, and disgrace, and despitefully use his servants, the Prophets, injuriously handle them, and there is no man that will plead for them, and right them. Of all the men in the world, the faithful Prophets of God do the most good to others, and find the worst reception from them. Jesus Christ chargeth this unworthy dealing upon Jerusalem, Mat. 23. 37. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee! And Stephen chargeth it upon them, Act. 7. 52. Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers persecuted? And Paul complains in 1 Cor. 4. 13. We are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things to this very day. Men do affront and contemn, they do revile and reproach, they do oppose and contradict, they do threaten and persecute the faithful Prophets of God: and those of them who are most faithful and most zealous, are most hated and most persecuted. Now the Lord will not bear with this odious ingratitude, and with this barbarous injuriousness done unto his faithful servants; he is extremely sensible of all the evil done unto them, of all the evil words spoken against them, and of all the evil counsel and devices taken against them, and of all the evil works done against them: Touch not mine Anointed, and do Psa. 105. 15. Act 9 4. my Prophets no harm, saith God: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? saith Christ. And therefore he takes away his choice Prophets and Servants in Judgement, from such an ungracious and ungrateful people, in effect saying unto them thus much; Ye will not be taught, and you shall not be taught any more; and you will not hearken unto my messengers, but mock and despise them: therefore they shall speak no more unto you in my name; your house shall be left unto you desolate. Ye shall not see me henceforth (said Mat. 23. 39 Christ) till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. 4. The fourth and last reason why the Lord takes away his most eminently faithful and zealous Prophets from a people, is this, To show unto a people the uncertainty and instability even of spiritual opportunities, that they are but a season (which is precious, but unsure) that they are a short day, and a Sun that may set at noon day. There are four things which do admit of much uncertainty. 1. One is, all our earthly possessions and comforts; wilt thou set thine eyes on that which is not? saith Solomon, Prov. 23. 5. There is no earthly comfort whatsoever, which is not altogether uncertain, nay altogether uncertainty; it is but as the shade on the Dyal, on which you look, and may be gone before you turn back to look on it again. 2. The second is, The gracious motions of the Spirit of God working upon our spirits: My spirit shall not always strive with man, Gen. 6. 3. Rara Hora, Brevis mora, saith Bernard. The deal of God's Spirit with us, are many times like Peter's vision of the sheet, which was let down, but quickly drawn up to heaven again; and indeed there is no man who resists or neglects any one motion of God's Spirit, but he puts it upon an uncertainty whether he shall meet with any other motion more. 3. The third is, the day of Grace, our Gospel-day, wherein Christ reveals himself, and offers himself, and mercy, and peace, and salvation; this is a day for eternity, but it is not an eternal day: It may quickly be lost, and for ever lost. O if thou hadst known (said Christ to Jerusalem) even Thou, at the least in this thy day, the things which concern thy peace— But now Luk. 19 42. they are hid from thine eyes: q. d. Thou hadst thy day, and now thou hast lost thy day. 4. The fourth is, all the lives, and pains, and labours of the Prophets and Ministers of God, they are all fluent and uncertain. This day the Minister lives and preaches, the next day he is sick and dies; you cannot say of the best Minister on earth, he shall be ours for ever, or long, or a week, or a day: such an instability is there, not only in the best of our outward comforts, but also in the best of our spiritual helps. And there is much of the wisdom of God in this very particular contingency; he hath his good ends in it, to awaken the hearts of people from carnal security and presumption, from all carelessness and neglects, and to stir and quicken them to all heavenly seriousness, and wise carefulness, both to know the day of their visitation, and likewise to improve the light, whiles they enjoy the light. There are two works upon which all spiritual uncertainties (in Friends or Ministers) should put us. 1. One is therefore to prise what is present; there is no certainty but in that which is present; that is ours, and nothing but that is ours: the present Sermon, that is ours, and the present offer of Christ; prise what is present; for the future is uncertain. 