UCSB LIBRARY.
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK;
A COMPANION FOR PRAYER.
-^
;
*
INSTRUCTIONS
ABOUT HEART-WOR
v*
A COMPANION FOR PRAYER.
BY THE REV. RICHARD ALLEINE,
SOMETIME RECTOR OF BATCOMBE, SOMERSET.
SElXil
BY THE REV. JOHN S. STAMP.
REVISElNiND CORRECTED, WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
OF THE AUTHOR,
LONDON :
HT.USlir.I) UY JOHN MASON,
\\ I.M.KYAN CUM-KKHNCE OFFICE, 14, CITY-ROAD,
\OSTER-HO\\.
MDCCC XI.\ .
London : II. Needbam, Printer, Paternoster-How.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
THE REV. RICHARD ALLEINE.
RICHARD ALLEINE, the author of the work now presented
to our readers, was, with his brother William, the son of
Richard Alleine, the rector of Dicheat, a parish in the
hundred of Whitestone, in the county of Somerset, about
miles and a half from Castle-Cary, where the subject
of this sketch was born, in the year 161 1. He entered as
Commoner of St. Alban Hall, Oxford, during the Michael-
mas Term of 1627, being at that time about sixteen years
of age. After he had taken his degree of Bachelor, he
removed to New Inn Hall, in the same University, where
he continued until he graduated Master of Arts. His
r, who held the living of Dicheat half a century, is
represented as having been a pious and successful minister,
and greatly beloved by his flock ; although he suffered
!y from certain intolerant proceedings of his diocesan,
the- Bishop of Wells. He died full of days and honour,
aged eighty. The celebrated Joseph Alleine, author of
" An Alarm to the Unconverted," with other popular
, and minister of Taunton, Somersetshire, was a
ichard; of whom Anthony Wood cynically
vJ
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF
observes, that he was " snapped for a conventicler," and
imprisoned in Ilchester jail for his nonconformity. Enter-
ing holy orders, young Richard assisted his father, and
preached frequently in various parts of the county.
Richard Alleine succeeded Richard Bernard to the rectory
of Batcombe. The latter had heen presented to that living
in 1613, "on account of his excellent learning, genuine
piety, and ministerial abilities," by Dr. Bisse, who had
been minister of the place almost from the commence-
ment of the Reformation. This revered and venerable
pastor, it is said, purchased the advowson of Batcombe, to
present once only, for which he gave 200 ; and though
he had a son in the ministry, he constantly resolved to
bestow it as the Lord should direct him. Therefore, upon
the presentation of the benefice, he spoke to Mr. Bernard
and others in these words : " I do this day lay aside
nature, respect of profit, flesh and blood, in thus bestowing
as I do my living, only in hope of profiting and edifying
my people's souls." He died shortly after. This, his
last act, he called his packing penny between God and
himself.*
Mr. Bernard left Richard Alleine a brilliant example of
ministerial fidelity and diligence, by which he profited not
a little. He is represented as having been "a hard student,
a most exemplary Christian, and much addicted to acts of
charity ; also a judicious, affectionate, and profitable
preacher, being filled with zeal for the glory of God, and
the salvation of souls. His labours in the ministry were
bestowed not only on his own congregation, but on some of
the adjacent market-towns. Divers painful and profitable
labourers in the Lord's vineyard had their first initiation
and direction from and under him ; to whom also many
* Brooke's History of Puritans, vol. ii. p. 460. London, 1813.
THE REV. RICHARD ALLEINE. Vll
others had recourse, and from whom they borrowed no
small light and encouragement. His people, by his constant
pains in catechising, as well as by his preaching, were
more than ordinary proficients in the knowledge of the things
of God ; and the youth of his congregation were very ready
in giving a clear account of their faith, whereof he would
often speak with much rejoicing. He died in the month
of March, 1641, aged seventy-four years. The historian
Fuller has given him a place among the learned writers of
Christ's College, Cambridge; and Granger denominates
him "the worthy rector of Batcombe." His writings were
numerous, and discovered "great precision of thought, and
much strength and energy of mind." Mr. Alleine found
in this parish a " people prepared for the Lord."
Mr. Alleine, sen., imbibed the prevailing political senti-
ments of the day, and to the utmost of his power he fostered
and encouraged the cause of the Parliament. He found a
warm associate in his son; for which, as might be expected,
is frequently interrupted in the exercise of his minis-
try by the Cavaliers. He subscribed " The testimony of
the Ministers of Somersetshire to the truth of Jesus Christ,
and to the Solemn League and Covenant ;" a document
which, in those troublous times, was considered of im-
mense value, aa will appear from the following brief
history of it. The English Parliament having desired the
assistance of Scotland in the prosecution of the war against
the Royalist party, solicited also the aid of some of their
divines, with those already gathered together at West-
minster, to settle an uniformity of religion and church-
government on both sides of the Tweed. The Commis-
sioners who were charged with the execution of these
ts, were favourably received by the Assembly in
Edinburgh, who proposed, as a preliminary, that the two
s should enter into a perpetual covenant for them-
Vlll BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF
selves and their posterity, that all things might be done in
the house of God according to his will ; and having
appointed some of their number to consult with the
English Commissioners about a proper form, they chose
delegates for the Westminster Assembly, and unanimously
advised the Convention of States to assist the Parliament
in the war. The instructions of the Commissioners sent to
the Assembly at Westminster, were to promote the extir-
pation of Popery, prelacy, heresy, schism, scepticism, and
idolatry ; and to endeavour to form an union between the
two kingdoms in one confession of faith, one form of church-
government, and one directory of worship. The Committee
for drawing up the Solemn League and Covenant delivered
it into the Assembly, where it was read, and highly applauded
by the ministers and lay-elders, none opposing it, except
the King's Commissioners ; so that it passed both the
Assembly and Convention in one day, and was despatched
next morning to Westminster, with a letter to the two
Houses, wishing that it might be confirmed, and solemnly
sworn and subscribed in both kingdoms, as the surest and
strictest obligation to make them stand and fall together in
the cause of religion and liberty.
A day was appointed for subscribing this Covenant,
when, after certain religious services had been performed
in St. Margaret's church, Westminster, the House of
Commons went up into the chancel, and wrote their names
on one roll of parchment, and the Assembly of Divines
on another, in both of which the Covenant had been fairly
transcribed. On the following Lord's day, it was taken
by the House of Lords. It was subsequently ordered by
the Committee of States in Scotland to be sworn to, and
subscribed, all over that kingdom, on penalty of the con-
fiscation of goods and rents, and such other punishment as
His Majesty and the Parliament should inflict on those
THE REV. RICHARD ALLEINE. IX
who refused. In the spring of the year 1644 it was
ordered to be taken throughout England by all persons
above the age of eighteen years. British subjects residing
abroad were also not exempt from the test. All young
ministers were required to take it at their ordination, and
none of the laity were continued in any office of trust,
either civil or military, who refused. Notwithstanding all
this severity, Dr. Calamy informs us, that Mr. Richard
Baxter prevented his congregation from subscribing, on
the ground that it might be a snare to their consciences ;
nny, further, he threw obstacles in the way of its being
taken in the county in which he lived, except in the city
of Worcester,* where he confessedly had not much influ-
ence. Mr. Alleine exerted himself with great diligence to
secure the subscription in Somerset.
With his father, Mr. Richard Alleine was appointed by
the Parliament, an Assistant Commissioner for ejecting
scandalous, ignorant, and insufficient ministers from the
Church, and also schoolmasters, in the same county. On
this subject a few words of explanation will suffice. The
clergy on both sides shared deeply in the calamities of the
times, being plundered, harassed, imprisoned, and their
livings sequestered as they fell into the hands of the vic-
torious party. Many pious prelates and clergymen
suffered greatly, because they could not conscientiously
the Covenant, or comply with the new directory for
public worship ; among these were Archbishop Ussher,
Dishops Merton, Hall, and many others. It is, however,
much to be regretted, that many were utterly unworthy
of the station which they occupied. The entrance into
the sacred office of the ministry was far too easy. Thou-
Neat's History of the Puritans, vol. ii., pp. 05 71. 8vo. edit
Parsons, London. .
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF
sands who professed to be invested with its hallowed
authority, threw off at the period of the Reformation the
trammels of Popery, and embraced the doctrines of the
Reformers, with a facility as great as that with which they
exchanged the surplice for the gown, in the transit from
the reading-desk to the pulpit ; so that at the distance of
upwards of fourscore years from that period, numerous
churches fostered clergymen whose lives disgraced their
calling, and whose doctrines, if any were conscientiously
held, were of such a character as could easily be relin-
quished for others. This evil, with all its unblushing enor-
mity, stalked abroad at noon-day, it could not be hid.
A large Committee, consisting of the whole House of
Commons, was appointed to inquire into the scandalous
immoralities of some of the clergy, of which the celebrated
Mr. White, M.P. for Southwark, whom Whitlock repre-
sents as being " an honest, learned, and faithful servant of
the public," was the chairman. So great a number of
petitions were forwarded, crowded with articles of misbe-
haviour, relating to the superstition, heresy, or immorality
of ministers, that the House was obliged to form various
Sub-Committees for the more expeditious despatch of
business. Another Committee of this description was
instituted, " to consider how there may be preaching
ministers set up where there are none ; how they may be
maintained where there is no maintenance, and all other
things of that nature; also, to inquire into the true grounds
and causes of the great scarcity of preaching ministers, and
putting others into their places." For which purposes
the knights of shires, and burgesses of the several corpo-
rations, were ordered to bring informations within six weeks,
of the state of religion in their respective counties. This
Sub-Committee consisted of sixty-one members, together
with the knights and burgesses of Northumberland, Wales,
THE REV. RICHARD ALLEINE. XI
Lancashire, Cumberland, and the burgesses of Canterbury.
They had their regular meetings in the Court of Wards ;
and from the powers above mentioned, were sometimes
called, the Committee for Preaching Ministers. They had
the inspection of all hospitals and free-schools, and were
authorized to consider of the expediency of sending Com-
missions into the several counties, to examine such
clergymen as were accused, who could not with conve-
nience be brought up to London.* To one of these Com-
missions Richard Alleine was attached, of whom Anthony
Wood, who habitually and systematically condemns every
one whose piety and usefulness were conspicuous, says,
that in discharging the duties of that inquiry, he was
severe enough.^-
Neat's Hist of the Puritans, vol. ii., pp. 49, 50.
f " In order to silence the clamours of the royalists," says Mr.
Neal, " and justify the proceedings of these Committees, it was resolved
to print the cases of those whom they ejected, and submit their con-
duct to the public censure. Mr. Fuller confesses that several of the
offences were so foul, that it is a shame to report them, crying to
justice for punishment. But then he adds in favour of others, that
witnesses against them were seldom examined on oath ; that many
of the complainers were factious people ; that some of the clergy
were convicted for delivering doctrines that were disputable, and
others only for their loyalty. Bishop Kennet says, that several of
them were vicious to a scandal. Mr. Eachard is of the same mind.
But Mr. Baxter's testimony is more particular and decisive. He
says, ' That in all the countries where he was acquainted, six to one
at least, if not many more, that were sequestered by the Committees,
were by the oaths of witnesses proved insufficient or scandalous, or
especially guilty of drunkenness and swearing. This I know will
displease the party, but I am sure that this is true.' " The pamphlet
of Mr. White, the chairman, is in my possession, and is entitled,
"The first Century of Scandalous, Malignant Priests, made and
admitted intu Henefices by the Prelates, in whose hands the Ordination
of Ministers and Government of the Church hath been. Or, a
Xll BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF
On the restoration of the Stuarts to the throne, Richard
Alleine was speedily ejected for his nonconformity. After
his deprivation he preached as often as opportunity was
afforded, but was frequently placed in circumstances of
peril, from whence he with difficulty extricated himself.
On one occasion he was apprehended at the house of Mr.
Moore, a Member of Parliament, in whose mansion Mr.
Alleine was several times requested to preach to the family
and neighbours. The zealous Member cheerfully paid the
fine of five pounds on behalf of his minister and friend, but
preferred going to prison on account of his own, with which
he had been mulcted, for opening his house to the
preacher. Mr. Alleine was not unfrequently summoned
to the Sessions, where by the local Magistracy he was
accustomed to receive bitter and caustic reproofs for
" conventicling :" he nevertheless escaped incarceration in
Ilchester gaol, where his kinsman Joseph Alleine was
already.* This apparent leniency is easily accounted for.
Narrative of the causes for which the Parliament hath ordered the
sequestration of the Benefices of several ministers complained of
before them, for viciousness of Life, errors in Doctrine, contrary to
the Articles of our Religion, and for practising and pressing super-
stitious innovations against Law, and for malignancy against the
Parliament. It is ordered this seventeenth day of November, 1643,
by the Committee of the House of Commons in Parliament concerning
Printing, that this book entitled, [The first Century of Scandalous,
Malignant Priests, &c.,] be printed by George Miller. (Signed) John
White. London : printed by George Miller, dwelling in the Black-
friars, 1643."
* On the 26th of May, 1663, Joseph Alleine was committed to
Ilchester gaol on the charge of causing a riotous and seditious assembly.
He was tried on the 24th of August, and though nothing could be proved
against him, except that he had sung a psalm and instructed his family in
his ownhouse, other persons beingpresent, he was found guilty, sentenced
to pay a fine of one hundred marks, and in default of payment he was
THE REV. RICHARD ALLEINE. XIII
His popularity in the neighbourhood was so great, that his
utors feared to touch his person ; his piety and
benevolence were so conspicuous and so universally
acknowledged, that the authorities, before whom he was
from time to time summoned, were aware, that the cause
which they had espoused, sufficiently intolerant and tyran-
nical as it certainly was, would be rendered still more
odious and repulsive in the estimation of the public, and
also that it would receive a stain, if possible, more deep
and indelible than ever, by committing such a man as
Richard Alleine to prison.
The Five Mile Act shortly after came into brisk operation.
This very obnoxious law, which was worthy the most
palmy and nourishing days of Queen Mary, and her
myrmidons Bishops Bonner and Stephen Gardiner,
enjoined, that no nonconformist ministers shall, after the
21th of March, 1665, unless in passing the road, come or
be within five miles of any city, town-corporate, or
borough, that sends burgesses to Parliament, or within
five miles of any parish, town, or place, wherein they have,
since the Act of oblivion, been parson, vicar, or lecturer,
&c., or where they have preached in any conventicle, on
any pretence whatsoever ; before they have taken and
subscribed the oath before the Justices of the peace at
their Quarter Sessions for the county in open court ; upon
sent to prison, where he remained a year within three days. After
his release he resumed his former occupations, and on the 10th of July,
1665, he was again imprisoned. These imprisonments, during which
he suffered much severe treatment, broke down his health, and he died
in the year 16rf: in themselves and others : it would afford comfort
both living and dying. We are every one more ready to
find fault with others than to mend ourselves ; but were
heart-work more minded, we should have no time for
such excursions. This Treatise will instruct you in
duicnriyht Christianity, which if all heartily minded who
wear the name of Christian, we had no occasion to fear
what men or devils could do against us. Let me assure
you, it is more than a probable opinion, that unless we
attend to plain practical godliness, it is presumption, and
not faith, to expect deliverance. God holds us hovering
upon our good behaviour ; our most infallible prognosti-
ration>, what God will do with us, are within us. It is
not what tee seem, but what we are; God looks at the
In art : when the bent and frame of this is right, it cannot
B 2
4 TO THE READER.
but influence the life ; and when heart and life please
God, nothing can come amiss ; God's severest strokes will
he blessings ; but where the heart is neglected, the provi-
dences that are most grateful to flesh and blood, will be
curses. Christians, you know it is granted on all hands
that God looks most at the heart; therefore brutish sinners,
when they would evade conviction, boast of their hearts,
to excuse their ignorance and sottish profaneness : they
will tell you, that the heart is good ; and thus the father of
lies flatters, and ruins them, with a good conceit of their
hearts : on the other hand, the most serious Christians
are always complaining of their hearts, that they are
dead, fickle, false, and unspiritual ; thus the father of
lies discomforts them, by souring their graces ; while
their mortification, humility, holy jealousy, their hatred
of sin, and sense of its encroachments, are warped by
Satan to their discouragement. A clear and practical
understanding of the way of grace, of temptation, and
of duty about the heart, will steer us through all the
difficulties and dangers we shall meet with on this side
of glory. That this book may be blessed to this end,
is the hearty desire of a willing servant of Christ and
Christians.
SAMUEL ANNESLEY.
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
/) thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues
of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and
perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine, eyes look right
on, and let thine eye-lids look straight before thee. Ponder
the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Turn not to the right hand, nor to the left : remove thy
foot from eril." (Prov. iv. 23 27.)
IN these words you observe, I. A great office, in which
every man is set with respect to himself: he is a keeper.
II. The trust, committed to his care and keeping. 1. His
heart : " Keep thy heart." '2. His lips, ver. 24 : " Put
away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far
front tliee." Keep thy mouth and thy lips in order; keep
them from speaking frowardness, and from uttering per-
things. 3. His eyes, ver. 25 : " Let thine eyes look
rig/it on, and let thine eye-lids look straight before thee."
K. > |> thine eyes open, look with thine eyes, and keep
them from wandering look right on. 4. His feet, ver.
'2i\ '1~ : " Ponder the path of thy feet, remove thy foot from
evil." Let thine eye look, and let thy foot walk right on.
Let thine eye see the way before thee ; and let thy foot
walk in it, not turning to the right hand or to the left.
DIM TKIN i: I. Every man is appointed by the Lord to be
his own keeper. WbflN then- is a depositum, there is a
. lu is ;t trustee to whom a trust is committed. Urn
take notice: 1. Hvery man hath other keepers besides
hiniself. " The Lord ix t'liy kfi-pi-r." ( Psalm cxxi. 5.) Our
:utrs :md teachers are keepers: every man is, or
6 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WOHK.
ought to be, his brother's keeper. Magistrates fill the
office for the benefit of their country ; ministers for their
flocks and congregations ; parents for their children and
families. We should have but ill looking to, had we no
other keepers than ourselves ; and all others, as magis-
trates, ministers, and parents, could do little towards the
keeping of us, if the Lord were not engaged. " Except
the Lord keep the city, the watchman walteth but in vain."
(Psalm cxxvii. 1.) Magistrates will but govern, ministers
guide, and parents rule in vain, unless the God of Israel
be our keeper. O, blessed be the Lord, who, though he
hath put the care of us upon ourselves, hath not cast ofF
the care of us himself. Let us bless Him for his care
and custody ; and while we take care of ourselves, let us
commit the care of ourselves to Him. To both we are
exhorted in one word, " Commit the keeping of your soul to
him, in well-doing." (1 Peter iv. 19.) Take all the care
you can of yourselves, and your own ways, and then cast
yourselves upon the care of God. " Commit the keeping
of your souls to him, as unto a faithful Creator." Let us
commit the keeping of ourselves to the Lord ; and let us
be comforted in this, that the Lord will take us into his
custody : then we are in sure hands. He is faithful, and
will keep what is thus committed to him. Beware you
abuse not this comfort. Dare not say thus, God will
look to me, and therefore I need not look to myself. He
that will not keep himself, God will not keep. He that
will not take care of his own soul, says in vain, I have
committed that care to the Lord. If thou wilt not take
care of thine own soul, thou leavest it to the custody of the
devil ; and if thou dost, God will leave thee to him also.
To say, I commit the keeping of myself to God, and will
not take care of myself, is the same, in effect, as to say, I
commit my soul to the custody of Satan. If thou take not
care of thyself, God will not take care of thee; and if thou
be kept neither by thyself, nor by the Lord, into whose
hands art thou like to fall, but into the hands of the devil?
The devil is a keeper, yet not a protector, but a gaoler,
the keeper of the prison. All the sinners of the earth are
prisoners to this gaoler ; and there is no man that escapes
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 7
this keeper, till he will faithfully keep and look to himself,
and commit himself to the keeper of Israel.
II. Every man hath others to keep besides himself. Not
only magistrates, who are to keep their people ; or minis-
ters, their flocks ; or parents, their children ; but every
man is to look to his brethren. It was the question of a
wicked one, and it was a wicked question, " Am I my
brother's keeper ?" Yes, thou art so : thou art to watch
thy brother, and to warn him, to prevent his falling into
evil, and to restore and recover him when fallen : " If
a, man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual
restore," fyc. (Gal. vi. 1.) Thus every man hath other
keepers, and others to keep besides himself: but,
III. In special, every man is his own keeper. "Keep
thy soul diligently." (Deut. iv. 9.) And so in the text,
" Keep thy heart with all diligence."
REASON I. If thou wilt not keep thyself, all the world is
not able to keep thee. Ministers will but preach to thee
in vain, instruct thee in vain, warn and watch over thee in
vain ; magistrates will but govern thee in vain ; parents will
look to thee in vain, if thou wilt not look to thyself. God
himself will not keep thee, if thou wilt not keep thyself.
Men cannot, and God will not : he will be no keeper of
the careless ones.
II. If thou wilt not keep thyself, the devil will be thy
keeper. He will keep thee to thy wickedness ; if thou
wilt not keep thyself from it. This is every man's especial
charge, to keep himself out of the hands of the devil.
The devil will have thee, man, if thou look not to thyself!
nay, the devil hath thee already, if thou be careless of
thyself. God will keep none but those, that, under him,
will keep themselves. Those who will not keep them-
selves, the devil may come and take them into his custody.
Tin.- devil goes up and down the world, to see if he can
iind any sheep without a shepherd ; and he that is not his own
shepherd, God will be none of his shepherd. If thou wilt
not keep thyself, God will not keep thee : thou art a sheep
without a shepherd. Here 's a man for mo, saith the devil :
he hath none to look to him, aor will he look to himself.
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
This is a man for me, I will be his keeper. He will not
keep himself for God, I will keep him for hell. He is
none of God's sheep, I will take him for one of my goats.
He is left out for me ; he hath left out himself, and there-
fore God hath left him out, and I will take him.
III. If thou wilt not keep thyself, then thou wilt
never keep others that are committed to thy keeping.
What a parent, what a neighbour, art thou like to be, who
art careless of thyself! How are thy poor children to
be watched, how is thy family to be governed, if thou
keep not thine own soul ? He that will not keep his own
vineyard, how will he keep that which belongeth to ano-
ther ? He that neglecteth himself, and his own soul, how
will he mind the souls that are committed to him ?
USE I. Then no man must be a sleeper, or a loiterer.
Keepers must watch, yea, and work also. He that is set
to keep himself, is as the keeper of a garden, or a vineyard ;
and so it is expressed, " Mine own vineyard have I not
kept." (Cant. i. 6.) The garden hath a wall to be kept
up, and weeds to be kept under ; the vineyard may have
wild vines springing up, and exuberant branches that
must be pruned and lopped off. Thou hast thy hands
full of work, who hast such a vineyard as thyself committed
to thy keeping. What, standest thou all day idle ! Work
in thy vineyard : we live most of us, as if we wanted work,
and had nothing to do. We find something to do for this
world, and our outward man, and therefore here we are
busy ; but we see not, we consider not, how much we have
to do for our souls, and therefore we are idle, as if we had
nothing to do ; and those that have the greatest work
lying upon them, whose work lies most behind-hand, who
have let all within them run to ruin, and lie all out of
order, these are usually the men that live as if they had
nothing to do. Thou art a keeper, man ; a keeper of thine
own soul and life. Is all in safety ? is all in good order ?
Look into thyself, and see to what a miserable case, for
want of good looking to, thou art grown. Conscience,
which is thy wall or thy fence, is broken down ; the little
good that was in thee, thy flowers are withered and
i"NS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 9
plucked up, and how do weeds abound in thee, pride and
lust and covetousness ! 'And those thorns, the cares of
this life, how have they overrun thy ground ! And dost
thou yet loiter, as one that hath nothing to do? Thou
hast work for every day ; thou hast work for every hour.
The foxes are waiting ; the wild beasts (Satan with his
temptations) are breaking in ; the weeds are growing up
every hour : behold, thy case is growing worse and worse ;
thine eyes more blind, thy heart more hard and senseless
daily. Up, and be doing; look to thyself; keep thyself
with all diligence, lest thou let all run so'far to ruin as to
be past recovery !
II. Then every man must give an account of himself.
Whoever hath a trust committed to him, must be brought
to a reckoning, how he hath discharged his trust : " Every
one of us shall give account of himself to God." (Rom.
xiv. 12.) God, who now says, "Keep thine heart" look
to thyself, will then say, How hast thou kept thyself?
What care or what pains hast thou taken? And O, what
account will many of us be able to give ! Sinner, thou
art a careless, heedless soul ; thou takest no thought about
thyself; thou takest thought for thy sheep and oxen;
thou takest care of thy house, and thy ground ; but what
thought dost thou take about thyself, thy miserable sick
soul, thy blind and dead soul, thy proud and earthly
mind, thy envy, thy frowardness, and thy malice and en-
mity against God and his holiness ? those cursed weeds
that have overgrown, that miserable plight that thy poor
soul is in, do sufficiently evidence what a wretched keeper
thou hast been of thyself. But, man, what an account
dost thou think thou shalt give ? Dost thou never think
of being brought to a reckoning? Dost thou think that
God will lor ever let thee alone ? Dost thou think that thou
shalt never lu-ar of thine idleness, and this carelessness of
thyself? Thy parents must give an account how they
have done their duty, how they have kept thee whilst
under their power ; whether they have taught, whether
they have governed thee, and educated thee in the Lord;
and thou must give the same account how thou keeper,
and teachest, and governest thy child. Ministers also
10 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
must give an account of thee, how they have instructed
thee, warned thee, and watched over thee : " Obey them
that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves : for they
watch for your souls, as they that must give account."
(Heb. xiii. 17.) Think it not much that we deal so
plainly and so closely with you ; that we are so instant,
in exhorting, in reproving, in warning, and watching over
you : we must give an account how we discharge our duty
towards you. Parents must keep their children, ministers
must look to their flocks, and must give an account thereof
to God ; hut besides this, every man must give account of
himself to God. (Rom. xiv. 12.) How he hath obeyed
them that were set over him in the Lord ; how far he
hath hearkened to their counsels ; whether he hath received
instructions, and submitted to their exhortations and
reproofs ; whether their discharge of their work towards
him, hath set him faithfully to his own work concerning
himself. And, O, what account will you give of your-
selves to God ? What have many of you done more than
others, that have never had Ministers to take care of them ?
How little have many of you lived, better than those that
never have been taught ! Sinners, look into your hearts,
look upon your lives, and understand, if you have so
much understanding in you, in what a miserable case you
are to this day. Is it not an awful thing there should be
so much ignorance, after so much teaching ? Are not
those hard hearts, those barren and unsavoury lives, much
more those dissolute and wicked lives, that some of you
live ; that lying, and drunkenness, and sabbath-breaking,
and covetousness, that some of you still live in ; are not these
sufficient evidences, that whatever Ministers have been to
thee, thou hast been a wretched keeper of thyself? And
what a reckoning must you be brought to for this ! Dost
not think that God will reckon with thee for all ? Reckon
with thee for thy lying, reckon with thee for thy drunken-
ness, reckon with thee for all thy carelessness and negli-
gence ? What wilt thou say for thyself, when God
shall demand of thee, How hast thou kept that vineyard
committed to thee ? How hast thou kept that soul of
thine ? How hast thou ordered thy life ? How wilt thou
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. II
stand speeehless in that day, and receive the sentence of
an unfaithful steward, and an unprofitable servant!
From ver. 24. " Put away from thee a froward mouth,
and f)i'rrerx>- lips put far from thee." Note two things :
1. The unruly evil must be ruled. The tongue is an
unruly evil. (James iii. 8.) It is one of the hardest
works some Christians have, to rule their tongues : yet it
must be done.
OBJECT. It is said, it cannot be done : " the tongue can no
Hum ttnne." What! doth religion put us upon impossibili-
ties, to tame a member which cannot be tamed ?
SOL. The meaning is, that no man can tame another's
tongue. Thou mayest rule thine own tongue ; but if thou
wilt not do it thyself, it is more than all the world can do
t<> tame it for thee. Who can stop uncircumcised lips?
who can silence the tongue of the froward ? Neither laws
nor penalties can do it ; neither softest nor hardest answers
can do it : when the tongue is set on fire, there is no water
can quench it : and yet it must be done.
2. That which cannot be ruled, must be put away.
" I'ut away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put
far from thee." (Prov. iv. 24.) Put away frowardness and
pcrverseness from thee : frowardness cannot be ruled, per-
verseness cannot be kept in order. When we have done all
we can, frowardness will be froward, perverseness will be
perverse ; and therefore that is the way to rule the tongue,
to put away that frowardness which will not be ruled. ^* A^*t_
I. What frowardness is. I need not say much to answer *" ,
that : most men know it too well in their own experience
of the froward among whom they dwell, or have to deal
withal. There are few men but know what frowardness is, <
unless it be those that are froward : the eye that sees others,
ran seldom see itself. He that is of a froward mouth, is
hardly brought to understand that ho is froward. He
that hath a fro ward uii'e, she that hath a froward husband,
they that have a froward neighbour, need not be told what
frowardness is : hut he that hath a froward heart, he it is
that hath most needs to be told it.
12 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
< i. He is froward that is hard to be pleased, apt to be
y provoked, that is ever finding fault, who is like tinder,
\ apt to catch fire by every spark, and that fire is quickly
kindled, but with difficulty quenched : no arguments, no
patience, no forbearance will do ; but there it burns, and
f f < will not be quenched. " Anger resteth in the bosom of fools."
(Eccles. vii. 9.) Of these froward fools we are speaking.
> ) Frowardness is folly. That fire which is intended as a
revenge upon others, doth burn, and vex, and fret out
> S<- their own hearts.
ii. He is of froward mouth, that gives utterance by his
lips to the frowardness of his heart, in virulent, bitter,
; and provoking language.
II. The necessity of putting it away. 1. The Lord
commands us to put away froward mouths. What if thy
friend or thy neighbour cannot pacify or silence thee, shall
not God pacify thee ? If thou wilt not hear man pleading
for peace and quiet, wilt thou not hear the Most High ?
God commands thee to be silent, He commands thee to
hold thy peace, and to utter not a word more of thy furi-
ous folly : what a perverse spirit are those of, on whom
the authority of the Almighty will not prevail ! "What
dost thou say in effect, but, I will speak my mind whether
God like it or not ?
2. It is a sign, whilst it prevails, that thy religion is
vain : " If any man among you seem to be religious, and
bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's
religion is vain." (James i. 26.)
(1.) There are some professors whose religion is but an
outside and pretence : they do but seem to be religious ;
they seem so to themselves, and seem so to others ; but
they are deceived, there is no such thing as religion in
them. (2.) Some seem to be religious, but " bridle not their
tongues:" they pretend to be of circumcised hearts, but are
of uncircumcised lips. (3.) The unbridled state of their
tongues is an evidence that their religion is vain. When
is religion vain ? Why, when it cannot answer its end,
when it cannot save the soul ; and surely that religion
which cannot bridle the tongue, cannot save the soul.
Man, in what a case art thou ? Thou professest religion,
and hopest for salvation ; but if thou art of an un-
i'RVCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 13
bridled, fro ward tongue, thy religion is vain, it cannot
:hee.
3. Frowardness hinders the exercise of that little reli-
gion that such men have : it puts them away from prayer,
or reading, or meditation, or exercising one serious
thought upon eternity : all religion is thrust behind the
door when the froward are up.
Friends, pray do not make light of this grievous evil ;
turn every one of your eyes homeward, and reflect upon
your own spirit and carriage ; do not say, I am not guilty,
am not much guilty this way : it may be it is for
want of observing thyself. Look again, and again, how
thou carriest it at such a time, how to such or such
persons ; and you that are guilty, do not make light of it,
do not count it a little fault. Is that but a small evil
which proves thee an hypocrite ? Where this evil reigns,
and is not checked nor controlled, is not mourned over,
and where thou neither art ashamed of it, nor wilt resist
it ; it is a sign thou art but an hypocrite, and thy religion
i-; in vain.
Christians, our Lord Jesus, whose disciples we profess
to he, and to learn of him, was " meek and lowly in heart ;"
(Matt. xi. 29;) but art thou his disciple, who art ot
a proud and furious spirit? The apostle tells us, that
a meek and quiet spirit is an ornament to the gospel,
and of great price in the sight of God. (1 Peter iii. 4.) If'
meekness be an ornament, then frowardness is a blot and
a blemish, and a stain upon our profession. If meekness 1 .
he precious, then frowardness is odious in the sight of s
God. "Wouldst thou make thyself a disgrace to the gospel, V
un odium and an abomination unto the Lord ? If thou j
wouldst not, then cease from thy frowardness, study and S .
follow after that gentleness, that sweetness, and candour, ;
and meekness of heart and behaviour, which are so grateful J
both to (iod and men.
Friends, though I would not say much, yet finding it
lie in my "ay, I would not pass by this evil without say-
ing something, though hut thus briefly to it. But though
1 have said but little, yet let not this little be forgotten,
14 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
especially by any among you, whose conscience may tell
you, God hath sent this word as an item to me.
DOCTRINE from ver. 26. " Ponder the path of thy feet"
There are two paths, in one of which every one is walking.
There is the good path, or way ; and there is the evil
path. These two are distinguished by their end, or term
to which they lead : that is, the good path leads to good,
and is called " the path of life;" (Psalm xvi. 11;)
and the evil path leads to evil, " the way of death and des- .
truction." (Matt. vii. 13.)
2. By their adjuncts or qualities. The good way, in
general, is the way of holiness : in particular, it is the way
of humility, meekness, temperance, patience, &c. ; the way
of faith, and love, and prayer. The evil way is the path
of sin in general ; and, in particular, it is either that
of lying, or covetousness, or pride, or envy, &c. The
good way is made up of all these good qualities, or else it
cannot be the good way ; but any one of the evil qualities
will make the way evil. He that is humble, and is not
temperate ; he that is temperate, and is not patient ; he that
is patient, and is not merciful ; he whose life is not led in
universal holiness, that hath any one grace wanting, is not
in the good way : one fly spoils the whole box. Christians
must "stand complete in all the will of God." (Col. iv. 12.)
But for the evil way, he that walks in any one particular
branch of it, his way is evil. He that is not a liar, if
he be a swearer ; he that is not a swearer, if he be a
drunkard ; he that is not a drunkard, if he be covetous ;
he that is none of all these, if he be carnal, and walk after
the flesh, or any one particular lust thereof, he is in the
evil way, the path of sin : if it be but one sin, that is our
path, or our way wherein we allow ourselves to walk : the
path of sin is the way of death. Now every one in the
world hath his path : it is either in the good way, the way
of holiness ; or the evil way, the way of sin. Of those
that are in the way of sin, some are in the way of the
proud, others in the way of the scornful, others in the way
of lying, others in the way of covetousness : every one
hath his way.
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 15
|)o( M;IM: 11. Kvrry p-ith must he pondered. 1. To
p.mder our ways, is to weigh and consider them; the
same which is charged, " Consider your ways ;" (Hag. i.
5;) spend some deep and serious thoughts upon them.
Now there is,
( 1 . ) A consideration of the way in which we have hitherto
gone. A bethinking ourselves, a reviewing our course :
this is that which the Psalmist did, " / thought on my
ways," (Psalm cxix. 59,) that I had hitherto been walking
in. I thought and repented of what I had done ; I thought
and turned. And this is that for which Israel was reproved.
No man said, " What have I done ?" (Jer. vii. 6.) No man
s:iid in his heart, no man thought with himself, What have
I done ?
The subject of these thoughts should be,
i. The things that we have done, the particular actions
of our lives. Carnal men never observe or mark what
they do : they never review, or reflect upon, their deeds.
How many words do men speak, how many works are
they engaged in, that they never observe, or mark, or
bestow one thought upon : they cannot remember their
ways, because they do not observe them. Think what
you have been doing all your life long ; think what you
have neglected to do, and think what you have done, and
are doing this day : let your eye be upon the particular
actions of your lives.
ii. The quality of our ways, whether they be good or
evil, whether they be holy or sinful. Thy way hath been
the way of lying, the way of covetousness, the way of
pride ; a carnal, careless, fleshly way. Think with thyself,
Is this a good way, or an evil way ? Do these my ways
please God, or, are they contrary to God ?
iii. The end of our ways, or whither they tend, and to
what issue they will arrive at last ? Is this my way to
(iod '. Is this the way of the everlasting kingdom? Is this
the path of life ? Have I been all this while in the strait
and narrow way that leads to life, or have I been hitherto
travelling in the broad way that leads to destruction ?
This worldly way, this fleshly way, it is, that hath pleased
me at present ; but whither will it bring me at last ?
16 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
Sinners, bethink yourselves thus, Whither is it that I
am going ? What is like to be the end of the course I am
taking? Either to God, or the devil? either to heaven,
or to hell ? Every one of you has been going to one of these :
and which of the two have you been making towards ? Is
lying the way to God? Is drunkenness, and carnal mirth,
and pleasure, the way to heaven ? Is hardness of heart your
way ? Is impenitence in your sin, the way to blessedness ?
Do not your own souls tell you, I must turn out of these
evil paths, I must take a new course, ere I can be saved ?
Be wise to exercise some such thoughts as these. This
is the sinners' great folly, and their great misery, that they
run on in their ways, and we cannot persuade them to
think whither they are going. But, what, is it of so little
weight with you whether you are saved or damned, that it
is not worth a few serious thoughts ? Surely you could
never go on at that senseless rate you do, if you thought
whither you were going ! We come and preach Christ, and
righteousness, and holiness unto you, as the only way of
life. You have been often told that Christ is " the way, and
that no man cometh to the Father, but by him ;" (John xiv. 6 ;)
that there is no coming to God but by Christ, or to heaven
but by Christ : there must be a coming to Christ, a joining
yourselves to him as his disciples and followers. " Him
that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out ;" (John
xxxvii ;) but will bring him to life. You have been
often told that " without holiness, no man shall see the
Lord;" (Heb. xii. 14;) that this way of faith in Christ,
and that of holiness, is the only way of life : this hath been
told you, hath been preached to you over and over again :
and yet we cannot persuade you into this way. The
reason is, you will not consider what we preach ; you
will not consider what it is to be damned, and to perish
for ever ; you will not consider whether you can think of
any other way by which it is possible to escape damna-
tion, but this way of faith and holiness. If you did
consider, and understood what a hell it is whither your
neglect of Christ, and running on in your ways, is leading
you ; how hot that furnace is into which you are like to
fall within a few days ; how dreadful it will be when you
INSTRUCi: iUT HEART-WOKK. 1?
1 1 once, and shall feel the scorching of those flames :
what, think you, would not such scalding and burning
thoughts make y/v.sr;/' -\il
. and t-i \\lnt a t- arful end they will c Tt.iinly brin-/
von, it you spi.-dily turn not --tit ! them.
<
18 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
(2.) Considering the ways that are before us, in which
we should for the future go. God hath given sinners their
choice, to continue as they are in the same way, or to
take up a new and better way. Think what you have
done, and how you have lived, and what, you have to
do for the future : " let thine eyes look straight on," &c. What
course do you think it is best for you to take ? Dost thou
think it is best to continue as at present, to hold on
your worldliness, your drunkenness, your lying, your
carnal, careless course ? or is it not best to hearken to
Christ, and turn from your sins, and betake yourself to
a serious, godly, and holy life ? Which of the two is
best ? May be, it never came into your thoughts to put
the question to yourself; but you have run on from one
day to another, without asking, What were I best to do ?
Why, now here is that I would persuade you to : to look
before you, and consider what is best for you from hence-
forth to resolve upon. What would a wise man do in this
case ? what choice would such an one make ? Sure,
methinks, a little consideration should bring you to this,
If I be wise, I should turn from my wonted ways : I shall
be a fool and a madman if I go on thus. What, doth God
offer to pardon my neglect of Christ, my neglect of my
soul, and all my sins, if I will yet but turn to him ? What,
doth Christ yet offer to bring me to God, and to save me
from the eternal dungeon, if I will yet come unto him, and
become a new creature ? What, will my going on as I have
hitherto done, my spending the remainder of my life as 1
have spent that which is past, in sin and vanity, will this
be running upon my own death, and shutting up the door
of mercy for ever against me : and shall I continue as I am ?
Is there a way of life before me, a door of mercy open to
me ; and shall I not get into the way, and be making
towards the door ? Consider, sinners, what is the best, the
wisest, and the only safe course to take from henceforth,
and do accordingly.
2. Why must we ponder our paths ? ( 1 .) God pondereth
them : " Thou dost weigh the path of the just." (Isa.xxvi. 7.)
(2.) The devil pondereth them, " that he may sift you as
wheat." (Luke xxii. 31.) (3.) Wicked men, our enemies,
MOSs \H(.l I III \HT-WOKK. . 11'
ponder tin-in. (4.) On! way may IK- right in our own eyes,
isideration ; when yet upon consideration it
may appear to be the \\ay of death. " Then- is a way
(hut siTiiiftli riylit unto a man, but the end thereof are the
n-tii/a of death." (Prov. xiv. !'_'.
i. There is a way of some men that is not so much as
right in their own eyes; who, as little as they consider it,
see their way to be the way of death, and not of life ; the
way of the openly profane, the way of the drunkard and
adulterer, the way of the swearer and blasphemer. Pro-
faneness doth not pretend to be the way of life. Drunkards
and adulterers know they are out of the way ; their con-
seieiuvs tell them it is not the way of God, that it is not
the way to heaven : this monitor tells them, I must turn,
1 must repent, and take up a better way ere I die: 1
must not die a drunkard, 1 must not die a blasphemer, or
tier: 1 must repent, or 1 am lost: they entertain a
linjH- that they shall repent, and this hope hardens them.
The consideration that such men should take up, is not to
convince them that they are out of this way of life, that
they know already, but to convince them of the necessity
of a present turning and changing their way. Darest thou
not (lie a drunkard, or a libertine, or a licentious liver?
how then darest thou live so a day longer? Art thou sure
but that death may meet tliee before thy turning-day come?
And how, it' it should ? Thou knowest that then there is no
hope ot'thee: everlasting wrath must be thy portion. Thou
eonntest upon turning and repenting : but consider what is
the reason thou d>st not repent at present, that thou dost
not this day give a divorce to all thy wickedness, shake
hands with all thy companions, and forthwith become a new
man. \Vliy not now .' (), 1 cannot bring mine heart to it.
And dost thou, in good earnest, think that it will be easier
hen-alter .' Hath the Lord been persuading thee to a change
all thy life long. and thou secst his word cannot prevail,
thou seest it atlccts thce not after all thy convictions, and
. and threatenings of the word, and checks of thy con-
science! Hitherto thou got-st on: thy hist i* too hard for
thy consi-iciu-e, or convictions: and dost thou think in thy
iieart that this is the way to make it easy to repent, to
20 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
continue longer in thy sin ? A course of sin hardens thee,
sinner ! Thine heart is not so hardened against repentance
this year, but look for it, thou art like to find it harder the
next. The farther thou goest on in sin, the farther off art
thou from repentance.
ii. There are others, whose ways are right in their own
eyes, which consideration would make appear to be the
way of death, and not of life. I shall instance two sorts.
(i.) The way of moral unbelievers. These are they that
are sober, temperate, and harmless, and just in their
dealings with men, and courteous, and good natured : this
is their way, and this way seems right unto them : in this
way they hope to reach heaven, though, whatever they
have of morality, they have nothing of Christianity in
them. Conversion or regeneration is as strange to them,
as it was to Nicodemus, who, when Christ told him,
" Except a man lie born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God" (John iii. 3,) answered, " How can these things be ?"
They have need to ask, as Pilate, What is truth ? so they,
What is this new birth ? What is this new creature ? What
is this conversion ? Consider, man, what dost thou think
of this plea at last, when this is all thou canst say, I am
an honest man ; but, God help me, no good Christian : I
am no drunkard, but yet an unbeliever : I am no liar nor
swearer, but yet no convert to Christ ! Consider those
scriptures, " Except a man be born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God ;" (John iii. 3,) and, " Except ye be con-
verted, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matt.
xviii. 3.) And dost thou bless thyself in thy harmless
and less vicious way, when thou hast never felt any such
thing as regeneration upon thee ? This thy way is thy
folly, and though it be right in thine own eyes, it is, and
thou wilt find it to be, the way of death !
(ii.) The way of hypocritical professors. Some hypocrites
know themselves to be such, and the way seems not right
to them : others are hypocrites, and yet take themselves
to be sincere, and the deceit of their hearts may be so deep,
that there is need of deep consideration to discover it.
They pray, and hear, and have some face of religion upon
their ways ; they will speak of God, and the things of
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 21
(Joel with alleetion, and live in the visible communion of
the church, with good approbation ; they are, it may be,
well reputed, and well reported among men ; yet for all
that, the root of the matter may not be in them : they may
he unsound and rotten at heart, and neither themselves
know it, nor others suspect it; there may be some secret
reigning lust in their hearts ; they may he lovers of the
world, " ('ifi-rs of pleasures, more than lovers of God." (2
Tim. iii. I. ) Whatever they have, there maybe " one thing
lacking" as was the case with the young man, (Mark
\. '2\, i whose life was commendable in many things ; yet,
C!iri>t. " One thiny thou lackest" and that one lack
: le loss of heaven. Have we not all need tq consider
ourselves, and to inquire how it is with us ? A sincere
Christian is an entire Christian. "Blessed are the unde filed,"
( I'.-alm exix. 1,) that is, the entire, in their way; that
labour to be entire, lacking nothing : and sure we had
need consider whether we are so, or no.