2. Another is therefore to act with all our power, to do as much in a little time as others are doing in a long time. Nay, to be striving and treasuring up in a little time so fervently, and so diligently, as if we had no more time. There is an uncertainty in the lives of God's Prophets; therefore people should ply their doctrine, and their help with all their strength; hear them as if they should never hear them more, and confer and draw from them, as if they should never speak with them any more: but more of this in the Uses now following. May and doth God translate Use 1. A double advertisement. even an Elijah? doth he take away the most eminently faithful and zealous Prophets? Hence a double advertisement. 1. One to Ministers. 2. The other to People. First to Ministers; loiter not, lose no time, stand not idle at all, up and be doing your Master's work; do not talk of this pain, and of that ache, nor of this weakness, nor of that indisposition, but spend and be spent, be instant in season and out of season, watch and labour, pray and instruct, reprove and comfort, pull down, and build up, always abounding in the work of the Lord. O said that eminently religious, and judicious Calvin, (who had worn himself to the very bone with often praying, and studying, and preaching, and writing; and therefore being entreated by his friends a little to spare himself, no saith he, but I desire that when my Master comes, he should find me working: And so that precious Jewel, his desire Nec propter vitam, vivendi perdere finem. was that he might die preaching: And learned and pious Reynolds, he would not lose time; he looked at the end of life, more than at life itself. O Brethren! Ye also have but your day, ye have but your day to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, and ye have but your day to save your own souls; and ye have but your day to save the souls of them that hear you: And your day of working seems to be more variable and contingent than the day of other men; for if ye be impartially faithful, and zealous, ye shall be sure to meet with all discouragements and oppositions from all sorts of ungodly men: who if they cannot stop your mouths, will yet do all they can to break your hearts. And besides that your constant studies, and diligent labours, and public preach, and private conferences, and several other employments, will weaken your spirits, spend your lungs, consume your strength, and hasten your death. However, the Lord will take you away, and perhaps he will come and take you away suddenly: therefore be diligent still, and laborious still, and faithful still, and zealous still, and wise still, in giving unto every servant his proper portion. Blessed is that servant, whom when his Master comes, he shall find so doing: this is he who shall meet with that welcome, well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. 2. Secondly to the People; Seeing that their faithful Prophets and Ministers shall be taken away from them, let them remember two things for their parts. 1. Let them encourage faithful and zealous Prophets, who do enjoy them: O do not kill them, and break their hearts, and thrust them into their graves by slight, by revile, by quarrelings, by troubling, by remaining still ignorant, and unprofitable, and barren; nor by continuing obstinate, disobedient, hardened, and unbelieving. No, by no means, but honour them, and love them, and deal kindly with them, and pray for them, and encourage them all you can. Why Sirs, They do pity your souls, and they do watch for your souls, and they do pray for your souls, and they do study and weep, and preach to save your souls. And therefore let them have love for love, and care for care, and respect for respect; they give you bread, do not give them stones; they bring mercies to you, do not you cast your curses upon them; they attend to your salvation, and peace, and comfort; do not requite them evil for good, but let them have good for good, etc. 2. Improve their present They are given to you, and for you, they are your servants. survivance, and your own present freedom: O it is a naughty frame of spirit to praise the dead, but not to prise the living; To set out with a large commendation the manifold virtues and say of Ministers that are dead; yet not to regard, nor make use of the parts and pains of those that are living, and preaching unto us. But let us be more wise: Elisha here is found travelling and conferring with Elijah before he is taken away: Now you may hear your Ministers instructing and persuading you, but within a short time you shall never see, nor hear them more. Now you may go unto them, and open your doubts, and discover your souls wants, and diseases, and crave their Counsel, and take their Directions, & partake of their Instructions, and receive comforts by them; But within a short time they are changing, and fainting, and dying, and