Some professors are so lame and halting in their way,
that they lack many things, almost all things, of serious
Christianity. Thou hast the profession of godliness, but
is not the power of it lacking? Thou doest some of the
works of righteousness, but may not the Lord complain
of thee, as of Sardis, " / have not found thy works
jx-rfirtS" (Rev. iii. 2.) Thou doest some of the works of
a Christian, but are not the inward graces wanting? Some
of the inward graces thou seemest to have, but art thou
not deficient in others .' Thou seemest to have faith, but
is not love lacking { Art thou not a malicious, revengeful,
quarrelsome proi'essor ? Thou seemest to have love, but
is not humility lacking .' Art thou not proud, and haughty,
and high minded ! Thou seemest to be humble, but is
not nucknos lacking? Art thou not fierce, froward, and
peevish in thy way .' Thou seemest to be meek, but is
not patience lacking? How canst thou bear affliction?
thou not murmur and repine, and vex thyself in the
: adversity >. Thou seemest all this : but art thou
> ings, righteous and exact in thy dealings,
:ul, compassionate, and bountiful to those that are
in ikccsMtv ' Thou s.-cine.,t to have all these inward
22 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
graces ; but is not a bold profession of Christ lacking ?
Thou art bold to own Christ, and hear his word, even to
come in hazard ; but whatever thou canst say of thy
hearing, is not prayer lacking ? If thou pray in secret, is
not prayer in thy family lacking ? If thou pray in thy
family, is not secret prayer lacking ? If prayer be both
in secret, and in thy family, is not family-instruction, the
teaching thy family, the care of their souls, lacking ? If there
be some care of others in thee, is not the communing with
thine own heart lacking ? Is not self-examination lacking ?
Dost thou search thy heart, and try thy ways, as thou
oughtest ? Dost thou make a diligent search, a narrow
search, in fear lest thou shouldst be mistaken ? If there
be self-converse, and self-acquaintance, dost thou maintain
intercourse with God ? Is not holy meditation lacking ?
How often dost thou look heaven-ward ? What time dost
thou spend daily in serious meditation of God, and the
things above ? If there be such acts exercised, the actings
of faith, the actings of love, the actings of holy prayer,
the actings of holy meditation, what life is there in these
actings ? Are they not all as dead things, sacrifices
without a heart, images without a life ? If thou thinkest
there be the presence of every grace, a will to every duty,
an enmity against every sin, what power is there accom-
panying these ? What power in duty, what power against
sin ? Doth not the corruption of thy heart bear down the
grace thou thinkest thou hast, and carry thee down the
stream of an evil and vain life ? If there be some good-
will to a godly life, is not the power lacking ?
It is true, the best of Christians have much that is
wanting in degree : their faith is weak, their love imperfect,
but is there nothing lacking of the essential parts of a
Christian ? Thou not only lackest strength of faith, but
it may be thou lackest faith itself; thou not only lackest
strong love, but thou lackest love. A child, though he
hath not the understanding of a man, or strength of a
man, may be a true child ; but if he want the soul of a
man, or the head or heart of a man, he is a monster, and
no human child. Is not the soul or the life of Christi-
anity, the head and heart of a Christian, the life of a
U'.ot I HEART-WORK. 2.}
Christian, lucking .' If so, thou art but a monster, and no
Christian. Is there not the conscience of a Christian
lacking in thee ? Is not thy Christian covenant lame and
imperfect '. Hast thou covenanted universally for all the
parts of Christianity, for every duty, against every sin,
without any reserve of the least liberty from thy duty to
any sin .' Is thy conversation entire according to thy
covenant ? Is there nothing allowedly lacking in thy con-
versation of all that thou hast covenanted with the Lord?
Or, whatever thou doest, is there not life and soul, and
heart, lacking in all thou doest? Thou prayest, but dost
thou not pray without a heart ? Thou hearest, but dost
thou not hear without a soul ? Thou seemest to be a
follower of Christ, and livest in the practice of his precepts,
but is there not life lacking in all thy duties ?
O consider these particulars, how many things are
lacking in you. 1. Consider, and fear, lest when you
come to be weighed in the balance, any of you should be
found wanting ; lest when you come to die, and expect an
entrance into the everlasting kingdom, Christ should say
to you, No, you cannot come in ; one thing is lacking, one
thing that is necessary to thy entrance. One thing lacking
of the essence of a Christian, all would be lost, thy soul
lost, the everlasting kingdom lost. Consider therefore
and fear.
J. Consider, be humbled, and be ashamed, that after
all the time you have had, and all the helps and means
you have had afforded, and all the tenders and offers the
Lord hath made to supply your lack, be humbled and be
ashamed, that yet there is so much lacking, and all this
for want of a heart to accept and improve what have been
oJii n -d. Let us he humbled and ashamed, friends, that if
we have anything of the faith of God's elect in us, we
are \t t .so \\rak in the faith : that if we have anything of
the love of Christ in us, our love is so cold and imperfect;
that if we are found walking in the way of the Lord, it is
so slowly, and so haltingly. This is our shame, and matter
of great humiliation, that we have no more grace, that we
live no better lives. Hut what shall 1 sa\ to you, that want
not only the strength of faith, the zeal of love, a more
24 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
even, steady, and fruitful life, but want faith and love, and
are not yet come into the ways of the Lord. I say to
you, as I said before, fear and tremble : think what it will
be, to be found thus in the day of the Lord. But to you
that have faith, and have no more, that do in some degree
live by faith, and yet live no better, consider also, and be
ashamed ; consider, and be confounded in yourselves ;
consider, and be humbled under all your wants and
hal tings.
3. Consider, and make up what is lacking. Get those
poor weak souls strengthened ; pray the Apostles' prayer,
" that the Lord would grant unto you, according to the
riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his
Spirit in the inner man ; that ye may be filled with all the
fulness of God." (Eph. iii. 16 19.) Get those poor
weak souls strengthened, and those halting and barren
lives established, and filled with the fruits of righteous-
ness. Take the counsel of the Apostle, " Giving all
diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge,
and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience,
and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly -kind-
ness, and to brotherly -kindness charity : for if these things
be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither
be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ" (2 Pet. i. 5 8.)
Brethren, whilst heedless and inconsiderate people are
upon the losing, consider how you may be upon the
gaining hand ; whilst they are decreasing, be you for
abounding : let there be an adding daily to you : be not
satisfied with the graces you have, with the duties you
perform ; but let your eye be upon increasing daily your
store. Whilst others add sin to sin, guilt to guilt, let it be
in your hearts to add grace to grace, fruit to fruit. Con-
sider what is lacking in you, and follow after a supply ;
follow after it by earnest desires, by diligent labour and
endeavours, and by incessant and importunate prayer unto
the God of all grace, that he would cause all grace to
abound towards you, and in you, that, having sufficiency
in all things, you may abound to every good work.
Brethren, it will be a mercy if these words may produce
INv; Kt .MHifT II r \KT-WORK. -'.
such fruit in you, as to set your heart upon getting and
.-aiding daily to your grace, and good fruits, and then con-
sidering how you may most effectually improve it. I pray
n the exhortation in the name of the Lord; I beseech
you forget it not ; ponder your paths, consider what is
lacking, what is lacking within, to set your outward man
going, what is lacking without, in your goings, that needs
supply. Consider what you would have God do more for
you. than he has yet done; consider what you would do
more for God than you have heretofore done ; in what
particulars you fail, and wherein you would be specially
helped forward. Consider and desire, desire and labour,
labour and pray that the Lord would fill up what is
wanting; and then I shall be bold to assure you, in the
words of the Apostle, " My God shall supply all your
need, according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ, to
whom be praise for ever." (Phil. iv. 19.) Amen.
DOCTRINE. The great care that lies upon every man in
the world, is to keep his heart. There are many cares that'
lie daily upon us. We have our estates, and our names/
and our families, and our bodies to take care of; but our
great care must be of the heart.
I. What is meant by the heart. This is sometimes
taken for the principal part of the body, and sometimes
for the soul of man ; so, " The heart is deceitful above all
tfiini/s, and desperately wicked;" (Jer. xvii. 9;) that is,
the soul is deceitful : and sometimes for the will and
diligently."
What is the soul? Most men know not what, and
none of us know perfectly what it is. It is our
inward and invisible substance, which gives life to our
bodies; it is an essential, and the most excellent part of
OS, that hath most of the nature and image of God in it.
It is our immortal part, that hath life in it, and gives life
t the body, and never dies. Our reason and will,
whereby we differ from brutes, these are the essential
26 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
faculties of our souls. The soul is that in which our
capacity lies, of the highest blessedness, and the extremity
of misery. The blessedness of the soul is the highest
blessedness. The body, as such, is capable of no greater
happiness than a beast, only the pleasures of sense : the
soul is capable of spiritual and eternal pleasures ; the
torments of the soul are most exquisite and intolerable ;
the burning of the body is nothing in comparison of the
wrath of God burning in the soul.
The excellency of the soul above the body, you may
guess at, by considering what the body is when the soul
is departed. What a ghastly thing, what an offensive
and rotten carcase, doth the most beautiful body become
when it is dead, and the soul is departed ! It was this,
the soul of man, that was the great prize that Christ had
in his eye, when he died to redeem us. He died to redeem
souls, especially to recover that blessed immortality which
our souls had lost : the natural immortality they had not
lost. That is a great part of our misery, that sin left us
immortal creatures, such of whose misery there shall never
be an end. It was not our natural immortality, that
Christ died to recover ; that was not lost, but our blessed
immortality. This invisible, immortal, most excellent,
part of man, his soul, this is it which we are to understand
by the term "heart," "Keep thy heart" that is, Keep thy souL
I II. What is it to keep the heart?
1. There is somewhat that is supposed in the keeping
, of our souls; and that is, the recovering them out of their
lost state. The devil hath the keeping of sinners' souls,
(whilst they are sinners ; and the first work they are to do
in order to the keeping their souls, is to get them out
of the devil's hands. " That they may recover themselves
out of the snare of the devil." (2 Tim. ii. 26.)
> Here I shall show you three things :
' x (1.) The souls of all men naturally are lost.
(2.) Men's souls are not so lost here, but that they are
recoverable.
(3.) This must be man's first care, to recover their lost
> souls. "
1 (1.) The souls of all men naturally are lost. It may be
AUDIT IIKART-WORK. '27
>t every sinner, as the father of the prodigal said of
him, " This my son was lost," (Luke xv. 32.) Fathers,
you may say of every child you have, whilst they are in
tlu-ir natural state, This my son is lost; this my child is a
lost child : yea, and you may say the same of yourselves,
whilst in your sins, Mine own soul is a lost soul ; and
whether you will say it or no, we must say to every one
of you, fathers and children, that are yet in your sins, you
are lost souls. As Christ came himself, so he hath sent
us in his name, " to seek and to save that which was lost."
(Luke xix. 10.) What is it to be lost? Why, to be
damned persons, signifies to be lost; and to be lost, in this I
spiritual sense, is to be damned : so that word, " If the )
Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost," (2 Cor. iv. 3,) '
to them, that he damned ; that is, in a state of damnation, /
and in the way to actual and everlasting damnation. O :
tremble, sinners; tremble, all you that are yet in your sins!
What will you tremble at, if not at being damned ? The,
word calls every man of you, that are not in Christ,
reprobates from God. " Know you not that Jesus Christ-
is in you, except ye be reprobates ?" (2 Cor. xiii. 5.) Is
Christ in thee ? Art thou a convert to Christ? No?
Then thou art a reprobate from God ; thou art a damned, \
lost soul : live and die in the state thou art in at present, '
and thou art eternally lost. What mean you, sinners, that
you are so much at ease, so much at rest in your state of
sin .' Is it nothing to be damned ? Is it nothing to be
reprobate '. () think what it will be, to be found repro-
bate at the day of judgment, and then to have the sen teiuv
of reprobation pronounced upon you ! Why, sure, sinners,
tin- very next misery to that, is to be in a state of repro-
bation. () take this home to you, as your portion from the ,
Lord ; every unconverted one, take this word home to (
you ; take it into your mouths. O what shall 1 do ? I
am a lost child, 1 am a lost soul ; woe is me ! I am
undone, a son of perdition, and an heir of damnation. \
What is it to me, that I have kept my body in good ease,
that 1 am in health? What is it to me, that I have kept
tate, and have not been such a prodigal of that. I
. and my lands, and my money What
28 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
that I have kept my credit, and my friends ? O my soul,
my poor soul, is lost ; and -what good shall my estate, or
my credit, or my friends, or my life, do to me ?
(2.) Men's souls are not so lost here, but that they are
recoverable. In a little time, if they look not to it, they
will be past recovery for ever. Yet a little while, and the
Gospel will be a sealed book to you, never again to be
/ opened ; yet a little while, and the door of mercy and
! grace will be shut against you, never again to be unlocked.
When death hath once sealed up sinners' eyes, when the
/ grave hath shut her mouth upon them, then to every one
^ of you that is found in his sins, the Gospel is sealed
up, the door of mercy is shut up, and thou wilt be lost
/ for ever, irrecoverably lost. But yet, sinners, these lost
souls may be recovered. There is great hazard at present,
that thou mayest not be recovered ; but yet there is hope,
i. There is great hazard at present that thou mayest not
/ be recovered. Do not make light of the hazard ; that is, do
\ not make sure: say not such a word, " I doubt not but by
.' the grace of God 1 shall have mercy, and be saved." There
is great hazard that the soul of thine, which is a lost soul
this day, may be lost for ever, and never be converted and
saved. How great that hazard is, I have formerly told
you out of the pulpit, and now you may read the same
things from the press, namely, in my discourse on Prov.
xxviii. 14 : read that book carefully once, especially from
page 171 to page 198, where you may understand how
great hazard there is, that lost souls may not be recovered,
ii. Yet there is hope thou mayest be recovered. For,
(i.) Your souls are yet every one of them, within the
reach of the blood of Christ. You are come to " the blood of
sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel."
(Heb. xii. 24.) There is not one sinner among you, but
at present the blood of Christ speaks for you ; and what
doth it speak ? " Father, if this sinner turn and repent, let
him not be rejected; let him be pardoned and saved." For
believers, it speaks thus : " Father, these my friends have
believed, and have repented ; and therefore, I pray thee,
let them not fail of having the benefit of my blood : let
s them not fail of their pardon and salvation." Thus for
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. '29
saints, and even tor every unconverted sinner, it speaks
conditionally, ut supra, if they will believe, " If they will
yet turn, let them also have the benefit of my blood."
Hitherto e\ery one of you are thus far within the reach of
the blood of Christ ; it pleads thus with the Father for
yon, and if yon will come in, will make an atonement for,
and redeem and recover you from all your sins.
When once death hath closed your eyes, in your uncon-
verted state, yon an- gone for ever out of the reach of the
blood of Christ : it can then no longer profit you, nor plead y
for you. There is not one drop of that precious blood (
shall ever fall into the pit : nothing of the blood of Christ i
shall come into hell, and find you out there ; it is only the I s
guilt of his blood, that shall fall upon sinners in hell, the /
guilt of despising his blood, the guilt of trampling on his [
blood. This is all that shall be said to sinners there, in j
the pit, " These are they that would none of me : I would f
have washed them in my blood, but they would not be
washed ; I would have saved them by my blood, but they \ <
would not be saved ; I called upon them to turn from their
sins, and come unto me, but they would not turn, they
would not come ; I offered to purge them from their sins,
to panlon and make reconciliation for their inquities, but
they \Mmld not be pardoned nor purged ; they loved their
sins, and hardened their hearts, and threw back my blood "N
in my lace, they would none of me : and now let the guilt ;
of my blood be upon them, to heighten their flames, and ;
burn in their bowels for ever." The guilt of his blood shall
reach to hell, but the expiation and atonement of his blood
shall never come there. After death there is nothing but i
hell, and out of hell there is no recovery : those sons of >
perdition are lost for ever.
O thank (iod, sinner, that thou art not yet fallen in
thither ! thank God that that soul of thine is not in hell !
How many younger sinners than thou are there already,
muring under a sense of their madness, in neglecting
Christ and his redemption! () thank (iod, that thou art
; thank (iod that thou art yet alive ; that Christ yet
ealls thee to come to him ; that Christ yet oilers thee, that
it' thou wilt but turn and repent, his blood shall cl
30 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
thee from all unrighteousness, and save thee from coming
into condemnation.
Sinner, there is yet hope of thee, that thou mayest be
saved; though there be hazard, great hazard, that thou wilt
yet harden thy heart to thy destruction ; that thou wilt
never be converted, and be saved : there is great hazard
that though thou be yet out of hell, thou wilt be there
shortly ; though thou art yet within the reach of the blood
of Christ, thou wilt in a little time be without its reach :
but though there be such great hazard that thou mayest
die for ever, and be irrecoverably lost, yet there is at
present hope concerning thee, that thou mayest be recovered ;
and there is this hope conceming thee, that thou art yet
within the reach of the blood of Christ. O, thank God for
it, and do not go on to harden thy heart till thou art past
recovery. I say again, thank God that -thou art here ;
but yet I must add, thank God and repent; thank God and
be converted, or else it were even as good that thou wast
in hell this hour, as to be here in thy sins : nay, it were
better for thee that that body of thine were now rotting in
the grave, and that soul of thine were now roaring in hell.
This would be better for thee than to be here hearing the
Gospel, if after all thou shouldest live and die unconverted,
and so go to hell at last ! These very warnings that now
thou hast, if they should not work upon thee to turn thee
from thy sins, and bring thee to Christ ; if the Gospel
should leave thee in the case thou art this day, thou wilt
to hell as sure as if thou wast there already ; and then all
that thou now hearest, or shalt ever hear whilst thou livest.
will but heat thy furnace seven times the hotter against
thou comest down. But because there is yet hope thou
mayest be converted, thank God thou art here : for there
is hope, as from this first ground, because thou art within
the reach of the blood of Christ ; so,
(ii.) There is hope from this, that sinners are yet under
the ministry of reconciliation. As the Apostle said, " To us
is committed the word of reconciliation" (2 Cor. v. 19,) so
we may say to sinners, To you it is given to hear the word
of reconciliation : it is for your sakes that this word of re-
conciliation is committed to us, that we might preach it
IMSTRUCTIOXI Auort II KAKT-wouk. 31
unto you. God hath not only continued you within the
if tlu- blood of Christ, but under the teachings of his
ministers, whose work it is to tell you how you may have
the benefit of his blood ; to make a tender and offer of this
blood of Christ to you, and to persuade and make you
willing to accept it. We are sent to preach Christ unto
you, and to make known unto you, what help there is in
Christ for you ; and what freedom you have given you to
lay hold on Christ ; and also to persuade and bring you
into Christ, that you may have the benefit of his blood.
It is a strange word we have given us, "Compel them to
come in." (Luke xiv. 23.) Go and call poor sinners to
me ; and if they be not willing to come, compel them in :
not, force them in, whether they will or no, Christ will not
have any sinner against his will, but " compel them," that
is, use all the. importunity you can, to make their un-
willing souls willing ; use such arguments, if it be pos-
sible, that they may not be able to resist ; and though they
do resist, yet do not give them over so, but do your best
by your importunity to overcome such resistance.
Christ to his servants, fetch all the sinners in }
the country to me : here is room for them all ; many [
are conic already, yet there is room for more. Let/
m\ " liuuse be filled with guests" (ver. 22,) filled with
converts ; go find out these poor wretches where they lie
rutting and perishing in their sins, and bring them in. i
Christ duth not say to his ministers concerning sinners, as \
unce he did to his disciples concerning little children,
r little children to come to me:" (Matt. xix. 14:)s'
Suffer poor sinners to come to me, do not put them hack,
or discourage them when they would come: but, Persuade
them in, help them in, press them to come in, beseech
them to come and be reconciled to God : I am not willing
that any of them should perish, but that all should be )
brought to repentance, and obtain everlasting life. (2 Peter/
iii. '.).) This is the business of our ministry; and this j
ministry of reconciliation, thou, poor sinner, art under
this day.
Now docs nut all this give sinners hope, that they n.a\
'.it b> .1' \\hy hath (Jod let thee live to In ar
32 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
this word ? Why hath God brought thee hither this day
to hear it ? What, canst thou not say, I hope it is that I
may be converted ; I hope it is that 1 may be recovered ?
The Lord yet comes among you to tell you what you
must do to be saved ; what you must do to get Christ to
be yours ; to preach repentance to you, that you may
" recover yourselves out of the snare of the devil, who are
held captive by him at his will." (2 Tim. ii. 26.)
Sinners, you are all prisoners and captives ; but yet you
are prisoners of hope ! You are dead souls, but there is hope
you may be made alive ; you are lost s6uls, but there is
hope you may be found. There is hazard that you may
be quickly irrecoverably lost, but some hope there is you
may be recovered. Will you come to Christ ? will you
come to the means of grace, as men of hope? Hear the
word, in hope that it may work savingly upon you ; pray
for such a work, in hope that God may hear : though all
the sinners among you, in one sense, are men of hope, yet
in another sense the most of them are men of no hope.
In this sense you are all men of hope, there is a door of
hope yet open to you ; but in this sense you are men of
no hope, that is, if you continue as you are, there is no
hope but you must perish. A wild and groundless hope
too many sinners have, they hope against hope; they
hope for recovery, without using the means of recovery ;
they hope for salvation, without reconciliation ; they hope
for remission, without repentance ; they hope to be re-
deemed from death, without being redeemed from iniquity :
this is to hope against hope, this is to hope for that of
which there is no hope. There is no hope of salvation
: without repentance, no hope of escaping without returning.
Ministers of the gospel are to break down such false and
deceitful hopes, not to build them up.
That which, from what hath been said, I would per-
suade you to, is to hope for salvation, and in that hope to
look after conversion ; to hope for conversion, and in that
hope, to hear the converting word ; to hope for a new
heart and life, and in that hope to pray that God will give
you this new heart. Dare not to sleep in hope, to sin in
hope, to harden yourselves in your sins, in hope of for-
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. .53
giveness ; pray in hope, hear in hope, humble yourselves
in hope, turn in hope, that God will accept and be mer-
ciful to you. When you come to hear, do not come as
most sinners do, not knowing or considering wherefore
they come together. But when thou goest to hear and to
pray, go with this hope in thine heart, I am going to hear
the word of faith, the word of repentance; and I hope God
will bless it to me, that it may work faith and repentance
in me : I am going to hear the heart-breaking, and the
heart-humbling word, the converting word; and I hope
the Lord will hilmble, and break, and convert me by it.
I have often heard, and have been never the better :
hitherto I have not been humbled and broken by it : this
wretched heart is as dead and as hard as if it had never
been preached to. Well, but doth the Lord yet again call
me forth to hear this word? O, I will go in hope, that yet
at last it may work upon me !
Hope hath two things in it, desire and expectation.
This is the hope in which I would persuade you to come
to the word, to come with desire to be wrought upon, and
expecting and looking for such a gracious work. We
may say concerning this first coming of Christ into the
. as is said concerning his coming to judgment, "7V>
them that look for him shall he appear without sin unto
.salratinn." ( Heb. ix. 28.) So to those that look for him,
shall lie appear to their sanctification. Look to meeti
with Christ this day in his word ; look for Christ coming)
down to meet you this day ; desire that he would, prayV
that he would, and expect and look for his coming, andT."-
appearing to you. This is the hope, wherein I wouldl .
i xh.jrt you to attend on the means of grace, with desiresM
and expectations of the gracious success of them upon'
you. If you would thus come to hezir in hope, it would
much encourage us to preach in hope to you, and to pray
in hope for you.
Wi 11, to conclude this: let every sinner of you know,
that while the word of reconciliation is continued to be
preached to you, so long there is hope concerning you,
thru you may be recovered. There is hazard, great hazard.
.1 Toat doubt whether you may be saved, a great fear that
D
34 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
many of you may never be converted and saved ; but
though there be hazard, yet there is hope.
(3.) The great care that lies upon every sinner in the
world, sbould be, that he get recovered out of his lost
state. " Instructing those that oppose themselves, if God
peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging
of the truth, and that they may recover themselves out of the
snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will."
(2 Tim. ii. 25, 26.)
Here observe, i. That lost sinners are in the hands of
the devil ; taken captive by, and held in the snares of, the
devil. That is a lost soldier, that is fallen into the hands
of his enemies : that is a lost sbeep, that is fallen into the
paw of the wolf : that is a lost soul, that is fallen into the
snares of the devil ; and in those hands is every lost soul.
How art thou so secure, sinner, how so merry, how so
much at ease ? Dost thou know where thou art ? Thou
art in the hands of tbe devil : that soul of thine is
>/ taken captive by the devil, and lies bound in his snares :
the devil hatb taken thee, and the devil hath bound
thee that thou canst not get loose. O, it were well if
sinners understood their case, and in whose hands they
lie! There is not one of all the sinners among you, but
the devil hath him in custody. Whithersoever thou goest,
the devil goes with thee, to watch thee, that thou mayest
not escape him. If thou goest to read, the devil goes with
thee ; to thy Bible, to hinder it from working upon thee ; if
thou goest to pray, the devil goes with thee ; to hinder thy
praying ; and now thou comest hither to hear, the devil
comes to church with thee, to harden thy heart against
the word !
Thou dost not see the devil here ; and thou dost not
think he is here ; but thou mayest know by the effect, that
he hath been here with thee every day, and at every
sermon ; thou mayest know it by this, that the devil hath
been here with thee, that the word hath prospered no
more with thee, to the rescuing thee from his snares : and
he that hath been here, is now come again ; and he is now
watching thee, that thou hearken not to the recovering
word.
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 3. r
ii. That lost sinners oppose themselves against their
own recovery. " Instructing those that oppose themselves ;"
that is, that resist tin- word of grace, that deafen their
. and harden their hearts against it : " Ye do always
resist the Holy Ghost." (Acts vii. 51.) The word of God
conies, and the Spirit of God comes, to convert sinners ;
but they resist their own mercy. The enmity that is in
their hearts opposes itself against the word and Spirit.
" How often would I have gathered you, and ye would not !"
:t. xxiii. 37.)
iii. The end of preaching the Gospel to sinners, is, to
recover their lost souls. " Instructing them, fyc., that they
may recur er themselves out of the snares of the devil."
" To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light,
and from the power of Satan unto God." (Acts xxvi. 18.)
V. .ire sent as Christ was, to preach deliverance to the
captives, and the opening the prison to them that are
bound ; and not merely to preach open the prison-doors,
but to persuade the prisoners to come out of prison.
" That thou mai/cst say to the prisoners, Go forth."
I .. xlix. 9.) God hath sent us with this word to you, that
are imprisoned under Satan, Come forth, poor prisoners !
come forth out of prison ! Sinners, give no better enter-
tainment to us, than if our word to them were, Come into
prison, come into bondage. They take that word, Come
into Christ, as if it were the same with, Come into prison !
come into bondage! That Christianity which we persuade
sinners to, they look upon as mere bondage : but what-
c\i-r sinners think, our business is, to persuade them out
of the house of bondage. Come, shake off your chains,
knock off your fetters, break that yoke of the devil winch
is upon your neck, get you loose from those sins and those
lusts wherewith the devil hah held you, and come unto
Christ? It is no bondage to be a Christian. Christ's
..ts are ;ill freemen: you are all bond-men, already
" IH the bond i if iniquity." (Acts viii. 23.) But who
among \i,u would be set at liberty { \Vhat do you mean,
sinners, \\ill ye die bondmen? \\ e n.ay say eonrernin.;
you, as Christ concerning the woman, " //'/ Satan hath
bound, lo, these eighteen years." ( Luke xiii. 16.) You are
u 2
36 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
the men whom Satan hath bound, not only these eighteen
years, but some of you, these thirty-eight years; nay,
some it may be these sixty years, or more. Have you
been bound, so long bound by the devil, and are you not
willing to be set free ? Will you go prisoners to the
grave ? From this upper prison, shall the devil carry you
down into the eternal prison ? O sinners, that is our
business from God to you, to persuade you to make an
escape, and to be recovered, out of the snares of the devil,
iv. Sinners' recovery begins in their repentance. " If
God give them repentance, that they may recover." They
are only the penitent, that are recovered souls. As long
as thou art an impenitent sinner, thou art a lost soul.
" Lest they should be converted, and I should heal them."
(Acts xxviii. 27.) A converted sinner is an healed, a
recovered sinner.
v. It is God that recovers lost souls. " If peradven-
ture God may give them repentance, that they may be
recovered." It is the devil that takes sinners captive, but
it is God that rescues the prey from his teeth. It is the
devil that leads men to sin, and holds them under sin ; but
it is God that gives them repentance. Is thine heart
' hardened in thy sin ? Is thy heart hardened against
, repentance ? Canst thou not turn ? Canst thou not
v repent ? Go to God, poor sinner : it is he that must give
thee repentance. Go to Christ : it is he that God hath
exalted, and set up on purpose, that he may give repent-
ance and remission of sins. (Acts v. 31.) Ministers
are to preach repentance, but they cannot give repentance :
every one of us must say, it is not ours to give. We can
tell you to whose door you must go for repentance ; we
S can tell you in what way you are to go to God for it ; and
we would persuade you to G^d : but when we have said
all we can, it is he alone that can give repentance to you,
and work it in you.
vi. Whatever God does to the recovery of lost souls,
there is something lies upon themselves to do towards it..
" That they may recover THEMSELVES." Not that they
may be recovered, but may recover themselves. Now
here I shall show you more particularly,
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 37
(i.) What the recovery of lost souls means, or wherein
it stands, (ii.) What sinners may do towards their own
recovery. (Hi.) How men may know whether they are
recovered, or no.
(i.) What the recovery of lost souls means, or wherein it
stands. Now it stands, i. In their coming to themselves.
ii. In their coming to God.
i. In their coming to themselves, and recovering their
senses and understanding. The first step of the prodigal's
recovery that we read of, was this, " he came to himself : "
'' When he came to himself, he said," &c. (Luke xv. 17.)
He was besides himself before. Sinners are besides
themselves : they have lost their wits, and the free use of
their reason : they are so drunken in sensuality, that like
drunken men, or mad men, they have lost their under-
standing. Therefore the prophet exhorts those foolish
idolaters that worshipped stocks, the gods of their own
making, " Remember this, and show yourselves men."
(Isa. xlvi. 8.) What, are you so brutish as to think those
to be gods, which are made with hands ? Where is your
reason ? Show yourselves men, and no longer such
brutes. Sinners recovering from their sins are as Nebu-
chadnezzar returning from among the beasts. Then said
he, " Mine understanding returned unto me." (Dan. iv. 34.)
When the prodigal came to himself, we find him presently
reasoning with himself: " How many hired servants of my
father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with
hunger ?" What do I here ? Why dwell I among these
strangers ? I see I am like to starve for want : in my
father's house there is bread enough : were I not better to
go to my father ? I will arise, and go to him.
Sinners, whilst they are besotted with lust and sensu-
ality, cannot reason thus : their senses have drowned their
understanding. If they had but their understanding, and
their wit about them, they might reason thus with them-
selves: What a miserable case is this I live in? This poor
soul of mine is ready to starve and die. I live amongst
swine, and I am fit for no better company, whilst I am
thus, for I am even as one of the swine : and it' I live like
a beast, I am sure to die like a beast. Is there no way
38 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WOUK.
for recovery out of this brutish state ? May not this mad
soul of mine be recovered into his wits again ? I have
lived a mad life hitherto, else I should never have fed
upon husks, these pleasures of sin, whilst bread, the
bread of God, might be had. I have not the understanding
of a man in me, or sure I should get me out of this
miserable estate.
Sinners, who hath bewitched you ? What is it that
hath so unmanned you, that, neglecting and running away
from God, you should run thus after the devil, and live
among his herd of swine, and feed upon trash and dross ?
The best of your sinful pleasures are no other, and no
better. You have your feeding among the swine, and
your lodging with them, wallowing with them in the mud
and mire. You may know what your feeding is, by the
starveling case your souls are in ; and we may see what
your lodging is, by the filth and mire that is upon you.
Behold the mud and abomination cleaving to thee ! thy
filthy lusts, and vile affections, and spiritual uncleannesses,
wherewith thou art polluted ! When wilt thou come Jo
thyself, sinner, and bethink of returning from the husks
to bread, from thy trough to the table, from the sty of
swine to thy Father's house ? Is it not better to be a
servant of God, than a drudge to the devil ? Is it not
better to belong to God's holy ones, than to the devil's
bemired and mudded ones ? Is it not better to return
into favour with God, than to live in exile and banish-
ment from God ? Dost thou not think, that those who
love God, and fear God, and walk with God ; that those
who know Christ, and are washed with his blood, and
walk in his steps, and have laid hold on his righteousness,
and shall be partakers of his salvation ; dost thou not
think in thy heart, that these saints are in better case than
thou ? Is it as well with thee now, thou art such an igno-
rant, sensual, swinish, carnal, stupid soul ; is it as well
with thee now, as if thou wert changed into the image, and
made partaker of the holiness, and entitled to the salva-
tion of God ? Dost thou bless thyself that thou art none
such ? Is it well for thee that thou art no believer, or
sincere convert to God ? When wilt thou come to thy-
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 39
self? Show yourselves men, sinners : let your understand-
ing once more return into you. You will never come to
be Christians, till you come to yourselves. Show your-
selves men, and that you have the understanding of a
man in you ; recover your reason, and then make use
of your reason, and fall a reasoning with yourselves :
What shall I do ? Shall 1 continue as I am ? a drunkard
as I am, a worldling as I am, a sensualist as I am, a
servant of my flesh, and of the devil, as I am? Or shall 1
arise, and go to my Father ? Which do I really judge to
be better for me : to go on as I have done, or to make out
after a sudden and saving change ? To go on after my
cups and my companions, after my pleasures and my
worldly profits, or to return to the Lord ? Hast thou
recovered so much of thy reason, as to judge it better for
thee to turn and to become a new man ? Hast thou so ?
Then from a man of reason, become a man of resolution.
Judge what is best, and choose what is best. " Then shall
she say, I will go, and return to my first husband ; for then
teas it better with me than now." (Hosea ii. 7.) Sinner,
wilt thou take up such a resolution ? Wilt thou take up
such words ? Well, I see now what I have been doing all
my life hitherto ; I see to what a sad pass my foolish and
carnal ways have brought me ; I see the poverty and the
misery", and the straits, and the dangers, that by running
away from God, by running after this world and the lusts
thereof, I have run myself into. Well, I have done with
this vain and foolish life : I will go and return unto the
Lord, and then it will be better with me than now.
ii. The next step to this recovery is, coming to God :
the first is, coming to yourselves, and the use and exercise
of your reason and understanding. And who among poor
siiiiHTs shall these words preach into your right senses?
You have been foolish, senseless souls: is there any of
you that are yet come to yourselves ? Do you judge it
better tor you to come back from your vain ways, and to
come about to the Lord ? Is this voice heard in your
hearts i (), if I could break oil' from my sins, and be-
come a real convert to Christ, then would it be better with
me than now. It would be a happy change, this day
40 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
would be a happy day, this sermon would be to me a
happy sermon, if the Lord would bless it so to me, as to
bring me off from my sins, and bring me to himself! O
how wonderfully better would it be for me than it is now !
If any of you are come so far to yourselves as to judge
and say, It would be better for me, let me go on with
you, and ask farther, What will you resolve upon ?
Will you say, with the prodigal, Well, " / will arise and go
to my Father." It is better for me so to do, and I will do
it : through the help of God, I will return. Now for
repentance ; now for religion and righteousness ; now for a
new heart, and a new life : I have done with my old heart.
Satan, I have done with my old life ; sin and vanity, I have
done with : henceforth, through the grace of God, I will be
for God and godliness.
, Do you say so ? Are you resolved so ? Come on but one
step further. If you say the word, come on, and do like-
!> wise. The prodigal, when he said, " I will go to my father,"
arose and went accordingly. Be not like the son in the
parable, who said, " I go, Sir," but went not ; but say, and
do. Come and join yourselves to the Lord ; come into his
. house ; come into his ways ; give yourselves to him for his
servants, and go and serve him : then will your souls be
recovered ; then shall it be said to you, as concerning him,
These my children were dead, and are alive, " were lost
> and are found ;" and we should say over you, as the father
"', did, " It is meet we should make merry ;" that this day
\ should be a glad day, a joyful day ; it is meet that we should
rejoice ; for this our brother is recovered, he was dead and is
alive. O let the Lord God thus rejoice over you ; O let
all his saints rejoice with you ! Come, sinner, make a
joyfujday of it; come unto the Lord, come to your Father,
and he will be ready to meet you, and with open heart and
.-_ open arms would receive and embrace you.
(ii.) What men may do to recover. They cannot recover
themselves of themselves : it is God that must do it, but
they may and must do something towards it.
i. Men can pray for their recovery. Even carnal men
may pray, and though there be no full promise that God
will hear, yet God hath both required them to pray, and
[RUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 41
hath appointed this as a means of their recovery. The
Apostle bids Simon Magus pray that " the thought of
iiis fit-art iitiyht be forgiven him." (Acts viii. 22.) It is a
hopeful sign that God has a purpose to give grace, when
he sets sinners praying for grace : at least, if they cannot
pray themselves, they can speak to others that can, and
desire them to pray for them. This Simon Magus did :
he begged the Apostles to pray for him. O what a
wretched case art- those in, that will neither pray for them-
srlves, nor so much as beg Christians to pray for them!
Sinner, when didst thou ever do such a thing ? When
didst thou ever go, either to a Minister, or a Christian, with
such a word in thy mouth, Pray for me ? It may be, when
thou hast been sick, thou hast sent to the congregation to
pray for thy bodily recovery ; but when didst thou send or
speak to them to pray for thy soul's recovery ? Is not thy
soul more precious than thy body ? Is not thy soul
more desperately sick, than ever thy body hath been ? Is
not prayer for sick souls as needful, and as much prevailing,
as prayer for sick bodies ? And yet, how many bills have
we sent in, to pray for recovery from bodily diseases, to
one sent in to pray for the conversion of a soul ? But
whether thou do it or not, this thou canst not deny, that
thou canst do this towards thy conversion, thou canst
pray for it, and desire others to pray for thee.
/'/. Men can hear the word. This is another means of
recovery. " Incline your ear, and come unto me : hear, and
your soul shall live." (Isa. Iv. 3.) And this means they
can use. The same feet that will carry them to an ale-
house, can as well carry them to church ; the same ear
that can hear a song, or foolish and idle talk, can hear a
sermon. Thou wilt say, This I do, and yet am not
recovered. Therefore,
//'/. Men can give heed to what they hear. They can
mark and observe what the word speaks : " Take heed
how you hear." (Luke viii. 18.) Give heed to what
you hear, and do not sleep under the sound of the word,
or sit heedlessly or carelessly, without minding what the
Lord speaks. Herein is the great neglect, sinners will
come to a sermon, but mind as little what is preached to
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
them, as those that never come at all. This is a wretched
neglect, and the common case of many hearers : " Hearing
they hear, and do not understand" ( Matt. xiii. 13.) Our
words would not have such poor success, if people would
mind more the things that we speak. O sinners, bethink
yourselves, how often have you been here, and not
heeded one word that hath been spoken !
iv. Men can think. What is easier than thoughts ? We
say, Good words are cheap ; but good thoughts are
cheaper than good words : the exercise of the thoughts
is noted as the first step to repentance. " If they shall
bethink themselves, and repent;" (1 Kings viii. 47 ;) and
so, " / thought on my ways, and turned," fyc. (Psalm
cxix. 59.) Thou saidst thou canst not recover thyself.
But canst thou not bethink thyself, what a case thou art
in ? Thou hearest some time from the ministry of the
word, that thou art a lost man, a lost soul ; but when
thou hearest it preached to thee, canst thou not think
upon it ? Thou dost not think upon it, it is too true, no
longer than the word is a speaking ; nay, it may be, not so
long. What thoughts have you had of it, since you were
told, that naturally you are lost, and what a miserable
case it is to be a lost soul ? Have you since thought as
follows : Woe is me, I am a lo*st soul : O what a poor
wretch am I while my soul is lost ! You have been told
how these lost souls may be recovered ; but what thought
hath there been in thine heart since, about taking the
course for thy recovery ? Thou dost not think of these
things, it is true ; but canst thou not think of them ?
Thou knowest thou canst.
v. Men can stop, and make a stand in their evil ways,
from going on farther in them, from making their condi-
tion worse than it is, and their recovery more difficult.
Canst thou not lay thine hand upon thy mouth, when thou
art about to lie, or to swear, or to scoff, and bite in those
evil words that are coming out? Canst thou not keep
thyself from thy companions, and thine old drunkenness
and riot ? Canst thou not keep thee out of the ale-house
or the tavern ? Thou canst do it : such outward acts are
in the power of thy will to restrain. Men may be true if
IKSTRI'CTIONS ABOUT HKART-WOKK. 43
they will, and sober if they will : if thou wilt be a drunk-
ard, or a swearer, or a liar, who can help thee ? But if
thou wilt, thou inayest help thyself. It is true thy case
is miserable enough, and thy cure hard enough, by thy
continuing in thine evil way hitherto : but as bad as it is
with thee, it is growing worse and worse : every sin thou
goest on to commit, is a new gash, wherewith thou givest
a deeper and more deadly wound to thy poor perishing
soul. If thou stop thy course, that is something towards
a recovery. Well, these things thou canst do towards
thine own recovery : thou canst pray, thou canst hear,
thou canst give heed to what thou hearest, thou canst
think, and thou canst stop and make a stand in thy evil
ways. And if thou wilt but do what thou canst, thou
mayest have hope that God will do that for thee which
thou canst not.
(iii.) How we may ascertain whether we are recovered or
no. This I shall show,
i. Negatively.
First. Those whose understanding is not recovered, their
souls are not recovered ; those whose understanding is
still lost, their souls are lost ; those that are not come
to themselves, are not come to Christ. Every ignorant
soul is a lost soul. " If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to
them that are lost." (2 Cor. iv. 3.) From whom is the
(Jixpel hid? From those "whom the God of this world
hath blinded their minds, lest the light of the glorious Gospel
should shine unto them." (See ver. 4.) Art thou an ignorant
soul, ignorant of the Gospel ? Does not the light of the
glorious Gospel shine into thee ? that is, dost thou not
undei; stand the Gospel ? So long is the Gospel hid from
thee ; and if the Gospel still be hid from thee, thou art a
ul.
What multitudes are there, to whom the Gospel is
preached, that yet understand nothing of it ! Thou hast
been a hearer of the Gospel these many years, but what
dost thou understand of it ! As IMn'lip said to the Eunuch,
" Undcrstandest thou what thou reddest .'" (Acts viii. 30;)
so it may he said to thee, Understandest thou what thou
hearest ? No, thou dost not understand : though the light
44 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
shines round about thee, yet not a ray of it hath shined
into thy heart. It is all dark within thee, whatever light
be shining round about thee. Though the light hath
shined into thy darkness, yet thy darkness comprehendeth
it not. (John i. 5.) Poor ignorant ones, in what a case
are you ! you are every one of you lost souls ! And what
is like to become of you ? We bring the light among you,
but we cannot open your eyes ; we preach Christ to you,
we instruct you in the knowledge of God, we cry unto
you, Get knowledge, seek understanding, seek for it as
silver, search for it as for hid treasures. But say what
we can, you will not be persuaded, you will not receive
instruction : the God of this world hath blinded your
minds, and we cannot heal your blindness. There be
some of you that know you are ignorant, and will confess
it, (not to bemoan yourselves, but to excuse yourselves,)
I am but ignorant, I am not book-learned. What, not
learned in the book of God ! What, not acquainted with
the book of life ! No, God help me, I am not. What
then ? Why, therefore I hope it is not so bad with me, as
with others that know. I hope God will forgive me
because I am ignorant. This is a wretched principle that
has entered the hearts of the ignorant, that because they
are so, God will not be extreme to mark what is done
amiss by them. O tremble in pleading your ignorance !
you therein confess that which will prove you to be lost
souls. You may as well say, I am a damned soul, as say,
I am an ignorant soul !
Second. Those whose consciences are lost. Who, though
they may be recovered to be men of understanding, yet
are not so far recovered as to be men of conscience. " We
trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live
honestly " (Heb. xiii. 18.) Thus it is with recovered
souls, they are men of a good conscience. Where con-
science is laid waste, the soul still lies open to the govern-
ment and dominion of the devil. Conscience is a bar and
a bulwark against his assaults and temptations. Where
conscience is not, the soul is as a city that hath neither
gates nor bars, but is left open to the devil, in which to
rule at his pleasure. God hath not recovered the rule of
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 45
any soul, till conscience be awakened and hath recovered
its authority.
Art thou an unconscionable man or woman ? Dost thou
make no conscience of thy ways ? Hast thou slighted con-
science, hast thou wounded conscience so long, that now it
lets thee alone to thy will, and thy lust ? Or, if it checks
thee sometimes, for thy evils, yet thou bearest it down, and
goest on thy way against its reproofs and contradictions ?
Art thou a man of no conscience ? Is it not against thy
conscience to lie, or to defraud, or to drink to drunkenness,
to live without praying or minding God or thy soul ?
Does conscience let thee alone to live thus ? Or, if it doth
smite thee, yet goest thou still on against it ? Art thou a
man of no more conscience than this? What dost thou think
of thyself? Whatever thou thinkest, thou art a lost soul :
while conscience is lost, thy soul is lost. Till conscience
be recovered, thy soul is not recovered : and conscience is
never recovered, till it hath recovered its authority, and
hath gotten the rule and the government of thee.
Third. Those who make light of their disease and their )
misery. Men are never recovered till they are first made
sensible of their disease. Sin is thy disease, and thy death ;
and thou art never recovered from that death till thou art s
brought to a sense of thy disease. Where there is life I
then- will be sense.. They are dead souls, alienated from
the life of God, who are "past feeling." (Ephes.iv. 18, 19.)