giving up the Ghost, and can never be instrumental to your souls any more! O lose not your Tide, and lose not your Spiritual opportunity: Simile. Every faithful and godly Minister is like a garden in the Springtime, and the people should be like so many Bees, flying every day unto the Flowers in that garden, to suck out the honey, and carry it home to the Hive. You may now get that counsel, that direction, that satisfaction about the condition of your souls, which may stick by you all the days of your life. Remember Sirs! As it will be an heavy Judgement if you make no use of your faithful Ministers, so it will cut you to the very heart when your Ministers are dead (and then can be of no more use unto you) that you made so little use of them living, that you traded so slightly, that you have been such strangers to them, that you did not enrich your souls by them. O that people, who do enjoy able and faithful Ministers, were (then) possessed of two Graces; one is of humility, to see their own wants; the other is of wisdom, to see their season for the supply of them: Wherefore is there a price put into the hand of a fool, seeing he hath no heart to make use of it? Thus have I finished the first Proposition; namely, That even the most eminently faithful and zealous Prophets of God may be, and shall be taken away from a people: I now proceed to the second Proposition, which is this. That the loss of any one eminently 2. Proposition faithful and Zealous Prophet of God, should affect the hearts of the people of God with much grief and lamentation: (my Father, my Father; the Chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof!) When Moses that eminent Prophet died (there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses) The children of Israel wept for him in the plains Deut. 34. 8. of Moab thirty days; So the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended. When Samuel, that faithful and eminent Prophet died, what a mourning & lamentation was made for him: Samuel died, and all the Israelites were gathered 1 Sam. 25. 1. together and lamented him. The like you read of Steven, Devout men carried Steven to his burial, and made great lamentations over him. Act. 8. 2. There are three things which do concern us, when God takes away any faithful servants of his. 1. One is a serious consideration of the hand of God in this: for though their death be a mercy unto them, (Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord. And precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Revel. 14. 13. Psa. 116. 15. Saints.) Yet their death may be a Judgement to us. As a godly Ministers life and doctrine is either in Remedium, or in Judicium, either they are the savour of life unto life, or they are the savour of death unto death: So the loss of them is certainly an advantage to themselves, and ordinarily it is a judgement and punishment unto a people: And therefore we should not slightly pass over their death, but consider, and lay such strokes of God to our hearts, The living will lay it to his heart: Eccles. 7. 2. Surely he should, surely he will. 2. The second is a prudent reflection upon ourselves; what there is in ourselves which hath contributed unto so great a loss: for not only diseases in a Minister, but also sins in a people may have a great hand to take away the life of their Minister; and therefore there is reason for us to reflect and search. In every ordinary loss that befalls us, we should search our hearts, and try our ways, and say, Why is this evil come upon us? much more should this be done, when a Spiritual loss befalls us; When the Lord takes away from us the staff and the Isa 3. 1, 2. stay, the Judge and the Prophet. When he smites the Shepherd, and the sheep are like to be scattered; when he removes his Angels from his Churches. Now is it a time to stand still, and to gather ourselves together, and to say, What have we been? and what have we done? how have we walked? what hath been our deportment under the Gospel? what our answerableness thereunto? hath not our unthankfulness, hath not our barrenness, hath not our disregard, hath not our disobedience caused the Lord to make this breach? to take away the light from us? 3. The third is a mournful Lamentation; we should be very sensible of such a loss: yea, in some proportion unto the kind and greatness of it: For as the enjoyment of an eminently faithful Prophet (or Pastor) is an exceeding blessing (it is promised amongst the chiefest of mercies, I will give them Pastors after mine own heart, and thine eyes shall see thy Isa. 30. 20. Teacher.) So the death of such a one is an exceeding loss, and consequently requires exceeding Grief and Lamentation. There are six great losses, Six great losses. and do you judge whether they be not so. 1. The first is the loss of a soul, how great is that loss? all is lost if that be lost. 2. The second is the loss of true Religion; and the glory is departed from Israel, when that is gone. 3. The third is the loss of God's smiling favour and presence; when that withdraws, than the Sun is set, and it is night, and darkness, and fear, and trouble with the soul. 4. The fourth is the loss of peace in conscience; now gins the wars and tumults, and the bones are broken. 5. The fifth is the loss of the Gospel; now the gates of heaven are shut up, and the worst of famines seizeth our souls. 6. The sixth is the loss of faithful Prophets, and Ministers of God; now the stones are fallen, and the shields of the earth are fallen, and the interpreters, the men of thousands, and the watchmen set upon the Towers, and Bulwarks, are cut off, and the Ambassadors of Christ, and of peace are called home, and the servants and furtherers of our salvation are discharged. Now the more that any loss borders upon souls, and upon salvation, the more heavy and sharp is that loss, and with that loss we should be much afflicted and troubled. Q. But may some say, why all this ado? Why such a crying out, and such a laying to heart, such a grieving and mourning, and taking on, and troubling of ourselves upon the loss and death of faithful and zealous Prophets? What are they more than other men, for place, for use, for service, that there must be such a stir for them? They are a company of busy and troublesome fellows, the Troublers of Israel. Sol. So indeed did Ahab speak of gracious and zealous Elijah; Ahab (who sold himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord) he said thus unto Elijah, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? But to let railers go, there are two Reasons to be found in the Text for a mournful lamentation upon the death of the faithful Ministers or Prophets of God; whereof one respects the people of God, who stood in relation unto them, as children unto a father, and the Prophets stood in relation to them as fathers unto children; and the other Reason respects the public civil State. 1. In respect of the Relation between Faithful Ministers and a People. Their Relation is that of Father and Children (my Father, my Father, cries Elisha here) and truly this Relation hath in it more of Love, and more of Grief than any other Relation; when Joseph buried Jacob his Father, They mourned with a great, and a very sore Gen. 50. 10. lamentation. Now every faithful Prophet or Minister of God is a Father unto the Saints or people of God. 1. For Spiritual generation: under God he is a Spiritual Father, and begets them again by the Gospel; this the Apostle expressly delivers in several places. 1 Cor. 4. 15. Though you have ten thousand Instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many Fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel. He was an Instrument or means used by God for their New-birth. So Philemon ver. 10. speaking unto him of Onesimus, whom (saith Paul there) I have begotten in my Bonds. 2. For loving and tender affection; a Father doth not more love his Natural child, than the faithful Minister doth those whom he hath begotten unto Christ: Take thine only Son Isaac whom thou lovest, said God to Abraham, Gen. 22. 2. The Elder unto the Elect Lady and her children, whom I love in the Truth. 2 Joh. 1. So Paul to the Corinthians, Apologizing for himself in not being burdensome unto them, 2 Cor. 11. 11. Wherefore? saith he, because I love you not? q. d. Do you think that the want of love in me unto you is the reason of that forbearance? God knoweth: q. d. God himself who knows all hearts, he doth know that I love you. Nay, so great is the love of benevolence in a faithful Minister unto his people, That he is contented for a while to delay his own eternal salvation and happiness, that he may be a little more helpful and useful unto his people; this prevalent affection you may read expressly in the Apostle Paul. Philippians 1. 23. I am in a straight betwixt two, having a desire to departed, and to be with Christ, which is far better. (i. e.) For myself. Verse 24. Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. Verse 25. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide, and continue with you all, for your furtherance and joy of faith. The Apostles difficulty and straight was about his own personal interest, and their common spiritual good. If I die, I shall gain by death, I shall be with Christ: But than you will lose; I must no more be with you, to serve, and further your Faith and Joy: well saith he, I am content, I am willing to live a little longer for the beneficial service of your souls, rather than presently to departed and enjoy my happiness with Christ: O what a love was this? 3. For care and watchfulness; how careful is the Father for his children? Children are the uncertain comforts, and the certain cares of their Parents: and how watchful is the father for the good of his children, and against any evil that they may fall into? they counsel them, they look after them, they follow them with their tears, and with their many prayers. This likewise is applied unto the faithful Ministers of God: they do naturally care for the estate of their People, Phil. 2. 