Those that make light of sin, it is a sign they are not
vered. Sin is felt as a heavy thing, by those souls
that have the life of Christ in them.
O, what multitudes of lost souls are there among us, if
every soul be lost that makes light of sin! What account
dost thou make of it ? Thou sinnest daily, thou livest an
idle, and a can-less, and a sinful life; thou art proud or
us, or a sensual flesh-pleaser : and is not all this thy
sin? Thou art a liar, a promise-breaker, a defrauder : and
is not this thy sin ( Thou art perverse and peevish, and of
a fro\\ard heart : and is not this thy wickedness? But what
account dost thou make of all this .' Is it a heavy tiling to
thee, to he. thus sinful ? N'o, not at all : thou makest li^ht
of thy pride, and light of thy eovetouMiess, and light of
46 INSTEUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
thy frowardness: thou makest just nothing of them, or at
least but small matters. Thou dost not feel them to be
; such a weight and burden to thee, but thou canst bear
them, and go out with them well enough. Or, if thou dost
sometimes feel some smart or pain by them, it is but such
i a light touch, that whatever thou thinkest at present, thou
, wilt quickly go after them again, at thy lying again, at thy
swearing again, at thy foppish and froward carriages again.
It is such a deep sense of sin, as will make us beware of
( it for the future, that will prove our recovery. What shall
) we then think of them that make a mock at sin, that make
a sport of sin, that take pleasure in iniquity ? Without all
, controversy, these are lost souls, and those that make but
"> little reckoning of it, that pass by their sins as small
' matters, that are either not touched at all, or but slightly
touched for them, so lightly that their sin hath still the
/ power and dominion over them ; thou that art but such a
) one, thou art a lost soul, thy soul is lost, and not
recovered.
Fourth. Those that make light of Christ their recoverer.
Christ, that is sent down as the Physician of souls, to
\ seek and to save them that are lost, hath ordinarily the
> same entertainment as the King in the parable had amongst
the guests that he invited to his feast, " but they made
light of it" (Matt. xxii. 5.) Here,
(First.) There are some sinners who make light of Christ.
I Jesus Christ is worthy of all acceptation. What is Jesus
Christ? He is the Son of God, full of grace and truth.
(John i.) God, equal with the Father, the brightness of his
Father's glory, the express image of his person, and
upholding all things by the word of his power. (Heb. i. 3.)
He is the head of all principalities and powers, the Prince
(^ of the Kings of the earth. (Rev. i. 5.) What is Jesus
{ Christ to sinners ? He is the everlasting Father, the Prince
of peace. (Isaiah ix. 6.) His name shall be Wonderful.
Why does this Jesus come into the world ? To reconcile
) them to God, to save them from their sins, to die for the
sins of the world, and to wash them in his ovn blood.
And for what end does he come to particular sinners ?
) Wherefore is he preached to them, wherefore is he offered
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 47
to them ? To what end is it that sinners are so importu-
nately invited to entertain and accept of him ; to be willing ]
that he, who was the Saviour, might become their Saviour ; ;
that he, that was the reconciler, might become their
recoverer ; to rescue them from the snares of the devil, and
brin^ them to his everlasting kingdom? This is that Jesus,
who by the Gospel is preached unto you.
Who could imagine, that such a great, and mighty, and >
glorious one, who is the everlasting King, the God of all i
the earth, who would think but he should be reverenced
whiTi-vt-r he canie ? " They will reverence my son," (Matt.
xxi. 37,) said the King in the parable. It might be well
presumed they would, however it proved in the issue.
Who could imagine that one that came upon such a gracious
u, to reconcile poor rebels to God, to redeem poor
prisoners out of prison, to recover and raise the dead to
life, and ransom them from the pit, and give them an
entrance into the everlasting kingdom ; who would think
but Christ, coming upon such a gracious and glorious design,
should have wonderful cheerful entertainment? Who would
think, but that the whole world would ring with acclama-
tions of joy and praise, at his appearing amongst them ?
Who would think but when Christ comes to particular
sinners, and makes a free offer of himself to them, to be
theirs, their Redeemer, their Saviour, but that such an
otfer would be eagerly received and readily embraced ?
Doth the King of Glory come unto me? Hast thou shed
thy blood, and poured forth thy soul, and laid down thy
life, and purchased pardon and an interest in heaven for
me ? And dost thou now come to give thyself, and all
that tliou hast purchased, to be mine ? What answer would
any one think should be given by lost souls to such
questions ? Wilt thou be mine? Shall I be thine? Art '
thou willing to be redeemed, to be washed from thy sins,
to be healed of thy diseases ? Shall my blood, which is shed
for the salvation of sinners, shall my blood be thine, and
the peace anil reconciliation it hath made be thine ? Shall
I conn- into that miserable soul of thine, and dwell there,
and rule there, and cast out that devil which hath been
thy destroyer and murderer ! Shall 1 love tlu-i , and delight
48 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
, in thee, and bless thee with my salvation ? What answer
would any one think undone lost sinners would give to
such questions ? What, wilt thou come unto me, love and
; ; bless me ? With all my soul, Lord ! Come in, thou blessed
Lord ! All that is within me shall rejoice, that thou wilt
thus enter and take me for thy possession and habitation.
This, one would think, would be the answer that sinners
;, ought to give. But behold, such miserably foolish souls
- are sinners become, that they make light of all this. A
cup of drink, a carnal companion, a lust, a sensual plea-
sure, is made more reckoning of than Christ and all his
, love. As it is said of those builders, the Scribes and
j Pharisees, (Acts iv. 11,) it is true of all sinners, that
this stone, this precious stone, this corner-stone, this
foundation-stone, upon which alone their hopes of salva-
tion might be built, this stone is set at nought by them.
"He was despised and rejected of men." (Isaiah liii. 3.)
They made no account or reckoning of him, but even trod
under foot the Son of God. And this is the general
entertainment that Christ hath among the sinners of the
\ earth, so light do they make of him : he comes to them,
/but they will not receive him. " How often" says he,
j " would I have gathered you, but you would not!" (Matt,
xxiii. 37.)
And what is proved to be the common case of sinners,
is it not thy case ? Art not thou one that makest light
i of Christ ? He hath been preached unto thee, he hath
i come and tendered himself to thy soul. That vile heart
( of thine, sinner, that dark hole, where the devil and lust
and every abomination dwells, Christ hath come and called
to thee, saying, Open to me : let me come and dwell there,
\ and cast the devil out ! How many knocks hath he given
( at thy door ? How many messengers hath he sent to thee
^ with this word, Open those wretched hearts ; open the
everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in ?
i And hast not thou slighted all this, and put a contempt
Sand scorn upon an offered Jesus ? Who ? I ! God forbid!
/I adore and honour that worthy name; I acknowledge him
to be the Son of the living God, and the Saviour of the
world, and worthy of all acceptation. I, but hast thou
HUtTIOXS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 49
accepted .' lla>t thou opened unto him? Hast thou ;
-(1 Christ Jesus the Lord? Is Christ within thee? v -
Is tin- liirht cif Christ, the love of Christ, the holiness of
Christ, in thee .' Hast thou resigned the throne and ,
dominion of thy soul to him, and given him a hearty leave (
to put all that is within thee, in subjection to himself,
and to cast out whatever is an offence to him ? to cast
the world out, to cut the flesh down, and the lusts
thereof.' Hath he made thee anew, and moulded thee
h .'
Is there another spirit begotten in thee ? a new heart
wed upon thee ? Hath he made a Christian of thee ; (
a sincere inward Christian, not in word only, nor in tongue,
but in deed and in truth ? Art thou become his hearty /
diseiple, and his follower in holiness ? Hath he given \
thee the understanding of a Christian ? Dost thou know '
God, and art thou now acquainted with the mystery of the
kingdom ot' (Jod .'
thou know Christ, and the mystery of Christ .
crucified .' Hath he given thee the heart and affections of
a Christian .' Hath the world lost thine heart? Have thy
companions lost thee, thy carnal pleasures lost thee ? Is
thine heart set upon Christ, and upon all his holy ways ? /
Art thou now brought about from sinful pleasing of men, \
or aHVc-ting to live in their good repute and good will, to
be all for pleasing God ? Is thy soul, that was bent upon
earth, and the vanities thereof, now bent for God, and for
n, and for holiness, the way to the kingdom
:i .'
Sinner, if thou hast received Christ into thy soul, x
all these works are begun ; there is such a change as this f
ht upon thee. He that is in Christ is a new crea-
ture. (2 Cor. v. 17.) And if there be no such change,
if thine old ignorance, thine old worldliness, thine old
delight in the lusts, or friendship, or fellowship of the >
world, remain ; if thou hast not the inward proof of a
Christian, a holy heart, a heavenly mind, yea, and some-
thing of the outward mark of a Christian, a holy conver-
sation, a heavinly life: if there lie not such a change
wrought in thee, it' thou art still of the same life, and the
E
for /
of >
50 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
same spirit thou wast formerly thou hast not received
i, Christ : he hath been offered thee, but thou wouldst none
of him ; he hath come unto thee, but thou hast refused
him. And whatever honour thou hast in thy mouth for
Christ, if thou hast refused to receive him, thou art one
of those who make light of Christ, yea, and set him at
nought. That which is rendered refusing, " The stone
'' which was refused by the builders," (Psalm cxviii. 22,) is
expressed to be, setting at nought, " This is the stone
which was set at nought." (Acts iv. 11.) Sinners, every
one of you that has not received Christ into your hearts,
has set Christ at nought : you have despised and trampled
him under your foot : and if you go away from his
\word to-day, as you have used to do other days, and
return home without accepting of him, you go on to set
Christ at nought. You that hear Christ preached, and
"will not receive him, if you should be asked, when you
come home, what you have done at church to-day, you
must answer, " I have put a slight and contempt upon
Christ : he was preached to me, and I was told of his
wonderful excellencies, and his worthiness ; but I have
despised and neglected all. I have been at church, but to
mock Christ, and to set him at nought." This do every
one of you, to whom Christ is preached, and you will not
receive him.
(Second.) Those that make light of Christ are not re-
f covered by him . This is so evident from what hath been said ,
that I shall add no more concerning it but this : If Christ be
the only instrument in the recovery of lost souls, then those
that refuse him are not recovered. He is our Redeemer,
and there is no other Saviour. He is our Physician, and
^ there is no other helper, " neither is there salvation in
^ any other." (Acts iv. 12.) If there be no other Saviour
than Christ Jesus the Lord ; if there be none recovered by
Christ, but those that prize and put a high value on
Christ, so as to embrace and accept of him ; then those
that make light of Christ, and refuse him, are lost souls
to this day. These are the negative marks which evidence
souls to be still lost. If you are not grossly ignorant,
but have understood something of the doctrine of Christ ;
iRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 51
if you have something of conscience, if some prizing of
Christ, still you may not be recovered ; and if not, thou
art a fearfully ignorant soul, and of no conscience : to be
sure thou art a lost soul to this day.
ii. Affirmatively.
First. The man whose eyes are opened. That is, who
hath recovered his understanding, and the saving knowledge
of (!od. The first step towards the conversion of a sinner,
is the recovery of his sight. " To open blind eyes," $c.
(Acts xx vi. 18.) It is not every little opening the eyes,
and obtaining a little knowledge, that is a sure sign of
conversion : there are knowing sinners, knowing hypo-
crites. It is an enlightening of the mind, and a renewing
of the mind : " Be ye transformed by the renewing of your
mind." (Rom. xii. 2.) The mind of the convert doth
not only see other things than it saw before, but looks
upon them with another eye : as he hath another heart,
so he hath another eye, a renewed mind, a sanctified
understanding, that perceives tlje beauty and excellency
of God and his ways, of Christ and his grace ; that sees
wisdom, and goodness, and an excellency and desirableness
in them. The earnal mind, whatever it perceives of the
things of God, yet they are foolishness to him: "The
natural man receiteth not the things of the Spirit of God ;
for tliei/ are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them.'"
(1 Cor. ii. 14.)
\Vhere see, (First,) What account carnal men have of
spiritual things. They look upon them as foolish, poor,
and weak, and contemptible things; and upon those who
>s thi -in as a company of fools, and giddy brain-sick
folks, that will have anything to do with them.
v cond.) That whilst he looks on the things of God as
foolishness, contemptible, and unworthy things, he doth not
know them: nor can he know them whilst he continues
to be such a foolish soul. Thou takest upon thee to
censure those that fear God as fools, and to charge reli-
gion with folly ! Proud fool ! Get thee a little more
understanding, and then thou wilt see what an ignorant,
poor, mistaken soul thou art. The convert looks upon
the Gospel, and the goodness of God, and the grace of
t -2
.)2 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
Christ, and the holiness of the Spirit, as marvellous things,
excellent things ; he sees an excellency in religion, a
beauty and desirableness in all the ways of God ; he sees
the folly of sin, and the wisdom of religion ; the baseness
and unworthiness and filthiness of sin, and the worth and
the purity of religion ; he sees himself to have been a very
beast and a fool, whilst he continued and went on in his
sins, and can never have a good thought of himself : but as
far as he is changed from his sins, he looks upon the little
change that is begun, as a blessed change, and a comfort-
able change. Now I have something of the understanding
of a man returned unto me ; now I thank God I begin to
live and stand up from among the dead. O, I thank God
for this little wisdom that is begotten in me ! I was a
very fool till now : 1 have been told I was a fool ; I have
been told I was a beast many a time ; but I could never
see it till now, until the Lord hath thus opened mine
eyes. This is some degree of the sinner's recovery, such
an opening of his eyes ; though it is possible he may be
much recovered in this respect, and yet a sinner still.
Second. The man whose heart is opened. Thus Lydia's
conversion is expressed : "Whose heart the Lord opened."
(Acts xvi. 14.) There is a double opening of the heart.
(First.) An opening of the heart to the Lord, so as to
receive and embrace him when offered. The hearts of natu-
ral men are shut against the Lord : they are not only void
of grace, and without Christ, but bolted and barred against
Christ, and his grace ; they are unwilling of conversion,
unwilling of sanctification. " Jerusalem ! u'ilt thou not
be made clean ?" (Jer. xiii. 27.) No, they will not. O
sinner, wilt thou not have the Lord to be thy God ? wilt
thou not have Jesus to be thy Lord ? Wilt thou not,
that he should come into that soul of thine, and wash thee
with his blood, and govern thee by his Spirit ? make thee
a new soul, and of another spirit than thou hast been ?
No, thou wilt not : thine heart is shut against Christ ! To
the devil thou wilt open ; to the world, and its lusts and its
pleasures, thou wilt open thine heart : nay, it stands open
night and day to these ; but it is shut against Christ and
his grace : thou art not willing that Christ should come
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 53
in. Sinners, if your hearts would but open, Christ would
come in this very hour, and bring in his salvation.
There is not one man amongst you all, that shall go home
this day without Christ, without the sanctifying grace of
Christ, that is but unfeignedly willing to give entertainment
to him. Art thou willing of Christ, willing to have grace ?
W ilt thou so receive Christ as to resign up thyself to his
guidance and government, art thou really willing? This
is tin- vi-ry opening of thine heart to the Lord wherein thy
conversion stands. Thou art the man whose heart the
Lord hath opened.
ond.) An opening the heart to godliness, or Christi-
anity. The former opening denotes a readiness of the heart
to receive Christ, and his grace. This opening of the
heart denotes the soul letting itself out after Christ and
his holy ways ; a letting itself out in holy desires, in love
and holy affections, in resolutions and holy purposes to
ser\v and cleave to the Lord. When the heart is open to
Christ, it is open to Christianity. When it hath received
Christ Jesus the Lord, it will be for walking in him. The
heart of the hypocrite, though it professeth to be open to
Christ, is shut against Christianity.
Hypocrites are willing to have apart in Christ, in the
privileges, and hopes, and comforts of the Gospel ; and so
will trust in Christ, and boast of Christ, and glory and
rejoice in Christ Jesus : but as to the exercise of Christi-
anity, especially in those harder and severer parts of it,
mortifying the flesh, denying themselves, being crucified
to the world, the close and downright and industrious
following the Lord in holiness, of this they are not
willing, their hearts are shut against it. That heart that \
is sincerely opened to the Lord, and hath indeed taken \ ^
Christ in, doth freely open itself to all the ways of the S ^
Lord, and hath a propensity, and disposition, and resolution
lor powerful and practical Christianity. He is a resolved . /
disciple of Christ, and a resolved follower. Now this
is the recovered soul, the man whose eyes are opened; t
who hath the knowledge of God; of the beauty, and ex-
cellency, and goodness of the ways of God : and the man
whose heart is opened, who hath both received Christ
54 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
Jesus the Lord, and who is resolved to walk in him, is the
soul that was dead, and is alive.
/ USE. I. Are sinners lost souls ? 1 . Then let us take up
I a lamentation over them. What a lamentation did the
Prophet take up over the sinful Jews : " that my head
were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might
weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my
people!" (Jer. ix. 1.) O what a slaughter hath sin made
among us ! our houses, our streets, our congregations,
how full are they of the dead ; dead souls whom sin hath
slain ! Behold the dead that are in every place ! so many
sinners, so many dead and lost souls. Here be the dead,
but where are the mourners ? " Consider ye, and call for
the mourning women, that they may come ; and send for cunning
women," skilful at mourning, " and let them make haste and
take up a wailing for us ; that our eyes may run down u-ith
tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters." (Ver. 17, 18.)
/ Women are more pitiful than men, and more apt to mourn :
Call, says he, for the pitiful among women ; let them wail
for us, and let them set us mourning : let the women set
the men mourning, that our eyes may run down with
tears : and let the mothers " teach the daughters wailing,
and every one her neighbour lamentation." (Ver. 20.)
Why, what is the matter ? O, " death is come up into our
windows, and is entered into our palaces." (Ver. 21.) Our
houses are houses of the dead. It is not only with us as
with Egypt, when the first-born were slain, when there
was not a house in the land wherein was not one dead :
there are but few houses in our land where there is one
alive ; they are almost all dead, dead fathers, dead chil-
dren, dead husbands, dead wives, dead in trespasses and
sins. Death hath not only entered in at our windows,
and slain here and there one, but the doors have been set
open to it ; whole families are destroyed. Our houses
are become sepulchres, places of the dead.
But why should we mourn over lost souls ?
(1.) Because there are multitudes of them. Come where
you will, into what country, into what family, into what
congregation you will, you may see almost as many dead
M ABOUT HEART-WORK. 55
men, as you see men. It is but here and there one
living soul is to be found. Such a great slaughter as that
which sin hath made calls for great lamentation.
(2.) Because they are in such a pitiful and lamentable
case. What is it to be a dead and lost soul ? Where
shall we have them a little while hence ? Those that are
undrr tin- power of death, are under the -power of the
devil ; and those that are under the power of the devil,
you may look to find them shortly in the place of the
devil. At present they seem to be in a paradise : they
live at ease, and in plenty, and in peace : there are none
seem to be so much alive as the sinners of the earth :
" We call the proud happy ;" (Malachi iii. 15 ;) and the
profane and flesh-pleasers, and the covetous, these are
counted happy. They are fat, they shine, they glitter!
who, but sinners ? These are the only men, the only
happy men, as the world counts them ! But whatever there
be outwardly upon their backs, or within, their poor
hearts are dead : and, where shall we find these flourishing
and prospering ones a few days hence ? It would pity
our hearts to think where ! What, if you should see all
these dead buried, buried in flames, cast into the pit
of everlasting darkness, and everlasting burning? You
cannot but foresee that there they will be shortly, and that
thither they are travelling ; their way is the way of death,
and their steps lead down to hell ; and how suddenly may
tli' y l)c swallowed up in the pit! O pity these lost souls !
Have you any bowels ? Parents, have you any bowels for
your sinning children ? Friends, have you any bowels for
your sinning friends ? Draw forth your bowels in sighs
and lamentations ; pour forth your hearts at your eyes,
and fall weeping over them : look upon the ignorant and
sottish ones, look upon the loose and profane ones, the
lyiii'_ r children, the swearing, and cursing, and drinking,
and unruly children among you ; and let your eye affect
your heart. Yea, weep not for them only, " but weep for
ijimrxdcfs, (itid for your children." (Luke xxiii. 28.)
Because they will not mourn for themselves. They
.in not sensible of their own misery, nor will they lay it
to heart. These lost souls are men beside themselves,
56 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
distracted ones, out of their wits, ut supra. The prodigal
was out of his wits whilst he was running his wild course :
he was not himself. What sense have madmen of their
misery ? They count themselves to be wise and happy,
and all others to he fools. How shall we hear distracted
souls talking of their lands and inheritances ; boasting
some of them that they are kings, and lords, and gentle-
men, though they be even stark naked, half starved, bound
with thongs and chains, yet still they have high thoughts
and make great boastings ! Such mad souls are the
miserable souls of sinners ! " Vain man would be wise,
though he be as a wild ass's colt." (Job xi. 12.) These
wild men, that run a wild course, that have lost their
reason in their lusts, would be taken for wise men,
and will not be persuaded out of their vain conceits
of themselves. " Bray a fool in a mortar, yet will not his
foolishness depart from him." (Prov. xxvii. 22.) Now
this is cause of great lamentation, that these lost souls
are such stupid and senseless souls, that will not mourn for
themselves, nor be brought to understand that they are
objects of pity and lamentation : they think they are wiser
than their teachers, that they have more wit than to
become sober and serious Christians, that they have no
need of the physician, no need of counsel and instruction ;
and thereupon are ready to laugh at those that mourn
over them, and to mock at repentance and conversion.
Surely those that are in such a miserable case, and have
not the heart to mourn for themselves, or to count them-
selves mournful and pitiful spectacles, there is the more
reason we should take up a lamentation over them.
Let us lament, therefore, that there are such multitudes
of miserable souls, that there are so few among those
multitudes of lost ones, that we ever see recovered. O,
how few are converts to Christ ! How seldom do we
hear of any lost sheep being brought into the fold ! You
that are brought in, pity those that are left without :
mourn for them, let fall a tear over them, lift up a prayer
for them, that though they have gone astray like lost
sheep, they at length may return to the Shepherd and
Bishop of their souls.
is>r RUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 57
And you that are these lost souls, how is it that you
;;re not yet come so far to yourselves as to see what a
pitiful case you are in ? Sinners, will you yet go away
conceited, that it is well enough with you ? Is it better
with you than if you were converts? Are the brick-kilns
-rypt, as long as you can eat of the leeks, and onions,
and melons, better than the freedom of Canaan ? Do the
pleasures of sin make your chains pleasant to you ? Is it
Ctter to go on to serve the devil and your lusts, than to
come about and be the servants of the Lord ? Or, whether
it be better or worse, wisdom or folly, discretion or
madness, are you resolved, however, to continue as you
are ? Have you not the sense in you, so as to be able to
! t is a sorry case I am in ? Or, do you see it is bad
enough with you, and yet have not the power to seek
after a recovery ? Hast thou not pity upon that poor soul
of thine, but thou wilt give it up to be racked, and torn,
and burned for ever, rather than for its sake thou wilt
deny thy will, or thy lust, or thine appetite ? Art thou
still so mad as to say, " Live or die, heaven or hell, whatever
be the issue, I will not turn out of my course ; I will
not come unto God, and be his servant ? If there be a
hell, I will venture on its flames; if there be a God, I
will venture his wrath, rather than not enjoy my will, or
mine ease, or my pleasure!" Is this thy case ? Judge,
then, if thou be not a pitiful and lamentable thing, and an
object of mourning : and, if thou canst get so much of a
man in thee, so much of the reason and understanding of a
man, so much of the heart and compassion of a man, O,
pity thyself! Pity thy poor soul ; pity and mourn over
it ; i.iourn and repent : repent and pray, that if it be pos-
sible, thou inayest recover thyself out of the snare of the
devil, by whom thou art thus held captive at his
will.
J. Let us take up a rejoicing over the recovered souls.
Our great joy should be, every man over the recovery
of his own soul. With what joy should this word be
spoken, This tny soul was dead, and is alive ! And we
should rejoice over any other recovered souls. It is matter
of rejoicing, when we can say, This ray child, or this my
58 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
brother, or this my neighbour, was dead, and is alive.
What joy is it to a travailing woman, when she is safely
delivered of a living child ! " A woman when she is in travail
hath sorrow, because her hour is come : but as soon as she is
delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish
for joy that a man child is born into the world." (John
xvi. 21.) Sinners, your deliverance may cost you pain
and travail ; but when you are once delivered and re-
covered, you will forget all this pain : then you will, and
then you ought to rejoice. What joy is the day of victory
to the triumphing soldier ! What joy was the year of
jubilee to the indebted, or to the servants, when they were
to go free from their debts and service ! What joy to the
mariner, who hath been tossed with tempests, to have
arrived safe on shore ! Hast thou shot the gulf, and gotten
safe to land ? Hast thou death and hell under thy feet ?
Is death destroyed, and is life and immortality brought to
light in thy soul ? Art thou passed from death to life ? O
what a day of joy, what a day of praise, should this be to
thee ! " Rejoice in the Lord," O ye righteous ; " and again I
say, Rejoice." (Phil. iv. 4.) Stand, Christian, stand
and look back on that death that was lately feeding on thy
soul ; stand and look down into the hole of the pit from
whence thou art delivered. Remember how it was with
thee, not long since, when thou wast without Christ, and
without hope, and without God in the world : when thou
wast a slave to every lust in thy heart, to every vile com-
panion ; when thou wast led by the destroyer, and posting
on to destruction ; when thou wast without fear, and
without sense of that danger and misery, which was run-
ning upon thee like a flood. Remember how it was with
thee, when God first opened thine eyes, and thy fears came
upon thee. How did thy soul cry out, I am lost, I am
undone ! when thou didst see what a gulf there was fixed
between thy natural estate, and the state of grace ? when
thou sawest a necessity of conversion, and yet wast
astonished at the difficulty of obtaining it ? when thy
proud heart would not stoop, thine hard heart would not
break, nor yield unto the Lord? when thou wast afraid
that thou shouldest have perished in the birth, and never
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 59
have seen life ? Remember how it hath been with thee, and
how it is now. What, hath the Lord delivered thee from
thy fears, conquered for thee thy difficulties ? Is thine
heart broken, and brought about to the Lord ? Is the day
broken, and the day-star risen in thine heart ? Art thou
passed from death to life ? What sayest thou now? Is it
not meet thou shouldest rejoice ? Is not this birth-day, the
day of thy new birth, a day of joy and praise ? Dost thou
not bless thyself, that it is not with thee as it hath been ?
Does not thine heart shake to think, What, if I had been
let alone, allowed to go on in the way that I was going !
I went with the drunkards; I was among the liars, and
swearers, and covetous, and scoffers : I was one of
them : as much against a new heart, and new life, as any
of them ; as true a drudge to the flesh and this world, as
the worst of them. How is it that the Lord God singled
my soul out of that wicked crowd, and brought me up out
of that state of the dead, and led me into the light of
life, and hath written me among the living in Jerusalem?
Bless the Lord, O my soul ; and all that is within me, bless
his holy name. Magnify the Lord, O my soul ; and let
my spirit rejoice in God my Saviour. He that is mighty
hath done for me great things, and holy is his name.
.'{. Let us again take up a lamentation over the imper-
fection of our recovery. Rejoice in the Lord, but " rejoice
with trembling." (Psalm ii. 11.) Rejoice that the work
is begun, that thou art come to the morning of the day of
redemption ; that the day is dawned, that the sun is risen
upon thee : yet lament that there are still such clouds ; yea,
so much of the darkness of the night remaining upon thee.
Rejoice that thou art born again ; but lament that
though thou art made a child of light, there is so much
of thine old darkness, of thine old ignorance and unbelief
abiding upon thee ; that though thou art born from above,
yet thine heart should be so much below ; that though
Oiou art risen with Christ, thy affections should be so
little set on things above ; that though thou art born of the
Spirit, the flesh should still have such power over thee.
Lament and bewail it, that thou art no more perfectly
recovered ; that it can yet hardly be discerned whether
60
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT. HEART-WORK.
thou be alive or dead ; or, if it appear thou art alive,
lament that thou art such a dwarf still, or such a sickly
and unthriving child ; that thou art such a froward and
unruly child.
Lament that thy recovery is so imperfect, and be
growing up towards perfection : be working out those
remains of thine ..old corrupt state : be working out this
carnality, and this earthliness, and working up thine
heart to more spirituality and heavenliness : and let both
thine heart and thy life be as the path of the just, " ichich
shineth more and more unto the perfect day." (Prov.
iv. 18.)
Christians, whilst I have hope of many of you that you
are passed from death to life, and in this hope do rejoice
over you, yet I have sorrow in mine heart for you, that
you that have life, have it no more abundantly ; that you
are yet so imperfectly recovered from among the dead,
and that you are not (which I doubt is the case of too
many among you) contending and reaching forwards
towards perfection. How many living Christians soever
there be of you, yet I can see but few growing Christians
among you. Pray, friends, look inwards : what sensible
improvement have any of you made of late years ? Yea,
how many of you are there that do not lay it to heart ; that
do not lament in that they are improved no more ? Who
of you can say, that you are breathing and thirsting after
an increase ? Or, if you thirst for more grace, how very few
are reaching forth, and labouring, and that in such good
earnest that they are impatient in their spirits, and rest-
less, till it may be better with them ! O, what might I
do to whet your appetites after an increase ! to set you a
running, and striving, and fighting against all that hinders !
O, what might be said to get those creeping souls upon
the wing ! to quicken your motions heavenward ! O, how
might I help you off with those weights that hang on,
those weights of earth and of flesh, of cares, and lusts,
and sins, that you might run with patience, and run with
alacrity and joy fulness, the race that is set before you ! O
consider the imperfect state you are in : consider, and
lament it ; lament, and make on ; forgetting the things
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 61
that are behind, reach forth unto those things which are
1 1. Are sinners yet recoverable ? O lose not the present
:i, but seek your recovery: "Seek the Lord while
In' may be found." (Isa. lv. 6.) So, seek your souls
whilst they may be found ; seek recovery while it may be
had. But what shall I do to recover?
1. Get you to be heart-sick of the misery that is upon
you. If ever God recover you, he will first smite you ;
ho will wound you, that he may heal you. " I will make
thee sick in .-smiling thee," (Micah vi. 13,) said God in
another case. The devil smites with a deadly wound ;
but God's wounds are healing wounds. " Come, let us
return to the Lord; for he hath smitten, and he will heal us." >
(Hosea vi. 1.) The devil smites with blindness; the (
(ii-vil smites with hardness, and insensibility of heart. )
What is the reason thou art such a blind, and hardened, >
and senseless soul ? O, the devil hath smitten thee into
this blindness and hardness! God's smiting of the heart /
is like Moses smiting the rock. (Exod. xvii. 6.) He \
smote the rock, and water issued out. God will so smite [
these rocks, as to fetch a stream of tears, and sighs, and /
groans, out of the hard heart : he will make those stones
to feel. The devil's work is, to put sinners past feeling :
and O, how successful hath he been at this work ! Poor
sinners, the devil hath been at work with you, smiting
you into insensibility : and what senseless souls hath he
made you ! Though the word of the Lord, which is
sharper than a two-edged sword, and pierceth to the
dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, of the joints and
marrow, hath been driven home upon you, yet you feel it
not. The devil hath made thee such a stupid, senseless
soul, that thou canst feel nothing. But God smites to
m your ferling : he will make you sick in smiting
you : he will do so, it' ever he mean to heal you.
(). sinner, do not resist, but help forward this work of
God upon you. Do what you can to recover your own
Do not harden your hearts against tin- word; do
inlen \ciir hearts in your sins : pray that (ioil would
make you sick at the heart, under all your misery. It
62 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
would be some encouragement to ministers, to bring a
healing word unto you, if we could once find you to be
sick. If we could but recover your senses, we should
have hope to save your lives : but here it is that our work
sticks. We cannot, by all that we can say, recover you to
sense, to a sense of your lost estate. " Wo is me, for I
am undone" said the prophet, in another case. (Isa. vi. 5.)
O might we hear such a word from sinners' mouths, Wo
/ is me, for I am undone ! I am an undone soul ! I am a
} lost soul ! You are undone : you are lost souls ; and
) before ever you be soundly recovered, you will, by the
sense and sickness of your hearts, be forced to acknow-
ledge it, Wo is me, for I am undone ! Sinner, dost thou
/ think thyself well ? art thou whole, and ailest nothing ?
/ This is thy senselessness ; and this senselessness is the
( most deadly part of thy disease : a sick man that is grown
' senseless, is the next step to a dead man : if sense be re-
covered, there is more hope of his life. What a word of
hope would it be, might we hear this word running through
C all the company of hardened sinners here, Wo is me, for I
/ am undone ! What shall I do ? what will become of me ?
) I am a lost soul, dead in trespasses and sins ; held under
' the power of the devil, and dragged on to destruction. I
am well enough as to my body, and my outward condition ;
but O, my poor soul ! my poor blind soul ! my poor
hardened soul ! my poor guilty soul ! in what a woeful
case is it ? Could we perceive such a sense of your case,
could we hear such bemoanings and complainings of your
misery, this were hopeful ; we should then hope you were
upon recovery, if we could by any means work you to
such a sense of your state. But how is it with you, sin-
ners ? Is there any such good token to be found upon you ?
Sinners here be, God knows, enough of you ; but where
be the smitten sinners ? Where be the sensible sinners,
the broken sinners, the fearing sinners ? Where be the
men that the word of God hath made sick in smiting ? As
it is with some physic for the body, so it is with God's
physic for the soul, it never worketh kindly, but it makes
men sick in the working. Where be the sick sinners ?
In one sense, you are all deadly sick ; but where be the
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 63
sinners whom God's physic hath made sick ? whom the
word hath made sick ? whom conscience hath made sick ;
that is, hath made them feel their sickness? No, no : the
Lord be merciful to you, your soul-physic will not work ;
it leaves you at your ease, under the hardness and insensi-
bility of your hearts, as if you were indeed sound men,
and needed nothing. But, sinners, know, that till you are
wrought to a sense of the misery you are in, there is no
hope of your recovery. Do but venture on a while longer
in this stupid hardened state, and you will be past re-
covery : you are at present without feeling, but if you
once be past feeling, you are past recovery for ever. O
get you broken hearts ! O cry unto the Lord, that he
would smite you, and make you sick in smiting you ; that
he would set you a trembling ; that he would affright you,
and afflict you for your sins. O stir up and awaken those
sleepy souls ! O study and consider, and get a little un-
derstanding what a woeful case you are in ! Believe God.
He tells sinners that they are sons of death, sons of per-
dition, under condemnation. Believe God before the devil, \
and your own hearts. These have agreed together to tell '
you a lie, to tell you your case is not so bad, you
shall do well enough, you shall escape well enough ! Be-
lieve not the devil, believe not your deceitful hearts :
believe God, believe the Scriptures : read over that word, C
and see how dreadfully it speaks of the case of sinners, and
know that all this it speaks to thee ; all the plagues and
terrors of the Lord, which you read or hear out of the /
Scriptures, these words belong to you who are yet in
your sins.
Sinners, I would fain preach you to Christ, and preach
you to life. I would do mine utmost to save and recover
your lost souls : and, O, let me help you to Christ ! let me
be a means of your recovery ! But that I have no hope
of, unless you will so far heed and believe the word that
1 preach, and lay it so close and so home upon your
lirarts, that you may no longer be hardened through the
deceitl'ulness of sin. () that it might be said concerning
you, upon hearing of these words, as concerning others,
" .-hid tchcn they heard this, they were pricked in their
64 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
heart, and said, Men and brethren, what shall we do ?"
(Acts ii. 37.)
Sinner, nlay it be said so concerning thee ? Hath this
word pricked thee to the heart ? Dost thou feel thy
heart ache ? Dost thou tremble ? art thou afraid ? and in
that fear dost thou cry out, Men and brethren, what shall
I do ? wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me ?
Hath it made thee so sick, that thou art calling after the
physician ? Is there such a cry in thy soul, Help, Lord,
save, Lord, or I perish ! Wo is me, I am undone ! what
must I do to be saved ? If the Lord hath made thee thus
sick, in smiting thee ; sick of thy covetousness, sick of thy
wickedness, and of that bondage thou art hitherto held
under ; if the word of the Lord hath pricked thee to the
heart, and put thee to pain, so that nothing but a deliver-
ance from thy wretched state can ease thee, or satisfy thee ;
if it be thus with thee, if thou art thus sick, thus pricked
at the heart ; then be of good comfort : it is a hopeful
sign, that thou art upon recovery : there is now good hopes
concerning thee, that though thou art dead, thou mayest
yet be made alive.
2. Understand what Christ hath done, and must do, for
your recovery. Christ is our only Redeemer and Recon-
ciler : and Christ redeems,
(1.) By price. (2.) By power.
. (1.) Christ redeemeth by price. " Ye are bought with a
( price. 1 ' (1 Cor. vi. 20.) Christ himself was that price, and he
] laid down his life as a price for us. In this respect he is
1 called our ransom. " He gave his life a ransom for many."
\ / (Matt. xx. 28.) His redeemed ones are called his ransomed
ones. (Isa. xxxv. 10.) We by sin are become prisoners
and captives, prisoners to the justice of God, to whom
J by sin we had forfeited our lives : and justice took hold of
us as a company of traitors and malefactors, whom it con-
demned to death. Now Christ paid himself : to divine
justice he gave himself to die, that he might ransom us
from death. Let me stand in these sinners' stead; let thine
hand be xipon me, and let them escape. Death is the
wages of sin : Let my death, says Christ, pay those wages.
(2.) Christ redeemeth by power. Sinnerswere prisoners
-
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. G5
to divine justice, and captives to the devil. (2 Tim. ii. 26.) r
By price, he redeems them from the avenging justice of /
God ; and by power, he redeems them from the devil. In <>
the former sense, he redeemed us as a purchaser, he
bought our lives : in the latter sense, he redeemeth as a
conqueror, the devil held us, and death held us too. <
Death reigned over all : Christ conquereth both death and
the devil. " That through death he might destroy him that
had the power of death, that is, the devil." (Heb. ii. 14.)
" Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show
of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Col. ii. 15.) He
brake the serpent's head, as it was promised he should,
(Gen. iii. 15,) that he could no longer hold his captives.
The devil tempted him to sin ; but he overcame the tempta-
tion, and sinned not. The devil set the Jews to slay him ;
but he overcame death, by his resurrection from the dead.
The devil got him among the dead ; but he could not hold
him, he rose from the dead, by which it was impossible
for him to be holden beyond the time appointed. And
as Christ conquered the devil, and conquered death, so
he conquereth sin too. He conquered the devil as our
captain, so called Heb. ii. 10, " The captain of our
salvation :" he broke the power of the devil, and led
out his captives, as a captain doth his recovered prisoners.
Hi- conquers sin, as a physician, healing all those wounds
and diseases which the devil had brought us under : he
is therefore called a physician, " The whole have no need
of a physician." (Matt. ix. 12.) This, now, is that which
Christ hath done, and hath to do, for our recovery, to
jive himself a price or ransom to the justice of God, by
laying down his life for sinners, to break the power of the
devil, to rescue us from his captivity, and to heal us of
our sins, and thereby destroy the works of the devil.
3. Understand what sinners have to do towards their
own recovery, that they may obtain the benefit of what
Christ hath done and performed. This I shall sum up
in this one word : to perform the conditions of their
What are those conditions ?
(1.) To accept of Christ as your ransom; to relinquish \.
all or s of recovery, and to take him as our only j
66 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
; Redeemer. Some sinners reject Christ, and will none of
"? him : they care not for a ransom, nor will they mind any
x such thing as their recovery, but are content to be slaves to
sin and the devil for ever : like those slaves under the
' law, who when they might, would not go out from their
masters, but would have their ears bored to the threshold,
that they might not depart for ever. How many such
, desperate wretches are there among sinners 1 Sinners
/ they are, and sinners they will be : slaves to the devil they
\ are, because they will not accept of deliverance. Christ
( is preached to them as a Redeemer, and tendered to them
as their ransom, and liberty is offered to these captives,
but they will not accept him : they say in their
hearts, as that servant, I love my old master, I love my
sins, I love my lusts, those very chains by which the
7 devil holds them, and thus do they reject Christ who comes
to ransom them.
How is it, sinner, that thou art yet a captive to the
devil, and a slave to thy sins 1 How is it that thou art
left out from among the redeemed ones of the . Lord 1
There is a ransom paid, there is a price laid down, to buy
out that soul of thine from the wrath of God ; and this
ransom hath been offered thee, and thou hast been
persuaded to come out of the prison ; but yet, there thou
art, yet a bond-slave to the devil and thy sin. Why
is it thus with thee 1 Why 1 only because thou wilt
not accept of thy ransom ; thou wilt not accept of Christ,
who would redeem and recover thee. Thou art such a
stupid, senseless soul, that thou dost not mind any such
thing as thy recovery or redemption. Thou mindest thine
ease, or thy pleasure ; thou mindest thy trade and thy
gains, and thy business in the world : but thou never
mindest the redemption of thy soul ; never hast such a
thought, How shall I escape out of the hands of the devil 1
How shall my soul be delivered from sin, and everlasting
wrath I When dost thou use to mind seriously any such
thing 1 Not being sensible of thy misery, thou mindest
not thy recovery ; and not minding thy recovery, hence it
is that thou mindest not thy ransom or Redeemer, but
makest light of Christ and his redemption ; and makest so
INSTRUCTIONS AEOl'T HEART- WORK. 67
light of him, that thnu wilt not accept and embrace him
when offered thee. Well, but whatever thou hast done,
tAe heed thou do so no more. Hast thou yet this price
in thine hand ? is there yet a ransom to be had for that
;ble soul of thine ? Doth Christ yet stand over thee,
offering thce his blood, offering thee himself to be thy
redemption ? Take heed how thou goest away again,
ting to accept and make him thine own. This is
one condition upon which redemption may be yours, if
you will accept of Christ as your ransom.
(2.) To accept of Christ as your Captain. To list your-
self under him as his soldier ; to give up yourself to be
commanded, and ordered, and governed by him ; to follow
your great leader, when he hath broken the bars, and ,
opened the prison-doors, and knocked the gaoler in the .
head, and commands you out of prison, and calls to you
all, " Follow me." This is another condition of your
recovery, Follow your Captain.
There is no man that shall have the benefit of Christ's
ransom, that will voluntarily stay behind in prison. Art
thou resolved to serve the devil still, to follow thy lust ,
still ? Dost thou refuse to follow Christ, and to be com-
manded and governed by him ? Then thou canst have no /
by his ransom. " He became the author of 'eternal sal-'}
vation unto all them that obey him." (Heb. v. 9.) Well, would*
you be recovered by Christ? Then list yourselves under him
as your Captain ; be commanded and governed by him.
To accept of Christ as your physician. This ac-
cepting of Christ as your physician, notes three things : \
i. A willingness to he healed by Christ. Some '
sinners, though they will say, I accept of Christ for my
physician : yet they are not willing to be healed by him ;
they love their disease, and do not love their health. Sin
is their disease, and holiness is the health of their souls.
Sin is their disease, and yet they love their sin. Drunk- }
ards love to be drunkards, the voluptuous love their /
.res, the covetous love their covetousness, and the
carnal their carnality. Swine do not more love the mud
;nd the mire, and to be wallowing in it, than s-.\
sinners do the mire of their lusts and sins. S :
F 2
68 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
they pray for recovery, pray for repentance, pray for new
heart and life ; but they would be loath that God should
hear their prayers. Sin, which is their disease, is that
they love ; and holiness, which is their health, they loathe
and hate. If Christ call to them, Come to me, and I will
make a saint of thee ; I will fetch thee off from thy drunken
companions, I will cure thee of thy covetousness, I will
wash thee from thy filthy lusts, and make thee one of my
holy ones : what would they answer ? No : I desire no
such cure : I love my pleasures, and my company, and
my covetousness, and my carnality : and for holiness, let
them hearken to thee that have a mind to it ; I have no
list to be of those holy ones. When Christ came to cure
bodily diseases, the blind, and the lame, and the lunatic,
and the possessed of devils, how glad were they to be
cured ! But blind souls, and lame and lunatic souls,
sick and diseased souls, are not willing of Christ's cure.
" The carnal mind is enmity against God ;" (Rom. viii. 7 ;)
" Thou hatest instruction, and easiest my words behind thee."
(Psalm 1. 17.) Sinners had rather that Christ would
let them all alone as they are : they would that he should
save them from hell, but they would not that he should
turn them from their sins. Christ will never save men J
'. from wrath, who will not be healed of their sins ; and (
'- Christ will not heal, till men be willing to be healed.
(i.) Christ will never save men from wrath, who will not
be healed of their sins. Unless he wash thee, he will not
bless thee. " If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me."
(John xiii. 8.) Whilst thou art a sinner, a swine, a viper,
thou art a leper ; thy very nature is swinish, viperous,
and tainted with an hereditary leprosy. Christ will make
another manner of creature of thee, than thou art, ere
ever thou shalt see his salvation. Dost thou think that
Christ will drive over these herds of swine into the land
of promise ? Will he people heaven with a generation of
vipers ? or with such an unclean leprous brood, as uncon-
verted sinners are ? Be not deceived, nothing that is unclean
shall enter thither. That heart of thine must be changed,
that corrupt nature of thine must be purged : of a swine,
thou must be made a man, and the old must become a
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. GU
new man, or thou wilt never be made a blessed man. 1 ;
Christ do not heal thee, he will never save thee.
(ii.) Christ will heal none but those that are willing to be \
healed. His first question to those he comes to cure, is /
the same as that which was put to the impotent man :
" ll'ilt thou be made whole ?" (John v. 6.) This question
Christ is daily putting to you. You that are blind, will
you that I should open your eyes ? You that are pos-
sessed of a devil, of an unclean devil, of a proud devil, of
a covetous devil ; will you that I cast this devil out ?
You whom Satan hath bound these many years, bound
under a sensual, sinful, hardened heart ; will you be loosed
from these bonds ? You whom the devil hath been leading
on after your pleasures, or your carnal liberty, by the
chain of your evil nature, will you that I should cut the
chain, and put a stop to the devil, and turn you back from
your course, and never suffer you to be drunkards any
longer, or flesh-pleasers any longer, or covetous any
longer ? Is it thy disease, that thou hast been such a
vile liver so long ? Wilt thou that I should put a stop to
thee, that thou be such no more ? Christ doth ask such
ions of you, Will you, that I should thus cure you of
all this ? And what do your hearts answer ? Some, if
they speak their hearts, must answer, O, this curing me
would be the killing of me ; I cannot endure to think of
such a change ; it vexes my heart to think of parting with
my beloved sins, which are as dear as life to me. But
what sayest thou, sinner, for thy part ? Art thou one of
these unwilling souls; or art thou willing that Christ
should cure thee, and cleanse thee from all thy sins ? O
get a willing heart ! What, art thou such a sick soul, and
not willing of the physician ? such a blind soul, and not
willing to have thine eyes opened ? such a senseless
hardened soul, and not willing that Christ should humble
and break thee ? such a vile and polluted soul, and
not willing that Christ should wash thee ? Art thou not
willing that Christ should come and make a saint of thee ?
Hath sin made a very devil of thee, and art not thou
willing that Christ should make thee a saint ! What
wouldst thou do in heaven, if thou wilt not be made a
70 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
saint ? Or dost thou think thou mayest continue a devil
whilst thou livest on the earth, and yet at last be a saint
in heaven ?
What say you, sinners ? There be some, it may be, of
you, that have made a mock at holiness, that have despised
the saints that are on earth, and made them the objects of
your scorn, rather than your desire ; but, speak man, art
thou willing that Christ should come this day and make
thee a saint ? Wilt thou that he should humble thee,
and bring thee to repentance ? Wilt thou that he should
wash thee, and bring thee to holiness ? Would st thou,
who earnest hither an ignorant sinner, a hardened sinner, an
impenitent sinner, be glad at thine heart, if thou mayest
return an enlightened, a convinced, yea, a converted sinner,
a believer, a sincere Christian ? Wouldst thou carry home
another heart than thou broughtest hither ? a new heart,
transformed and changed into the image of him that created
thee ? Or art thou content to go home as thou earnest, such
an ignorant, hardened, polluted creature ? If thou be
heartily willing of such a change as this, that is a great part
of thy cure. Art thou willing to be cured, willing to be
cleansed ? Then bring forth that leprous soul of thine, lay
it at the feet of Christ, and speak to him as the leper did,
" Lord, if thou wilt, thou canstmake me clean." (Matt. viii. 2.)
As vile a state as this soul of mine is in, as deadly as my
diseases are, as very a leper as my soul is become, yet,
Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. Let Christ
hear such a word from thee, Lord, help me ! Lord, heal me !
if thou wilt, thou canst ! And then there is hope that thou
mayest hear the same words from Christ, as that poor
leper did, " / will, be thou clean ! And immediately his
leprosy was cleansed."
ii. Take Christ's medicines. To what purpose is it
that the physician come to a sick man, and prescribe for
him, and advise him to what will recover him, if he will
not take what he prescribeth. Christ hath medicines to
recover sick souls ; but his medicines must be taken, or
they will not recover them. Christ's medicines are,
(i.) His blood. His blood is purging and cleansing.
(Heb. ix. 14 ; 1 John i. 7.) Therefore he is said to
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
71
wash us in his blood. By the blood of Christ is meant
tlu- same with the death of Christ. There is virtue in the
death of Christ to destroy the life of sin. " Our old man
is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed."
(Rom. vi. 6.) It is the body of sin that must be first
laid at ; the inward pravity of our natures, our original
corruption. Christ's physic must be first applied to the
root and fountain of our disease. Those sinful natures,
those depraved habits and sinful dispositions within you,
must be changed. The inward enmity must be slain ; and
there is nothing will do that but the blood of a crucified
Jesus. That is the sovereign medicine that must help
and heal you. But how must this medicine, the blood of
Christ, be taken?
i. Christ himself must be taken. Christ offers himself
to you to be yours, and you must accept of him for your
own. Your hearts must by faith consent unto Christ, fo
put yourselves into his hands, to put your life into his
hands, expecting, and depending upon him, trusting your-
l with him for your recovery. It is Christ alone,
with whom I lay up all mine hopes, upon whose suffi-
ciency and faithfulness I will venture my soul : if I die,
I die under his hand ; and if I live, I look for life only
from him. Put yourselves thus into the hands of Christ,
and take Christ into your hearts. Take him as your own :
he gives himself to you, to be your own. Christ offers to
\ sinner among you, I will be thine own, thine own
Jesus, thine own Saviour, if thou be willing to have me. -
Take him at his word, since he says to thee I will be )
thine own, if thou wilt let thine heart lay hold on this ( V
blessed word, and say, Content, Lord, since thou wilt, thou
shall be mine own : I accept thee with all my heart.
:f Christ be once yours, his blood shall be yoffs,
his death shall be yours, and all the benefits of his death.
Whereas, nothing of Christ can be yours, nor any fruit of /
his death, if he be not first yours. Let Christ be once ^
embraced by you, and if there be any purging, or cleansing, /
or sin-killing virtue in his blood, your sins shall be purged \
away. If all that the blood of Christ can do for thee, will
recover thee, thou shall be recovered.
72 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
it. You must have frequent recourse to the blood of
Christ, by renewed acts of faith. Look up to this cruci-
fied Jesus ; cast thy polluted soul into the fountain of his
blood. He is a "fountain opened for sin and for unclean-
ness." (Zech. xiii. 1.) His blood is the fountain: cast
thy soul into it. You are come " to the blood of sprink-
ling." (Heb. xii. 24.) Christians are so, and they may freely
j lay hold on it for their cleansing. 1. Believe that there
is virtue in him to cleanse thy soul : say with the woman, If
I may but touch him, I shall be made whole. (Matt. ix. 21.)
2. Believe that it is free for thee. Thou mayest come
with boldness to him ; Christ would have thee to be bold
with him, and to lay thine help upon him. Believe that
it is free for thee to lay hold on the blood of Christ : and,
3. Come and lay hold upon it. Lean upon him for his
help, and trust him for it. 4. Lift up a prayer to him.'
Lord, here is a polluted dying soul, that is even lost and
choked in the mud and mire of my sins ; there is no help
for me, but I must die and perish in them, if thou wilt not
t look upon me and save me. In thy bowels I have hope,
in thy blood 1 have hope, and that is all the hope I have.
O sprinkle me with thy blood, wash me in thy blood, and
my soul shall live ! Wherefore, Lord, didst thou die ?
Wherefore didst thou shed that precious blood ? Was it
not for the recovery of lost souls, for the cleansing of
, polluted souls ? Is not my poor soul one of the number
v, of those for whom Christ died ? Have not I as great need
( of thee as any ? Is it not thou thyself that hast brought
' this my soul to thy door, crying for thine help ? Lord
Jesus, hear ! let some drops of that blood, some of the
virtue of thy death, be shed abroad upon my sinful heart,
and it shall live ! My sins must die, Lord ! or my soul
will never recover : I must get this lust destroyed, this
enmity slain, this proud and hard and stubborn heart
broken : and nothing but the blood of Christ, the Lamb,
will melt this hardness, or wash me from this uncleanness.
This will do it: and therefore here I am come before the
throne of thy grace ; and here I will stand, and look, and
beg, and hope, till thou hear and answer me. Help, Lord ;
for in thee I trust, and look only for thy salvation !
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 73
(ii.) His word. The word of God as it is food for souls,
so it is medicine or physic for souls, and it hath in it a
remedy for every disease.
i. It is an awakening word to sleepy souls. On these
it thunders, that it may awaken them. Ministers must be
;is Harnabas, sons of consolation ; so also, as Boanerges,
sons of thunder : and all their thunderbolts they are to
have out of the word of God. O how many trumpets
have been sounded in your ears, how many thunder-claps
ha\e YOU heard, how many thundering sermons hast thou
heard in thy time ! What ! and yet art thou asleep still ?
Man, what is that heart of thine made of? What a dead
sleep art thou in, that art not yet awakened ! This world
is all asleep, asleep in their sins ; and therefore the minis-
ters of the word are to do as the prophet was to do,
" Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet^
and show my people their transgressions" (Isa. Iviii. 1.)
Our first work is to call unto them as the mariners to Jonah,
" () sleeper f arise, call upon thy God, that we perish not!' 1
Awake thou that sleepest, stand up from the dead. This
thunder is the voice of the Lord, &c. : " The God of glory
thundereth ; the voice of the Lord is powerful ; the voice of
the Lord is full of majesty ; it breaketh the cedars, it shaketh
the wilderness." (Psalm xxix. 3 8.) This word of
the Lord, which is his voice, is a thundering voice : it
breaketh the cedars the tall and mighty sinners ; and it
shakes the wilderness shakes up those beasts of the
earth out of sleep. This sleepy evil is the disease of
sinners, and it binds them up under a senselessness of all
their other diseases, till the voice of the Lord doth shake
them out of sleep.
//'. It is an enlightening word, that giveth sight to the
blind. In this word is that eye-salve, (Rev. iii. 18,)
wherewith sinners' eyes are to be anointed, that they may
This i \c-salve are the instructions of God.
iii. It is for the breaking and mollifying hard hearts.
In the word is revealed,
i hteinisness and severity of God. Herein
" the wrath of (iod is revealed from heaven, against all ungod-
liness and unrighteousness of men." (Rom. i. 18.) Thus
^
\
f
74 INSTRUCTIONS ABOVT HEAP.T-WORK.
it is God's hammer, whereby he breaks the rocks ; and
God's axe, whereby he hews the blocks in pieces.
(M.) The goodness and kindness of God. Thus it is
God's oil, whereby he supples, and dissolves, and melts
them into a pliableness to his will.
iv. It is for the changing of the tempers, and the inward
dispositions of sinners. It is a transforming word, " We
are changed into the same image:" (2 Cor. iii. 18:) a
sanctifying word, " Sanctify them through thy truth, thy
word is truth." (John xvii. 17.) .
This is one of Christ's medicines, and this medicine is
to be taken. But what is it to take this medicine ? Why,
it is to hear the awakening word, and to suffer it to work
upon you, and to be awakened by it ; to receive the in-
structions of the word, and so to be enlightened by it ; to be
broken and mollified, to be transformed and changed by it.
Now, this is that which I exhort you to, if you would
recover : Let the word of God come, let it have free passage
into your hearts, and let it do its work upon you. First. Be
awakened. When you hear an awakening word, let it
shake you out of your sleep. Awake, sinners ! awake, you
that sleep! hear the voice of the Lord, and rouse you out
of that secure and senseless state. Where is it that thou
sleepest ? At the very mouth of the lions' den ; on the
top of a mast ! I have heard of a drunken man riding in the
night on full speed, he knew not whither : he rode to the top
/ of St. Vincent's rock near Bristol, and the horse and man
* / tumbled down : the horse was dashed to pieces, the man
> caught by the boughs of a tree, and there fell asleep till
'
morning. It was a strange place to sleep in : none but a
drunken man could have slept in such a place ! In such
a desperate sleep art thou, as upon the brow of a rock, on
the bough of a tree ; whence thou art every moment in
danger of dropping into the deep. Sleeping sinners, this
is the case of every one of you ! It is a wonder you have
not broken your necks, that you have not fallen into the
deep before this day ; and yet here you are, asleep still !
Awake, you that sleep, and understand the clanger you
are in. Second. Get those blind eyes of yours opened,
and receive the instructions of the word. Here we bring
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 75
you eye-salve : be anointed with it, that you may see.
Third, Get those hard hearts broken and melted. God's
hamnu-r is lifted up : lay that stony, that hard heart of
thine under it, that it may be broken. God's axe is
hewing: come, bring that knotty piece under it, that it
may he cut and cloven asunder. Consider the severity
and kindness of God : his severity, if thou still continue
in thine hardness ; if his hammer do not break thee, his
millstones, his wrath and indignation, will shortly grind
thee to powder. Consider his severity, and consider his
goodness and kindness : what a wonder is it that after
thou hast so long abused the goodness of God, and har-
dened thyself against mercy, that mercy should not have
given thee up, and let thee alone to perish without re-
medy ! It is a mercy of God, that he is yet preaching to
thee of his severity ; it is the mercy of God that he is yet.
hammering and hewing at that hard heart of thine. God
is so good and so kind to thee, that he hath sent his word
once more, to try if any good may be done upon thee :
he is loath thou shouldest perish, he would fain thou
shouldest recover and live : he hath pity upon thee, he (
hath compassion upon that wretched soul of thine ; and
thence is it, that he continues to be dealing with thee for
thy recovery. O wonder, wonder that such mercy should
At thee ; that such goodness and kindness should
not wound thee to the soul; that thou shouldest abuse
such strange grace ; that thou shouldest yet resist and
stand it out against such a God of compassion ! Wonder
at thyself and be ashamed; wonder and be confounded;
and blush, and weep, and fall down now, at last, and
yield unto God ! What, art thou hardened still ? a stone,
or a stoek still ? Wilt thou go away as far from remorse,
a far from repentance, as thou earnest hither ? God
forbid, man ! (iod forbid, that yet thou shouldest provoke
the Lord farther against thee. Thou hast gone away
hardened from many a Sabbath ; thou hast gone away
hardened from many a sermon: and must this day, and
this word, leave thee as all the rest have done? When
dost thou hone to be recovered, if thou wilt not be broken?
Wiit thou say, It is no matter though I never be recovered;
76 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
though I perish and die in this hardened state? Wouldest thou
fear to be left alone till thou be past recovery, to be lost for
ever ? Then yield to the stroke of the word, and let thine
heart be humbled and broken, and brought to repentance.
Fourth. Get the temper of your hearts changed. Let the
word work to the mollifying of you, and to the changing
of you ; to the renewing you after the image of God in
righteousness and holiness. Whatever awakenings there
have been of your sleepy consciences ; whatever light or
understanding there may be conveyed into your minds ;
yea, and whatever wounds and breaches there have been
made upon your hard hearts ; yet till you be renewed in
the very frame, and temper, and dispositions of your
hearts, never count yourselves recovered. Thou art a lost
soul till thou art a sanctified soul : that is, till thine heart
be broken off, and brought back from the love, and lusts,
and ways of this world, and brought about unto God and
his holy ways ; till godliness be gotten into thine heart,
and formed into thy nature, and thou hast a love of it,
and hearty good liking to it ; and the very bent of thine
heart, which was formerly towards sin and vanity, be now
towards holiness and heaven. When thou art brought to
this, this new frame of heart, then thou art recovered.
Now, sinners, let this be that you have in your eye, and
upon your hearts ; let this be your endeavour, let this be
your prayer, that God would thus bless his word to
you, that it may awaken your sleepy consciences, en-
lighten your blinded minds, soften and break your har-
dened hearts; that you may be changed and renewed after
the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness ;
that you may be wrought into a new temper, changed
into another spirit, loving and savouring and delighting
in the holy ways of God; that religion may become sweet
and pleasant to you ; that your spirits may be made
suitable to God and his holy ways ; that the food of
God may relish with you, and the work of God may be
more easy to you. Sick men can neither relish their
food, nor endure their work. Dost thou find no relish
in religion ? Does the work of holiness seem contrary
to thee ? Dost thou groan under it, as that thou
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 77
canst not bear ? Dost thou groan under this praying, and
repenting, and watching, and striving against sin, and
denying thyself, and mortifying thy flesh ? Canst thou
not endure to be held to such work ? It is a sign that thy
sickness is still upon thee, and thou art not recovered. O
get your hearts to be so changed and renewed by the
word and Spirit of the Lord, that both the food of God
may relish with you, and his work be pleasant.
iii. His rod. Sinners are fools, and the rod is physic
for fools. " The rod is for the fool's back." (Prov. xxvi.
3.) "Before I was afflicted I went astray ;" but the rod
reduced me : " now have I kept thy word." (Psalm cxix.
67.) Sinner, thou hearest the awakening word ; but it
doth not awaken thee : thou sleepest on. Thou hearest the
mollifying and breaking word ; but it does not break nor
mollify thee : thou art still a wilful, stubborn soul, and
thine heart is so obstinately set upon thy loose and wild
ways, that thou wilt not be broken off thy will, nor
broken off from thy course. But God may bring some
affliction upon thee, bring thee into poverty, cast thee on
thy siek bed, set death at the foot of it to stare thee in
thy face, and this' will tame thee. Then thou mayest be
spoken to; then the word, there is hope, will enter, and
work upon thee. Indeed some sinners are so desperately
hardened, that neither word nor rod will do. What afflic-
tions come, they rather stupify than awaken them ; they
continue as very stocks under the smiting of God, as they
are under his teaching : and therefore, take heed, the
r thou goest on to harden thine heart against the
word, there is less hope that thou wilt be humbled by
afflictions. Dare not to encourage yourselves, and harden
your hearts against repentance, by hopes and purposes
that when sickness comes, and death looks thee in the
. ;hen thou wilt repent. No, no! the longer thou har-
dene-t thyself against the word, the less hope there is that
thine heart will be broken by afflictions. But some hope
is, that when the word awakens not, the rod may.
Hut if that do not, then (Jod be merciful unto thee ! there
:t one thing more, and that will certainly do it, the
unquenchable flames will awaken thee ; hell will do that
78 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HLART-WORK.
which all the means under heaven cannot do : but that
fire will not be physic to cure thee, but thy plague to kill
thy soul for ever.
The afflictions of this life are God's physic for the re-
covery of thy soul. O take this cup at the hand of the
Lord, take this physic for thy soul. But what is it to
take this medicine, so as it may be recovering physic ?
i. Submit to afflictions when God lays them on. Be
patient and content that the Lord should afflict thee.
Do not fret or murmur at the afflicting hand of God. Some
froward patients, if their physician be forced to give any
harder physic, it will not go down : they fret and fume against
the physician, as if he were cruel ; and will not submit
to take what he offers them. Be patient under the hand
of God, and submit to whatever he lays upon thee.
ii. Consider thine afflictions. " In the day of adversity
consider." (Eccles. vii. 14.) Affliction is a considering
time. Sinners, you will not consider now, but you may
have time enough to consider afterwards. You will
neither consider what you do : " They consider not that they
do evil." (Eccles. v. 1.) Nor will you consider what the
Lord speaks to you. You hear our words that we speak
from the Lord ; but we cannot persuade you to consider
them. " Consider what we say, and the Lord give you
l understanding in all things." (2 Tim. ii. 7.) Think over
\ the words that you hear : it is a miserable plague that
hath seized upon your hearts, this inconsideration,
which hinders you from profiting by the word, and holds
\ you under your senselessness and hardness of heart.
/ Think of what you hear ; think what a wretched case the
j word declares you to be in. When you hear, " He that
committeth sin is of the devil ;" (1 John iii. 8 ;) " If ye lice
after the flesh, ye shall die ;" (Rom. viii. 13 ;) " Except
I a, man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God ;"
S (John iii. 3 ;) when you hear such words as these, then
) consider, then think with yourself, "W hat a word have I
heard to-day ? Am not I concerned in it ? Was not this
word spoken to me ? Am not I one that committeth sin ?
Do not I live after the flesh ? Was I ever regenerated, or
born again? What then? Why then, think farther, Is it
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 79
nothing to be of the devil ? Is everlasting death nothing ? \
Is it nothing to be shut out of the kingdom of God? (
ken, () my sleepy soul : yet break, and melt, and '
tremble ! O mine hardened heart, awaken, escape for thy
here is but a step betwixt thee and everlasting death ! ( \
ier this now, whilst the clay of adversity comes not: / S
but if thou shouldest be so unwise as not to consider at
present, yet at least in the day of thy distress consider. *
Then think how little the word hath done to the breaking I }
and awakening of thee : what a stock, what a senseless j
stone, hath it left thee ! Then think, Now God is using
one means more to cure me of this sleepy hardened heart ;
God hath laid this sickness upon me, or this poverty upon /
me, to humble me and awaken me : and now I am come /
to my last remedy, if affliction, if distress, if sickness, if
Jit of death and the grave, do not work upon me,
nor cause the word which I have heard to work upon me,
what then > Why, then I am undone for ever ! I am within
a step of the pit, just dropping in! then this lost soul of
mine will be past recovery for ever !
O, sinner, how does this word sit upon your heart ? Are
not you greatly concerned in it? Does not thy life lie at
stake, tl.y soul lie at stake, upon thy considering or
slighting this warning? O consider! let present considera-
nt the great necessity of sickness consideration,
of death- bed consideration. At least, when you shall come
to be in distress, when pains shall come upon you, or
poverty come upon you, or death make its approach to
you, then remember the warning of this day: " In the day
of adversity consider "
. Take your physician's counsel, and follow his rules.
Physicians, beside their medicines, usually give rules to
their patients for their well-ordering themselves; and these
rules they must observe, or they are never likely to
IT. There are these three rules, which ordinarily
, which our great Physician of souls gives
also to them that will be recovered by him.
od diet. (ii.) Use good exercise. (*'*.)
ng cold.
(i. ) Ke -liet. Abstain from all such things an
\\
-
80 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
will nourish and feed your disease. What is it that hath
brought thee to this wretched pass ? that hath made thee
this sick and miserable soul ? Thou hast been with
the prodigal, who " would fain have filled his belly with
the husks;" (Luke xv. 16;) thou hast been with Israel,
"feeding on ashes ; " (Isa. xliv. 20 ;) thou hast been
with Ephraim, "feeding on wind." (Hosea xii. 1.) These
husks, and ashes, and wind, have been all thy poor
soul hath been feeding upon : the vanities of this world,
the lust and the pleasures, the carnal delights and the
profits of this world, these are but windy food for thy
soul, these are the very ashes and husks, that have
filled thee with such sore diseases. Thou hast fed thine
heart so long with these carnal things, thy soul hath
been eating these ashes, and drinking this wind so long,
that it is even turned into ashes and wind ; it is become
an earthly soul, a fleshly soul, a vain frothy soul : and
never think to be recovered to a better case, till thou feed
upon better food. Wouldest thou be recovered, and get
thee a new heart and a new soul ? Then abstain from thy
old feeding : " abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against
the soul." (1 Peter ii. 11.) " Make not provision for the
flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." (Rom. xiii.14.) " Deny all
, ungodliness and worldly lusts." (Titus ii. 12.) My meaning
S plainly is this : If ever you would recover, allow not your
i fleshly appetites the liberty as formerly ; come off from
your carnal pleasures, which have been such a bond to
\ you ; come off from your carnal companions ; drink no
\ more with the drunken, run not with them to their excess
of riot ; no more such vain sportings and revellings ; not
/ in chambering and wantonness, not in riot and drunken-
> ness. Come off from this greedy worldly life ; feed not
your souls upon your lands, or your monies, or your
<; trades : though you must have something of these for your
> bodies, yet feed not your hearts with them. Set not your
hearts upon them : that is the advice of the Psalmist, " If
/ riches increase," or whether they do increase or no, " set
? not your heart upon them." (Psalm Ixii. 10.) Let not
your souls be drudges to your flesh, to gather in provision
for it ; nor let them feed with your flesh at the same trough.
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 81
on; \
rist, /
the)
;;ive better things for your souls to feed upon ;
you have God to feed on, you have the blood of Christ
the covenant of grace, the hope of salvation, the joys of th
Spirit, the pleasures of eternity, the bread that comes
down from heaven, the wine that makes glad the city of
: let these be the food of your souls ; feed your thoughts
upon tlu-m. Think often of God, of his infinite goodness
and grace, of his eternal treasures, and everlastingjplea-
: think of Christ, what he hath done for you, what
he hath purchased for you ; how he hath loved you, and
washed you in his blood, and saved you by his death.
Feed your affections on God, and his glory to come ; feed
your desires upon him: let this be your voice, " The t
desire of mij soul is to thy name." (Isa. xxvi. 8, 9.) J
Knlarge your desires : here you cannot be too greedy, and
of too eager an appetite. Delight yourselves in the Lord ;
ur and relish of things spiritual ; taste the (
f religion ; taste the sweetness of Christianity.
Do not only spend now and then a sudden thought upon '
:nd the things above; but live in such frequent and
serious meditation, that you may get down something of
thr -s and fatness of heaven, and digest holy
meditations into holy aiiections. Never count you have ;
iit of God to any purpose, till you can love and taste,
and git out good nourishment for your souls, by which
.ay thrive and flourish, and with which you may be '
:> to wean you from the love and lusts of
: -ve it, friends, as loath as you are to let go your
pleasant nu-rsels, the stolen waters of your own cisterns ;
as hard ;is you find it to diet your souls, so as to deny
the pleasures and contentments of a worldly
strongly as your hearts lust after ease, and
lie world, and the contentments thereof; get but
..nee to !u so inwardly acquainted with religion, as to taste
the pleasure thereof, and you will be able to despise this
. and all its advantages, and wonder at yourselves
that e\( r V"U should find contentment in such a life as
y.-u have !i\ed.
And r.'tu your souls arc like to flourish amain, when
o
82 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
f you are come to this once, to disrelish your old delights,
i and to feed your thoughts and your affections on things
above ; and to forbear, and come off from the love, and
lusts, and companions, and pleasures of this world : then
< you will live, and thrive, and flourish, in the house of the
Lord, and grow up before him as his peculiar children
whom the Lord hath saved.
The sum of this direction I shall give you in short, in
these three particulars : If ever you would recover,
)\ First, Abstain from that carnal worldly life in which
{/ hitherto you have lived. Second, Abstain from those carnal
n companions in whose converse you have delighted. Third,
? 5 i Delight yourselves in God ; feed your thoughts and
\S affections upon things above.
('.) Use good exercise. Stir yourselves out of your lazy
.humours, and keep doing. Idleness breeds disease : exer-
cise will help to cure. Particularly exercise yourselves,
First, To prayer. Second, To repentance. Third, To
keeping a good conscience.
/ First. Exercise yourselves to prayer. The prayer of
"> the faithful " shall save the sick :" (James v. 15 :) the sick
/ soul, as well as the sick body. Prayer is a stirring exercise,
that, if performed as it ought, sets all the powers of the
soul on work : it is a striving with God, it is a wrestling
> with God, it is the lifting up of the heart, and the pouring
'.' out the soul to God. When thou settest thyself to praying,
it is both a sign that thy recovery is begun, and a hope it
will be perfected. Set yourselves to praying ; sinners,
stir up yourselves to prayer. " There is none that stirreth
up himself to take hold ofthee." (Isa. Ixiv. 7.) Pray, and
i stir up yourselves in prayer. It is not sleepy, lazy, cold,
formal praying, but stirring prayer, that must do the cure.
Stir up your desires in prayer : be passionate and affection-
ate seekers. Stir up your fears in pray er : consider, What,
if I should not prevail? What, if the cry of my sins should
be louder than the cry of my prayers? I come for the
; pardon of my sins ; I come for power against sin : I am
7 begging my life, and the saving my soul from going down
S into the pit ; my very life, my soul, lies at stake : if God
should not hear me, I am lost for ever ! Awaken, O my
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 83
soul, and pour forth strong cries : bow thyself with thy
might before the Lord!
Plead with God, poor sinner, for that poor miserable
soul of thine ; plead with him upon his mercies, upon his
Is, upon his promises, upon the blood of Christ. Take
unto thee words, Lord, I am a miserable sinful soul : 1
am a lost creature, I am sick unto death, I am bound in
the chain of my sins, and cannot get loose : I am a blind,
hardened, defiled creature : these eyes must be opened,
this heart must be broken, this filth and pollution must be
washed away, or I shall be swallowed up of the pit. Where
are thy bowels, O Lord ? Art thou a God of pity, and hast
thou no pity for me ? Where is thy promise, Lord ? Thou
liast said, " Ask, and you shall have ; seek, and you shall
find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." To whom
hast thou spoken this word ? Is it not to me as well as to
others ? Where is the blood of Christ ? Doth it not speak
for sinners ? Doth it not make intercession for transgres-
sors ? It doth, Lord : thou hast said it doth. And what
doth this blood speak ? Lord, forgive this poor sinner that
comes to thee for pardon ! Lord, purge him with thy
blood ! Lord, heal him with thy blood ! Lord, give him
that new heart and life which he comes for! O, doth this
precious blood speak thus for me, and wilt thou not hear ?
Sinners, if ever you would be recovered, set upon this v '
exercise, and keep to it. Go to God this night : be with
him again to-morrow morning, and again in the evening,
and every day as duly as the day comes. Go alone, and
retire into the presence of God ; fall upon your knees, and
pour forth your souls in your requests to him. Beware v
you neither neglect it, and beware you do not trifle with (
it : do not deceive yourselves with the shadow or image v
of prayer, instead of prayer. Consider, thou art upon a *
matter ol' life and death, when thou goest to prayer; and ,
K t that awaken and stir up all thy powers in it.
Friend^, 1 doubt either that you do not pray, or that it is -
but mock-praying, that too many of you satisfy yourselvt-
withal. () what pitiful, hasty, short, dead praying is it,
that thou satistiest th\ self with ! Trace thyself into thy
praying corners; consider how seldom thou art then', how
o 2
84 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
quickly thou hast done, how miserably thou shufflest over
thy duties, without life or affection ! What is this but
mock-prayer? Will such praying recover thy lost soul?
No: thou seest it will not. Thou art the same man, of the
( same spirit, running the same course, from one week to
( another, from one year to another, without any change for
the better. It may be said of such praying, as it was said
of the false prophets' preaching, " They heal the hurt of
my people slightly." (Jer. vi. 14.) Slight praying is attended
but with slight healing: something it seems to do, it skins
") over the wound that it smart not for the time ; it keeps
people quiet for the time, but it will never work a thorough
cure. Your wound is deeper, your disease is eaten into
> your flesh and bone, to your heart and soul ; and your
\ medicine must go as deep as your disease. There must
. be deep sighs and groans, and deep desires, that must come
up from the bottom of your hearts, or they will never
reach the bottom of your disease. Be ashamed of your
slightness, be ashamed of your folly, that you should ever
think that God would help you the sooner, for such trifling
and mocking prayers.
O pray, and exercise yourselves in prayer ! Stir up all
within you to do this work : look to yourselves. I am
afraid that this duty, which is a means of recovery, may
prove the loss of your souls: I am afraid lest the Lord, the
jealous God that will not be mocked, I am afraid that he
may damn you for your prayers, your trifling, mocking
prayers. Dare not to trifle any longer ; dare not, for thy
life, that the Lord ever again meet thee in thy closet, meet
thee on thy knees, with nothing but the sacrifice of fools,
a few heartless words upon thy lips. Beloved, I can
hardly pass over this word thus, there being so much
weight lying upon it, and yet there being so much hard-
ness of heart under this soul-deceiving and soul-damning
practice of shuffling in prayer. What say you ? Have I
said enough yet ? Are you yet made sensible how much
you are, many of you, concerned in this word ? Are you
yet sensible how greatly guilty you are of this miserable
hypocrisy ? Will all that I have said do, to bring you
to be serious and in good earnest, in every prayer you
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
85
make .' Are you come to this, Well, I hope I shall mock
God no more; I hope I shall trifle in prayer no more!
An- you resolved to put your hearts to it, and to try what
you can do, and never leave trying till you are come to it,
to make i-vcry prayer, one of the most serious and hearty
exercises of your life ? Then would there be hope of
recovery out of all your diseases.
Second. Exercise yourselves to repentance. Repentance
signifies a change, a change of the mind originally : so
those two words, by which it is expressed in Scripture,
signify post factum sapere ; after we have played the fool by
sin, to come to be wise, so wise as to see our folly, to
see our folly so as to grieve for it, and so to grieve, tit
corrigere, to amend, and do so no more. This change is
ordinarily brought on by convulsions and troublesome
commotions in the heart: there is a sorrow that works this
repentance. " Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salva-
tion." (2 Cor. vii. 10.) This repentance is not despatched
at once, but is carried on and perfected by degrees. Re-
jH-ntance is a grace, and an exercise. A grace it is, as it
is trivon us of God, through Jesus Christ, " To give re-
'>ce unto Israel," &c. : (Acts v. 31 :) and exercise,
as it respects our own acts, which this grace causeth us to
put forth, " This self-same thiny, that ye sorrowed after a
godly sort, ichat carefulness it wrought in you ; yea, what
ing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what
desire, ichat zeal, what revenge !" (2 Cor. vii. 11.) Get the
of repentance, and live in the daily exercise thereof.
/Yr.s/. Ket p your minds working, to maintain the change
that is bc-gun. Have you seen the folly of sin, and the
: v (.1 sin, and how much better it is to turn and come
from it to holiness? Are you come to be of this judgment,
that you were mad to follow the devil, and your lusts :
that you could never have lived in such a state, and gone
on in siu-h a course as you have, unless you had been mad
men ? Are you gotten into so good a mind ? Keep you
in it. Exercise your thoughts ; ea>t an eye back upon
your former evils, and that which God hath made known
a of the misery of them. Think often what ;
be a lost soul, a captive to the devil ! Think what a fool,
86 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
what a beast thou wast, whilst thou livedst such a proud,
and covetous, and carnal, sensual, lascivious, and sottish
life ; and by such thoughts make thyself as odious to thy-
self as thou canst : get too a loathing and abominating of
thy evil ways. This is that which is promised : " They
Khali loath themselves for the evils they have committed."
(Ezek. vi. 9.)
Get this self-loathing by studying and remembering
what thou wast, and re-opening all thine old sores, that
foolish, filthy heart and life of thine : hereby work thyself
to this loathing, and maintain a constant disgust and dis-
like of thy former state. Art thou not in so good a mind,
as to hate thyself for thy sin ? Be never reconciled to it,
so as to think good thoughts of thy evil ways, as long as
thou livest.
Second. Exercise your affections. Your sorrow for sin,
your fear of sin, your indignation and anger against sin, your
desire after power and victory over it. Keep these penitent
affections working ; maintain that godly sorrow, and fear,
and indignation ; keep your sorrow alive, keep your fears
working, and your indignation burning against your ini-
quities. Let these zealous passions and affections against
sin, be so raised, as never to be allayed ; let the fire of
your holy jealousy be so kindled, as never to be quenched;
let the thoughts of the evil and odiousness of sin, be the
fuel to keep that holy fire burning, and the bellows to blow
it up into a greater flame.
Third. Exercise your care and considerationhowyou may
complete and confirm your recovery. The word, it may
be, is but yet begun with you ; you do but begin to be
wise, begin to be sober and serious ; there is many a good
and hopeful beginning goes back, and comes to nothing :
live in a daily care of reforming and amending farther what
hath been amiss. The top of repentance standeth in
amendment. If you should see your sins to be foolish, and
odious never so much ; if you should be grieved and
ashamed of yourselves for them ; if the thoughts of the
course you have lived should make you afraid, and set
you trembling over your old wonted state and way ; if you
do not amend, that is no repentance. If you should say,
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 87
I hate sin, and hate myself for it; I hate myself for this
pride, 1 hate niysrll' for this covetousness, I hate myself for
this fnnvardiH'ss ; and yet you have not the power to resist
it, and come off from it, you sorrow and sin, you fear and
j m are angry with yourself for sin, and yet go on,
this is no repentance. "Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the tunriyhieoiu," &c. (Isa. Iv. 7.)
The top of repentance stands in amendment, and the
amendment of repentance must be completing every day.
" If ye throughly amend your ways, if ye throughly
execute judgment," &c., "then will I cause you to dwell in
the land." (Jer. vii. 5, 7.) It is not a half recovery, a
partial amendment, but a perfect recovery, that must be
in your eye. There is a great difference betwixt these
two, being upon recovery, and being recovered. Are you
upon recovery ? It is well you are ; it is more than the
most of sinners are : there is not the least sign of recovery,
then; is not the least sign of amendment, there are nothing
but death-tokens upon them. Sinners, I doubt this may
be many of your cases, you are not so much as beginning
to recover : your disease is still in its strength, and grow-
ing upon you; you are not amending, but you are hard-
daily in your sins ; going on to have less sense, and
so less hope of a cure. But art thou, O sinner, art thou
upon recovery ? It is well thou art : but let not that
y thee, that thou art upon the recovering hand ; but
get thee to be recovered. And this is that you are to be
exercising yourself in, to get you to be on the mending
hand everyday. Labour to grow better and better : not only
t a deeper sense of sin, but to get more power over
sin, more victory over your evil hearts, more contempt of
the world and its temptations, more scorn of your carnal
companions, and more indignation against a carnal sensual
life, and more firmness and resolvedness of heart, to have
done with every evil and vain way, and the temptation to it.
I say the temptation to it, for whatever opposition there
srems to be of the heart against sin, yet if there be a ven-
turing upon temptation, if thou thinkest thou hatrst
drunkenness, or a jolly vain life, and yet will be thrusting
88 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
in amongst those that are such ; if thou sayest thou hatest
this worldly -mindedness, and yet art never well but when
thou art greedily heaping up what should feed thy worldly
disease, never talk of hating the sin : if thou fear not, if
thou shun not the temptation, thou still lo-vest the sin.
Well, sinners, set your hearts upon a perfect amendment,
and keep yourselves in such a constant exercise of repent-
ance, that you may amend more and more 1 every day.
Consider, is it better with thee to-day than it was yester-
day ? or at least, is it better with thee this year than it was
last year, or some years ago ? Is it better, or is it worse ?
O, art thou in the same case ? What hope hast thou to
be recovered, if there be no amendment all this while !
To provoke you to the present and constant exer-
cising yourselves to repentance, I will propose some
questions to you.
Question 1. What do you think of your former state,
and your ways hitherto ? Is it well with you ? Are you
not lost souls? and your carnal ways, are they not the
ways of perdition ? Have ye lived like understanding
men ? Do ye think ye have ? Will you say, I have
done wisely in following wine and strong drink, in follow-
ing my companions and my pleasures ? I have dealt
wisely to live such a covetous and worldly life ? I should
have been a fool to have been a Christian, or a convert ;
to have left all and have followed Christ, from my first
time ? You have lived a fleshly and worldly life, you
cannot deny that : but let me ask you, as the Apostle did
the Romans, " What fruit had ye then in those things whereof
ye are now ashamed?" (Romans vi. 21.) Are you come so
far towards repentance as to be ashamed of your former
folly? What fruit have you? What is there now remaining
to you, as the fruit of your former ways ? O, I have some
good fruit : I hope I have lived a worldly life, I have got the
world about me : I have got me an estate, and have become
a rich man : I should have been poor enough, if I had
hearkened to Christ, and come back from the world
sooner : this house is the fruit, this money is the fruit,
these lands are the fruit, of my labours. Would praying,
raucxioxs ABOUT HEART-WORK. 89
and repenting, and forsaking the world, ever have brought
such an estate as now I have ? And do you yet
ask me what fruit have ye of your worldliness ?
. 1. But are these the fruits you can satisfy
yourselves with/ Are these the fruits you can bless
Ives with? Will these estates answer for you to
your Judge, and make way for you into the everlasting
kingdom .' Will this be a good plea for entrance into
n : Set open the door, for here comes a rich man, a
monied man, a landed man : let him have entrance into the
everlasting kingdom ? Friends, what you have thus gotten
will sink you, and drown you in perdition and destruc-
tion, but will never help you to glory : and this is the good
fruit you boast of, that you have gotten such weights
about your necks, as will drown you in the pit !
But, 2. What fruit have you of your ways that have
lived at ease, and in pleasure, in idleness or wantonness,
xcess of riot, in sporting and laughing, and carnal
jollity .' What is become of all the pleasures of your
lite .' What fruit is there remaining of all thy crackling
thorns ? Are they not all burned to ashes, and vanished
away as a dream ?
3. Have all your former ways done anything to the
recovering of your lost souls? Have not they left you
sons of perdition ; nay, are you not become seven times
more the children of hell by these practices than you
were by nature ? Thou wert naturally a child of wrath ;
(E))ln-.>. ii. .'5 : ) and you have, by practice, been children
of disobedience ; (as verse 2;) and hath your disobedience
delivered you from wrath ?
1 say therefore a^ain, What do you think of yourselves,
and your ways .' The judgment of God, you see what it
is : you .-ire a child of disobedience, and a child of wrath.
air judgment? What are your own thoughts
ITM ! Does not your judgment and your con-
M tell you. Sure it is an evil case that I am in ? No
man would ever stay a minute longer in such a state
:y. Have you come so far towards repentance as to
change your mind .' Are there any of you of better minds
than you have been ! Is this now your mind and your
90 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
settled judgment, It would be good for me to repent, and
come about to God ? Have you any mind to Christ, any
mind to godliness, and serious Christianity ?
Question 2. Will you continue in your former state
and way, or will you endeavour for recovery ? If you say
you have a mind to be a convert, and to become a new
man, will you set your hearts to it ? will you exercise your
thoughts about it ? Will you set to praying for repentance,
to resisting and striving against your old sins ? Will you
go on as before, or will you come back ? Who is there
among you that hath yet the heart to say, O, I have done
with my old ways, I have done with my old companions,
I have done with the world, I have done with this fleshly
life ; I am ashamed, I am afraid, I repent that I have lived
such a life hitherto ! The Lord change my heart ; the
Lord help me to change my way ! What say you, Christ-
ians ? it is an important question to answer. The Lord God
puts you this day to it, to be plain and downright, and in
good earnest to resolve what you will do. What say you ?
Who of you are for repenting, and who for going on in
youf sins ? God puts you to it, and in the name of God
put yourselves to it, to give in your answer. What do you
mean to do ? will you hearken to the Lord, or will you yet
go on to harden your hearts ? Have these words so far
prevailed upon you, as to bring you into a good mind ?
Have you a mind and purpose to return ?
Question 3. Shall it suffice you to take up with the
beginning of repentance, or will you make thorough-work ?
Shall it suffice you to set your faces towards God, or will
you come home to him ? " Israel, if thou wilt return,
return unto me." (Jer. iv. 1.) Come not towards me,
and then stay half way : but come home to me, come
through to me. Repentance is despatched by degrees :
first, those that were running away, are brought about to
be looking and making towards God ; then those that are
afar off, are coming near to God ; then those that are come
near, do come into God ; and then those that are come in,
do by degrees fix and confirm their hearts upon God, that
they may never go back into the way of sin.
What is it that will satisfy you ? Shall it suffice you
INSTRVCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 91
to be looking towards God, or coming half way towards
heaven ? or are you for coming home, for coming into the
Lord, for making sure work, for making thorough work ?
If you are so, for being thorough converts, this will require
time, this will require pains, and constant exercising your-
selves to repentance as long as you live. You must con-
tinue repenting, as long as you continue sinning: you must
confirm and establish your hearts against all returns to
your old state and course, as long as there is danger of
relapsing. What if you should begin well, and then give
off, or make a stand ? What if you should lay by your
sorrow for sin, lay down your fear of sin, and run into
temptation to sin without fear, if you would give off your ;
watch and your war against sin? What do you think
would become of you if you should ? How would you
tumble back into the pit, from which you seemed to be
delivered ? Do what you can, friends, to make sure work. '
you any sense of sin, and of the necessity of turn-
ing ? Exercise your thoughts and your hearts upon this
thing while you live. You will never whilst you live
here, see to the bottom of the evil that is in sin. Hast
thou by thinking, and searching, found out something of
the evil of sin ? Think again, search again, and thou
shalt yet see greater abominations, greater malignity in it.
You may as easily see to the height of heaven, or to the
depth of hell, as to the bottom of sin. Sin can never be
thoroughly known till God be thoroughly known. It is
an abuse of God, an abuse of infinite grace, and goodness,
and holiness : as often as thou sinnest, thou affrontest and
abusest the God of heaven and earth. Thou thinkest it
a small matter to tell a lie, or to pilfer and purloin, if it
be but trifles thou stealest ; but is it a small matter to
abuse the Almighty God ? to tread upon his authority,
who hath said, Lie not : thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not
covet ? Is it a small matter to spit in his face, to slight
his bowels, to tread upon his mercy, and to throw it back
upon him, and refuse it when he offers it ? Such, and
much more malignity is there in sin than all this ; and
therefore, be thinking and searching out the evil of sin,
more and more as long as you live. Study much the evil of
92
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
I
sin, and the preciousness of Christ, and give not over till you
can no longer either make light of sin, or make light of
Christ ; and when sin is become grievous, and Christ is
become precious ; when sin is so grievous that you cannot
bear it, when Christ is so precious that you cannot want
him, that is a sign of a recovered soul : " Unto you which
believe, he is precious." (1 Peter ii. 7.) Where Christ
is precious, it is sure, there sin is odious. O, if Christ
hath once recovered you, how dear will he be to you !
You will prize him in your hearts, you will love him while
you live, you will be afraid how you grieve or offend him.
And when you are recovered from sin, how will you look
back upon it ? Will you love, will you lust after your old
ways again ? Will you wish yourselves worldlings again,
sensualists again ? Will vou bethink of the ease vou have
J J
lost, the pleasures you have lost, the companions you
have lost ? Will you not thank God that you are come
out from among them, and have escaped that misery that
is coming upon the world ? The more you live in the
constant exercise of repentance, the more you will admire
the recovering grace of God, and the more you will abhor
returning to folly.