20. As if they were led thereunto by inward Bowels, and by a natural instinct: and they are watchful for them, and over them. Heb. 13. 17. Obey them that have the Rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls: Ah Brethren! when you are sleeping, they are watching; when you are minding your Trades, then are they studying your salvation; when you are following your delights, then are they mourning and praying for your souls: they are caring and watching how to get your hearts changed, how to bring in your souls to Christ, how to get your sins mortified, your temptations answered, your doubts resolved, your consciences to be settled and comforted: they fear in your fears, and they are troubled in your troubles, they mourn in your sorrows, they rejoice in your peace, etc. 4. For all the offices and duties of a Father: you read in Scripture of the several duties of a Father. As first, Instruction and Direction. Secondly, Repro of and Correction. Thirdly, Compassion and Comfort. Fourthly, Provision and Expenses. In all these doth every faithful and zealous Minister of God abundantly appear, and put forth himself: He instructs the ignorant, directs the doubtful, warns & reproves the unruly, pities the weak, comforts those that are cast down, provides food of all sorts for his people, milk for Babes, and meat for those of full age: Heb. 5. 14. 2 Cor. 13. 11. lays out himself, spends and is spent; lays out all his received treasure, and stock of spiritual goods amongst them; is grieved if his children walk unworthy of the Gospel: and nothing doth more rejoice him then to see them walking in the truth, and prospering in Christ: As his first great desire is to match every one of them to Christ, so his next great endeavour is that they may abound with all the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ. Now judge what the loss of such a person is: It is sad to lose such a faithful friend as Jonathan, and such a loving and ●ender father as Jacob was; much more sad and heavy is it to lose such a father whom God hath made an Instrument to regenerate our souls, to rescue us from the power of darkness, to bring us unto Jesus Christ, and unto salvation by him. When a person can say of a Minister, Had not the Lord sent such a one, I had (for aught I know) been damned, I had gone on in my sinful cursed ways, and had everlastingly perished: But it pleased the Lord by his Ministry to open mine eyes, and to awaken my conscience, to make me to see my sins, and all my spiritual misery, and to humble and break my heart, and to direct me in the way how my poor soul might be brought in to Christ: Yea, and did work so effectually, that at length I did by faith close with Christ, and since that my soul hath been refreshed with the joys and comforts of the Holy Ghost: And besides all this, I have received (at several times) special directions for my walking, singular helps against doubts, fears, and temptations, etc. Truly the loss of such a Minister, of such a Father will distress us, will melt us, will make our hearts to mourn and lament. 2. In respect of the Public Civil State, Unto which faithful and zealous Prophets are the Chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof: some render the words, Currus Israelis & militia ejus. Faithful and zealous Prophets of God are useful and serviceable, not only for the spiritual estate of men's souls, but also for the temporal interest of a Civil State; Micah said, Now I know that the Lord judges 17. 13. will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my Priest. I dare confidently affirm that the faithful Ministers of God are so far from being a curse and detriment unto a Nation, that they are a blessing unto it, and a strength and safety unto it; Nay, let me speak truly, They are of more strength and safety than all Charets and horsemen. There is (I confess) some strength unto a people by them, and so there is some strength unto a people by wise Counsellors, and so there is some strength unto a people by Unity and Concord at home, and so there is some strength by consederations abroad; but the chiefest strength of a state (under God) lies in faithful and zealous Prophets, and in faithful and godly persons. Quest. You will say, how can this be? what are they but a company of weak men, and (commonly) despised men? what good can they do to a Civil State, or for it? Sol. It is granted they are but weak men, and they are despised men in the world: yet it was the poor man (whom no man remembered) who did by his wisdom deliver the City: and you read that by a Eccles. 