Repentance is your recovery : if God give you repent-
ance, you may recover ; and your continuing in the exer-
cise of repentance is your maintaining, and perfecting, and
confirming your recovery. You are not so far off from
the state of sin, but your continued exercise of repentance
will get you farther off daily. Your repentance is your
obtaining sure ground ; and your continued repentance is
your standing your ground : your giving off at your
repenting work will be your relapse ; and it may be into a
worse case than before: "Behold, thou art made whole: sin
no more, lest a worse thine/ come imto thee." (John v. 14.)
Behold, thou art made whole ! O what a word is that !
How do you think that poor impotent man, that had been
so thirty-eight years, was ravished at that word ? What
if the Lord should now speak the word to any sinner
among you, that had been even astonished with the sense
of his sin and his guilt ? that had lain as long at the ordi-
nances, as the poor man at the pool, expecting and hoping
1IONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 03
a saving change, and could find none ? If Christ should
to thee this day, and say, " Behold, thou art whole,"
thy sins aje forgiven, and thy soul is cleansed from them;
if that word should be spoken to thee this day, how
would thy In -art leap for joy ! What should we hear from
thee, but praise and thanksgiving ! Well, but yet con-
r the words that follow, " Sin no more," stand thy ^
ground, " lest a worse thing come to thee." Thy case hath (
1 formerly ; but sad as it hath been, look to t
find it worse if thou return to folly : " God will speak
peace, but let them not turn again to folly." (Psalm Ixxxv. 8.) \
At their peril let them look to it, that they do not return. /
But of this, more in the next.
Now, sinners, will you at last be persuaded to set upon
this work of repenting ? Will you say you cannot ? Why
then, you must die of your disease die eternally. But
why can you not ? O, it is a painful life, it is contrary
to me : I have- found such ease, and such pleasure, and
such gain in mine old ways, that I cannot part with them.
What, not for the saving of thy life ? Is thine ease better
than Christ ! Are thy gains more worth than thy soul?
Wilt thou to hell rather than turn ? As sure as thou
livest, thither thou must, if thou repent not : " Except ye
;'<'nt, ye xhall all likewise perish." (Luke xiii. 3.) God
hath said, " The soul that sinnelh it shall die;" (Ezekicl
:i. 20 ;') and God will never repent of that word as to
tin -e, unless thou repent of thy sins. What, art thou re-
ved for hell ( Art thou resolved to sacrifice that flesh
and those bones of thine to the fury of the devil ? Art ^
a a captive to the devil, and wilt thou never recover^
1 out ot In- -Mares? Shall he carry thee with him to his $
ne? Shall he that hath had the leading of thee, have (
iHirnin'.; of thee ? O, why will ye die ? Turn and live: * <
T count upon it, then.- is but one way with you, every one *
cither turn or die !
Third. Kxercise yourselves to the keeping a good consci-
/ do I exercise //,//.v<7/.' (Acts xxiv. 16.)
11 an h.'ird ,i:id will hold us in continual work.
Then the keeping a good'
. all which nm-t be well looked to. ' others,
94 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
First. Get a good conscience ; or get conscience re-
covered from those evils it labours under. There are
two special evils in and upon conscience : (1st.) Guilt.
(2d.) Guile.
(1st.) Guilt. There is guilt upon the conscience : every
sin leaves guilt behind it. The whole world is " become
guilty before God;" (Rom.iii. 19;) because the whole world
are sinners, or subject to the judgment of God. But then
there is guilt upon the man, and guilt upon the conscience.
There are some sins that leave guilt upon the man, but
do not immediately leave guilt upon the conscience : as
sins of ignorance, which leave guilt upon the man, but
not always upon the conscience ; because such sins con-
science does not, nor can, take notice of, and so they cannot
be called sins against conscience. Guilt there is upon
conscience, First, When through remissness or neglect,
it does not take notice of them, nor charge the soul to take
heed of them. Second, When, though conscience does
know sin to be sin, and those particular acts, that I am
tempted to, to be sinful acts ; yet lust prevails to bring us
upon the commission of them against conscience. Thou
knowest that lying is a sin : thy conscience tells thee so,
and yet thou wilt lie. Thou knowest that drunkenness,
that defrauding, that profaning the Sabbath, that neglecting
to pray, and to hear, are sins : thy conscience tells thee
they are ; and yet thou wilt lie, or be drunk, and work or
travel upon the Lord's day, neglect to pray, &c. This
leaves a guilt upon thy conscience. O how great, O how
dreadful guilt is there upon the consciences of many of us !
How many bills of indictment will thy conscience have,
to bring forth against thee before thy Judge ! The guilt
of neglecting Christ, the guilt of hardening thy heart
against mercy ; besides all the guilt of thine oaths, of thy
drunkenness, and of thy covetousness, of thy lying, and
stealing, and scoffing, all this guilt lies upon thee ; and
this is one thing that conscience must be recovered from
ere it can be a good conscience.
(2d.) Guile, or falsehood, or treachery of conscience. It
will juggle and deal deceitfully ; it will dispense with, or
give allowance to, sin; it will connive and wink at iniquity.
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 95
Some sins which can be better spared, it resists ; others,
such as interest or inclination lead more strongly to, it
lets them pass, and will not see them to be sin ; and there-
fore dares not examine whether they be sin or no. This
is a guileful conscience. It is true of Christians what is
<>f Nathaniel : " An Israelite indeed, in whom there is
no guile." (John i. 47.) " Blessed is the man in whose
spirit there is no guile." (Psalm xxxii. 2.) This is a good
conscience, that is plain, and honest, and faithful. " We
trust ye have a good conscience, in all things willing to live
honestly." (Heb. xiii. 18.)
Now these being the diseases of conscience, guilt
and guile, from these we must be recovered; and the
recovery must be wrought by blood and water. By the
blood of Christ : " How much more shall the blood of
Christ purge your conscience ?" (Heb. v. 14.) And by
water also ; by the water of sanctification, and by the
water of repentance : penitent tears have their use to the
'.ng of conscience. Sinners, take heed ! have no
guilt upon your conscience. Have you no guilt in your
conscience ? O, how dreadfully guilty, O, how mi-
serably guileful, hath that conscience of thine been !
Get your consciences purged ; the blood of Christ to be
sprinkled upon them. Draw water, so the pouring forth
penitent tears is expressed, " They drew water, and
poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day." (1
Sam. vii. 6.) Draw water, sinners ; weep before the Lord
for your sins ; and this will be the washing your consciences
from the guilt and guile that is upon them.
Second. Keep conscience working. Though method
would require that I speak to this, of keeping conscience,
under the next general, the keeping of the heart, yet 1
choose nither to speak to it here. Keep conscience working.
A laxy, .-.leepy conscience is good for nothing : it is a
stirring working conscience that does its office, that must
industriously in maintained. Conscience' hath, (1st.) An
:.) A book. (3d.) A tongue. (4th.) A sceptre.
(1st.) An eye. The eye of conscience must be kept open.
Tlu- ;i>cience is even as the eye of God: it may
he said of conscience in its measure, as of God, " Thou
96 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
knowest my down sitting and uprising, thou understandest my
thoughts, and art acquainted with all my ways." (Psalm
cxxxix. 2, 3.) The eye of conscience beholds our inward
thoughts, all things are naked and open, even before that
conscience with which we have to do ; and this is some-
thing you have to keep you doing, to keep the eye of
conscience open. Let not conscience wink at your follies ;
let it see and observe whatever you do.
(2d.) A book. A register or book of records, where it
writes down what it sees : " The sin of Judah is written ;
it is graven upon the table of the heart." (Jer. xvii. 1.)
The meaning there is, it hath entered into their hearts ; it
hath corrupted and eaten into their hearts ; there are the
scars and impressions of it upon them. Their iniquities
have marked them, and marked them in their very hearts
for vile and ungodly ones. This graving of sin upon the
heart denotes the heart's defilement, the corrupting of
the heart ; but then there is a writing for remembrance, a
writing of scores, or books of account ; and thus the sins
of men are written in the book of conscience. Now this
also must be looked to, that conscience be faithful, and
book down all our sins ; that they may be remembered by
us, and repented of.
The book of conscience will be written, whether men
will or no : if conscience will be negligent, and will not
write down its own faults, God will do it ; and will write
down all our sins : if we mark not, God will mark them,
" Thine iniquity is marked before me." (Jer. ii. 22.) If
we record not, God will record them. What conscience
writes, conscience may read and remember; but what God
writes, upon the neglect of conscience, sinners cannot
read, or remember now ; but there it shall all be seen at
the great day of accounts, when the book shall be opened,
and read before angels and men.
Sinners, what is there written in those books respecting
you ? Are your sins written there ? Hath conscience
kept a record of them ? It is well if it have : look into
that book, read over and remember all your ways ; go and
ask thy conscience if thou hast not been a liar, if thou
hast not been a swearer, a drunkard, a covetous man, a
I RUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 07
flesh-pleaser : ask thy conscience if it hath not been so.
many have been thy lies, how many have been
thine oaths; how many drunken 'bouts, how many rioting
lays, h>w many greedy and covetous practices, hast thou
been guilty of ? Look into that book in thy bosom : if
conscience hath been faithful, there thou mayest read and
remember, and so come to be humbled. But if conscience
hatli not noted these things, but hath been asleep, and let
tin i- alone to run thy course, without its keeping an
account, God hath written down all. Though thou hast
forgotten what thou hast been, though thou hast forgotten
or hast taken no notice of what thou hast done, yet God
hath his book of remembrance against thee; thine iniquities
arc- all marked before him: " These things hast thou
dr deceitful dealing .' Is there any conscience in this idle
careless life, to live thus in the neglect of God and my
soul .' When didst thou hear such a word within thee ?
Thou hast a conscience, such as it is, but it hath lost its
tongue, and will not reprove thee, nor warn thee, Tjut let
thee alone to follow thy lust and humours without control ;
and in what a woeful case art thou, thdfc art under such a
dumb conscience ? We read that Christ, in great wrath
said to his disciples concerning the Pharisees, " Let them
flu- 1/ />e blind leaders of the blind ;" (Matt. xv. 14 ;)
let them alone, say nothing to them. Hath Christ said
thus to conscience, concerning thee ? Let him alone, say
not a word to him : let him be blind while he will ; let
him be hardened while he will ; speak no more to him to
awaken him ? Is not this a dreadful case ?
() friends, pray for a faithful conscience, that will not ..
cease to warn you from day to day ! Do not muzzle the '
mouth of conscience : encourage your consciences to speak
:, by giving them free leave to do so; yea, by asking
and inquiring of conscience, What sayest thou to the
course I am going on in ? If I ask my will, or my affec-
tions, or my lusts concerning these vain ways, they are all
pleased, and like it that I go on thus. But what sayest
thou, O my conscience ? Is it good that I be a worldling,
uMialist, or a liar, or unjust, or unmerciful ? Is this as
God would have it? Is this the life God is well pleased with !
Ask conscience such questions, and put conscience to it, to
give in an answer; and then then- is hope it will speak. And
hear what conscience says. It' conscience speak andspeuk,
and nun \\ill not hear, this is the way to stop its mouth: a
if will make a dumb conscience. If conscience speak,
and it cannot be heard, if the warnings and itfin.t of con-
M-ience he borne down by lust and appetite, this is another
way to put conscience to silence, that it may speak no more.
11 1'
100 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
- - Sinners, you have been hitherto consulting with flesh
and blood, taking counsel of sense and appetite, and
carnal interest ; and whilst conscience hath kept silence,
you see in what way you have gone on. Would you have
conscience speak, or have it hold its peace ? Will you
henceforth inquire of conscience, what it does in earnest
judge of your present life ? what it does judge best for
you henceforth to do ? Will you hear conscience when
it speaks ? Will you be guided and governed by con-
science ? I will not henceforth please myself, but will
endeavour to please God and conscience, so as to live a
conscientious life : that is the best way to recover thy
conscience, to fecover its speech. Thy conscience is
ready to die, if it become speechless. When sick men
are speechless, we count them dying. That conscience of
thine, that hath so long lain speechless, it will die if thou
take not some sudden course to recover its speech. O get
you a stirring lively conscience, that will not hold its
peace.
(4th.) A sceptre. Conscience is to be the governor in the
soul. God hath said to conscience as he said to Christ,
" Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." (Psalm ex. 2.)
Thou livest in the midst of enemies. All within, the
carnal mind, the carnal will, the carnal affections, every
lust of the heart, all these are enemies to conscience : but
God says, Conscience, be thou ruler in the midst of
thine enemies. Those that are under the government of
God, he puts under the government of conscience ; as
Isaac said to Esau, when he came for a blessing, after
Jacob had been blessed before him, I have, says he, made
him thy lord, and thou shalt be his servant ; though thou
shalt break his yoke from off thy neck. So God says to the
heart, and all within it, I have made conscience your
Lord : you will break its yoke from off your neck, you will
all conspire to rebel, and to resist conscience, to blind,
and to muzzle, and destroy it ; (lust is the deadly enemy
of conscience ;) but yet I hav6 said to conscience, Be thou
ruler in the midst of thine enemies.
All the world is governed by God, or the devil ; and
both these governors have their viceroys. Conscience is
INsTIU'i TIONS AI10VT IIKVRT-WORK. 101
the viceroy of (iod, and lust is the viceroy of the devil.
Now these two viceroys contend who shall have the domi-
nion, who shall have tin- government in the soul. Lust
cannot endure that conscience should bear any sway.
Carnal, earthly-minded men, will rather mock atconscience,
than lie governed by it. Lust will not endure that con-
science should bear the sway ; and conscience can never
l>e safe or successful in its government, till lust be trodden
under loot. Whilst conscience is kept as an underling,
and is checked and controlled, and put to silence by lust,
so long it is in an evil case. Conscience is never re-
covered, till it hath recovered its authority and dominion.
(iod that hath given the dominion to conscience, and, under
Christ, laid the government upon its shoulder, hath also
put a sceptre into his hand, to execute its government
withal ; and hath given to conscience a two-fold sceptre:
Firstly. An iron sceptre. He hath said to it concerning
sinners, obstinate sinners, as he said respecting his ene-
mies, " 7'fiou stialt rule them with a rod of iron." (Rev. ii.
This iron sceptre, put into the hand of conscience,
hath teeth in it : hence do sinners, who will not hear the
commands, sometimes feel the bitings, of conscience: the
teeth of a provoked conscience will bite worse than those
of a lion or hear. Thou that rebellest against con-
science, that abusest and wrongest conscience, take heed
of the bitings of conscience. Thy conscience is a lion; and
though it be now a sleeping lion, and thou darest to play
with it, or use it at thy pleasure, yet look to it, when this
sleeping conscience is awakened, then thou wilt feel the
>f this lion. As it is said of wine, " In the end it
litcth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder;" (Prov.
\\iii. '{-;) so it is true of every sin, every sin will bite.
Those carnal pleasures, those worldly gains, that look
upon you with a pleasant fawning face, all your sins and
sinful pleasures, will bite like a serpent, with u poisonous
deadly biting : sin will thus bite, and it bites with the
teeth of conscience. () the gripes that some sinners feel,
the deadly gripes, when they fall under the teeth or
t. lions of a sin-provoked conscience! Sinners, I warn you
in take herd of slighting conscience! Come under the
102 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
dominion of conscience, let conscience govern thee, let
conscience rule thee, or look for the iron sceptre to fall
upon thee, the teeth whereof will bite thee as a serpent,
and sting thee as an adder.
Secondly. A golden sceptre. Conscience doth not only
enforce its authority, and our submission to it, by the terrors
of its iron sceptre, but it encourages submission, by the
comfort of holding to us its golden sceptre. King Ahasue-
rus's holding out the golden sceptre to Esther, was in token
of his favour, and her being accepted of the king :
" She found favour in his sight, and the king held out to
her the golden sceptre." (Esther v. 2.) Those that find
favour with conscience, (as all those that observe, and
obey, and live under the government of conscience do,)
conscience will hold out the golden sceptre to them ; will
speak peace, and speak comfortably to them : and to
have conscience speak peace, (an upright conscience,) is
the same as to have God speak peace : to be able to stand
comfortably before conscience, is the same as to be able to
stand with comfort and boldness before the face of God :
" If our heart condemn us," &c., (1 John iii. 20, 21,) if
our hearts, our consciences, condemn us for falsehood and
unfaithfulness, God will condemn us ; but if our hearts
condemn us not, if out conscience acquit us, and say, " Well
done, good and faithful servant" (Matt. xxv. 23,) thou
hast been faithful ; if our upright conscience acquit us, then
have we confidence and boldness before God. For the
comfort and the rejoicing that flow into the heart from
the testimony of a good conscience, see 2 Cor. i. 12.
Friends, how would you have your conscience deal with
you ? Would you that it held out the golden sceptre ?
Would you that conscience speak peace ? that conscience
should say, " Well done" thou hast been faithful ? Would
you have this testimony from conscience, that you have
had your conversation in simplicity and godly sincerity ?
Is the peace of conscience, the joy of that peace, the
sweetness, and calmness, and serenity of heart, which are
the fruit of conscience speaking peace, is this peace, is
this rejoicing, of any value with you ?
Whilst others are under the checks and rebukes, under
ISMUlclloNS ABOUT HEART-WOKK. 103
the terrors and tin- sting, of an abused conscience; whilst
ience l)ites and worries them, with the teeth of its
iron sceptre : whilst conscience affrights and terrifies them:
whilst conscience judges them, and condemns them for
following their lusts ; whilst it is so dreadful with men of
an abused griping conscience ; then if you would prize,
desire, and rejoice in the peace and the comfort of consci-
ence, hearken to conscience, and be governed by con-
science in all your way. If conscience but govern, it
will certainly comfort you.
Therefore, Third. Live under the government of consci-
ence : that is, live a conscientious life ; make conscience of
your duties, and perform them; make conscience of sin,
and avoid it. Approve your hearts to your conscience in
all things : be conscientious livers, and be universally con-
scientious. Be able to say with the Apostle, " / have
lived in all good conscience; (Acts xxiii. 1 ;) and "/
hare agood conscience, willing in all things to live honestly."
Ileb. xiii. IS.) To obey conscience in some things, and
; iel against it in others, is not to live a conscientious
life. Be universally conscientious of every duty, of every
sin.
O friends, how many are there of us, even among
professors, who halt after conscience, are very lame and
deceitful in our ways! some things we do, and others we
neglect ; some sins we forbear, and others we venture
upon.
You that arc professors, and seem in a fair way of re-
covery, consider how you come off here. It may be, you
are afraid of gross sin ; you dare not be drunk, or swear,
and curse, and blaspheme; but are you afraid of taking the
name of (iod in vain ! mingling "O Lord! O God! O
Christ," with your common and ordinary discourses? It
may be, \ou are afraid to be found in an alehouse, the
companions and partakers with the drunken and the
riotous ; but are you afraid to be found unnecessarily
aiming the vain ones, and to become vain with those that
are vain ( It may be, you are ai'raid toco/en and cheat;
;, our consciences will not sillier you to do that; but do
u inordinately eager and greedy
104 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
after the world ? It may be, you dare not work or travel
on the Lord's day, though some among us will venture
to do that also : the conveniences for the market or the
fair, and the shortening their expenses, whatever consci-
ence says to the contrary, will put them upon this Sab-
bath profanation. One word by the way to such : I
remember a story told me by a reverend man, of a pro-
fessor in his flock being about to travel upon the Lord's
day to a fair that was to be held next day, being reproved
of it by his minister, and asked if he thought it not a sin :
Yes, 1 do, says he ; but I have repented of it. His mean-
ing was, he intended to travel the next Lord's day, but
had repented of it already !
It is a strange kind of repentance, for a man that is
going to an alehouse, first to do something that he could
call repenting, and then go and commit the sin. You
that are guilty, if there be any such among you, let me
ask you, have you repented of your former Sabbath pro-
fanations, or have you not ? If you have not repented,
there is the guilt of all your former journeys of this kind
still lying upon you : you are guilty to this day, guilt is
never taken away without repentance.
/ If you say you have repented of your former practices,
^ then I hope you mean, never while you live, to be guilty
. again. You have not truly repented of any sin, till you
, are resolved, through the grace of God, to forsake it for
t ever. Remember this, Unless you resolve to have done
$ with all such journeyings hereafter, you have not repented
of what is past ; and if you have not repented of what is
past, there is the guilt of all still lying upon you, and
your souls are liable to answer for it before the judgment
of God.
But thou that allowest not thyself such a liberty of
working or journeying on the Lord's day, yet dost thou
make conscience of sleeping, or loitering, or idling out a
great part of it ? It may be, thou wilt not be then found
in the fields, or at thy sports, for conscience sake : but
mayest thou not be found walking about the streets, or
idly visiting, or vainly spending thy time with a neigh-
bour? Though thou wilt not be abroad when thou
HKTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 105
shouldest be in the congregation ; yet wilt thou not be out
of doors when thou shouldest be teaching, or instructing,
or praying with thy family? It hath often troubled me
to think how little help some poor families have from
their governors, even on the day of the Lord.
It may be you will not be unjust or deceitful in your
dealings ; but are you not unmerciful or uncharitable ? It
may be, that you bear no rooted malice or grudge in your
lii-arts ; God forbid you should ; that isfor the devil, rather
than a Christian ; but suppose you do not, yet it may be
you do : whatever you think you may have routed malice
from resting in your hearts ; but if you do not, yet you
will be fretful and furious, and sour and sullen; and can
express it in bitter looks, in strangeness, and keeping your
distance, in biting words, and backbiting stories; and this
e >n science lets you alone in.
It may be, you are not of a vicious conversation ; but
are you of a gracious conversation ? It may be, that no
corrupt communication proceedeth out of your mouth,
your breath doth not stink of ribaldry, and obscene dis-
eourses ; but are you not frothy and unsavoury in your com-
munication ? If your speech be not rotten and corrupt,
y.-t is it " seasoned with salt," (Col. iv. 6,) that it may
" minister grace to the hearers ?" (Eph. iv. 29.)
It may be, you dare not neglect praying; but will not -\
your consciences suffer you to trifle and shuffle in prayer? \
It may he, you pray, and are serious in prayer, and feel <
some workings of conscience, and meltings of heart, and f
enlargement of affection, and some sense of God and )
religion, whilst you are upon your knees ; but when you / '
have done, and go out of your closet, do you not then /
leave your conscience behind you, your religion behind S
you .' Do you carry conscience into your shops, and into .
your fields, and to the market? You pray as a man of >
conscience, and hear as a man of conscience ; but do you {
buy and sell, eat and drink, and converse in the world, as f j
a man of conscience .' Take you out of duties, and may
\\< nut take you out of your religion ? What are you at
other times, but even as other men .' Is this to be uni- I
versally conscientious? Can you be sincerely conscientious, '
106 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
(^ if you be not universally so ? He that is not conscien- \
tious in every thing, is truly conscientious in nothing. /
Brethren, take heed you do not give conscience a kiss, and \
a kick, kiss it, and comply with it, in the things you
like, and kick at conscience when it presses too hard upon
< you in the things you like not. If in any thing you give /
conscience a kick, conscience may remember you, and J
" ^give you a gripe for it another day.
O, if you would recover the authority of conscience, if
/ you would have conscience hold out the golden sceptre
) to you, if you would have conscience smile upon you, if
you would have true peace of conscience, and live indeed
( under the power of conscience, be universally conscienti-
} ous ; exercise yourselves to it, so as to live holily in all
things, honestly in all things, and at all times. This exer-
, cise of keeping to conscience is a painful exercise : you
-- can never live a conscientious life, unless you will be con-
tent to live a painful life, to take pains with your hearts,
to take pains with your thoughts and affections, to take
pains with your tongues and all your members, to hold them
close to the rule of conscience : this painful exercise will
give you a heat, will beget warmth in those cold and careless
5 hearts. The most conscientious Christians are the most
' warm and lively Christians ; and according as you get and
keep your hearts warm, so will your diseases waste, and
, the health of your souls return into you. Remember
( what I have said, If ever you would recover your lost
souls, recover conscience : if ever you would recover con-
science, get the guilt and the guile of conscience purged
awayb^_the_Jblood^of_ Christ, and water of_^repentancej
keep the eye of conscience open ; let conscience be the
supervisor of all your ways ; let the book of conscience be
kept clear from blots and blurs ; and let there be a faithful
record kept there, of all your ways ; let the tongue of con-
) science have leave to speak and warn you from day to
/ day, and submit to its sceptre and government ; be no
longer governed by will, or by appetite, or by lust, or by
the fashions and customs or examples of men, but be
i governed by conscience. Do not give conscience a kiss
"> and a stab, hearkening to it in some things, and wounding
INSTIUilloNS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 107
it in others ; but study to live in all good conscience, on
your Sabbath days, on your working days, in the house of
the Lord, in your own houses, in the houses of your
friends, in the Held, in the market, in the matters of God, *
in the affairs of the world, when you are alone, when in
company, when you are in good company, when you are
fallen into evil company, wherever you are, whatever you
are doing ; have an eye upon conscience, an ear open to
conscience ; and let conscience prescribe to you, what you '
should do, or how you should carry it, in every affair.
Hi. Beware of taking cold. That is a special rule phy-
sicians are wont to give to the recovering patient. When \
persons are upon recovery of their bodily diseases, how S
ordinary is it, that upon a little cold they relapse, and
sometimes die of their malady ! Is thy soul upon recovery ?
take heed of colds. Souls, such there are, who when they ,
begin to be wrought upon, and are brought to any sense S
of religion, there appears a great heat and fervour of spirit >
upon them: 'tis with them as with the prophet, " Thy
n- rov/o//\H<-.v.v." They hear the word,
11 rt unto them as a rcr// lorcly song, of one that hath a
coice." (Ex.ek. xxxiii. ;J1, 32.) They will hear
a good minister; they seem to love a good sermon: the
doctrines of God and his Gospel, the doctrines of Christ
and his redemption, and the most enlivening and affec-
tionate discourses of the righteousness, holiness, kind
compassion of (lod in Christ, and of the hopes and joys of
liis saints. tl. i pleasant sound to them, they are
taken with and pleased at the hearing of them. Hut, for
all this, they an- gone, they have embraced this p;
world; their hearts are gone after their c-ov.
men's hearts carry them after their i
ousness, so otlu r's hearts carry them after their vain com-
pany, others after their sloUii'ulnc-s, others aft- r
i
114 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
carnal pleasures : their hearts have tempted them, and by
their hearts' lusts they are thus drawn aside, and enticed.
Consider these two sorts of mischief men's hearts do them,
their heart hinders them from what is good, and tempts and
carries them away after that which is evil, and then you
will understand what a necessity there is, that such mis-
chievous hearts should be carefully kept under government,
ii. It is an unruly heart. It is said concerning the
tongue, "It is an unruly evil ;" (James iii. 8 ;) but whence
is the unruliness of the tongue, but from the unruliness of
the heart? It is the heart that is the lord of misrule.
" He that ruleth his spirit is better than he that taJceth
a city." (Prov. xvi. 32.) There is need of more wisdom,
of more watchfulness, of more care and skill, to rule the
heart, than to rule a whole city or country. Governors of5
kingdoms do not find it so hard to rule their numerous
people, as to govern their own hearts. To show thej
unruliness of the heart, I shall instance,
(i.) The thoughts of the heart. Who can rule his own
thoughts ? Who is there that hath such command of
them, that can think of nothing but what he should
think of? What rovings, and stragglings, and wanderings
are there of the thoughts! " The eyes of a fool," or his
thoughts, l( are in the ends of the earth;" (Prov. xvii. 24;)
running about everywhere to sin, to vanity, to imperti-
nencies. Consider yourselves, in your praying, or hearing,
or in any of the most serious and important exercises of
religion : your thoughts, then, most especially, should be
composed and fixed ; should be fixed upon God, should
be all giving their attendance upon the work of God.
Those most weighty things, the eternal things that you are
dealing about, should take up all your thoughts. But how
do we find it at such times ? What distraction, and wan-
dering, and running of our thoughts, do we then find ?
We cannot hold ourselves in, to think what we pray for,
to attend on what we hear. And this is the great reason
of the deadness of heart in prayer ; of the incfficacy and
unfruitfulness of our hearing. We that preach to you, should
have more hope of success upon you, if we could but fix
your hearts, and get you to think more intently on what
1 RUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 115
we speak ; but when the thoughts are gadding, we may to
a* good purpose speak to stones, as to souls.
i> it with you now ? And how does it use to be
with you, when you come to the worship of God ? Where
thoughts been, since you came here? How many
things have you been thinking of, that you should not ?
It may be, thy thoughts have been at home all this while-,
or abroad in the fields, upon thy business, or upon thy
pleasures, or thou knowest not where. Who are there of
us that do use to gird up the loins of our minds, and to
kci p them close to the work we are upon ? And whither
;ir thoughts run at other times ? How little room is
there It- ft for the thoughts of God, or of our souls, or of
tlu- things eternal, amongst those crowds and swarms of
worldly thoughts, of wicked and vile thoughts, of vain and
impertinent thoughts, which are still thronging in upon us!
Tln-se evil thoughts are not only from the suggestion of the
devil, or from that variety of objects that we have before
: rom what we see, or hear, but are also the streamings
up of a corrupt heart. As out of a boiling pot of filthy >
liquor, or out of a reeking dung-hill, there arise stinking \
and noisume steams and smells, so naturally doth a cor- $
nipt heart steam up into the head, and fill it with vile c
thoughts and imaginations ; and, therefore, the cure that '*
i* prescribed for these evil thoughts is, the cleansing of the j
heart from -.vickedness. " O Jerusalem, wash thine heart
fnun wickedness. How long shall vain thoughts lodge within
tln-e f" : .! r, iv. 14.) Get thine heart washed from its f
wickedness, and that is the best way to free thyself from
its. We have many complaints of vain
thoughts, or disturbing and distracting imaginations ; and
we hear people asking often, How shall I be rid of these
evil thoughts ( Wo is me, what wandering, roving, dis-
tracted thoughts have I, so that I can never have comfort
in anything 1 do ! But man, consider thou art under a >
.ise, the unmodified lusts of thine heart, from
u hence these thoughts arise.
Canst tlmii bear the lusts of thine heart? The pride, and
t'rowardness, and worldliiu-ss of thy heart ? Canst thou
complain of thy thoughts, and not complain of thy h;
. -2
116 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
One unmortified lust hath more mischief in it, than a hun-
dred evil thoughts. Thy duty is to complain more of thy
naughty heart, thy naughty disposition and inclination, and
to get these changed, which is the best way to cure thee of
evil thoughts. I say, it is the best cure : get you better
hearts, wash your hearts from those evil lusts that dwell
in them. If you would get rid of worldly thoughts, purge
out worldly lusts ; if you would be rid of proud thoughts,
get the pride of your hearts slain ; get you an humble
heart, which is the best cure of proud imaginations : if you
would be free from vain thoughts, light and impertinent
and useless thoughts, get you cured of the vanity of your
spirits ; get to be serious ; get a heart more intent upon
serious things, and that will discharge you of such runagate
and vagabond thoughts. It is seldom that people complain
of distracting or vain thoughts ; but there is a worse dis-
ease from whence they arise, that they take no notice of:
thou hast a vain trifling heart ; thou art not in good earnest
in thy religion ; thou art not sensible of the weight and
importance of thine everlasting concerns ; thou hast an
unmortified heart, unmortified lusts in thine heart ; thou
lovest the world, and lovest thy pleasures, and lustest after
thine ease and thy carnal delights ; thine heart sits too
loose from God and the things of God ; thou art not
powerfully and resolvedly bent for the blessedness to come ;
thine heart is not yet fixed upon Christ and Christianity :
this is a worse disease than evil thoughts, though that be
bad enough, and the very root from whence they arise.
Do not, therefore, inquire barely, How shall I be freed from
evil thoughts ? but chiefly, How may I get my lusts sub-
dued ? How may I purge out those evil dispositions and
desires ? how may I get my heart more intently fixed on
God, and things above ? Get that done once, and thy evil
thoughts will quickly fall.
(ii.) In the passions of your heart. We have unruly
thoughts and unruly passions ; there is an unruliness in
all our affections. Who can love, and fear, and desire, and
grieve for nothing but what he should, what he should fear
and desire ? What we should not fear, we fear ; and what
we should fear, we cannot : what we should love, we
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 117
cannot ; and what we should not love, we set our hearts
upon. We cannot raise up good desires in our hearts, nor
ki-epdown i-vil. There is an unruliness in all our affections,
but especially the passion of anger and wrath : when thi-.
breaks forth, what rude, and brutish, and wild creatures do
men become ! Like a roaring lion, or a raging bear ; like
a b-.-ar robbed of her whelps, such is a man in his rage, to
that stand in his way : the breaking forth of rage, is
as the breaking forth of fire in a house. How much water
must there be to quench it ! This unruliness of spirit, the
whole world abounds with proofs of: every country, every
city, nay, but few families are there, whom experience does
not teach what an unruly tiling the rageof the heart of man is.
And is there not a necessity of keeping such a heart
under government? Of governing the thoughts, and govern-
ing the passions and unruly affections? The necessity of
government upon the account of the unruliness of our
thoughts and passions, will appear, if we consider, that our
eternal state is highly concerned in our thoughts and
us. For,
First, These an- the instruments, by which men work out
their own salvation or damnation. Second, These are
evidences of what we are in respect of our eternal state.
First. These are instruments, by which men work out
their own salvation or damnation. Holy thoughts, holy
ions, set us a working out our salvation : the exer-
cising of our thoughts upon God, upon eternity, upon the
dness to come, and upon the wrath to come ; the
ising of our affections; the keeping ourselves in hope
of the salvation of (Jod ; the keeping ourselves in fear of
the reprobation of (Jod ; the maintaining desires after God
and his salvation ; these all will be as so many cords to
hold us in, as so many springs to put us on in the way
'vation. Thinking Christians, and honing Christians,
and fearing Christians, and desiring Christians, will be
working Christians. " / tfiotii/ht mi mi/ icai/s, und turned
'n tin/ tfntininiiii-ft." ( Psalm cxix. .">!.) " Every
mini t/nil Initti tins IIHJH- in liim }nirijiftli liim.sflf, even as he
1 John :: . '!. " " >'k ant //inir oicn sal cation tcitlt
>t(l trfiiililiiiy." ( Phil. ii. I '_'. ! ar a miscarriage, fear
118 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
falling short, fear to be damned ; and this will set you a
I working out your salvation. Men will not work because
\ they do not desire, because they do not fear ; men do not
desire or fear, because they will not think : think more of
God, think oftener what it is to be saved, what it is to be
damned ; think much thus, and this will stir up your desires
j and fears. Desire more the salvation of God, fear more
his indignation and wrath ; and this will set you to work
out your salvation, and to secure yourselves from falling
into condemnation.
As good thoughts and well-ordered affections, will set us
working out our salvation, so by evil thoughts, and unruly
affections, men work out their damnation. Unruly thoughts,
disorderly affections in the soul, are as cross-winds, or as
storms or tempests upon the sea. How can the mariner
ever arrive at the haven, when the wind is contrary ? And
what kindness do tempests to him, but to dash him against
the rocks, and drown him in the deep? Ungoverned
thoughts and passions in the heart, are like mutineers in an
army. What would an enemy desire more, than to have
the army he was to fight against, in a state of mutiny
amongst themselves ? The devil will not doubt his con-
quest, whilst he can but keep all within you in disorder.
Men's damnation frequently begins in thoughts : evil
thoughts corrupt the affections ; evil affections corrupt the
manners and practice ; and evil works have their end in
destruction. Never again make a light thing of thoughts.
How many men are there, who, by giving themselves leave
to be thinking of their pleasures, and thinking of their gains,
and thinking of their lascivious, lustful objects, think
themselves into very beasts at first, and then into devils ?
" / made a covenant with mine eyes: why then should I think
upon a maid ?" (Job xxxi. 1.) The next to looking, is
thinking, the eyes let in fuel for the thoughts ; the next
to thinking, is lusting, the thoughts provide fuel for lust ;
the next to lusting, is whoring ; and the next to whoring,
is death : and the like in other cases. For the world, the
next to thinking is loving ; the next to loving is lusting,
and inordinate desiring ; the next to lusting is seeking and
progging ; the next to seeking, is getting and heaping up,
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 1 1'J
urselves with thick clay; and the next to
this is, sinking and drowning ourselves in perdition and
-ruction.
Second. These are the evidences of what we are in respect
to our eternal state. Men may judge themselves, and come
to know themselves, by the thoughts and affections. " To
In- carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is
(iff and peace. They that are after the Jlesh, do mind the
' things of the flesh ; but they that are after the Spirit,
" the things of the Spirit." (Rom. viii. 5, 6.) Where art
thou, friend .' Art thou in the way of life, or in the way
of death? Why, liow may I tell that? Why, where are your / 2
) minds ? What are they running upon ? Where are your
S thoughts, your most serious and delightful thoughts ? Are
they in heaven, or on earth ; on things spiritual, or on things >
carnal ? Where are your affections? working upwards or
wuwards? Such as thy thoughts and affections are, / j
h is tlie state of thy soul : " To be carnally minded is <
'/*, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." It is
true, many serious Christians have too many carnal
thoughts, vain and wandering thoughts ; but it is their /
^ affliction, and it is their care and endeavour to give check s
^ to such thoughts : but when the allowed stream runs
< towards earth and sin. it is a sign thou art an earthly, fleshly
man, and in the state of the dead.
iii. There are idols set up in the heart, after which, if it
be not well looked to, it is like to go a whoring. It is true,
more or less of all, what is said of the elders of Israel,
" Tln-se men hare set up their idols in their heart." (Ezek.
xiv. :}.) Whatsoever the heart loves more than God, what-
r the heart serves or seeks more than God ; yea, what-
r the heart loves, or serve-;, <>r seeks ultimately for itself,
without respect to any higher end, this is an idol set up in
the lu-art. Those very men that abhor those idols that are
uj> in the house or the church, that detest saint-worship ^
or image-worship, the worshipping of stocks or stones or '
pictures, the works of men's hands ; yea, that call that an
idol or idolatry, which God never called so ; that cry out
Idolatry, idolatry! against everything that is not according (
to their own minds ; even these very men may have ft
'
120 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
^ their idols in their hearts. The heart hath multitudes of
,' idols set up in it. There are in the heart, as the Apostle
said there are in the world, "gods many, and lords
, many." (1 Cor. viii. 5.) The world is an idol : some men
make their lands and their money their gods. Though Job
would not, (chap. xxxi. 24,) yet some men's hearts will
say to their gold, Thou art my god. Others there are, who
, make their belly their god, " whose god is their belly."
(Phil. iii. 19.) Others make their honours and their
pleasures their god ; and these may be said to be those who
! are " lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God." (2 Tim.
\ iii. 4.) The heart hath many idols set up in it ; but the
great heart-idol, to which all the rest must stoop and serve,
is self. The world is served, honours are sought, pleasures
( are loved, but all for the sake of self. Whatever idol there
i be, the great idol is self, which is set up in the room of God.
. Man's original apostasy was, his falling from God to
? self ; and man's recovery to Christ is, his being brought
backfromselftoGgd. Therefore he tells the world, that
t - wnoso will comejtlong with him, and be his disciple,
must deny himself. " Then said Jesus unto his disciples,
If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross, and follow me." (Matt. xvi. 24.) " Christ
t suffered that he might bring us to God." (1 Peter iii. 18.)
! That man cannot do, unless he come back from self : he de-
parted from God when he declined to himself, and he must
deny himself that will return to the Lord. God and self
$ divide the whole world. The most are for self ; and there
is not a man of all these for God : some few are for God ;
and every one of these have denied and departed from self.
,- Men's recovery by Christ, is their returning from self
) unto God. But this recovery is but imperfect; this self
carnal self I mean hath a seat, higher or lower, in the best
' hearts. There is a sinful selfishness, wherewith we still
remain infected ; and there is still a danger, even after our
recovery, of apostasy to this self again. The great idol
set up in the heart is self; and the great idolatry, or going
a whoring after this idol, the great heart-idolatry, stands
in these three things : (i.) Self-conceit, (ii.) Self-will.
(iii.) Self-love.
IS-III'TIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 121
(i.) Self-conceit. The magnifying our own opinions, the
idolizing our own apprehensions, the growing wise in our
own eyes, and the resigning up ourselves to the conduct
and government of our own carnal reasons or understand-
This, Solomon intimates, is an encroaching upon
(i'xl. yea, denying God : he sets these two as opposites,
OIK- to the other, the acknowledging of God, and the lean-
ing to our own understandings: "Lean not to thine own
'andiny. In all thy ways acknowledge him." (Prov. iii.
Intimating, that whilst we lean to our own under-
standing, we deny and do not acknowledge God. It
Li-longs to God as God, to be our supreme guide and
dietator ; but when men take upon them to be so wise,
that their own opinions and conceits must be their guide,
they therein deny the God that is above.
Take heed of being self-conceited. The worst of sin-
t)lind as they are, are wise in their own eyes : they
think their way is good, and their state is good; they have
a conceit that their own way is hest ; they have taken
up conceits against the ways of God : this strictness
of religion, this preciseness of holiness, they have a con-
ceit it is but nicety and hypocrisy, and that they are the
men who meddle least with it; at least, they have
:;g conceit they shall go to heaven without so much
troubling themselves about it. Let the Lord God speak
never so elearly, and never so closely, of the danger of the
way they are in, of the damnableness of their state, of the
-ity if a change of their state and life, of their becom-
ing new men, and giving themselves to a new life, yet
their self-conceit carries it against all the convictions and
demonstrations of the Lord: they will not be beaten out
of their own conceits ; they will believe their own blind
and sottish mind, before they will believe God. Sinners,
is not this true .' How many times hath the Lord God
preached to yon of the necessity of regeneration, and your
; born again ; of the necessity of sanctification, your
beiii'4 made his holy ones, pure and undefiled ones ? How
much hath he spoken to convince you that you are the
>f death, and that your ways an- the ways of ^
death; that you can never see the kingdom of God, ; "
122 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
but must undoubtedly perish, and be destroyed for ever,
without such a great and effectual change as may bring
you in amongst his holy ones ? How often hath this been
preached ? how plainly hath this been proved ? And yet
after all, how is it with you ? Why, behold, you have a
conceit you shall do well enough, and get to heaven at
last ; and upon this conceit you will adventure your souls !
What do you herein but idolize your own understanding,
and deny the God that is above ? " Thus saith the Lord," is
nothing with you, nor will persuade you to anything, if
your own hearts do but tell you 'tis well enough already.
Sinners, if you will not be beaten out of this conceit, if
we cannot break down your carnal confidence, if we cannot
deliver your souls out of the hands of these lies and delu-
sions ; if you will not be brought to see, that these your
self-conceits are your self-deceivings,-^-! have thought
:"> foolishly, I have thought falsely, in thinking well of my
;? / case :' if we cannot save you from your vain conceit and
' confidence, we shall never set up .the authority of God in^S
! you, nor ever bring you to God, or to heaven.
O, to hear such words as these from you, I have been
) deceived, mine heart hath deceived me, the devil hath de-
ceived me ; I could never have had a good thought of my
\ present state, I could never have good hope of my future
{ state, if I had not been deceived into it ; I have been
merely gulled and cheated into this good opinion ; I am
v lost, I perish, I die for ever, if I escape not suddenly out
*i ( of this case ; I can be confident no more, I can have a ,
good conceit of myself no longer, I am an undone wretch ;
God tells me so, the word tells me so ; and if ever mine
heart tell me yet again, " 'tis well enough," I will never
t ( ) believe it again : might we see such a sense upon you, -
might we hear such words from you, then there were hope
\ that you were coming back from self to God.
For you that are professors, have not you also some-
thing of this self-conceitedness upon you ? Some are
conceited of their own opinions. Whatever opinion they
take up in the matters of God, it must be right, because
it is right in their own eyes ; and many of their brethren
that are contrary minded, they are in the wrong, and in
I RUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 123
the dark, and so become the objects of their censure and
reproach. Lean not to your own understanding ; be so
humble, and so modest, as to think that others may see
than you see ; suspect yourselves, when you differ
from other Christians, that you may be in a mistake.
Others are conceited of their gifts and attainments, though
they yet be but among the young ones, and the weak ones
of the flock ; yet through that pernicious pride of their
heart, they are apt to be puffed up with high conceit of
any little that they have. Christians must be lowly, like >
their Master, " Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in >
heart;" they must think soberly of themselves. Others <
are conceited of the condition and the state of their souls, /
who, though they have little acquaintance with their own
hearts, little understanding and experience of religion, and
have spent as little time in examining their state, yet
are j^rown to a confidence that their hearts are right in the
sight of God, when this confidence may be nothing else
but conceit : they do but conceit themselves to be con-
verts, conceit themselves to be believers; and this conceit
must carry it against all convictions to the contrary.
Examine the grounds upon which your good opinion of
yourself is built; "search the Scriptures," where are certain
evidences of conversion ; search your hearts, whether the
marks of real believers be found in you ; suspect your-
-, whether you be not in a mistake. A mistake here,
to have a strong conceit that you are believers, when you
are but hypocrites ; that you are come to Christ, when, it
may be, not come halfway; such mistakes may be your
damnation, your everlasting loss and undoing. Let the
fear of self-deceiving, be the cure of self-conceitedness.
(ii.) Self-will. That brand which is put upon false
teachers and their followers, (2 Pet. i(. 10,) is upon the
heart of every sinner, they are self-willed; and this brand
is more or less remaining upon the heart of every saint.
There is too much of self-willedness in the best hearts.
Here I shall show you, i. That the great controversy
betwixt (!(,(! and self i>, whose will shall stand. 11. That
in the conversion of a sinner, the power of self-will is
IT- -ken. Hi. But yet the will is not so broken, but self
124 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
hath still a root remaining, which will be putting forth
again, iv. That therefore, there is a necessity of keeping
the heart under constant government.
i. The great controversy hetwixt God and self is,
whose will shall stand. Go'd will have his will : " / have
sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth, and
shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow."
(Isa. xlv. 23.) In one way or other, first or last, I will
make them all to stoop. God will have his will, but self
also will have its will : what is said concerning the wisdom
of the flesh, is true of the will of the flesh, the wisdom
of the flesh " is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed
can be." (Rom. viii. 7.) The will of the flesh is not
subject to the law of God, neither indeed will be. What
is the will of God ? " This is the will of God, even your
sanctification." (1 Thess. iv. 3.) He hath said, " Be ye
holy, for I am holy" (1 Pet. i. 16.) This is the will
of God to sinners, their salvation. He " will have all
men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of
the truth." (1 Tim. ii. 4.) The reason why so many are
damned, is not because God will have them damned, but
because they will not be saved. Though they will the
end, their salvation, yet they will not the means, their
sanctification. This is the will of God, in order to the
salvation of sinners, their humiliation, their repentance,
their obedience to the Gospel. But these self-willed sinners
will not be humbled, will not repent: though their lives lie
upon it, they will not ; though their salvation depends upon
their humiliation and repentance, yet they will not be
humbled, they will not repent ! The will of God is, that
men " set their affections on things above, not on things
on the earth." (Col. iii. 2.) The will of sinners is, to set
their affections on the earth, and not on things above.
The will of God to sinners is, their submission to his
government, to his disposal ; but the will of the flesh is,
to be their own lords, to beat their own disposal. Sinners
are for living as they will, for having what they will ;
they would be let alone to take their own course, to walk
in the way of their own hearts, and the sight of their own
eyes. Now this is the great controversy between God and
TRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 125
sinners, whoso will shall carry it. But you will say, How
can man have a controversy with God ? How can the
will of man stand it out against the will of God? So the
Apostle, " /I hn hath resisted his will?" (Rom. ix. 19.)
Answer. There is the will of God concerning events or
matters of fact, and there is the will of God concerning
matters of duty. As to the will of God concerning events,
what God hath decreed and determined to be done, shall be
done : thus there is no resisting his will. But then, there is
the will of God concerning matters of duty. God wills that it
shall be every man's duty to repent and be sanctified, and be
obedient to the Gospel; and accordingly commands them.
And though there can be no such resistance here, but
what God wills to be men's duty shall be their duty, yet
such resistance there is, that what God wills to be men's
duty to do, they will not do.
1 governs the world, and orders everything to come
to pass in the world, according to his will. But then there
is liis natural and physical government, which he carries on
by his absolute power ; and there is his moral government,
by laws, his governing men as rational creatures, by laws,
and by rewards and punishments. This is the governing
will of God that men make use of, the reason that they
consider what it is that he requires, and what it is that he
forbids : that to the drawing them to obedience, and the
deti-rring them from disobedience, they consider and im-
prove (iod's arguments, the great and eternal rewards of
obedience, and the dreadful and eternal penalties of disobe-
dienee : and so to order their course, that they may attain
those blessed rewards, and escape those eternal punish-
ments. And here he does not impose an invincible neces-
ipon men's wills, but leaves men to their choice. He
commands them to obey: that is hilgOvArmng will. But if
will disobey, let them at their own peril. And this
commanding will of God, is that which self doth resist.
.-.ills and requires men to repent ; but they will not
repent. God requires men to be holy; but they will not
be hol\. God requires men to seek, and to work out,
their own salvation : but they will not, but set to. damning
their own MHI!S. God requires men to submit, not only
126 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
to his precepts, but to his disposal, whether to be rich or
poor, whether to be in honour or content, whether to be in
health or in sickness ; but they will do neither. They will
be, as far as they are able, their own lords and their own
carvers: they will obey themselves, and will shift for them-
selves : they will not be content it be with them as God will
have it. God would have them in all estates to be content :
this they will not be, but would have everything, and to
their own minds, whatever the will of God be.
There is in this self-will, Wickedness, or mischief;
and stiffness.
(i.) Wickedness. The things willed, and the willing of
them, are either materially or circumstantially wicked ; and
eventually they are pernicious and mischievous. What is
it, sinner, that thou wouldst have ? Why, I would have mine
ease, I would have my pleasure, I would have my liberty, 1
would have mine own way. Why, man, all this is nought
for thee. Thy ease, and thy pleasure, and thy carnal liberty,
they are all nought for thee. But who shall be judge
whether they be nought or no ? If self and sense may be
judge, these will say, It is all very good that I would have.
Is not ease good ? Are not pleasure and liberty good ? Are
pain and bondage good ? It is good that I have my
liberty, and my way. But if God may be judge, if reason
and conscience may be judge, those will tell thee, thy ease,
and thy carnal liberty, and carnal pleasures, are all nought
for thee : they are like to be thy bane, and thy ruin, and
everlasting undoing. But yet these are the things that their
wills are for.
(M.) Stiffness, or stubbornness. He is counted a self-
willed man that is stiff and stubborn, and will not be per-
suaded out of his own way: his heart is "set in him to do
evil." (Eccles. viii. 11.) His will is set upon evil, and he
is set upon his own will. You say it is nought to live in
ease and idleness ; you say, this carnal liberty, these carnal
pleasures, these sinful gains, are all nought for me. Well,
however, saith the self-willed heart, Be it good or evil, be
it right or wrong, it is that which I like, and is grateful to
me ; and therefore come what will, I must have it. I am
for my pleasures, and carnal contentments, however ; I am
I IONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 127
for my liberty, however ; I am for growing rich in this
world, lor a thriving prosperous state, however. Be
content to be poor and in disgrace, who will for me ; be
nt to come under the restraint and severe government
nsdence, who will for me : I am for my freedom to
do and live ns I list.
This now is the great controversy betwixt God and self,
whose will shall stand. God will have his will, and self
: have its will : and the heart is ever apt to side with
/ainst God. Sinners, learn to understand yourselves,
lentanee .' This is your own wilfulness. You have been
idcd to Christ, but you will not come ; you have
aaded back from your sins, but ye will not come
bac-k : you have been instructed in the way of life, but you
will not k-arn ; you have been taught and called upon
to become new men, to become serious Christians, but
you will not hearken; you have been pressed to give
yourselves to prayer, to study the Scriptures, to examine
your own hearts, to order your conversations according
to the (iospel, but you will not yield unto it : you will
walk after the flesh, you will be proud, you will be
ous, and carnal livers, and thus you spend out
: is it fit should have the govern-
ment nf you ' The will of God, or your own wills .' What
would be best for you in the end, to be subject to the law
Would you not s:-.y. This is a happy day for me; a blessed
. the Lord hath wrought upon me? Then hearken to
rd you have heard, and say the word once, I will
I id's ; and from henceforth he alone shall have
the government of me. You that will not, but will be
self-willed still, will be hardened in your way still, go
home and chew upon this thought, Whither will this
wilful hardrnc'l heart lead me at last ?
ii. In the conversion of a sinner, the power of self-will
is broken : the e mtroversy betwixt God and the sinner is'
f'.i-termined. The controversy is, whose will shall stand, .
the will of God, or the will of the llesh ' In conversion, the , .
sinner yields th.it God's will shall he thenceforth his law. >*
It was foretold of ChrUt. ::;. hi. that he should
bruise the serpent's head: the M-rnt'iil s head is his power
K
130 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
over man, and his head-quarters is the will of man. This
is his strong-hold : and in the conversion of a sinner, the
devil is beaten out of, and hath lost, his strong-hold: " The
weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through
God to the pulling down of strong-holds." (2 Cor. x. 4.)
The will of man, which is the great fort or strong-hold, is
{ so broken and pulled down, that,
(.) He is heartily willing to resign up to God, to his
/ will and government. He that before said, Not God's will,
- but mine own; can now say, Not my will, but the will of
the Lord be done. He that before said, I will not that
this man, that Christ, should reign over me; now says, I
will not that this flesh shall rule over me. " Thy people
shall be willing in the day of thy power." (Psalm ex. 3.)
The day of conversion is the day of God's power, wherein
the power of God's grace is revealed upon sinners' hearts :
in the day of this power sinners shall be willing. When
/ the power of grace hath conquered the power of nature,
1 the sinner shall yield and resign up to God, and be heartily
I content 'to be thenceforth under his rule and government.
This is the voice of converts, which was the voice of the
church : " Other lords beside thee have had dominion over
< us : but" now " by thee only will we make mention of thy name.
T They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they
. shall not rise" (Isa. xxvi. 13, 14.) The old lord is dead ; it
< is deceased, and shall never rise : sin shall no longer have
/ dominion over us ; the devil shall no longer ; will shall no
* i longer have the dominion over us : to thee, Lord, to thee
$ 7 only, do we resign up ourselves. I resign to the Lord ; I
. / subscribe to the Lord; I give the hand to the Almighty,
and put my neck under his yoke for ever : his I am, and
< < him alone will I serve. This is conversion, this breaking
., off from under the dominion of your own wills, and re-
^ t signing up to the will of the Lord.
7 (M.) He doth actually submit to, and obey, the will of
God. A convert doth not only say, I will submit, I will
obey ; but he doth submit, he doth obey. The old will may
be contending still for the government ; but the heart now
answers, as the men of Sodom to Lot, " Stand back, this
one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge."
; Rt'CTlONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 131
(Gen. xix. 9.) Stand back, Omy carnal will; stand back, this
stranger shall no longer be lord over me : I have lesigned
up myself to the Lord, and him will I obey. Yea, and
his will it doth obey. This is the will of God, that he
repent ; and the convert doth repent : this is the will of
God, that he be holy and harmless, that he walk in all
the commands of God blameless ; and this he sets his
heart to do. " 7'//f'God: yet in many particular cases, either upon the
mistakes in their opinions, or being overswayed by cor-
ruption, tlu-y are headstrong in their way, and will not be
turned hack. When they come to themselves, it is their
shame and affliction it should be so; yet too often so it
is. that, this self-willedness carries them on, even against
I and conscience.
It is true, when- this self-will does carry the main stroke
in the life. when- the ordinary course and way of the
rned by will, there is no conversion : but then-
is no convert but more or less does groan under the usur-
pation and tyranny of this self and flesh. You tha:
x _'
132 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
Christians would never have lived as sometimes you have
done, you would never have carried it as sometimes you
have, so much against judgment and counsel, and the most
serious advice, if will had not had too much power over
you. We should be, even all of us, more considerate and
deliberate in our goings ; we should be more easily intreated
and persuaded back from running headlong on in some of
those ways, which cost us sorrow afterwards, if this self-
willedness had not prevailed in us.
iv. Therefore there is a necessity that the heart be kept
under government. The government of the heart, is to
the same end, and of the same necessity, as the govern-
ment of a kingdom. The government of a kingdom, is to
be for the encouraging of the good, and for the terror and
suppression of the evil. (Romans xiii. 3.) To the same end
is the government of the heart : to foster, and cherish,
and maintain, and keep alive the good that is in it; and
to crush, and keep under, the evil that exists. If self-will
hath an evil root in the heart ; if this evil root be apt to
spring up, then is there necessity of governing the heart,
to keep it under.
To the governing the heart is necessary a double instru-
ment, a spur and a curb : a spur, to the good that is in
us, to quicken grace, and keep it in action ; a curb, to
that which is evil in us, to restrain and hold under cor-
ruption. These two instruments of government are, the
reward and punishment : the blessed reward will be a spur
to grace ; the punishment to come will be a curb to lust
and flesh. The eyeing these two great recompences of
reward glory and wrath, the holding the sense of that life
and death upon the heart, is a great part of our exercising
this government upon us. Thy self-will is such an obsti-
nate enemy, as nothing but fire and sword the fire of
divine indignation, and the sword of divine vengeance will
conquer and subdue it. There must be government, and
there must be severe penalties kept in sight, or there is no
good to be done. Friends, if ever you would conquer
this self-willedness, show it the fire, the rack, the gridiron,
the gibbet, the everlasting prison, that it is rushing and
hurrying you upon !
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
Si'lf-willedness is not only a kicking against the pricks,
hut a running upon the pikes of divine vengeance. Thou
art hrady, and wilful in thy way ; them art set upon thine
i.wn will : whatever thou likest, and art pleased with,
thou art so set upon, that there is no persuading thee
Hut he advised, take heed: if thou wilt be wilful, at
thy peril he it : look before thee, to the precipice, by
which this self-willedness is tumbling thee headlong down
into the everlasting pit. Whenever you feel will begin to
ri.M , and work, work against reason, work against con-
science, work towards iniquity and vanity; when you 'ml
this self-will getting up, lay hold upon the bridle, put on
the eurh, give check to it with all your might, look
towards the land of darkness, whither it is carrying thee?
When the fit is up, the wilful lit, (for though there be
an abiding habit of wilfulness in the heart, yet it comes
forth but by fits,) when the wilful fit is up, think,
Lord, what now I Whither is this wilful will driving me.'
What will be its fruits and wages ? What end am I like
to eo:iii- to, if this be my way? Stop, O my wretched
heart, strike sail! O, my obstinate will, take counsel ;
11 advised, and run not thus headlong upon thine
own ruin.
O hold up such government in your spirits, that your
s may be tractable, flexible, and pliable hearts : let
them be stiff, and last to the concernments of God, but
and easily withdrawn from the interest of self; stiff
against >.n. si. If :iirain -t temptation, resolute for holnu.v-.
Is thy will brought about for God, for religion, for con-
science .' Stand to it to the death ; never be persuaded
out of y.ur religion ; never be persuaded out of your con-
st-it uce, or conscientious walking : let your hearts be
resolved for the gre.\u >t strictness of religion; and he
strict and still' in such holy resolutions. But never again
t upon your own wills, your carnal wills. Here
pliable heart, IHMT to he persuaded i.ff fioin God,
. t., he per.Miadi (1 back from self and flesh. It i> |.i..-
1-a. \i. (i, ) that there shall be such .1 el..
.lit upon the ri-uuh, and furious, and raven.. u.> spm;>
of biniur.-, by the po\\er of Christ, that the vsolf, and the
134 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
leopard, and the lion shall be so tamed, " that a child may
lead them." They shall be so flexible and pliant, that
they may be easily led ; that the least intimation from
God, or from conscience, may bring them to anything ;
that when lust puts hardest upon them for sin, when self
presses most impetuously upon them for minding or pur-
suing its interest or will, a word from God, a suggestion
from conscience, may bring them about after the Lord :
that self may never be able to fortify them against con-
science ; but that conscience may with ease break the
bands, and loose the cords of self, and command them after
God, It was said of Caesar's soldiers, that where his
interest was concerned, they were more then men ; in their
own concernments, they were less than women. Let the
servants of Christ learn so much of the soldiers of Caesar :
let them be so true, so fast to the interest of Christ, and
to the religion of holiness, that they may be above the
spirit of a man ; and so the spirit of a Christian is above
the spirit of a man : but let them sit so loose from the
interest or the commands of self, that a woman, or a little
child, may bring them back from the pursuance of it ; that
such a word, from whatever mouth it comes, What is this
self, or this flesh, to thee, that thou so hearkenest to it, or
insistest so upon it ? Wilt thou obey thine adversary ?
Wilt thou cleave to thy mortal enemy ? Self is no better ;
it is the worst enemy thou hast : and wilt thou feed thine
enemy ? strengthen thine enemy ? fight for thy enemy ?
that such a word may be enough to countermand the will
of the flesh, and to bring the heart back from obeying its
strongest motions and lusts. This will be the blessed
fruit of a due heart-government, the defeating and sub-
duing of self-will, and the sweet and easy compliance of
the heart with, and its complacency in, the will of God : it
will be no hard thing for such a soul to say, Not my will,
but the will of the Lord be done.
(iii.) Self-love.
i. There is a self-love which is our duty. There is an
innate principle of love, planted by God himself in the
'.' nature of man, in his state of innocency. God hath made
all men living lovers of themselves, and he would have them
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 135
80. That word, " Thou shall love thy neighbour as thyself" \
evidenceth that, we must love ourselves. The fruits of this ^
*elf-love are. (/.) Self-preservation, (it.) Self- blessing,
(i.) Self-preservation, the securing ourselves from
lief, the saving ourselves from danger: " Save your-
from this generation." (Actsii. 40.) He that said, "Save <
yuii melees from this untoward generation," hath therein said
much more, Save yourselves from condemnation. To
save ourselves from sin, to save ourselves from wrath, to (
save our souls, is a great duty lying on every man in this ,
world : and this self-saving or self-preservation, our '
self-love will prompt and press us to. He that loveth
himself will save himself; he that duly loveth his soul,
will do what he can to save his soul. That men destroy x
and damn themselves ; that men neglect Christ the
author of salvation ; that men neglect religion and godli-
. and the way of salvation ; is for want of true love
to themselves. Sinners ! Christ is preached unto you, and
tendered to you ; and if you loved yourselves better, you
would love Christ, and accept of him. You are exhorted
to repentance, to godliness ; and if you loved your own
souls, you would repent and be holy. Thou art an hater '
of thyself, an enemy, a murderer of thine own soul, who S
art not a lover of Christ, and of religion, and of godliness.
What a brute art thou, O sinner ! yea, worse than a brute !
Thou canst love thy friends ; thou canst love thy wife, and y
thy child ; thou canst love thy companions ; yea, thou \
canst love thy sins, and thy lusts; but thou hast no love to -
thy soul. It is laid down as a mark of wicked persons,
among many others, " Without natural affection." (2 Tim.
iii. J5. ) l-'or a child to be without natural affection to his d
parents, for parents to be without natural affection to their /
child, for men to be strangers to their own flesh, without *
natural affection to their friends or relations, is a mark of {
a wicked man. What is it then for men to be without j
natural affection to their own souls ? Wilt thou say, thou ( f
1, when thou so sadly neglcctest thy soul; ( \
when thou takest no care for thy soul ; when for the love \
of thy lusts, and thy pie- .1 thy companions, thou
wilt damn thy soul >.
136 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
Sinners ! what have you done for your souls ever since
you were born ? You have done something for your flesh :
you have fed it, and clothed it, and wrought hard for it, to
secure a provision and maintenance for it : but what have
you done for your souls? What pains did you ever take
that it might be well with your souls ? What knowledge
have you obtained? What grace have you received? What
peace for your souls ? Have you gotten peace with God ?
Have you done anything toward reconciling your soul to
God? You know how little you have done. You have
laden sin upon your souls ; you have put guilt upon your
souls ; you have left them like the soul of a Laodicean, "poor,
and miserable, and blind, and naked!" (Rev. iii. 17.) That
soul within you is a miserable soul, a guilty soul, a blind
and hardened soul, a polluted, naked soul. It would make
your hearts ache, if you considered it, in what a woeful,
wretched case you have left your souls to this day. If you
have so much sense in you, think of it, and lay it sadly to
heart, what a miserable case you have left your souls in !
The reason of this is, because you are without love to your
souls : hence is it that you have had so little care concern-
ing your self-preservation.
(ii.) Self-blessing. There is a self-blessing, that is our
duty. Let him that " blesseth himself in the earth, bless
himself in the God of truth." (Isa. Ixv. 16.) He that loveth
himself will bless himself. There is a double self-blessing :
/ First. A seeking our own blessedness. Self-love will
prompt us to seek a happiness for ourselves ; not only to
save ourselves from misery, but to bring ourselves to bless-
edness. The blessedness which true self-love wisheth and
^ seeketh for itself, is in God, in the God of truth. He that
< truly loves his own soul, can be content with nothing less
than God, for the blessedness of it. No state, no inheritance,
no treasure, can satisfy him below heaven, and everlasting
glory. There is not a man of you that loves his soul, but
< is seeking glory, and honour, and immortality for it; he
is taking care, and taking pains, to get a place in heaven
for his soul ; to lay up treasure in heaven for it. Dost
thou love thyself, who dost not bless thyself, or seek a
blessing in God for thyself? Dost thou bless thyself in
MUTTIOSS VBOIT HEART-WORK. 137
htest God, who carest not for God, and who
refuscst the blessing of God, and this for the sake of thy
ml pleaMin-s { Sinner, lovest thou thyself? lovest
thou thine own soul ? O seek a blessing for it, a blessing
in (;<)d, a blessing in heaven for it.
Second. An enjoying and rejoicing in your own blessed-
ness. Loving ourselves aright, is part of the fruition and \
enjoying ourselves, as loving God is of the fruition of
(lod. No man that loves himself, but would enjoy himself,
and bless himself in the reflection on his own happiness.
And this is the self-blessing mentioned, Let him " bless
himself in the God of truth ;" that is, let him satisfy him-
self, let him comfort himself, let him enjoy and rejoice
over himself upon this account, that the God of truth is
his (Jod, and his happiness. Let him not bless himself in
the earth, that riches are his, that pleasures and honours ,
his, that he hath the world at will, but that the )
Lord God is his ; let him not cheer himself with the f
rich man's song, " Soul, take thine ease" thou mayest
i njny thyself, for " thou hast much goods laid up for many
years ;" (Luke xii. 19 ;) but let him take up the Psalmist's
song, "Return unto thy rest, O my soul: 1 ' (Psalm
; . 7:) herein thou mayest bless thyself, herein thou \
-t comfort thyself, " the Lord hath dealt bountifully
with tli, ,-."
Friends, you whose God is the Lord, you are the men
that may bless yourselves ; you are the men that may
enjoy yourselves : you may look into your hearts with
comfort ; you may look upon your state with joy : you
may bless yourselves that God hath given you such a
heart ; you may bless yourselves that God hath given you
such a portion. You that have an interest in God, and
this manifested by the image of God upon your hearts, you
may enjoy yourselves ami take comfort, as often as you \
look inward, and see the marks and the prints of divine '
grace stamped upon you ; your very love to yourselves
will make ymi to rejoice over yourselves, as often as you
view the blessed frame into which the goodness and grace of
: have brought ymi. Well, this self-love, with its fruits, t
self-prc.-crvation and self-blessing, is ( ur duty; and )
138 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
the Lord hath placed it in our hearts, on purpose to bring
us on upon all our other duties.
God makes great use of this innocent self-love, in his
' government of the world. God governs by laws, and laws
' govern by their rewards and punishments, and rewards and
punishments have their efficacy, by virtue of this love of
ourselves. What would laws signify, were there no rewards
to the obedient, nor penalties to the disobedient ? These
are the sinews and strength of law. And what would re-
wards and penalties signify to us, were we not lovers of
? / ourselves ? Our self-love prompts us to seek our good,
/ and to prevent our misery. As far as we love ourselves,
we desire our own happiness. It was self-love, that made
, those to say, " Who will show us any good ?" (Psalm iv. 6.)
/ It was the Psalmist's love to the church, that made him
\ say, " I will seek thy good;" (Psalm cxxii. 9 ;) and hence
fi it was that we endeavour the prevention of our ruin. Self-
\ . preservation is the fruit of self-love. Self-love is the first
j spring and motive to religion. It is true, when we come
to be religious indeed, there are higher motives ; the love
of God, the love of Christ, is the great argument to carry
us on in sound religion, when we come to be Christians.
\ t Then the main motive to Christianity is, that which Christ
/ used to Peter, to faithfulness in his ministry, " Lovest thou
me ? Feed my sheep. Lovest thou me ? Feed my lambs."
': (John xxi. 15.) " If ye love me, keep my commandments."
(John xiv. 15.) But the first motive to induce us to be
-, Christians, is this self-love. Lovest thou thyself? Then
/ give thyself to Christ. Lovest thou thy soul ? Then be a
Christian. Christ is the only way to blessedness. "He that
hath the Son, hath life ; and he that hath not the Son, hath
not life." (1 Johnv. 1, 2.) Christ is the only way to blessed-
ness, and the only security against misery, against ever-
lasting misery. " There is therefore now no condemnation to
f them which are in Christ." (Rom. viii. 1.) " There is none
other name under heaven given among men whereby we must
i ' be saved," saved from death, from eternal death, but the
I ) name of Jesus. (Acts iv. 12.) Now, when Christ says, " Come
unto me, and I will give you rest;" (Matt. ii. 28 ;) " Follow me,
and ye shall have treasure in heaven ;" (Mark x. 21 ;) " He
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART- WORK. 139
that is ashamed of me, of him will I be ashamed before my .
i\itluT tcfio i.s in heaven ;" the intent and meaning of all this (
is, if you love yourselves, come to me ; if you love your
. keep my commandments ; if ever you would, that those
snuls of yours should he happy souls, if you would not
that they should he lost, and burned, and drowned in ever-
lasting (Instruction, if you love your souls, and wish their
good and happiness, if you would not be your destroyers
and nmrdenrs, if you have so much love to your souls,
that you would they should be saved, and would not that
they 1)0 damned, then come unto Christ, be followers of
Christ : believe, repent, and obey the Gospel. If you love
yourselves, be holy; if you love yourselves, be heavenly-
minded ; if you love yourselves, be humble, be laborious,
be circumspect, and walk in all things as becometh the /
Gospel. By the way, I exhort you to improve and maintain >
your true self-love. I say not to you merely, Husbands, love i
your wives ; parents, love your children ; Christians, love I
one another ; but every one of you, love yourselves. If
you love yourselves, you will love God ; if you love your-
i will love Christ ; if you love yourselves, you \
will love godliness; if you love yourselves, you will be the
followers of God, the disciples of Christ, and will give
yourselves to live godly in Christ Jesus. See, therefore,
that you love yourselves, that your poor souls may grow
more dear to you. Be more zealous for the salvation of
your own souls, be more fearful of their damnation, be more
tender of wounding and wronging your souls. Take heed
of sin : " He that siniirth, jrroiiyt'tlt his own soul ; all they
flint hate me, love death." (Prov. viii. 36.) You that sin
again. -.t (i >d. ye wrong your own souls. Love your souls
better, and you will never be such proud livers, or such
worldlings, or sueh drunkards, or rioters; you would be
r, and serious, and rireinnspect : if you loved your-
I better, you would take heed of this lying, and these
or.ths, and this unrighteous dealing, of this hardness of heart
in your sins. You would fall upon your knees, you would
fall upon your faecs, and be a.-.hamed, and hrwail.and repent
of your sins, and return to the Lord from them all, had
you more of thi> true s. ll'-lovc within you.
140 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
Sinners, why come you not to Christ ? Why will you
not yet be persuaded to repent? Why, man, hast thou no
love to thyself? The Apostle tells us, " No man ever yet
hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it." (Eph.
v. 29.) He useth that word, to press husbands to love
their wives, who, says he, are their own flesh. Dost thou
not love thyself? What wouldest thou say of a man, that
doth not love his wife, but would play the tyrant and
tiger, brawling and snarling, yea, fighting and beating her?
You would say, This was a monster among men, rather
than a Christian ; worse than the very brutes, amongst
whom such conduct is seldom seen, that the male snarleth,
or biteth, or pusheth at the female. What then is he that
loveth not his own soul ? Lovest thou thyself? Lovest
thou thine own soul ? Then take heed of going on in thy
sins ; then take heed of standing it out against Christ. You
hear what a reward there is for the righteous ; you hear
what an inheritance Christ hath laid up for his saints, an
inheritance in light, life, love, joy, everlasting pleasure, and
everlasting glory : Christ would make those poor souls
blessed souls, joyful souls, glorious souls, partakers of the
everlasting riches of his glory and joy. But what, wilt
thou say, My soul shall have no part in it? My soul shall
never come there ; my lot shall never be with the saints,
but shall be without, amongst unbelievers, impenitents,
amongst dogs, and sorcerers, and idolaters ? In refusing to
come to Christ, to repent, and be made holy, thou sayest in
effect, My soul shall never come to heaven ! Let it to hell,
amongst dogs, and devils, and that vile and wicked gene-
ration of the damned. But, sinner, hast thou forgot that
thou art a man ? Art thou a monster of men ? Hast thou
lost all love to thyself, to thine own soul ? Dost thou neither
love nor pity thine own soul ? Wouldest thou that Christ
should ever love thee, when thou wilt not love thyself?
Wouldest thou that Christ should ever pity thee, when
thou wilt not pity thyself?
O sinners, love your own souls, pity your own souls, be
not so cruel and hard-hearted to yourselves. Will you,
for the love of your lusts, for the love of the world, sell
your souls to the devil, sell them to hell, to make faggots
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
141
for the everlasting burnings ? Where are your bowels ?
() pity, pity that poor blind and miserable soul of thine,
in- it to Christ for pity's sake: go on in thy evil
no longer, be a drunkard no longer, a worldling no
-.-, a liar, a scoffer no longer ; be no longer hardened
ir sins, but come away to Christ, and escape for your
1 1 you love yourselves, come ; if you have any pity
urs.'lves come ; let the dread of the cruelties of the
devil, bring you back from following him; and come you
in, and c ist yours Ives upon the blood, upon the bowels,
and comp !-;ion of Christ, who is such an High Priest, as
can have eompasoon vpon the ignorant, and those that are
out of the way, and even on the worst of sinners, that will
return to him. What shall I say more to you ? I will
speak but th" same words : Let everyone of you see, that
love himself, as Christ loved the Church, washing it,
and saving it by his blood. Love yourselves, and save
yourselves : lo\v yourselves, and bless yourselves in the
(Jod of truth. Do not bless yourselves in the earth, in
vour money, in your lands, in your carnal pleasures, in
carnal friends : these things are not, nor ever think
will bo, your blessedness. But bless yourselves in the
>f truth: bless yourselves in Jesus, whom God hath sent
to bless yon, " in turning away every one of you from his ini-
iii. 20.) Turn to Christ, and you shall be
d : h b--li -v -rs, and you slrtll be blessed : come in this
day. and let your names be written among the blessed of the
Lord : come every one of you, and put in your names
among the disciples of Christ. Let me be one, Lord ! let
me be another ! Write down my name for one among thy
disci;- a willing to be thine, and do solemnly cove-
nant, and this very ur names thus written in the Lamb's book, and he
will write it in hea\ . n : there it will be found in the l; t st day,
written in the b ><>k of life. This do, and then you that
hive hem hitherto the haters, and v irul cruel,
142 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
will henceforth appear to he the lovers of your own
souls.
ii. There is a sinful self-love. This is the great heart-
idolatry, and the root of all rebellion and disobedience to
God. Here I shall show you,
('.) What this sinful self-love is.
First. It is a love of mistaken self, of carnal-self ; a love
of the flesh, and its affections and lusts ; a love of that flesh
which Christ would have us hate and deny. (Matt. xvi.
24.) "Himself,'" that is, his flesh, or carnal self. Men are
mistaken in themselves, and count that to be their self which
is not their self. As Christ said to the woman of Samaria,
concerning her husband, " He whom thou now hast, is not
thine husband;" (John iv. 18 ;) so may it be said, to sin-
ners, That which thou takest for thyself, is not thyself;
this flesh which thou takest for thyself, and lovest as
thyself, is not thyself. You that love your flesh, you love
your enemy ; you that please your flesh, you are pleasing
your enemy ; you that are working for your flesh, pro-
viding for your flesh, and pampering your flesh, you are
working for and feeding your enemy ; you count you are
seeking and working for yourself: no, it is for your
enemy ! This flesh is your mortal enemy. Now this is
one sort of sinful self-love, when we love our flesh, or our
corruptions ; when we love ourselves, as fleshly-minded
men ; when we love to please, and provide for, and satisfy
our fleshly minds ; when we foster and cherish this flesh.
Second. An inordinate love of ourselves natural ; when
we love that which is ourselves, more or otherwise than we
ought to love it. Our natural selves, our bodies and our
souls, are to be loved, ut supra. We ought to love our-
selves ; not our souls only, but our bodies also : and so to
love them as to seek the good and well-being of ourselves ;
not only our eternal but our temporal well-being. We may
love our ease, and our freedom from pain ; we may love
our credit, and our freedom from reproach and disgrace ;
we may love our maintenance and freedom from want ; yea,
we may love our beauty and comeliness, and freedom from
deformity ; and we may so love as to maintain and provide
for ourselves in all these respects, to maintain ourselves in
1NSTRVCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 143
health, to preserve ourselves from temporal misery, to provide
for our temporal necessities; but now our sinful self-love is,
when we love ourselves more or otherwise than we should.
rst. ) When we love ourselves more than God. When
\e ourselves to the neglect of God: as Christ said,"//e
that loveth father or mother more than me; he that loveth son or
daughter more than me ;" (Matt. x. 37 ;) so may it be said,
He that loveth himself, his own flesh, his own life, more than
me, " i* not worthy of me." Much more, when our self-
love makes an abatement of our love to God ; when self is
loved so much, that God is loved the less ; when the more
self is minded or cared for, by so much the less God is re-
garded. (Second.) When we love self, as separated from
(iod, or otherwise than in subordination to God; when
our love determines in self, and rises no higher. Every man
should love himself; but it must be for the sake of God, whose
at he is, and whose image he bears. (Third.) When
we love ourselves to the prejudice of the love of our neigh-
bour. The word is, " Thou shall love thy neighbour as thy-
self ;" thou shalt love thyself, but so as it may not hinder
thee from loving thy neighbour. When self monopolizes
our love ; when our love, which should be a common, is an
-ure, and is impropriated and confined to ourselves ;
when we so intensely love ourselves, that we love nobody
else, or care for nobody else, or at least love not others so
much as we should ; when we care not whom we displease,
go we may but please ourselves ; when we care not whom
we neglect, so we may provide for ourselves ; when we care
not how it be with others, let them be in sickness, let
them be in want, let them starve, let them die, we care
not how it be with them, so it be but well with ourselves ;
when our self-love is only for the advancing of self-in-
:, and will invade and encroach upon, and wrong the
interest of others, when we can thereby advance our own.
hese things together, and therein you may see what
sinful self-love is, a love of mistaken self, or an inordinate
love of our natural self.
( //'. i That sinful self-love is the great heart-idolatry, and
the root of all rebellion and disobedience to God.
l-'ir^t. It is the great heart-idolatry. Whatever we love
144 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
more than God, we make it a God ; yea, when we love
any thing equal with God, or in separation from God, and
not in subordination to God. If we love ourselves only for
ourselves, we therein deny the God which is above : as he
that loves riches only for riches' sake, as he that loves his
meat and drink only for the pleasure he hath in eating
and drinking ; so he that loves himself, only for the sake
of self, is an idolater. Whatever we make our main object,
^we make our God : therefore, as the Apostle, " Whether
ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do," so whatever ye love
or regard, or desire, let it be all, let it be only, for " thr
/glory of God." (1 Cor. x. 31.) " To him are all things:''
{ < (Rom. xi. 36 ;) by him they were made, and to him they
S must be directed. O beloved, what an idolatrous piece
is the heart of man become ! O what an idolatrous heart
is there then in every one of us ! Is self-love idolatry ?
1 Then who of us can be free from this charge of idolatry ?
We have every one of us more or less set up this idol, self,
in our hearts. Do we not love mistaken self, our sinful
flesh ? Do not our hearts go out after our covetousness, our
carnal ease, our carnal pleasures ? Do we not love that
carnal self, which should be denied, which should be mor-
tified and crucified ? Do none of us so love, as to cherish
our flesh, and make provision for the flesh ? Thou hast a
proud heart, and dost thou not maintain and keep up that
^ I , self-esteem ? Thoti hast a covetous heart, and dost not
\ thou nourish and feed thy covetousness ? Thou hast a
lust after thy carnal pleasure and liberty, and thou in-
dulgest it all thou canst : thou lovest to be high, thou
/ lovest to be rich, thou lovest thy pleasure and thy liberty ;
these things thou lovest, and dost thou not love them more
than God ? The more thou lustest after these things, and
the more thou hast of them, is not God so much less loved
{ and regarded ? Dost thou not know, that if thou hadst
/ checked and crossed that proud mind, if thou hadst denied
that covetous heart, the Lord God should have had more
. of thy regard, more of thy love, than now he hath ? Do
you not think you should have loved God better, if you
had loved the world less, or your ease or your appetite
less ? JJehold, these things have broken in and encroached
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 145
upon God's right, have carried away God's due ; this self, <
for whnse sake all these are loved, this self hath stolen
into tlu; In-art, and carried it away after it.
O what a woeful thing is it, that it should be said of
any professor of religion, that this should be said of them,
It wire well for these men, or at least better than it is with
them, if they loved God but as well as they love their
lli-sh ; if they served God as heartily as they serve their
nsness ; if they were set upon the pleasing of God
as much as they are set upon pleasing their appetites ; if
they \vi-re delighted in God as much as they are delighted
in the world : if they could find as much pleasure in the
meditation of God, and exercises of religion, as in the
business of this life ! Thou knowest it is not thus with
thee : thou dost not love and delight thyself in God, as
thou lovest and delightest thyself in this earth and flesh.
Is communion with God, is communing with thy own
heart about the things of God ; is conversing with God
in prayer, in holy contemplation and meditation ; is the
^ing thy faith in God, thy hope on God ; and thy
looking into the Gospel of God, and searching out and
feeding upon the blood and bowels, and unsearchable
laid up in Christ ; is the exercising thyself in
these things, as great a pleasure to thee, and dost thou find
,it a delight in them, as thou findest in eating and
drinking, in buying and selling, and getting gain ? Dost x
thou love to be praying or to be praising the Lord, as thou (
;o be gaining money ? Dost thou love to be sending
thine heart to heaven, and there to solace it in the thoughts '
and j.;ys of the Lord, as thou lovest to be thinking of thy
corn, or thy cattle, or thy income by thy trade ? Thou
knowest thou dost not. Canst thou say, with the Psalmist,
"How ainialile an- thy tabernacles, () Lord! .I/// soul ;
'//, yea. ereti fainteth for the courts of tin- Lord : my
llexh crirth nut for the licinij d'oil. .1 day in
thi/coiirtx u better than a <6o*aiu4;"(PtalinlxaauT. 1.2,10;)
a door in thine house, is better than all the dwellings of the
world: Lord, lift up thy countenance upon me, and that
shall put more gladness into mine heart, tlu-n when their
corn and wine increased. Let the corn and tlu- wine be
146 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
I whose it will, so that the Lord God will be mine ; let
this world go cross, and frown upon me as it will, so that ;
the face and countenance of God do but shine upon me ;
let me be poor, rather than a stranger from God ; let me ,'
want a house, or want money, or want bread, rather than
want the presence of God ! Canst thou say so, heartily say
so ? Thou knowest that thou canst not : the good things
of the earth, the riches and the pleasures of the earth, are
the riches thou lovest, and the pleasures thou lovest ; and
thou couldest be content to be straitened in the Lord, so
that thou mightest abound in these carnal things. Is it
so with thee ? O what a heart hast thou ? What dost
thou think of thyself ? Art not thou an idolater ? a lover
of money, more than a lover of God ; a lover of pleasures,
more than a lover of God ; a lover of thyself, and flesh, more
than a lover of God ? And yet, art thou not an idolater ?
Doth thine heart go whoring after thine idols; run away
from God after thy money ; run away from God after thy
pleasures ; run away from God after thyself and flesh,
and yet not an idolater ? Art thou an idolater then, an
idolatrous Christian, an idolatrous professor ? O, how is
it that such a thought does not fill thy face with shame,
and set thy soul weeping, and cause trembling and
astonishment to take hold upon thee ! What, friends, is
it nothing with you to be idolaters ! to have idolatrous
hearts, whoring hearts, whoring from God, and whoring
after your flesh and the lusts thereof? Sure, friends, it
would make the best of our hearts to ache, if we were
sensible how much of this idolatry were to be found in
every one of us : and many of us, 1 fear, it would convince
that they are idolaters to so high a degree that there is
nothing of true and real love to God in them.
/ Second. It is the root of all rebellion and disobedience.
Self-love (2 Tim. iii. 2) is put in the head of a black troop of
^ lusts and wickednesses. Men shall be lovers of themselves :
e there is the ring-leader: and what follows? Behold, a troop
l cometh: covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobe-
'dient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural
/ affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce,
Sdespisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 117
minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. What i
:mnt of sins is here, led on by self-love! Observe)
it, lovers of themselves lead the van, and lovers of plea-
!>riiiu r up the rear.
1 1 art-sins are root-sins, and self-love is the root of
these roots. Pride is the root of contention ; malice is the ,
t' revenge ; covetousness is the root of oppression ; and
self-love is the root of them all. The Apostle says, " The ((
<>f money is the root of all evil ;" (1 Tim. vi. 10;) and/ .
self-love is the root of the love of money. That you may /
know what a mischievous evil this heart-sin of self-love (f \
is. and how pregnant of all other wickedness, consider that
it is, (First,) The rot of all religion. (Second.) The root
of all unrighteousness and unmercifulness. (Third.) Th-
ru >t of all sinful brawls and quarrels. (Fourth.) The root \
of sinful self-seeking.
(First.) It is the rot of all religion ; that is, where it is
predominant, and carries the main stroke in our religion. It
i^ the rottenness of the heart, under all its most specious >
pretences or performances. All sincere religion ^
is animated by the love of God : the love of God is the \
soul of religion. If there be no love to God in our pro-
n of religion, if no love to God in our practices of piety,
if no love to God in our prayers, no love to God in our fast- .'
ings and alms, all our religion is rotten at heart: self-love, .
whieli is its niily root, is its rottenness. Self-love will,
l-'irst. Limit our religion. It will limit it by self-interest.
No more, and no other religion will it allow, than will
serve our carnal turns ; no farther may we go in it, than
will consist with this love of ourselves. Whatever part or
exercise of religion will pinch upon the flesh, the self-
denying part, the self-abating part, the flesh-mortifying
part of religion, unless it be to some further ends, self-
.111 never bear it. So much professing, so much
praying and hearing, as will consist with our ease and our
safety, as will not put us to too much pains, or expose us
to too much danger and reproach ; so much religion, as
will not hold us in too strictly, and severely, and closely;
M-lf-love \\ill hear it : but wh ke of Christ wrings
and galls, there it must be thrown ofl".
i. ->
148 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
Second. It will corrupt our religion, and turn it into hypo-
crisy. Selfish professors are hypocrites, and all their re-
ligion is hypocrisy, and hypocrisy is the rottenness of the
heart. You that are professors, see to it that ye be not
self-loving professors : if ye "be, whatever there be in your
tongues, or your looks, or your religious performances,
you are rotten at the core, rotten in your hearts. It is
love to God, wherein our sincerity lies : self-love is our
hypocrisy, and where this rotten self-love hath tainted your
hearts, your hearts will taint and corrupt all your duties,
it will pervert and corrupt all that ever you do, and turn
it into quite another thing. Your religion is no religion;
your Christianity is no Christianity ; your praying is no
praying ; your spirituality is but fleshliness ; your
neavenly-mindedness is but earthiness ; your seeming
fruitfulness is but emptiness and barrenness : " Israel is an
empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself.''' (Hos. x. 1.)
Israel seemed to be a fruitful vine, that had her clusters
upon it. There were clusters of prayers, and clusters of
sacrifices, and clusters of alms. Israel had their fruits,
and yet they were but a barren and empty vine. How
so ? Why, whatever fruits they had, they were all brought
forth to self : self brought them forth, and self eat them
up : there was nothing for God : Israel was an empty vine
to him, her fruits were to themselves. Friends, would you
not be rejected for barren empty vines, for false-hearted
and rotten professors ? Would you not be found rotten
at the core ? See that it be the love of God, and not this)/ ,
self-love, lying at the bottom, at the root of your religion. Si '
(Second.) It is the root of all unrighteousness and unmer- "
cifulness to men. Self-love will never learn that lesson, to
do to others as it would be done by : it will catch all it can,
and keep all it has : self must be advanced, self must be
enriched, whoever be ruined by it : all manner of frauds and
deceits ; all manner of oppressions and wrongs ; all men's
underminings, all men's over-reachings of their neighbours,
all men's falsehoods in their words ; their promise-break-
ings, their lyings ; all their falsehood in their dealings, in
their tradings, in their deceitful words, in their deceitful
weights and measures; all this unrighteousness, it is
I RUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. I 11)
their self-love that puts them upon it. So they may get
1'nr t!i . :iiid enrich themselves, how wicked soever
tlu- means or ways be to it, they care not who be impove-
rished or ruined. And where self will not sufferipen to
l>e ri^hti-ous, it will less suffer them to be merciful : what
they arc- so much for getting, they will be but little for
iriving: the hunger and nakedness, the pinching and
pining, ;md even starving, of so many poor amongst us ;
the short alms they can get, and that little, that it is so
hardly come by; the failing of compassions, the shutting
up of bowels against those that are in need, this is all
from self-love. I shall need it for myself, I need it for
mine own, I cannot spare it: that is often the word, that
must go instead of an alms.
(Third.) It is the root of all brawls, and quarrels, and con-
tentions in the world. Whence are there such multitudes of
troublesome lawsuits { What are they, but the contending
of self with self? One says, It is mine own, and I will have
it, whatever it cost me: another says, It is not thine, but
mine, and I will have it. This meum and tuum, how hath
i he world together by the ears ! Not that there is
unrighteousness in all suits at law ; the love of God may
sometimes put men to make use of the law of man ; but
iho-e unjust or unreasonable eontendings about trifles, or
for that which is none of their own, in hope by their might
or their money to rob the poor of their right, these are
pernicious quarrels, and it is self that sets them on,
urth.) It is the root of self-seeking. Holy self-love
is the root of holy self-seeking. As the love of God is the root
of seeking God, so sinful self-love is the root of all sinful
.iiiir: and sinful self-seeking, is contrary to the
seeking of God. The love of God is the root of our seeking
AO love of God, and seeking God are
put both together in one promise : "/ love them that lort
nn\ and tlnme thai \r<7; me early .shall find me" (Prov. viii.