9 16. Hos. 12. 13. Prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a Prophet was he preserved: But I shall by a few Arguments demonstrate that the faithful and zealous Ministers of God are the greatest strength and safety unto a Nation. 1. There is no greater Rom. 8. 31. strength and safety for a people then this, that God owns them, and God is present with them: the greatest people on earth are nothing if the Lord leaves them, and departs from them: therefore said Moses unto the Lord, If thy presence goes not with us, carry Exod. 33. 15. us not hence. q. d. Lord! We are nothing without thy presence, we cannot be a sufficiency to ourselves, nor a safety to ourselves at all: thy presence is all in all to us, and for us. But the faithful and zealous Prophets (or Ministers) of God, are a special means of God's presence with a people; which may thus appear. 1. They are a means to engage a people unto God, to bring their hearts unto him, and to acknowledge and own him only; you read this in Elijah, who brought back the hearts of the people of Israel unto the Lord, and they cried out, The Lord is God, 1 Kin. 18. 37, 39 the Lord is God. 2. They are a means to keep the worship of God, and his Ordinances pure; and remember this, that as long as a people do own God, and as long as his worship and Ordinances are preserved pure amongst them, so long God is present with them, who is their only rock and safety. 2. They are the special instruments which God doth use to keep a people from sin, and to bring them unto repentance in case of sinning: they warn and threaten them from the Lord, and testify and cry aloud against their transgressions, and will not suffer them to go on in wickedness, but strive with them, and exhort them daily, and press upon them all sorts of Arguments (from Judgements and mercies) to cease to do evil, and to learn to do well, to forsake their evil ways, and to turn to the Lord: this we find in Scripture, and this we find in experience, and therefore they are the most eminent means of safety unto a people. Beloved, they are our sins (and they only are) the fountains of all our miseries; our sinful evils bring upon us all our miserable evils; thy ways and thy do have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, (i. e.) the fruit jer. 4. 18. and effect thereof. And if sins be removed, than miseries are removed, and all danger is over: God is again wel-pleased, and returns with loving kindness, and much prosperity unto a people, as you may read in the times of the Judges, and of the Kings. 3. They are the choicest instruments which God doth 1 Sam. 12. 23. I will teach you the good and the right way. use to teach a people his will and ways; by them doth God make known his Laws and Statutes, and ways; this is the way, walk ye in it; in these paths you shall find rest unto your souls: and by them doth God keep a people in his ways, they are the Instruments used by God to keep a people upright and steadfast in walking before him. And this is a people's strength and safety: Gods ways (and none but his) are ways of safety; while a people walks in his ways, he will be their sun and shield, their rock and strength, their God, and their salvation. 4. They are of singular use and benefit to the Leaders of a people (if they will receive such among them) the faithful Prophets of God have been a means to convert wicked Governors, and to keep others of them right in the ways of God: you read of Jehoash, that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, all his days wherein Jehoiada the 2 Kin. 12. 2. Priest instructed him: See of what excellent use that good man was unto Jehoash. There are none who will deal with the Governors of a people so plainly, so conscientiously, so seriously, so earnestly, as the faithful Prophets of God: they will speak to them when none else dare speak to them; they will tell them of their sins, as well as their inferiors; they will make known unto them all the mind and will of God concerning them; they will put them upon the power & practice of godliness, as well as others, nay, more than others; they will stir up their hearts to be zealous for God, and his truth, and his ways, and not to suffer any provocation of God in the Land. Now this comes to be of great strength and safety to a people: as a people's misery lies very much in the iniquity of Rulers, so a people's happiness lies much in the godliness of their Rulers; if the Judgements of Rulers are right in the things of God, if their hearts do indeed love God, if they themselves do make conscience to walk in the ways of God, if they once come to be tender of the honour of God, and will own and encourage the power and practise of godliness: why, such Rulers are a singular blessing unto a people, and they are a means of manifold blessings unto them: And therefore faithful and zealous Prophets are an eminent strength and safety to a Nation, who are special helps for all those gracious qualities in such as do govern a Nation. 