17.) " It'ith mi/ s/nil Itarc I desired tftee." There is tl:
and what follow-, .' " II' if It ///// spirit tritliin im- trill I
seek thee early." < U;i. \\vi. '.. - The love of (Jod will set ',
< >d. It is in vain that thoti sayot, 1 love
>. I seek God; and the love
150
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
of self will put us on self-seeking : and this sinful self-
seeking is ever contrary to the seeking of God, " All seek
their own, not the things that are Jesus Christ's." (Phil. ii.
21.) All seek their own things, that is, their own carnal
things ; and those that thus seek their own, seek not the
things of Christ. There is this difference betwixt self-love
and the love of God, self-love divides interests : self stands
single, and hath a separate and divided interest : that is
the interest of self, which is the interest of none else ; and
self-love in seeking its own interest, seeks the interest of
none else, neither of Christ nor of men. The love of God
unites interests : he that loves God, the things of God
and his own things, are the same : he counts nothing his
own, but those that are also the things of God; and when
he is seeking God, he is then most seeking his own. God
is his own, and he counts nothing his own, but what is
also the Lord's. When he seeks God, he therein seeks his
own ; and where he seeks his own, he therein seeks God.
His soul is his own, and the interest and prosperity of the ,
soul, these are the things of God. It is the love of the
brethren unites our interest with the interest of the saints ;
it is the interest of the whole body, that is the interest of ;
every member ; all the saints have the same common in- ;
terest : so the love of Christ unites the interest of every
member with the interest of the head ; the love of God
makes the things of God our own ; and the love of the .
saints makes the things of the church to be also our own.
It is betwixt Christ and Christians, and betwixt Christians
one toward another, as it was betwixt the primitive
Christians, they have all things common : " None said
of aught that he possessed, that it was I/is own, but they
had all things common." (Acts iv. 32.) Not but that
Christians have a real property in their own estates, by
virtue of which civil right their estates are so their
own as that they are not another's ; but yet, by virtue of
the community of interests, what one man hath, should
be, as there is occasion, to the benefit of the community.
And whence was this ? The love of God had united their
interests ; and the multitude of them that believed, were
knit together by that love as one man : they were of " one
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 151
' heart and of one soul." There is no meum and ft/urn, thine
and mini-, betwixt Christ and his saints; but all is mine :
" I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine." (Cant. ii.
17.) We are not our own, say believers, we are thine:
ami I am not mine own, says Christ, I am yours, and that
I have is yours. " Tell my brethren, I go to my Father,
and your rather; to my God, and your God." (John xx.
17.) My Father is yours, my God is your God, all I \
have is yours. I am yours ; my blood and my bowels are
yours; my stripes, my wounds, and my righteousness, and \
my inheritance are yours. " Whether Paul, or Apollos, or
':as, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or^ I
to runic, all are yours; and ye are Christ's ; and Christ
is God's." (1 Cor. iii. 22, 23.) My ministers are yours;
mine ordinances are yours ; my possessions are yours ; 1
things present, and things to come. If I have any right )
in this world, " the earth is the Lord's and the fulness '
thereof;" if I have anything in the world to come, the ,
[everlasting crown, the everlasting mansions, all are yours, ^
and ye are mine, and I am God's. Thus Christ's love to
Christians caustth him to say to them, I am yours, and
. all that I have. So the love of Christians to Christ helps
S them to say, Lord, we are thine; and all we have are
thine : not only our sins are thine, our infirmities are
thine : but our parts and our possessions, our graces and
our duties ; yea, our houses and our lands, and our po
sessions, all are thine.
Christians, we have been called together this day to a
communion of love, and thereby to an espousal of interests
betwixt Christ and us : we have received the pledges of
his love, his bread and his wine ; he hath given us to eat
and to drink, as the tokens he hath sent us down from
heaven of his love. I have brought tokens to every one
of you, from the Lord this day, tokens of his love. We
have received the pledges of his love, and we have re-
turned the pledges of our love to him : our very accepting
of Christ's token, hath been our returning of our tokens.
Your communion together to eat of Christ's bread, and to
drink of his cup, (provided it hath been in sincerity a
spiritual eating, and a spiritual drinking,) your eating and
152 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
drinking his body and blood, Christ hath accepted, as a
token of your love ; and this communion of love hath
been an espousal of interests. Christ hath hereby told you, '
" Because I love you, I will be yours ;" and all that I have
in heaven and in earth, you may henceforth call your own.
I am your own J.esus : my Father is your own Father, and
my God is your own God ; and mine inheritance is your
own inheritance. And you have said, if you have sin-
cerely accepted of Christ, We are thine own, thine own
flock ; thine own inheritance ; thy ransomed ones ; thy
redeemed ones, and thy peculiar people. This hath
been the upshot of the transaction betwixt Christ and you
this day, the sealing to this word, " / am my beloved's,
and my beloved is mine."
And as there hath been an interchangeable communion
of love, and espousal of interest, betwixt Christ and Christ-
ians, so also betwixt Christians and Christians. As we
have said to our Lord, I am thine ; so we have therein said
one to another, I am yours : and must therefore walk in
that tenderness of love ; in that dearness of affection one
to another ; in that mutual care of each other's good ;
in that mutual sense of each other's afflictions ; in that
mutual delight in each other's societies ; in that mutual
helping, and counselling, and comforting one another, and
hearty seeking and rejoicing in each other's good ; study-
ing to please each other for his good to edification ; fearing
to grieve, or offend, or wrong, or fall out with, or quarrel
one with another ; counting the interest of every Christian
to be the common interest of the whole body ; that we
hereby may prove, that we love one another, " not in
word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth."
This now is the nature, and these are the fruits, of divine
love, it will unite hearts, and unite interests. This will be
the interest of Christians, which will flow from the love of
Christ, that Christ's interests prosper in the world ; that
the name of Christ be exalted, and be honourable, both in
themselves and in the world ; that Christ be loved, that
Christ be praised ; that the word of Christ, the worship of
Christ, his Sabbaths, his ordinances, be exalted in the
world ; that the glory and holy image of Christ, his
INSTRUCTION'S ABOUT HEART-WORK. 1 ">'*
humility, meekness, lowliness, heavenliness, righteousness,
mercy, may shine forth in our faces, and in the faces and
f all his saints ; that we may in our particulars, and
jointly, show forth the spirit and life of serious and power-
ful religion and godliness, in all manner of holy conver-
sation. This we should account our interest with respect to
Christ, that he may be thus honoured and obeyed : and
this will be the interest of Christians with respect to
Christians, that we may see one another, the whole vine-
yard, flourishing in the power of holiness, as living and
lively instances of the grace of God ; and, as far as the
Lord see it good, may see one another prospering in this
world, even as our souls do prosper.
O Christians, espouse this common interest, and do -\
what you can to promote it in the world ! Love Christ, / .
and lilt up the name of Christ; love Christ, and show forth 1 y
the image of Christ ; love Christ, and consecrate your life
to Christ. Determine to know nothing, to value nothing, / /
to rejoice in nothing, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified. <
And then, love one another, and study to please one another ;
to profit one another, for their good to edification ; to cast / {
in your lot together; to rejoice together with them that ' .
rejoice, to grieve with them that suffer ; to live together in \ .
:orhearing one another, forgiving one another, com- 4
lorting one another, even as you yourselves would be loved, } 1
forgiven, and comforted of God. This is the nature and .> ^
the fruit of divine love, it unites interests. But self-love, .
sinful self-love, divides interests : and so those that seek th
things ot 'sell', their carnal things, seek not the things of Christ.
Hi. Sinful self-love hath a root remaining in the best
. < \m of the regenerate. Though, in conversion, self
hath lost the dominion, and be cast down from the throne,
yet is there a secn.-t tabernacle, a corner in the heart, where
it fortifies itself, and is .still aspiring to recover the throne
it hath lost. The dominion it yet retains, in some degree,
with an interest in the affection : and by this alfection it
hath the advantage of us, and often recovers too great a
command. How threat a power sinful self-love hath still
in us, the experience ot Christians sadly proves ; for the
clearing whereof, consider yet again more distinctly, that
!
154 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
there is, as hath been already hinted, a threefold self-love,
and accordingly a threefold self-seeking.
f (i.) There is a loving or seeking ourselves, in conjunction
with God, and in subordination to him. This is a loving
or seeking self spiritually ; a loving or seeking of self as
Christians, as the servants of God, and members of Christ;
'.. as clothed with the image, devoted to the service, and
\ aspiring to the salvation of God. This self-loving and
self-seeking is our duty and our excellency. The interest
of self- spiritual, and the interest of God, are a conjoined
) interest ; only the interest of self is lower, and subordinate
to the interest of God. When we thus seek ourselves
our spiritual and eternal good, we are therein most effec-
tually seeking God : we cannot more effectually seek God
than in seeking our own salvation. Those that seek glory,
honour, and immortality, for themselves, do therein seek
the glory and honour of the immortal God ; thereby de-
claring that they prize and value the Lord, as their chief,
nay, their only good. He that, neglecting these lower
' things, doth seek God as his only happiness, doth therein
take the crown from off the head of all his idols, and set it
where it ought to be, on the head of the Most High. By
our seeking of God above all, we thereby evidently declare,
that we prize him and honour him above all. Our thus
seeking God, is trampling into dirt all those idols, the
* vanities of the world, which stood in competition with God.
(if.) There is a loving and seeking ourselves in separation
I from God. This is our loving and seeking self-natural,
\ the good of our persons, our bodies, and souls, without con-
sidering them as bearing a respect to God. Our seeking
our well-being as mere men ; our bodily well-being, our
health, and strength, and natural activity ; the well-being
or perfecting our souls ; our seeking wisdom, and know-
ledge, and learning, &c. : these things are all good, and
worth our seeking, in their place. Our bodily health and
strength are good ; wisdom, and knowledge, and learning
, are good ; health is better than sickness, strength than
v, weakness ; wisdom is better than folly, and knowledge
than ignorance : he hath more of the excellency of a man,
who is a learned man, than he that is but an idiot. But
; RUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 155
now the seeking these good things, as separate from
God, the seeking health, and not for God; the seek-
ing strength, and not for God ; the seeking wisdom and
learning, and not for God ; this is a sinful self-seeking.
As the Lord spake, " Let not the wise man glory in his
window, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let I
not the rich man (/lory in his riches: but let him that glori- (
eth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me."
(Jer. ix. 23, 24.) So may it be said, Let not this might {
ught, this wisdom be sought, but in order to the un-
derstanding, knowing, and serving of me. Those that seek ^ ^
only lawful things for themselves, and in lawful and honest
: that seek health and strength, that seek estates, C
that seek wisdom and knowledge, and all these in lawful
and honest ways ; yet, if they seek these good things, these { /
lawful things, only for themselves, and not with respect
to God ; if they seek not God in seeking their health and ^
estates, if they do not seek God in their seeking wisdom .
and understanding, this is a sinful and idolatrous self- j
seeking. It may be, thou mayest not be an epicure, or
a drunkard, or a glutton : in thy eating and drinking thou
art sober and temperate, and eatest only for thy health.
It may be, thou mayest not be unjust, or an oppressor, in /
seeking an estate for thyself; yet for all this, thou mayest /
be an idolater, and an idolater thou art, if thou seekest any
of these things for thyself, and not for God.
( Hi. ) There is a loving or seekingoi ourselves, in oppo-
sition to God : a seeking self-carnal. It is true, seeking
ourselves in separation, is seeking ourselves in opposition
to God ; but this seeking self-carnal is in a higher and
more direct opposition to God. Self-carnal is an enemy
to God ; and seeking self thus, is the maintaining and
cherishing that enmity. He that inordinately seeks his ease,
or the satisfaction of his appetite and senses, does what he
ran to feed and pamper that enemy, his flesh, that it may
vax wanton and headstrong, and kick against God.
. however, every convert hath decreed, and deter-
mined to seek himself, only in conjunction and subordi-
nation to (iod; to seek himself in the Lord and for the
Lord; \et this sinful self-love hath a root remaining in
156 INSTRUCTION'S ABOUT HEART-WORK.
him, which will be putting forth in sinful self-seeking.
That word, "All seek their own" (Phil. ii. 21,) was spoken
of Christians ; there were such declining and such cor-
ruptions in the churches, in the very hearts of professors,
as unhappily engaged them in this self-seeking. "All"
that is, the most : it was a too general disease : there were
many sick of it. " And not the things of Christ;" that is,
not so heartily, not so zealously, not so naturally, as it
was said of Timothy. "He did naturally care for the things
and state of the church, and of God ;" (Phil. ii. 20 ;) but,
says the Apostle, however it was with him, " / have no man
like-minded." I find few Timothies among you. Whilst
he is seeking the things of Christ, most of you are seeking
your own things, and not the things of Christ. How much
of this self-love, and self-seeking, is to be found amongst
Christians, we have sad experience enough to prove. We
need not go to Scripture for proof: we find too evident
proof in our own hearts and lives. If we have not totally
gone back from Christ to self, yet have we not suffered
this idol to divide with Christ ? O let us inquire a little :
First. Do we seek ourselves and our own interests, only in
conjunction with Christ, and in subordination to Christ f .
Do we count nothing our own things, but what are the
things of Christ ? Have we heartily espoused the interest
of Christ, as our own interest ? Do we seek nothing in
this world so, but that we can truly call it seeking of
Christ ? Do we seek our health, and our estates, and our
safety, as the servants of Christ? Can we call our labouring
in our callings, our aiming at thriving and prosperity in
our affairs, can we call this, and call it truly so, our serving
Christ ? If we would have health and strength, is it for
Christ we would have it ? If we would have estates in the
world and be rich, is it for the sake of Christ that we would
be rich, that we may "honour the Lord with our sub-
stance ?" (Prov. iii. 9.) Do we mark up all we can get,
and all we have ; do we mark it up for Christ ? Is there
holiness to the Lord written upon all our houses and
possessions ? This house is the Lord's, and these lands
are the Lord's : it is for him I have gotten them, and for
him I will use them.
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 157
i nd. Do we not rather seek these things in separation
iroind'id.' Seek them for themselves, for the love we ha veto
them. lor tin- sake of self, to whose service we devote them ?
Do v. k those things, with the neglect of Christ ?
Is nut Christ sought the less, and the more grieved for, that
tlu- world is sought so much? Is not Christ the less minded,
the less i.ived, the more seldom thought on hy this means?
:mt our thriftines.8 and good husbandry for the world ;
our eating and feeding upon, our taking the pleasure of
what we have here ; does not this make an abatement upon
our Christianity .' Do we not loose much of the life, and
Spirit, and soul of Christianity, in our carnal things and
delights .' Do we not so bless ourselves in this earth, that
we so much the less bless ourselves in Christ, or in the
f truth .' Christians, pray consider it: how do ye find
Hath not this selfishness and earthliness spoiled you
for Christians { Of how many men's prospering in the
world, of how many men's labouring for the world, may it
be said, This is the fruit of these labours, this is the fruit
of this prosperity, it hath even spoiled a good Christian :
he hath lost his love, and lost his life, and lost his zeal for
in his loving, and caring, and good husbandry for
hinis y (. .nsider, if this be none of your cases;
and if this be not a sad case, and whether you can take
omfort in it or no ? Had not those hearts need to be
looked to. that have thus gone a whoring, (it is no better,)
that have gone a whoring from Christ, after the world i
erncd that heart of thine well, which thou
-tillered thus to play the harlot ? Hast thou not need
of looking hitter to it? Christians, do you not see you
had need to be more watchful over your hearts, and to
hold them in, under a closer and severer restraint, than
you have hitherto done ? ,
in, if you do not see how far sinful self-love hath
:iled in you al).i\v the love of God, consider further,
t'..r ennvietion :
Do you love them that love God, as you i
them that love yourselves .' Th'-iv is scarce any man that
> ill natnred, hut will love those tli-it love himself:
"lln tin- jnthlicuns tin- MUM/" 'Matt. v. 46.)
158 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
They love those that love them, and are beneficial to them.
But do you love those that love God, as you love those
that love yourselves ? Those that are loving, and kind,
and friendly to you, you will love them, whether they love
God or no ; and do you find that those that love God, you
can love them, whether they love you or no ? If they
should any of them be unkind and unfriendly to you, yet
can you love them, because they love God ? If not, if you
can love them that love you, though they do not love God,
and cannot love them who love God, in case they do not
love you, what think you ? Is not this an evidence, that this
self-love hath greater power in you, than the love of God ?
(Second. ) Are you angry with those that offend God, as you
are with those that offend yourselves? The Psalmist could
say, " Do not I hate them that hate thee ? Am not I grieved
with those that rise up against thee ? Yea, I hate them u'ith
a perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies." (Psalm
cxxxix. 21, 22.) Can you say so? I am angry with them
that are angry with thee ; I am grieved at them that sin
against God ; those that are his enemies, I count them
mine enemies. Those that wrong ourselves, and offend
ourselves ; that wrong us in oxir names, by traducing, back-
biting, or slandering of us ; that wrong us of our right, by
fraud or oppression ; that do but speak an angry or unkind
word to us, how quickly does the fire kindle ! We are
too hot and touchy, when self is concerned ; but are we
grieved, are we offended, at those that sin against God,
yea, even though they be never so kind to ourselves ? Can
we not wink at sin in our friends, can we not palliate and
excuse it, and hide our eyes from the sins of them whom
we love, and upon whose kindness and friendship self hath
some dependence ? How then canst thou say, thou lovest
God as thou lovest thyself ? Touch self-interest who dare,
he shall not escape thy wrath : let him kick against God,
sin against Christ, and thou art never moved ! Dost thou
love God as thou lovest thyself? It was said of holy
Calvin, that when he heard that Luther called him devil,
that he answered, But he is the servant of the most high
God. It is said of Lot, " That righteous man living among"
the Sodomites, "vexed his righteous soul with the filthy con-
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 159
'inn of those wicked ones." (2 Peter ii. 7, 8.) Lot had
none of the best neighbours in those wicked Sodomites.
Doubtless he suffered many personal wrongs and unkind-
nesses from them. That righteous man could never be
neighbour to such wicked ones, without suffering from
tin m himself. But yet we read not, that he ever fretted or
: :it anything they did against him : their wickedness
against God, their filthy conversation, this was it which
Hexed his righteous soul. There was a man that loved
(Ind indeed ! silent at wrongs done to himself, only vexed
at what is done against God! Is it so with thee? Is it so with
us ? O how quite contrary are we ! Vexing, and fretting, and
chafing at whatever is against ourselves ; and silent, and quiet,
and not moved in the concerns of God ! Is this our love to
God ? Are we lovers of God more than lovers of self?
Sure, beloved, this very thing, our being so impatient of
self-offences, and so patient of offences against God, this
very thing, if well considered, might make the most of our
hearts to ache, and draw tears from our eyes, and set us
all weeping, to think what daily arguments we have of
this kind to prove how powerful this self-love, and how
weak the love of God is in us. Sure the more dear the
Lord grows to us, the more will it go to our hearts, that
he should be offended by any ; and the more self-love
were mortified, the easier should we bear self-wrongs and
And what can we say with respect to our brethren,
neighbours ? Do we not so love ourselves, but that we
are heartily concerned for our neighbours ? Have we
compassions towards them in their afflictions ? Do we
rejoice at their prosperity ? Can we grieve with those
that grieve, suffer with them that suffer, and rejoice with
that rejoice and prosper ? We can be glad when God
pro.spereth ourselves, and can we be glad when he pros-
' () how do men rake and catch what they
i an, one from another ! How do men envy the prosperity
'>urs ! O how d>i some men gape alter the
their brethren, wishing even for their death,
when they arc likely to obtain anything by it! How
many landlor: id of the death of thei; te;.
160 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
How many younger brothers are glad at the death of the
heir ! Yea, how do some children wait for the death of
their parents, that the inheritance may fall to themselves !
And whence is all this wickedness ? Is not this from self-
love ? O what murderous desires and hopes doth it some-
times bring forth ! Though it dare not put upon mur-
derous practices, though it doth not make murderous
hands, yet it often makes the heart a murderous heart, and
fills it with murderous desires and practices : " Out of the
heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries." (Matt. xv.
19.) It is this self in the heart, that is the original mur-
derer and adulterer. You that are professors of religion,
see diligently whether there he no degree of this wicked-
ness to be found in any of you ; to hope for, to wish for,
or at least to be well-pleased at, the death of others, when
self doth get by their death. Therefore,
iv. There is a necessity of keeping the heart under
government. Is self such an idol in the heart ? Is self-
love idolatry, and the root of so much wickedness ? the
rot of religion ? the root of unrighteousness, unmerciful-
ness ? yea, and of such murderous desires and wishes ?
And is there something of this root remaining even in
Christians ? and is it apt to put forth into such self-exalt-
ings, and wicked self-seeking ? It will certainly do so,
where it is not carefully looked to, and held under
severe restraint : then certainly there is no government
more necessary then heart-government.
(2.) Wherein the government of the heart stands. And
it stands in these five things : i. In subjecting the lower
faculties the affections, appetite, and senses to reason
and conscience, ii. In holding the thoughts upon profitable
and pertinent objects, iii. In exercising the passions or
affections upon their proper objects, and within their due
limits, and bounds, and measures, iv. In suppressing and
keeping under the evil, and cherishing and encouraging
the good, that is in the heart, v. In strengthening the
sinews of government.
i. In subjecting the lower faculties, the affections, ap-
petite, and senses, to reason and conscience. Reason
must be dictator in the heart, and must not be controlled
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 1C1
or overborne by the inferior faculties. Conscience is
invcsti (1 with the authority of God : subjection to reason
;uul conscience, is subjection to God; and rebellion against
. is rebellion against God. The reason of all the
disorders in tin- heart is, the usurpation of sense and appe-
tite, and their rising up against reason. When the people
take head against their Prince, what disorders follow?
(iod, that said, "Lean not to thine own understanding;"
( Prov. iii. 5 ;) that is, as corrupted and biassed by the
hYsh. requireth us to lean to our understandings, when
they are contradicted and opposed by the flesh. The
prophet complains, "There is no judgment in their goings ,
they hare made them crooked paths." (Isa. lix. 8.) No
judgment, that is, no understanding, no conscience in
their goings ; and where there is no understanding nor
conscience, there is nothing but crookedness.
Sinners' hearts do set up sense and appetite to be the
ruler. As it was said of Jeroboam, " He made the vilest of
the people to be priests;" (1 Kings xii. 31;) so sinners
make the vilest and lowest of all their faculties to be
rulers : they will not be ruled by reason ; tjiey will not be
governed by conscience; but affection and appetite must
hear the sway. How comes it to pass, that thou art such
a rarnal, sensual liver? Does thy reason tell thee
that a carnal, worldly life, is the best life ? Does thy con-
science command thee to be covetous, or to be a libertine ?
to live at thine ease and thy pleasure? Does thy con-
science tell thee, that this is the life that God would have
thee to live ? that God would have thee to live in the
air-house ; to follow thy companions, or thy covetousness ?
It is not against thy conscience, to be sober, and serious,
and circumspect in thy goings ; it is not against thy
conscience, to forbear thy lying, or thy fraud, or thy
Hod : no, it is thine appetite, and thine affections, to
whom thou hast resigned thyself to be governed, that
lead thee on thus.
\\ould you have good L, r ov< rnment to be kept within
& t up right jnivi nmiciit. Let reason govern,
let conscience govern. Make your senses and your appe-
i know their j'luce. ai.d to keep under. ;:i;d to be in
M
162 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
subjection to your understandings and conscience. Embrace
not any thing, merely because it pleases your senses ; seek
not any thing, because you have an appetite to it ; let not
your affections lead you, but your judgment and understand-
ings. It would be well, if we were come thus far, to live
according to the best of our understanding ; and so far forth
as we do so, so far we live under government : the anarchy
of domineering appetites and senses is no government.
Does not your understanding tell you, it is better to live
in the love and fear of God, than in the lusts of the flesh ?
Does not your judgment tell you, that an holy, sober,
serious, heavenly life, is better than viciousness and
vanity ? Does not your conscience call upon you, Love
not the world, nor the wine, and strong drink ; follow not
thy sports and thy pleasures ; "flee youthful lusts ?" Hast
thou not a conscience within thee, that calls upon thee
thus ? When thy lusts call thee after thy pleasure ; when
thy covetousness calls thee after the world ; when thy
sense calls upon thee, Take thine ease, take thy liberty ;
hast thou not a conscience within thee, calling thee back,
and charging th^e to take heed, and beware of living thus?
When thy carnal will, and thy lusts, call thee from minding
Christ, and holiness, and righteousness, Let it all alone,
meddle not with such a severe life ; yet hast thou not a
conscience within thee, telling thee, It is best for thee to
be a serious Christian ? It would be better for thee if
thou wouldst give thyself to a holy, humble, godly life,
than to live such a libertine ? It would be better for
thee to be a sincere, strict, diligent, active Christian, than
to be such a trifling, lazy hypocrite, and loose professor ?
Does not thy conscience tell thee thus, and charge thee to
be such an one ? Why, let conscience carry it : resign up
thyself to the government of it.
ii. In keeping the thoughts exercised upon profitable
and pertinent objects. I told you before, that the un-
ruliness of the heart lies much in the unruliness of the
thoughts. And how much of the heart-government stands
in the government of the thoughts ! The best way to keep
the thoughts well governed, is to keep them well ex-
ercised. Those legions of thoughts that are in the heart.
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 163 .
are like the soldiers of an army : if soldiers be not kept to
action, they will hardly be kept under command. When
they lie idly and lazily in their quarters, and have nothing
to do, then they mutiny, and break out into disorders :
sound an alarm, and bring them to their arms, and that is
the best way to bring them to order.
Keep your disorderly mutinous thoughts in exercise;
and exercise them upon what they ought to be exercised
upon. Be thinking profitable thoughts : be thinking upon
Christ, upon the state of your souls, upon the work of
your souls. Be thinking pertinent thoughts, such as are
proper to your present case, such as are proper to the
present season : when you are hearing, fix your thoughts
intently upon what you hear; when you are reading, think
on what you read ; when you are praying, think on what
you pray for ; when at the table of the Lord, think on
what is before you, upon your crucified Redeemer, upon
the love, and kindness, and compassion of Christ to you,
upon the covenant you are sealing, &c. Afterwards, think
of what you have heard, and read, and prayed for, and
. (1, and covenanted, &c. Do not fly off to other
good thoughts that are not pertinent. Impertinent thoughts,
though the matter of them be good, are unprofitable
thoughts: " It'll en I awake, I am still with thee." (Psalm
cxxxix. 18. ) My thoughts are with God ; as, " How pre-
cious also are tin/ thoughts to me ! How great is the number
of them ! If I should count them, they are more in number
than the sand " of the sea. (Psalm cxxxix. 17.) Thy
thoughts : that is, either God's thoughts towards him, or
his thoughts of God : and these, observe, (i.) The grate-
fulness or acceptableness of such thoughts : how precious,
how dear an- they to me! It was a pleasant thing to him
to think of God. (ii.) The multitude of his thoughts
of God : how rr<-at is the sum of them ! God hath many
thoughts of his saints; and saints have many thoughts of
tlod. (.iii.) A special season of his thinking of God,
when 1 awak<-, ihe-ean- my morning thoughts; no sooner
am I awake, hut my heart is in heaven ; and, " O how love
1 thy laic ! it i.v w// meditation all the day." (Psalm exix.
97.) Where see, (i.) The matter of his thoughts, the law
M 2
164- INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
of God ; or those blessed matters, those wonderful things,
contained in this law. To be thinking of the word of God,
is to be thinking of God, of Christ, of holiness, of heaven,
of the way to heaven, and the like things that are written
in the word ; these are the matter of his thoughts. (ii.)
The season of his meditations, and these are, every season.
He is constantly thus exercised, all the day : his morning
thoughts are his continual thoughts. (w.) The motive,
or spring of his meditations, " how I love thy law /"
What we love, we shall easily be thinking of: if we love
God, we shall be thinking of God ; if we love our souls,
love holiness, love the word and ways of God, our
thoughts will be upon them. Dost thou not think on
God, and the law of God ? It is a sign thou lovest them
not. Well, this is the right governing our thoughts, and
which will prevent the wanderings, and stragglings, and
unruliness of them, the holding them thus well exercised.
iii. In holding our affections and passions to their proper
objects, and within their due bounds, so as that we love
only what we should love, and as miich and no more than'
we should love it ; to fear what we should fear, and as
much and no more than we should fear it ; to desire what
we should desire, and as much and no more than we
should desire it ; to be angry with what we should be
angry, and no more than we should. I shall instance
only in these, six passions, our love, our desire, our joy,
our grief, our fear, and our anger.
(i.) For our love. This is then well ordered, when we
love only what we should love, and as much and no more
than we should love it.
The object of love is good, and only good. Nothing can
be loved but that which is good, or apprehended so to be ;
and nothing ought to be loved, but that which is good.
God is good, the chief and supreme good ; the fountain of
all goodness, infinitely good : good is the Lord ; " abim-
dant in goodness and truth." (Exodus xxxiv. 6.) Our
danger here, is not of overloving, but of underloving. God
is to be loved " with all the heart, and with all the might :"
there is no danger here of erring in the excess. Our beings
are good, our souls and bodies : we are God's workman-
IRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 165
ship ; and of God's works, it is said, (Gen. i.,) He saw that -^
good. Our well-being, and prosperity, and /
happiness are good : not only the prosperity of our souls, I
our prospering in grace and holiness, our growing rich
unto God, but the prosperity of our bodies and outward
man, our health and our estates, are good : " / wish thou /
maycst prosper and be in health, even as thy soul pros- >
pereth." (3 John 2.) The creatures are good : our bread, '.
and our clothes, and our houses, which are for the comfort
of our bodies, "Every creature of God is good, being sanc-
tijit-d by the tcord and prayer." (1 Tim. iv. 4.) The pros-
perity of our neighbours, especially those of the household
of faith, this also is a good that we should love. Touching
our souls : our danger is, that we do not love these accor-
ding to the price and worth of a soul, which is more than /
all the world : (Matt. xvi. '20 ;) or else, that we do not love \
them aright, so as to seek their good. Touching our ^
bodies, and the creatures that are for the health and pros- J
perity of our bodies: the great danger is, of over-loving
them ; of loving them more than we should, and more ^
than they are worth. This is the order that should be in j
well-governed hearts : we should love the creature, for \
our bodies ; we should love our bodies, for our souls ; we >
should love them all, and our neighbours' good also, for /
(iod ; and we should love God, for himself. And this r
ought to be the measure of our love : we should love < /
ith all our might ; we should love our souls, as tar
vrs the honour of God ; we should love our bodies,
our health, and bodily prosperity, as far as they are ser- /
vieeable to our souls ; and we should love the -creature-,
our houses, our money, our estates, as far as they may be
u-etul to our bodies, in the service of our souls, and to /
our bodies and souls in the service of God ; and we should ?
love our neighbour as ourselves.
A heart that is set right in its love, is a well-governed <
heart : this is the origin of the disorder that is in our lives, v
the disorder of our love. Why is it that these bodies, and
our bodily prosperity, are sought more than our souls '
Why do we seek riches, and pleasures, and ease, and
money, more than we seek grace and holiness.' (). \u-
166 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
love the creature too much, and we love God and our souls
too little.
O, it were well with the sinful world, better than it is,
if they loved God and their souls, as well as they love
their bodies and estates. But, sinner ! for thy part, thou
dost not so. Thou sayest thou lovest God ; thou sayest
thou lovest thy soul ; thou sayest, these are the great
things thine heart is set upon. No : thou dost not love
God as thou lovest that carcase of thine ; thou dost not
ilove God as well as thou lovest thy money, or thy plea-
sures, or thy health ; thy very lusts, thy carnal sports, and
merriment ; thy vile companions, and thy sins. Thou art
such a vile brute, that thou lovest these more than thou
lovest God or thy soul. Thou art better pleased, thou art
better satisfied, when the corn and the wine increase, when
thou prosperest in this world, than with any hopes thou
j hast towards God for thy soul. What is the pleasure of
) thine heart ? When art thou most merry, and best con-
tented ? When is it with thee as thou wouldst have it.
but when thou art in health, and prosperest in these
outward things ? God is dishonoured and neglected
by thee, God is angry with thee, and yet thou art well
enough contented. Thy soul languisheth, it is a blind
and ignorant soul, it is a sinful and guilty soul, it is
a stupid and hardened soul, it is a perishing and
dying soul ; thy soul is in the hands of the devil ; thy
soul is a dead soul, even dropping into hell ; and yet, for
all this, thou sittest there at thine ease, and art nothing
* troubled at it. Thou art rich, and hast money enough, at
S least thou hast a house, and hast bread enough ; thou art
x in thy health and thy strength ; and so long thou carest
not, thou art not troubled about, thou wilt not so much as
think, how is it with thy soul ! Is not my poor soul
/ ready to perish, and like to be damned for my sins ? And
; wilt thou yet say, thou lovest thy soul ? It were well for
thee, better than it is, if thou lovedst thy soul, as thou
lovest thy flesh ; nay, as thou lovest thy dirty pleasures,
and vile companions, thy horses in thy stable, thy pigs at
/ the trough, thy very dogs, thou lovest better than thou
( lovest thy soul : this is the wickedness of every sinner
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 167
among you : and where the soul is less loved, God himself >
is less loved, than these vile things ; yet thou wilt say, C J
thou lovest God! No, thou dost not love him, as thou O
lovest the dirt of thy heels, the lusts of thy flesh !
( ) wonder, wonder, sinners, and be astonished at your-
selves, that ever there should be such a vile and wretched /
heart within you ! And yet you sit here, or go up and (
down the world, as well pleased with yourselves, as well 2
satisfied with yourselves, as you are. Who would think,
that behold sinners' faces, how merry they look, who
would think these merry ones should have such a vile
and wicked heart within them ?
How is it with thee, sinner ? What aileth thee ? I am /
well, I thank God. Well, art thou ? What, and have such
a devil in thy bosom ! such a wicked heart, as despiseth
the Lord, and which makes a god of thy belly, or thy
money, or thy pleasure ! The Lord make you deeply
sensible of this wickedness ; for it is certainly your case !
It were better with you than it is, if you had loved God /
as well as you do the beasts that perish ; if you loved your \
souls, as well as you do those rotting and perishing carcases. /
And for you that are Christians, who do love your souls
more than your bodies, and God more than all, yet it is
so little that God hath the pre-eminence in your love, that
you are hard put to it in your examination, to prove /
whether the love of God hath the pre-eminence in you, or S
no ; whether there be not something that you love more \
than God. It is a shame for us, friends, that the love of
God is no more perfected in us ; that there is no more
sensible strength of our love to God; that we should be so
often put to it, as to question which we love best, God or
oiir--i-lves, God or this present world! Well, this should >
be the order and measure of your love, as I said before, '*
That (Jod be first loved; next, our souls ; then, our bodies^
and after that, the creatures which are for bodily prosperity. ' .
That the creature be loved no farther than it is serviceable
to the health of our bodies ; and our bodies loved in order
to the service of our souls ; and all so much, and no more,
than conduces to the honour and service of God. This
be the order and measure of our love, and this
168 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
/ would be one fruit of the due government of our
( hearts.
f ) That I may the more effectually persuade you to set up
and keep up this government in your hearts, let me ask
you,
QUESTION I. Can you except against this order and
measure of your love ? Order in the heart, is as necessary
as order in a kingdom, army, or family ; and a due order
in our love, is necessary to the keeping up order in the
heart. -*"
1. Consider, Order in the heart is as necessary as order
in a kingdom, &c. What is a kingdom, if there be no
order in it ? What is an army, what is a family, where
there is no order in it ? What is there but confusion and
ruin ? All runs into confusion, all runs to ruin, where no*
order is : " Where envy and strife is, there is confusion and
every evil work;" (James iii. 16;) where envy- and strife
is, there is disorder. Good order would prevent strife and
envying ; and where no good order is, there is confusion
and every evil work. O what tumults and mutinies are
there in our disorderly hearts ! There is no good doing,
and there is every evil work.
/ 2. Order in our love is necessary to the keeping our
/ whole hearts in order. Upon the right order and measure
of our love, will follow the right ordering of all our affec-
tions. There is no one of all our affections but will be in
( good order, if our love be in order : if we love what we
j should love, we shall hate what we should hate, and fear
what we should fear, and desire what we should desire, and
grieve for what we should grieve, and be angry only at
/ what we should be angry ; and when there is a due measure
.' in our love, where we love as much as we should, we shall
hate as much as we should, and fear, and grieve, and
rejoice as much as we should, and no more. The motions
/ and workings of all our affections do follow and flow from the
) working of our love : as when we love God, we shall hate,
^ and fear, and grieve, for all that is contrary to God ; so,
( when we love God as much as we should, that is, above
all, and with all our hearts, we shall desire him above all,
; RUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 169
and hate and grieve for sin, which is contrary to God, with
all our hearts.
T!K- n-asou why we hate not sin as we should, why we \.
in, and grieve not for sin, the reason why we
no more after God, why we desire grace no more,
and holiness no more, is, because we have no more love to
(i".l and liis holiness. The reason why we love that we
should not love, and desire and fear what we should not;
tin- n-ason of our carnal griefs, and worldly sorrows, those
sorrows that bring death, (2 Cor. vii. 10,) is, because we .
duly love not God. More love to God would heTp'and heal
those inordinate passions : you would never be lovers of
this self, of this flesh, of this world, of these pleasures, did
you duly love God and the things of God. You complain
of the unruliness of your passions, of your frettings, and
vexings, and the unquietness of your hearts. You complain
of the hardness of your hearts; you cannot hate sin as you
should, nor mourn for sin, nor fear it as you should : this
you say is your affliction, and you know not how to help
\Vhy, do but get more love to God, more intense and
ardent love to Him, and his holiness, and you will find all
thi -M- distempers depart. Then you will hate, and fear, and
mourn for sin as you ought ; there will be an end of your '
eomplainingt of hardness of heart, that you cannot fear,
: ii-ve, nor mourn for sin ; there will be an end of your x
complainings of your over-loving the world, of your un-
ions, and frettings, and anger, at what you
should not, when once you are brought duly to love the
Lord.
Well, by this you see the order in the heart, and especi-
ally the due order and measure of your love that is
irv. and how necessary it is! Can you, therefore,
: against this order and measure of your love? What
should be first and chiefly loved ( Wilt thou not say, That
(inl should be he ? Which should be most in our love,
our bodies, or our souls ? Will you not every one say, O
-ill is of more worth than my body, and
more worthy of my love .' \Vhieh should be more loved,
your bodies, or your elates, and the matures you enjoy '
Surely you would all say in this, as Christ said, " The life
170 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
i is more than meat, and the body than raiment" (Matt. vi. 25.)
S What would you think of such a man, that loves his money
more than his own body ; that would suffer his body to
starve and pine, rather than spend his money upon it ?
, You would say, this man is a monster ! And is not he as
( great a monster, who loves his body more than his soul,
or himself more than God, as he who loves his money
more than his body ? Christians ! would you not count
it well with you, if your love were thus regulated ? What
if you could now feel that which you have so often ques-
tioned and doubted, whether it be so or no, that you can
:, now love God above all, that the whole stream of your
love did run into the ocean ? If you could feel such
C strong, and such lively, and such passionate workings of
your hearts towards God, such attachment and such
tenderness, and such strength and ardency of affection to
I the Lord ; if you could feel your hearts burning within
{ you, with the divine love ; if these hearts were all flaming
hearts, and flaming upwards, and that so sensibly and so
L strongly, that there might be a resolving of that doubt, and \
you saw it true beyond question, and you could say, Now (>
I I feel who hath mine heart : none but ^6pd, none but S>
I / Cjhrist ! " Whom have I in heaven out thee ?" there is
nothing in the earth that I love in comparison of thee !
God is the love of my heart, and my portion for ever!
/ What, if you could now feel it thus within you ? What if
^ , from your own sense and experience, you could heartily )
) speak out such words ? Take this heart to thee, O Lord ! ]
\ Thine it is ; thou art mine only love, and nothing will I
love or regard, but in order to thee ! Would you not :
bless yourselves in such an experience ? Would it not be /
marrow and fatness to your souls ? Would you not rejoice ;
in the Lord, and triumph in Christ? and praise his holy ^
name, that had wrought you to that pass ? That God '
should have thus gotten to be the chief in your love ; and
self, and flesh, and the whole world, were brought to
stoop and stand aside, yea, and to be trampled on, in (
comparison of him ? Surely you that are Christians, ,
would count it to be happy with you, if it were thus : and '
1 dare say concerning you, this is it you pray for, and
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 171
hope for, and wait, and thirst, and long after ; and would
count it an infinitely greater matter of joy and praise,
than if the corn, and the wine, and the oil, if all the
pomp, and pleasure, and grandeur of the world, were in-
creasing unto you, and were rolling in upon you: and,
therefore you for your parts have nothing to except
against this order and measure of your love.
QUESTION 2. But how is it with you? If it be an excel-
lent thing, if it be a blessed thing to have our hearts brought
into such a frame and order, what do ye find ? Are you
made partakers of this blessedness ? O, the Lord help me,
I am far short of it ! I can feel that I love this world. I
need no trial whether I love this flesh or no ; whether I
love my credit or no ; whether I love my money, or my
lands, or mine ease, or my pleasures. I feel I love these
things : but whether I love my soul as I ought, whether
I love God as I ought, there is my great doubt ; and I
fear I do not ! Dost thou fear, dost thou doubt
whether thou lovest thy soul, as thou lovest the world ?
whether thou lovest thy God, as thou lovest thy flesh ?
And is there anything but need then, that thou shouldest
be brought to a better pass ? Canst thou be quiet, canst i
thou be comforted in anything, whilst it is thus with thee ? 3
Christians, would you ever be clearly satisfied concerning ;
your eternal state, that you shall hereafter dwell in the
eternal love ''. Would you be comforted touching your
present case, that God is your God ; that Christ is your )
Jesus ; that the covenant, and the promises, and the <
mercies of God are yours ; that you are passed from death
to life ; that your names are written in heaven, and that
you are enrolled amongst the saints, and shall have an <
inheritance with the saints in light ? Then set hard on, 5
for this blessed frame of heart. Let it henceforth be the
great thing in your eye : look for it, pray for it, reach forth
towards it. Down with this world ; tread upon this earth, (
and flesh ; love nothing but what God would have you ',
love, love nothing but in subordination to God. Dread
the encroachments of the creatures upon the right of God ;
despise these carnal pleasures, despise this money, and
172 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
< these lands, or this credit, so far as they stand in competi-
> tion with God : set your foot upon the necks of them all :
^ give your hearts unto the Lord, and let him be your love
' and your delight, and your portion forever.
(ii.) For our desires. In this, as in the former, we must
desire what we should desire ; and as much as, and no
more than, we should desire it. The object of our desires,
is the same with the object of our love, that which is good.
Now, of all the good which may or ought to be desired,
*'. Something is to be desired absolutely and ultimately ;
and thus God is only to be desired. ii. Other good things
are to be desired absolutely, but subordinately ; and thus
the first grace is to be desired, and the everlasting happi-
ness of our souls, absolutely, but subordinately. We are
to desire our' own blessedness, but chiefly that therein
God may be glorified. Hi. Other good things are to be
desired in subordination, and with submission. Thus, the
higher degrees of grace, the best and most advantageous
means of grace, gifts, the gift of prayer, gifts for edification,
&c.; these are all to be desired with submission to the will
of God. The first grace, or saving grace, we are not to
desire with submission, so as to be content to be denied it,
no, not to the will of God ; for there is no such will of
God for us to submit to. God would not have any man to
submit to it, to be for ever left an enemy or a reprobate
from himself. God would not have any man content to be
damned ! Indeed, the worst of sinners must be silent
before God, though he damn them for their sins ; and not
charge God foolishly, but acknowledge that he is righteous
in damning them : but they are not required to submit or
be content to be damned. The first grace, sincerity in
grace, is to be desired absolutely ; but as to "higher degrees
in grace, the gifts of grace, the means of grace, &c., these
are to be desired, but only with submission.
iv. Other good things must be desired with submission
and moderation : thus all temporal good may be desired.
(z.) With submission. We may and ought to desire our
bodily health, our life, and our prospering in the world :
but this must be put in, if it be the will of God, and for
ilONS ABOLT HEART-WORK. 173
the honour of (i.xl : and if it be the will of God to deny
us tin -rein, we must submit, (if.) With moderation.- We
should not desire great things for ourselves, nor anything
.irncstly. We may seek outward good things, but
with great indifiereney : we must not be greedy seekers.
lincss notes, First, A desire after much : it is not a little
that w ill satisfy the greedy mind. Second, An eager desire,
ppetite, is a ravenous appetite, which scare any-
thing will satisfy or quench ; and such an appetite we
allow in ourselves after these temporal things.
We must desire an increase of grace, yea, and of the
of grace, earnestly: " Cocet earnestly the best gifts."
1 C'or. xii. ;n.) We must not be content with a little
. Though we must submit to God's dispensation, we
must ii'. t 10 submit to be of little faith, as not to seek, and
seek earnestly, for an increase. Yet so far we must submit,
he without murmuring ; yea, and to be thankful for
that little we have. Reach forth to the things that are
hard on towards the mark ; be zealous in
nding for the highest degree of grace and holiness :
iiid also as to the gifts of grace, the apostle exhorts,
k that ye may excel to the edifying of the church."