5. I might add one thing more to demonstrate the assertion, and that is this; faithful Prophets are much in prayer for a Civil State; and their prayers are very prevailing with God: Said Samuel, Gather 1 Sam. 7. 5. 9 2. all Israel together to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the Lord; and he cried unto the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him. His prayer was a means to discomfit the Host of the Philistims: so when there was a great drought in the Land of Israel, that it was like to perish, Elijah prayed, jam. 5. 18. and the heavens gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruits: his prayer was a means to preserve the Land: many more instances might be given, but I must hasten to the application of all this unto ourselves. Is the death and loss of any Use 1 one faithful and zealous Prophet of God, a just cause of grief and lamentation? Then what sad thoughts, and melting affections should take us up for the death and loss of many eminently faithful and zealous Prophets of God? Dr. Hill. Mr. Wilson. Master Whitaker, etc. We have (of late) lost many precious Servants of Christ, many faithful Laborers in his Vine-yard, I fear that we have not laid those losses to heart; that may be affirmed of most of us which is spoken in Isa. 57 1. The righteous perisheth, & no man layeth it to heart; & merciful men are taken away, and no man considereth that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come. There are (unto me) yet four sad presages of some future evil, and they are; 1. The great indifferency about the great truths of Christ. 2. The great want of the power of godliness in the Land: superstition and profaneness still abounding. 3. The great contempt of the Ministers of the Gospel. 4. The great inconsideration of the death of so many choice Prophets & Servants of God: To many persons their life is a burden, and their death is a rejoicing. When Mctellus heard of the death of Scipio Africanus, he ran out into the public Forum, or Market place, and cried out, O Citizens, come ye forth, Concurrite cives; urbis vestrae moenia corruerunt. and consult what is to be done, for the walls of your City are fallen down: Surely there is matter of deep thoughts, and sad afflictions in these solemn dispensations of God of late. For an Husband man to pull out the weeds in the garden, this is nothing: but for him to pluck up the Flowers, and the choice Plants, there is something in this: for him to take away the rotten Hedge, this is nothing, but to break down the walls about the Vineyard, there is something in this. To take off a tile from the top of the house, it is nothing; O but to take away the Pillars, there is some great change now indeed. We read that when Noah (that Preacher of righteousness) was taken into the Ark, than the flood followed; seldom doth God gather his Prophets by clusters (as it were) but there is some great evil near unto a people: nevertheless people (generally) are secure, and stupid, and foolish, though God smites them in one of the choicest blessings which he vouchsafes to the Sons of men. They see loss upon loss, and death upon death; here a Minister dead, and there a Minister carried to his grave, and usually this is all the fruits of it; Is such a one dead? and I pray you how long was he sick? and whereof did he die? and what hath he left his poor wife and children? It is great pity, the man was an honest man, and preached well; and here is all. Now to such careless, and cold, and dull persons (especially if any such have had any reference unto faithful and laborious Ministers) who can thus slightly pass over the death of their Pastors, I have four things to say. 1. It is a sign that you never truly loved their persons; no, no, for all your compliments, and for all your pretences, yet you never truly loved them; of all affections, love is most apprehensive and sensible. If it enjoys, there is much delight; If it loseth, there is much sorrow: love is very sensible of what it enjoys, and of what it loses. 2. It is a sign that you never prized them in their Ministry; if you make no more of them being dead, certainly you made little of them being living: affections do most appear and discover themselves upon death: absense, and difficulties, and oppositions, and death, these are trials and discoveries of true love, and therefore if you can so slightly bear the loss of your faithful Ministers, assuredly you never knew the worth and use of them as Ministers of Christ. 3. It is a sign that you never received any Spiritual good by them at all, If you had done so, your hearts would have been knit unto them in life, and at least have shed a tear for them in death. Their death would presently call up all those heavenly counsels, and all those seasonable directions, and all those spiritual satisfactions, and all those sweet comforts of God, which you by them did receive: At such a time I remember how he thus spoke, and at such a Sermon, and at such a meeting, and in such a conference; and now I shall never see him more, nor confer with him more: the heart would melt to think of these things. 4. It is a sign that God hath in Judgement taken away your faithful Ministers from you, even for your want of love to the truth, and for your slighting and neglecting the means of Grace, for which you must give a severe account unto God. And let me tell you, that so many faithful Ministers as you have heard, and so many heavenly Sermons as you have heard, (or should have heard) the more heavy will the account be unto God, and the more dreadful will God's Judgements be upon you for your unthankfulness and unprofitableness: I grant that the Prophets die, but remember; that a people's accounts for the pains and labours of those Prophets never die, but do remain upon Record as a witness against you. The next use shall be an Use 2 Item unto all of us here this day, and more especially to them who are particularly interessed in our great loss; that they would in a singular manner lay to heart this great breach which God hath made, and this great loss which hath suddenly, and unexpectedly befallen us! Ah Sirs, Who that saw and heard that precious Minister of Christ, the beginning of the last week, did think to hear of his death towards the latter end of the same week? who that heard him preaching of laying up treasure in heaven, did imagine that such a treasure should be taken away from earth, and himself (so suddenly) be laid up in heaven! Alas! for me to speak of this Prophet, and of one common loss, of the many losses in this one loss: truly, I am not fit, I am not able, because I knew him much, and honoured him much, and loved him much: only this I will say of him; That one so plain in heart, so deep in judgement, so painful in studies, so frequent and powerful, and exact in preaching, so laborious with, and useful to his Congregation, so able to convince the Gainsayer, so zealous in contending for the Truths of Christ, so fit for all Ministerial Services (besides his personal and domestical course of Godliness) of his time, I have not known the like. Really, he was another Elijah; let me a little compare them: How zealous was Elijah against the false Prophets of Baal? How laborious was Elijah to bring back the people of Israel to the true God, and to the true worship of God? How stout and resolute was Elijah in delivering the Message of God, even to the face of King Ahab? How quick was he with Ahaziah for sending messengers unto Baalzebub the God of Ekron? How fervent and potent in Prayer? How diligently laborious to his dying day? How sudden was his remove and departure? All this Spirit, and much more than this of the Spirit of Elijah was found in him. Now if you do but consider what eminent gifts and graces appeared in him, and how seriously, and humbly, and dexteriously these were laid out for the glory of Christ, and for the service and benefit of the Church of Christ, we have cause in the loss of such a Prophet to cry out, My Father, my Father; The Chariot of Israel, and the Horsemen thereof. But I will speak no more of Use 3 him, nor to you of him; his death I see hath made a general and deep impression upon your hearts: All that remains to be spoken, shall be unto you his Hearers, and especially unto you his late Congregation; there are four things which I would briefly offer unto you. 1. Grieve in a Spiritual way, and upon Spiritual considerations, that God hath deprived you of such a Spiritual Pastor, and Helper, and Comforter. 2. Remember and lay up those soulsaving Truths, which you have so often heard from him, & wisely improve them, in all your occasions: when Elijah was wrapped up to heaven, Elisha took up the cloak which fell from him, and made use thereof: O take up all those gracious instructions which fell from him in his life, and make use of them now after his death, keep them alive, and so you shall find him still living. 3. Hold fast that form of wholesome words by him from Christ delivered unto you; and as you have received, so walk in them, let not your steadfastness die, now he is dead. 4. Most humbly and earnestly strive with the Lord, by Fasting and Prayer, that seeing it is his will to take away Elijah from you, that he would be pleased in his love and mercy to give unto you an Elisha in his room. FINIS.