1 ( <>r. xiv. 12.) Those that do not press on after an
.ce, manifest a sign they have no grace in / /
tin-in that is true : here, he that is content with a little, *
evidences that he hath nothing. Let your eye be upon
g; up to the highest form of Christians, so as to excel C
and shine ;<.rth most gloriously in the grace of God ; but /
if, notwithstanding all your endeavours, you still fall short, /
and it continue to be low with you, murmur not against
(Jod : blame yoursehcs that you have no more. There is
ilt, you are not straitened in the Lord, but in your j
own l> your o\\n narrow hearts. Yet still as little '
i have, be thankful that there is something of the
( MX! in yf saints, the least and lowest in your own estimation, but
the highest in the grace of God : seek as much grace as -
ible.
ind. Desire God and his grace with as much earnest-
md intention of soul as possible. Let your desires
be large desires, and let them be ardent desires ; let your
burn in love, and burn in holy desires after God :
let this be the one thing you desire, " One thing have I
desired of the Lord, that I may dwell in the house of the
Lord, and behold the beauty of the Lord." (Psalm xxvii.
4.) Here note, Firstly, God and all the things of God,
are but one thing ; and our desire after all these, is our
desiring but one thing. In desiring God, we desire the
grace of God, and the means of grace, and the delights
and comforts of God ; and our desiring grace, and the
tilings of God, is desiring God: to desire God, and to
grace, is one and the same thing. Secondly, The
saint's desiring God and his grace, are strong desires : the
.: of the desires upon one thing, notes the intention
of our desires. When the whole stream runs in one channel,
and towards one point, it runs more strongly ; when the
heart is divided betwixt many things, God hath something
of the desire, ;md the world also hath its part and share
with God, its motions are the more weakly towards him.
O stir up and quicken your desires after God : and that
they may be quickened into more strong desires,
unite them ; let all your desires be after this one thing,
the grace and good-will of the Lord.
Christians, let me ask you, What would you haVe ?
What is it you desire ! O let the Lord be my God! let
me ha\e grace from the Lord ! But what of God, and how
much of the grace of God, would content you ? It may be
some of you would answer, O, if it were never so little ; if
1 e-uld have faith, though it were but as a grain of mustard-
; if I could get anything of (Jod, in my heart; if, by
the grace of God in me, this heart of mine might be but
as a bruised reed and smoking flax ; if I might get anything
hat God would not despise, this should satisfy me. It is
176 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-VVOKK.
true, the least degree of saving grace, the least beam of
the divine light, the first springing of the life of God in us,
the least spark of his holy image, our desires should be
so far fixed on this, that nothing short of this, nothing
short of the truth of grace, should, in the least, suffice
us ; and we should be thankful for the very first grace,
if we should never have any more, or rise any higher. But
are there not some that would have this, and care for no
/ more ? that bound and limit their desires to the first and
lowest degrees of grace ? This desire is not the desire of
the children of God : thou mayest go to hell with such
desires after God : he that desires not^tojge perfectly holy.,
is not sincerely holy.
) Do you desire God ? Do you desire grace ? Stir up and
{ enlarge your desires : let those narrow hearts open their
/ mouths -wide. Be covetous Christians ; covet much, and
covet earnestly these best of gifts. Say, with the Psalmist,
/' This one thing I desire : nothing but God, nothing but
( grace ! Take corn and wine who will ; take the gold and
\ the silver who will : let the Lord God be mine, and that
shall suffice me. Desire God only, and follow after God
/ fully. " My soul folloioeth hard after thee." (Psalm Ixiii. 8.)
( Friends, you have some wishes and some weak desires after
the Lord : O quicken up these fainty hearts ; look oftener
) before you, how worthy the Lord is of all your desires ;
^ what a jewel, what a treasure the grace of God is. Look
, oftener heaven-ward : get a sight of God and his glorious
treasures : live more in the contemplation of his glory and
goodness. It is the sight of the object that must kindle and
(^ quicken desires : you that have cold hearts heaven-ward,
( it is a sign your eye is little in heaven. Believe it, some
^ clearer views of the love, and goodness, and holiness, and
kindness, and glory of the Lord, would wet your appetites;
would put life into those dull desires; would make you
hungry souls, and thirsty souls, and longing souls. O
look oftener upward ! Dwell in the mountain of spices ;
get some taste and relish for the goodness of God, by being
more constantly conversant with him ; and this will set
abroach all your vessels : your souls would stream forth in
the words and sighs of the Psalmist, "Astliehartpanteth
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 177
the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, God. )
:/t far Cnd t for the living God." (Psalm >
xlii.
. ) Curb and limit your desires after the good
things below, and desire them no more than you should; ,'
particularly,
/Yr.sV. Desire not over much of them. The best food, the
hysic, it' we take too much of it, becomes hurtful and
pernicious, when the stomach is overcharged ; and so, when
the heart is overcharged, it surfeits, and suffereth prejudice
by what it hath received. That prayer of Agur should be
the desire of Christians, " Feed me with food convenient :"
(Prov. xxx. 8 :) a convenient habitation, a competent
portion of earthly things, should be the proportion of our
desire. O, if men knew what was enough, and when they
had enough, it would prevent the extravagancy of our
desire! " Seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them
not." (Jer. xlv. 5.) Thou canst not bear great things :
great ; us are great temptations. Seek no greater
things than thou canst bear : a ship that hath more than
'1, will sink and drown. The journey or voyage of
the heart is upwards : you are travelling heavenwards :
irth, the more you have of it, presses you downward,
and hinders you ascending. O how much nearer heaven
might some of our hearts have ascended, how much nearer
to (Jod, and to glory, might we have attained, had we not
been clogged with the things of earth ! Some men are too
rich, and too prosperous in this world, to be spiritually-
mimlL-d. (Jreat estates bring great cares, and encumbering
business, so that they cannot be at liberty nor at leisure
to think on God or their souls. Desire only so much of
the world, as is best for you : and that proportion is best
lor you. which will help you heavenward, and least hinder
you. Know what is a competency, and desire no more.
That is not a competency which is enough to satisfy your
appetite. Von uill never say you have enough, if you will
stay till your appetite say, It is enough. This is like those
two daughters oi the horse-leech, that still cry, " (Hci;;/.
(Prov. xxx. 1,". r ! and never say. It is enough.
That is not a competency, which will satisfy your app^
178 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
but that which will comfortably serve your necessities.
Know what is a competency, and desire no more.
Second. Desire them not over-earnestly. Be not over-
hungry and greedy souls : desire but a competency, and
desire it moderately. That you may not over-desire these
earthly good things, do not over-prize them. Carry it towards
the good things below, as sinners carry it towards Christ,
and the good things above. How do sinners carry it
towards Christ ? They make light of him ; they see " no
beauty in him, that they should desire him." (Isa. liii. 2.)
See as little beauty in the world, as sinners see in Christ ;
make as light of the good things of the earth, as they do
of the good things of heaven ; and then your desires will be
as cold after these things, as theirs are after Christ. O, if
Christians did desire this earth no more than sinners desire
heaven, how mortified would all their earthly desires be !
Mortify your inordinate desires after the world, quench
your thirst after the good things thereof, or else these
desires will mortify and quench your thirst after God.
Christians, you would fain love God more : it is your
affliction, that your affections to things above are so dull,
and so flat, that you have no more strong and working
desires heavenward ! Abate your desires after things below,
and then they will rise more to the things above : never
ook to love God more than you do, till you love the world
less than you do. Do ye mean to hold up at this height,
in your carnal desires ? Will you not set bounds to your
earthly appetites ? Then count upon it, God is like to
have but little of your hearts. Of so great consequence is
the bounding and abating of your worldly desires, that if
ever you would love, or desire, or seek God more than you
do, you must strike sail, and drive on more moderately,
and more mortifiedly, towards the world.
Love this world less, and you will desire it less ; desire
it less, and you will 'seek it less ; seek the world less, and
you are like to be in good earnest seekers of God. Quench
your thirst, friends ; quench your thirst after these stolen
waters : drink deep draughts of the water of life, and you
will no longer thirst so after these puddle-waters. " Who-
soever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
179
thirst;" (John iv. 14;) that is, after these carnal things, s
You who have such thirsty souls after the water of your .'
: cisterns, it is a sign that you are little at the fountain
of living waters. Thou hast not drunk of the rock of the
wilderness, who so lustest after the rivers of Egypt.
Christians, dwell more at the spring-head ; drink of the ^
fountain ; let out your desires more after God ; taste more <
of the sweetness of Christ; let down your pitchers into ,'"
the wells of salvation ; fetch in more of that living water ;
live more at the breasts, desire more the sincere milk of
the word, and suck in that milk ; drink more of the wine
that is prepared in the kingdom of God. My meaning is,\
live more with God ; feed more upon Christ ; delight your-C
srlves more in God ; solace and satisfy yourselves more in
communion with God ; acquaint yourselves more inwardly
and experimentally with the sweetness of religion; and this
will be the best way to quench your thirst, and abate your
desires after these carnal things. Desire them still you
may, and you will, as far forth as they are good for you,
and as far as your heavenly Father sees them needful for
you ; but there will be an end of your greedy, and ravenous,
and insatiable desires. If you desire God as much as you
ought, you will desire the world no more than you
should.
(Third.) Crush your desires after the evil and hurtful
things below, so as not to desire them at all. The pleasures
of sin. and the pomp and pride of life, and the gains of un-
righteousness, desire them not at all. These can never be
good for you, and therefore are not to be desired. It
cannot be good to grow rich by fraud or oppression : they
are cursed gains that come in that way. The pompous pride
of the world, and the sinful sports and pleasures of the
world, these are the bane and poison of souls: a cup of
i is not m<>re mortal to the body, than these eups of
fornication or sinful pleasure are to the soul : and, there-
tore. 1'iust not be limited or moderated,
but be crushed and crucified. 1 told you before, of two
instrumei/ ;nmcnt, a spur, and a curb : and the
D the government of your d.
as you have seen in the t\\<> former directions ; tlu
180 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
of a spur, to quicken our desires after God and his grace ;
of a curb, to restrain and limit our desires after the good
things of the world. And now 1 shall tell you of a third
instrument of government ; and that is, a cross, or a gibbet,
to execute and crucify our desires after the evils of the
world. What government can be without laws ? And what
are laws without penalties ? And what are penalties if there
be no execution ? There must be gallows and gibbets set up
to cut off malefactors, or there is like to be but poor govern-
ment. The desires after these evil things of the world are
malefactors that must be cut off and crucified. " The cross of
our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto
me;" (Gal. vi. 14;) that is, my sinful love of the world, my
lusting after the world : those three worldly lusts in special,
the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of
life, these are all crucified by the cross of Christ. Mode-
rate your desires after these good things of the world ; but
kill your desires after these evil things. Dost thou desire
the sinful pleasures of the world ? Art thou for a wanton
or voluptuous life ? Dost thou desire the gains of un-
righteousness, that come in by fraud and oppression, by
shortening or detaining the hire of thy poor labourers ?
Art thou for growing rich, by straitening, or starving, or
ruining thy poor workmen ? Dost thou affect a proud or
a pompous life ? O kill and crucify all such desires ; nail
them to the cross ; hang up these malefactors ; let there
not be a lust left in thee after these wickednesses, but
bring it forth to execution ; let there be no such desires
found alive in your hearts. Leave it to the epicures and
fornicators of the world to be sons of pleasures ; leave it
to the horse-leeches of the earth, to be blood-suckers, to
thirst after such gain as is wrung out of the bowels of the
poor ; leave it to the butterflies and wantons of the world,
'o affect mimical and pompoms gaudery. Let Christians
know no such desires; much less allow them, and foster
them, when they feel them working and rising.
And as I hinted to you but now, know that the two
last directions curb, and crush will be easiest to be
observed, if the first-quicken desires after God and grace
be diligently prosecuted. And, therefore, I specially
INSTRUCTION'S ABOUT HEART-WORK. 181
exhort you to give all diligence : enlarge and whet your
appetites after God, and the things above. Remember
what I told you but now : acquaint yourselves with God ;
live more in contemplation of Him; live more in commu-
nion with Him ; get you into the inside of religion ; keep
you close by God ; keep you near to Christ. Let your
affection be to your Father ; let your desires be to your
1 lusband ; be able to say, with the church, " The desire of
my soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee :
with rni/ soul have I desired thee in the night ; yea, with ///
spirit wit/tin int- will I seek thee early." (Isa. xxvi. 8, 9.)
Desire the Lord, till you can delight in the Lord : delight
yourselves in the Lord, and then you will despise those
desires of small things, that take up the hearts of world-
lings. " Shall I forsake my fatness?" said the olive-tree.
" Slmll I forsake my sweetness," saith the fig-tree, " and
become king over the trees?" (Judges ix. 9 11.) Shall
I forsake the fatness of the olive, the sweetness of the fig,
and feed my soul on these brambles and wild vines,
which are the lusts of foolish worldlings '. " He that hath
drunk old trine, will not desire the new: for he saith, The old
(Luke v. 39.) God hath better things for you
to desire : better wine, better pleasures, a better inheritance
tor you. O live so with God, live so upon Christ, that
y. MI may obtain a taste of his better wine, a taste of his
. -r pleasures, a taste of the fatness of heaven; and
then you will the more despise this earth and the fulness
thereof.
You now, that are for government in your hearts, for
the government of your desires, take this course for
governing them : Desire God, and the things above, as
much as you ought ; desire the good things below, no
than you should ; desire the evil things below, not at
all. Get your desires alter lawful things moderated ; your
desires alter sinful things crucified. Put wings to your
holy desires : put clogs and fetters upon your natural
desires; and up to the cross, to the gibbet, with tlu-st
sinful desires : and herein have you plaeed the Lord as
king in your hearts, and brought your very appetites i<
be subject to him.
182 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
(iii.) For our joys. For the due raising and limiting of
these, I shall show,
/. The object of joy is the same with the object of love
and desire. He that loves, whatever it be, if he hath it
not, he desireth it ; if he hath it, he rejoiceth. He that
loves God, if he can hear such a word from God, " / am
thine, 1 " that is a joyful word; then he can rejoice in God.
He that loveth money, or the gains of this world, if he
hath it not, he desireth it ; if he hath it, he rejoiceth : his
money is his joy, his estate is his joy, such a joy as it is,
a poor flashy joy, yet joy there is to him. The woman in
the parable, (Luke xv. 9,) that had lost her piece of silver,
when she found it, called her neighbours together to rejoice
with her. Sure such a woman loved money well. Joy arises,
(/.) Originally from its object, or the thing loved. It is
God that is the fountain of divine joy ; thence it springs
and flows : therefore the Apostle prays, " The God of hope
fill you with all joy ." (Rom. xv. 13.) There are three
ways by which our joy in God is raised : First. By
contemplation. By contemplating God, we come to see
and find out what matter of joy there is in God. It brings
the goodness and kindness, the satisfying and ravishing
excellencies of God to our sight. Those to whom the glo-
rious Lord is as a " barren wilderness," or "land of darkness"
as the expression is, (Jer. ii. 31,) it is either from their
ignorance, or their want of contemplating the Most High. It
is a sign thou art a blind soul, and knowest not God, or that
thou art a stranger to divine meditation : thou lookest
little heavenward, thou dost not send up thy thoughts in
search for God, who yet sayest, Where is that joy ? where
is that blessedness? Where is that joy ? Look more dili-
gently in the face of God ; let thy soul dwell in the study
and contemplation of his infinite goodness. Thou hast a
glass before thee, the glass of the word, wherein his glory
shineth : look more into that glass, and meditate much upon
what that word revealeth of the excellencies of God, and
then thou shalt see his glory, and taste his joy. Second.
Expectation and hope. Therefore we read, "Rejoicing in
hope." (Rom. xii. 12.) When contemplation had dis-
covered the blessedness that is in God, then hope lays hold
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 183
on it. This blessedness may be mine, saith the soul ; and I
have good hope it may be mine, and in that hope I joy.
What malefactor, that is in fear of death for his offences,
that should be told, There is yet hope of thy pardon, hope
that thou maycst live, but would rejoice in that hope ?
What poor man, that is in want, that should have tidings
of a rich inheritance that was falling to him, but his hope
would make him sing for joy ? Dost thou hear of the un-
searchable riches of Christ, of the treasures of everlasting
joy, that are in the Lord God, and hast thou hope that
these will be thy riches, and thy treasures ? How canst
thou but rejoice in hope of the glory of God? Third.
Fruition, or the enjoying of the object loved. And this it
is which brings the fullest joy. Fruition stands,
(First.) In our actual possession of the object, when
we have what we hoped for. And there is a double pos-
session of God, that the saints have in this life. First. A
possession 1)\ faith. " He that hath the Son, hath life;"
(1 John v. 12;) that is, he that believeth in Christ, hath
Christ : his faith puts him into possession; and from this,
the possession of faith, joy followeth : " The God of hope
Jill you it- i tli (ill joy and peace in believing." (Rom. xv. 13.)
Second. A possession by sense : when we taste that the j
Lord is gracious ; when we feel the comfortable refreshing
of his lovingkindness ; when the beams of his light, and
the streamings of his love, shine upon and warm our hearts ;
when his " light shim's into our darkness, and gives us the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ ;"
(2 Cor. iv. 8 ;) and when his " love is shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Ghost which he hath given us;" (Rom.
v. 5 ;) when we see how lovely the Lord is, and feel that
he lovt-th us.
(Second.) In the satisfaction of our hearts with this
possession. When we are pleased, and delighted, and
satisfied with his goodness. A full satisfaction of the heart
.vill not he till hereafter. " It'licn I awake, I shall be
satisfied;" (Psalm xvii. 15;) and, therefore, our fulness
of joy is reserved till then. Hut satisfaction, to such a
degree there is, upon our present possession, as gives us \
a kind of present fruition.
184 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
('.) This joy arises, as from the object, so immediately
from the very act of loving. Joy ariseth from love,
First. By way of immediate resultancy. There is a
*.. great pleasure in love : as there is bitterness in grief and
sorrow, so there is sweetness in love. This very blossom of
love casteth forth such a fragrancy, as no man knows but he
that hath it. It is a sweet and a pleasant thing to live in the
love of God. He that loves God, and feels that he loves him,
and that he hath him whom he loves, cannot but rejoice in
him. " Whom having not seen ye love, and believing ye rejoice
with joy unspeakable and full of glory." (1 Pet. i. 8.) There
we have, (First,) A Christian's love to God : " Whom
having not seen ye love." (Second,) His possession of what he
\ loves : "Believing." Believing is, as I said before, getting
possession. And then, (Third,) The joy that followeth:
" Ye rejoice" &c.
Second. By way of reflection. When a Christian, upon
his review of his love to Christ, perceives that he loves him
in sincerity, this is to him a token of Christ's love to him.
: Dost thou see, dost thou feel, that thou lovest Christ ? This
thy love to Christ is a token that he hath sent him into
thy heart, to tell thee that he loveth thee. And when thine
,' heart can say, " / am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine;"
( the Lord is my God, my Saviour, my portion, and inherit-
ance, r-Canst thou say so ? then thou wilt add, with the
Psalmist, " The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places ;
yea, I have a goodly heritage ; therefore my heart is glad,
-i and my glory rejoiceth. Thou wilt show me the path of life ;
in thy presence is fulness of joy, at thy right hand there are
pleasures for evermore." (Psalm xvi. 69.)
And as it is with divine joy, the object whereof is God,
so is it, in a poor and pitiful manner, with earthly joy, the
object whereof is the good things below. This joy is raised
from our contemplation of worldly things, and those carnal
delights they will yield ; and thereby sucking out such
juice as they have, for our carnal hearts to feed upon ; by
expectation and hope, that these things that we may obtain,
get money, get us estates, and the comforts of them ; and
also by our fruition of them, when we get them ; our loving
and taking the delight and contentment of them ; and
.RUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 185
according to what we have of these things, and the degree of
our love to thorn, such is the joy that ariseth to us from them.
/'/. 1 shall give some directions for the right raising and
due limiting of your joy.
Rejoice in the Lord. And let your joy in the Lord,
First. Bear some proportion, as much as those narrow
hearts can reach, to that fulness, and those everlasting trea-
sures of infinite love and goodness, which are in God for
you. I could tell you something of that satisfaction and rest,
which your souls shall one day enjoy in God, from the
word of God ; and the experience of some of his saints,
will tell you much more : but when your eyes shall come
to see God, then you will say, that one half was not told
you. If some drops of this joy, let fall upon the saints on
earth, have sweetened all the waters of Marah, turned
their prisons into palaces, yea, their very stakes and gib-
::ito triumphal chariots ; if a few drops of that joy
hem so s\vivt, and so powerful, what will the river
of his pleasures be ? As the Apostle, " These things 1
u-ritf," so these things I speak, " that your joy may be full."
1 John i. 4.) Rejoice in the Lord, and let the joy of the
L >rd hi- your strength ; let this joy be the strength of your
hearts, and the strength or top of all your joys.
ml. l.i t your joy in God be raised, (First,) From the
evidence of your interest in Him at present. From your
sincerity in Ills grace, and your union with Christ. You
must be in Christ before ever you can rejoice in Him.
What will it be to joy in God, if He be none of
yours? Satisfy not yourselves with mistaken joys. There
is the joy of the hypocrite. Some there are, who upon some
light touches of the word of God upon them, and some
little change it makes, are all on a sudden wrapt up into
; joy : though still they remain short of the grace
of (iod. yet they seem to be transported with the joy of
( ; fiuxs, that at evening tiiu>' it shall he lit/tit." In our first
time, it must be said only, as 1'salm xcvii. 11, "Light is
sown for thf righteous, and gladness for the upright in In art."
This joy is sown in sorrow, and sown in tears ; but as we
188 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
grow up, what was sown in our infancy, breaks forth and
shines in our age.
Friends, dote not too much on your morning, infant
joys : they may vanish into darkness ! It is the solid joy
of the grown Christian, that is usually the abiding joy.
Therefore, if you would not be put off with some short fits
of joy, if you would have that standing joy which no
man can take from you, set your hearts to it, to increase
in the grace of God. Be thriving Christians : grow in grace,
and grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and
then your joy shall abound and abide. Friends, you now
go on drooping, and doubting, and fearing : you have
many a sad day of it : but would you see good days ?
Would you have your cloudy to become clear days ?
Would you have more sunshine upon your hearts ? Then
get the Sun of Righteousness to rise higher in you. Misty
mornings, as the sun riseth higher, the mists are dispelled,
and the day groweth clear at noon, which was so dark
before.
Christians, how many arguments have I used with
you, to persuade you to press on after an increase in
grace, after a more spiritual and heavenly frame of
heart and life ? What success have former persuasions
had ? Are you grown ? Are you improved ? Or do you
set your hearts upon it ? Are you reaching forward ? Or
do you contentedly keep at a stand, and seem to grow
backward, and lose your former life and vigour ? What
shall I say to you ? What may I do for you, to nurse
you up to a higher stature ? We live in a declining
age: everywhere there are sad complaints, that religion
is at a stand, and growing to decay. How is it with
you ? Are there any lively souls among you ? Do
you get ground, does your light break forth ? Do your
ways, as the path of the just, " shine more and more
unto the perfect day ?" (Prov. iv. 18.) Friends, pray
inquire, one by one, Is it thus with me ? Is it thus with
me ? If I might but prevail with you, to set your hearts
to it, O what a Goshen might we be, in comparison of the
dark places of the earth ! Whilst there is such sad dark-
ness in most places of the land, yet, in this Goshen there
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
189
would be light. O might we see more of the light of grace
in you, we should surely see much of the light of joy ! I
the soul of hearty Christianity might gather more strength
within you, and bring forth more fruit without ; if you
would tread upon this earth, blow off these ashes, blow
up the coals, shake off this sluggish sleepiness of heart
if we could get these cold hearts to be warmed once
would it not be a joy and rejoicing to us ? Be persuaded
friends, to set-to sowing more joy for yourselves. Whils
sinners are sowing tears for themselves, and sorrow
and lamentation; (this they do in their carnal merriments
carnal mirth is but the seed of sorrow and misery : a
light is sown for the righteous mourners, so darkness i
sown for rejoicing sinners ; and their rejoicing is the see<
of that darkness : and when they come to suffer everlasting
misery, they do but reap the fruit of their sinful jollity
whilst sinners are sowing tears, let Christians set-to sowing
joy to themselves. Do what you can to make your last days
your best days, and every day brighter than other. Do
not barely wish it were better, and hope for better ; but
work for better days. Desire more earnestly, pray more
heartily, look more desiringly, and labour more painfully
for a visible and sensible improving and advancing in the
power and spirit of religion and godliness ; and then your
hearts shall rejoice, and your joy shall no man take from
you.
Beloved, I have but two works to do among you all,
whereunto I labour, and strive with you in the Gospel.
But these two works I have to do : to fetch in those that
without, and to fetch up those that are within.
Sinners, you that are yet without, without Christ, without
the covenant of God; who are yet in your sins, in your
ignorance, in your i:n penitence, and hardness of heart ;
strangers from Christ, and aliens from the life of God ;
my work with you is, to preach you into Christ ; to preach
you in by repentance. 1 travail in birth for you, that
Christ may be formed in you. Might I prevail in this
work, might any more among this company of poor sinners
of yiu. be brought to repentance, and be converted, O
wha? i'-.y would there be in this! " There is joy "' heaven
190 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
)over one sinner that repenteth ;" (Luke xv. 7 ;) and there /
f would be the foundation of joy laid in your hearts. Come,
sinners, come to Christ, the fountain of your joy, and
your hope ! Come, and be humbled with Christ, and you ^
\ shall be exalted with him ; come, and mourn with Christ,
and .you shall be comforted ; come, and repent, and you .
v shall also rejoice !
But if I should not prosper in this work, if sinners
should continue to be hardened, and refuse any more of
them to come in ; if I should not fetch more in, yet let me
bring up those that are within: you that are come in, come
i up higher. Stand not always at the threshold : content
1 not yourselves with the lowest place. Friends, sit up higher :
ascend ! ascend ! ascend in your aims, ascend in your
desires, seek to be better Christians daily, more expe-
rienced Christians, more mortified Christians, more lively,
and active, and fruitful Christians ; and then look for it,
you shall be more joyful Christians. Get you to be more
strong in the Lord, and the joy of the Lord shall be your
strength.
(M.) Rejoice not in iniquity. Charity doth not, and
therefore Christians must not, rejoice in iniquity. (1 Cor.
xiii. 6.) Let not your sin make you merry : if it does,
that which now makes you merry, will shortly make you
mad with anguish and indignation at your own folly.
Merry sinners are all fools ! And some of these fools will
be always laughing : but we must say with Solomon, " /
said of laughter, It is mad." (Eccles. ii. 2.)
(Hi.) Rejoice not overmuch in any of the good things below.
We may rejoice in our outward good things. " Let the
brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted;" (James
i. 9;) that is, let the poor rejoice, when he is made rich.
Poverty is an affliction ; and riches are a mercy, and such a
mercy as we may rejoice in. But though we may rejoice
in every outward mercy, yet we may not rejoice overmuch
in them. Particularly for the limits of this joy, they must
b? such as these :
First. Joy not in any of these good things, as if they were
your happiness. They may be means to our happiness,
but must not be made the matter of our happiness. To
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART- WORK. 191
make our estates our happiness, is to make them our God,
and the way to make us miserable : he is a miserable rich
man, who maketh his riches his happiness.
v ond. Joy not so much in them, as to rejoice ever the
i (iod. You have as much need of God, in the greatest
plenty and prosperity, as you have when you have nothing;
and you should so much thirst after the joy of God in your
greatest worldly joy, as in your sorrow. Take not your
worldly joy, instead of joy in God; think not to supply
your want of joy in God, by the abounding of worldly joy.
You may as well feed your soul with meat and drink,
you may as well provide for your souls by your money or
- comfort them by that joy that ariseth out of
these earthly things. Souls must have a God, the comfort
of God, the joy of God, to refresh and support them. That
soul is a earnal soul, that can feed upon carnal joys. You
nevertheless need the joy of God for any worldly joy ;
and you must look to it, that your worldly joys be never
to that height, as to lessen your esteem of the joy of the
Lord. The joy of God will quench your thirst after the
world ; and then the joy of the world exceedeth its bounds,
when it quencheth your thirst after God, and the light of
his countenance. Thou art rich, thou art full, and pros-
perest in the world ; thy bull gendereth, and faileth not ; thy
cow calveth, &c. ; thy oxen are strong to labour; thy
sheep bring forth thousands, and ten thousands in the
streets : and now thou hast heart's case, and rejoicest in
thy portion. But how standest thou now in respect of
God .' Is God ever the less needed ? Is God ever the
less loved ? Is the joy of God still thy chief joy? Or
dost thou not even forget that thou hast a God, or a soul,
and l.-.ive it to them that have nothing below, to rejoice
in (iod that is above? What thinkest thou of thyself?
Hath this earth eaten up heaven? Hath the joy of
this earth swallowed up the joy of the Lord ? Sure it
hitii traiis-rressi'd its hounds. It may be thou \\ilt say, as
the 1'r.iph. t. and it is well if thou canst say so, '* .-fltfiniifffi
tin fnj-tree shall not MoMOM, yet 1 trill rejoice in I lie I.orJ.
' jij in tin' (iod of my sal ration." i Hal), iii. I 7. l s . <
When thou art poor and in want, and hast nothing left thee
192 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
in the world to comfort thy heart, then thou wilt look to the
Lord, and he shall be thy joy and thy comfort. But how
is it with thee when the fig-tree doth hlossom, when thou
livest in the abundance of all things ? Dost thou then
feel thou hast as much need of God ? Dost thou then take
as much joy in God ? Canst thou say of all here below,
These are miserable comforters, if God be not my comfort ;
these are miserable pleasures, if God be not my joy ?
This is something, and thus it should be.
Third. Rejoice with trembling. That is the Psalmist's
counsel : " Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with
trembling." (Psalm ii. 11.) In allusion to that, let me
say, Seek the world with fear, and rejoice in the world with
trembling : let fear be a bridle to prevent the excess of
your worldly joy. Fear ! What should we fear ? Why,
fear lest you should forget God ; lest that which is your
joy become your snare, and turn you aside from God ;
lest your joy in the world, should prove worldly joy, and
serve for nothing but to feed and heighten your worldly
lusts. Fear lest this joy of the world should do the same
by you, as sometimes the sorrow of the world does, -which
the Apostle says, " worketh death." (2 Cor. vii. 10.) Fear
lest it should kill your soul : there is nothing that does
more corrupt and endanger the soul, than carnal mirth.
" Rejoice, young man, in thy youth," &c. : but what fol-
loweth? "Know thou that for all these things, God will bring
thee into judgment ;" (Eccles. xi. 9;) that is, to condemna-
tion. These joys drag the soul to the bar of justice, and
thence to execution in the fire. There is scarce anything
that does ripen men faster for ruin, than the mirth of the
world. " Their bull gendereth, and faileth not." (Job xxi.
10, 11.) There is the matter of their joy. " Their chil-
dren dance, they take the timbrel, and the harp, and rejoice
at the sound of the organ." There are the measure and
expression of their joy : they are so lifted up, that they
must have the music, and their dancing, to heighten their
mirth. But what is the end ? " In a moment they go down
to the grave," and thence into the bottomless pit.
O, the madness of this merry world ! that can see
nothing in God to joy in, and yet can rejoice in a thing of
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HE ART- WORK. 193
nought ; that undo themselves by their own felicity, their
nil mirth ! Joy is the sweetest flower that grows in
that garden, the heart of man : and this flower must be
tlu- poison to kill them, and is never sweet to them but
when it grows out of a dunghill, out of their fleshly lusts.
What multitudes have surfeited, and died of their carnal
mirth ! And yet foolish souls will never fear it ! but this
must he their only heaven, which leads to hell ! What do
these carnal joys serve for, but to corrupt men first, and
then to confound them ? Worldly sorrow, it is said,
w.-rketh death: but it may be said of worldly sorrow, and
mirth, as of David arid Saul, Saul hath slain his thousands,
and David his ten thousands : worldly sorrow hath slain
many, but nothing so many as carnal mirth. Whilst saints
wade through temporal sorrows, to everlasting joy, sinners
pass through their worldly joy, to everlasting sorrow.
ld. all ye that kindle u fire," &c. (Isai. 1. 11.) Here,
:,) Sinners have their fires. That is, to comfort, and
r, and warm their hearts. These, their comforting fires,
are their joy and jollities. (Second.) Sinners' fires are of
their own kindling. Their comforts come not from God,
hut they raise them up to themselves: they comfort them-
, and cheer themselves, but are not comforted of God.
( Third. / Sinners' fires are all sparks. A spark will not
warm, and will not last. The triumphing of the wicked is
short, and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment.
' Fourth. Sinners live in their own light. In the light of
their own fire and sparks. Walk in the light of your fire:
that is all the light you have. It is all dark to them from
above : the sun shines not; the candle of the Lord gives them
no light ; God speaks terror and trouble to them, but they
. peace to themselves ; their own joy and mirth is all
;iave to comfort and cheer them. (Fifth.) Sinners' light
r nothing, but to light them down to darkness.
.ik in your light : this shall ye have of mine hand, ye
shall lie down in sorrow. Sinners ! how light soever
your walk he, how merry soever your lives be, yet what
down like to he ? He is a wise man, that
taketh car'', that how uncoiiii'ortahle or weary soever his
way and his walk be, he may have a comfortable lying
o
194 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
down. " Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright ;
for the end of that man is peace." (Psalm xxxvii. 37.)
But O, ye jolly and merry souls, what is your end like to
be ? Remember your lying down ! When your hearts are
merry within you ; when you live such laughing and sport-
ing lives ; in the midst of your cups of pleasure, your
music and dancing, your feasting and sporting, and the
jollity of your revelling and rioting; think with yourselves,
What doth all this lead to ? When these merry days are
over, what a night am I like to have of it ? When the
candle of your worldly prosperity is burnt down, in what
a stinking snuff will it go out? What a stink will
it be in your nostrils ! When your fires and your
sparks will light you no longer, then they will burn you :
your mirth will burn you, your pleasures will burn you.
Your abused prosperity, your riches, your money, your
plenty, and the joy that you now take in them, will burn
you, and they will burn to the bottom of hell ! Will you
still rejoice in these carnal things ? Rejoice with trem-
bling. Tremble to think what the end of these things will
be. " Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful ; and the
end of that mirth is heaviness." (Prov. xiv. 13.) If the
former of these, " Even in laughter the heart is torrovfml,"
should not be true ; if you should laugh and rejoice,
and know no sorrow ; if it should be with you, as with
those merry ones, " Their houses are safe from fear :"
(Job xxi. 9 ;) and your hearts should be as far from
sorrow, as your houses from fear ; if you should have all
sweet, and no bitter ; all sunshine, and no clouds ; if
the first part should not be true upon you ; if in the midst
of laughter your hearts shoxild not be sorrowful : yet the
latter shall certainly be true, there shall be no avoiding of
that, " the end o/your mirth shall be heaviness." Hold up
while you will, maintain the mirth and the jollity of your
hearts while you can, the end of this mirth will be heavi-
ness : you shall lie down in sorrow.
Sinners, what will you choose ? What would a wise
man choose ? a merry life, or a joyful death > Which
do you think in your judgment and consciences is the
best choice ? to die in peace, to die in joy, or to die in
1 RUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. I'J')
sorrow ? How would you have it with you when you
come to die ? Would you then find, that all your sorrow
is gone, and now your joy is come ? Or would you be
d then to say, Now, farewell all my mirth ! I have
seen my last of it : and henceforth nothing but sorrow and
anguish for ever ! Dost thou not tremble to think, What
if this should be my case ? Know it for a truth, there is
no avoiding it. If you go on to live this merry jolly
lite, this shall be thy end, thou must lie down in sorrow.
Christians, envy not the mirth of the world, nor let
your hearts lust after it : you have other joys than crack-
ling thorns will yield. You have your sorrows, while they
their mirth ; but you have this advantage of the
world, First.) You have joy in your sorrow. As in the
midst of laughter the heart is sad, so in the midst of your
sorrow your heart may be joyful. (Second.) Your sorrow
shall end in joy. This shall you have of the hand of your
you shall lie down in peace : " They that sow in tears,
shall reap in joy ;" (Psalm cxxvi. 5;) whilst those that
sow in mirth, shall reap in tears. You go on your way
nled." (Psalm xxx. 6, 7.) Security opens the door to
iniquity, and iniquity will hide us from our joy.
It is matter of joy that we are at war with sin, and have
obtained any little conquest, and have such a Captain to lead
us on. Woe to them that are at peace, or in a truce with
sin, and have nothing to comfort them but this, that there
is a present cessation of arms, and they feel not the buffet-
ing t Satan against them : they will quickly feel the mis-
rrabU- fruits of that truce. Stand to your arms, stand
upon your guard ; whilst you are drinking most deeply of
your waters of joy, fear the wormwood that sin will cast
in, to embitter your pleasant waters.
That joy which will consist with a sinful life, is no joy
if (Jod : the joy of God is holy joy ; and that joy of God
that leaves us secure and careless, is not like to be long-
livrd. Do you rejoice in God ? As ever you would that
joy should continue, take heed of iniquity : you go in
danger while you live: it is not so clear and bright with you
now, but it may be all cloudy and stormy to-morrow. If
the devil c-an but lead you out to iniquity, he will quickly
200 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
raise such storms, as will make you forget your joy. Forget
not this danger : if you do once hut forget your danger,
two to one but it presently overtakes you, and swallows
you up.
* Christians, if ever you would live in settled solid joy,
\ you must always have a tender heart, and a tender eye,
>( that will quickly discover, and quickly be startled at, the
i | invasion of sin. Be watchful, be tender-hearted, and then
K y our near * s shall rejoice ; and if you would abide in peace,
\ ( never live out offear. Never live out of fear, till you are
. gotten out oT danger ; and out of danger you cannot be,
{ till you are got to heaven.
(Second.) Much less not so to rejoice in the good things of
the earth, as to forget our sins. Thou art a rich man, thou
hast a confluence of all the kindnesses that this earth can
do unto thee ; the sun shineth on thy tabernacle, it is all fair
weather with thee ; thou prosperest in the world, and
herein thou dost rejoice. But, man, thou art a sinner all
this while. Hast thou not great guilt lying upon thee ?
Hast thou not unconquered lusts remaining in thee ? Or
art thou not in daily danger of being turned aside from
God, and led out into iniquity ? If thine outward prosperity
make thee glad, yet let the sin that lieth upon thy back,
or at least lieth at thy door, make thee tremble, and so to
tremble, as to be an allay to thy rejoicing. When, with the
peacock, you spread abroad your plumes, and lift up your
crest, look down on your black feet. When you glitter in
your worldly glory, behold the stain that is upon all.
Whatever fair outside you have, what kind of an inside have
you? Is there not poverty within, whilst there is plenty
without ? What a poor, and wretched, and blind, and naked
soul hast thou, whilst as to thine outward man thou art
rich, and hast need of nothing ! Canst thou, in the midst
of thy prosperity, forget thy sinking and sinful soul ?
Canst thou remember thy soul, and will not this take thee
a button lower as to thy carnal joy ? The prosperity of the
soul, and the joy that grows up out of it, need not be
abated in the least by the poverty of the outward man.
If thou be never so poor, and afflicted without, yet a holy
soul, an upright heart, and the joy of a good conscience,
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 201
will make amends for all that : but will thine outward
prosperity make amends for thine inward poverty ? You,
with whom all things go well in this world, yet still think
on that rust that is eating your treasure ; think on that
moth that is fretting your garments ; behold the stain
that appears upon all your beauty, the stain of pride, the
stain of covctousness and carnality; the moth of envy and
contention, that is eating out your hearts ! Why shouldest
thou be sad ? carnal comforts would say. What hast thou
wanting to thee ? What hast thou to trouble thee ? Thou
hast houses, and lands, and money, and health, and friends.
What wouldest thou have ? Why dost thou not rejoice and
make merry .' Why ! why, it is true all things go well
with me without : I have a good estate, and a good trade,
and a good house, and am in good health : but O, what a
soul have I ! O what a wretched heart have I ! Do you
a>k. what I have to trouble me ? O I have sin to trouble
me ! This pride, and this covetousness, and this guilt that is
upon me ! God knows, 1 find enough to trouble me, and
to trouble me more than I am or can be troubled ! Do
you ask me what I want to make me merry ? O, I want
: I want grace ; I want more faith, and more love to
Christ ; I want a better heart ! Matters go not right
between God and me : whatever I have for this world; O
how little have I for the eternal world! Can I be merry
and jocund, whilst sin hath made such waste upon my in-
ward man { Christians, do but thus remember your sins,
and this will allay your carnal joys. Art thou so merry,
that thou forgettt-st thy sins ? Take heed, the time cometh
whei< thy sins shall appear and stare thee so in the face,
as to make thee forget all thy days of mirth and laughter.
Second. Not so to rejoice, as to forget our brethren's afflic-
tions and miseries. It is well with thee; but how is it
with thy poor neighbours and friends .' How many are there
that are in penury, whilst thou art in plenty? How many
iothed in rags, whilst thou shinest in thy gorgeous
apparel .' How many are ready to starve, and die for
hunger, whiUt thou hast thy fulness of bread, and abun-
dance of all things ( Thou hast niou^h, and thereupon
rejoicest ; but is it nntliing to thee, that there are so many
202 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
that would be glad of thy crumbs, of thy leavings, and
cannot have them ? Thy very dogs, it may be, have many
a better bit, and warmer lodging, than some of thy poor
neighbours : is this nothing to thee ? When thou blessest
thyself in thy plenty, then remember those for whom
nothing is provided.
Forget not, in thy joy, how it is with thy poor neigh-
bours, much less how it is with the poor church of God.
" If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget
her cunning." (Psalm cxxxvii. 5.) Let me never touch
the harp more, or rejoice at the sound of the organ, if I
forget poor Jerusalem : if I do not remember thee, " let
my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth :" let me never
sing song more, no, nor never speak word more, if I
prefer not Jerusalem above my chiefest joy. Friends, you
that can be merry and jolly in these days, remember how
is it with poor Jerusalem. Is our Jerusalem in prosperity ?
Doth the church of Christ flourish ? Is religion and
sincere Christianity countenanced and encouraged ? Are
not the tents of Jacob smitten and fallen ? and do they not
look black, and all torn and weather-beaten ? It was said
once, though by an evil tongue, " How goodly are thy
tents, O Jacob; and thy tabernacles, Israel!" (Num.
xxiv. 5.) But where is their goodness ? Where is their
beauty ? Are not the daughters of Zion all sun-burnt with
affliction ? It was said once by the church, " / am black,
but comely ;" (Cant. i. 5 ;) sun-burnt with affliction, but
beautiful through grace. But may it not now be said, We
are black and deformed ; not only sun-burnt, but collied,
black as a coal, by iniquity. Is there not only a marring
of our outward beauty, but a failing of the very spirit and
inward beauty of Christianity ? Though it were once said,
" The king's daughter is all glorious within, and her clothing
of wrought gold ;" (Psalm xlv. 13;) must it now be said,
Our clothing is in sackcloth, and we are become black
and pale, and all withering within ? Is not Christianity
in most places dead at the heart ? May there not be an
Ichabod named among us, The glory, the inward glory, is
departed from Jerusalem ? It is well for us, if it be not
thus with us ; if the pale horse hath not ridden into our
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 203
inner man ; if there be not death in our hearts ; if our faith,
and our love, and our holiness, and our zeal be not dead;
if wo be not grown stark cold many of us, or at least our
highest pitch be not lukewarmness. Consider how it is
with yourselves ; but if it be better with us, (O that it were
so, O that the Lord had not a controversy with us, even
with us, for the loss that we are at, and the fall that is to be
seen among us,) but if it were better with us than it is,
yet forget not how it is abroad, with the generality of pro-
fessors among us. It is in every person's mouth, what a
general and lamentable decay there is everywhere of the
soul of serious Christianity. And is all this nothing with
you .' Is this a season to rejoice and make merry in? "A
sicord, a xtrard is sharpened, and also furbished : it is
sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished
that it ma;i (/litter : should we then make mirth ?" (Ezek.
xxi. 9, 10.) Beloved, we may read, in our decay and
hypocrisy, that the Lord may be sharpening and furbish -
in outward sword against us, to avenge and to punish
an hypocritical nation. But the spiritual sword of the
Lord is sharpened already ; and what a sore slaughter hath
it made ! What a slaughter of the faith and the hope,
of the grace and the comfort, of the love, of the
humility, of the meekness, of the self-denial, what a
slaughter hath been made of all these already ! How
little of them is there left alive ! Is there such a spiritual
sword, such a javelin smitten through the heart, such a sore
slaughter made- of the very spirit of religion, and should we
\ct make mirth '! Is this a season to be so merry, or so jolly
in ! M hat a woe is there denounced, Amos vi. 1, 6, against
merry ones, and jolly ones, upon this account, that
tlu- v are not grieved for the afflictions of Joseph ! And, what,
should we be merry, and so merry, as to be without sense of
tlu- afflictions, and also of the sins of Joseph? the inward
languishing* and consumptions of the people of God?
Christians. I doubt we have too much forgotten all this :
we do not consider, we do not renlember, or lay it to heart,
how sadly it gocth with tlu- interest of Christianity among
us : sure it would change many of our countenances, and
abate us our pleasant hours, were this duly weighed.
204 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
It is our fault and our sin, that it is thus with us ; and
it is a sign that thou art of the number of those sick souls,
thou art one of them. There is a sad slaughter made in
thine own soul : thine heart languisheth, and thy grace
is withered : it is a sign it is so, if thou canst he so
merry, and not to he afflicted with the witherings of others.
O friends, remember these things ; and whatever rejoicings
you have in outward things, let these things he an allay
to them ! " Weep as though ye wept not, rejoice as though
you rejoiced not," (1 Cor. vii. 30,) says the Apostle. I cannot
say the former word to you in such a time, Weep as if
you weep not ; but, Weep as if you wept ! Weep in good
earnest : weep heartily, weep abundantly : let your eyes
run down with tears. I cannot say, Weep as if you wept
not; but yet, Rejoice as if you rejoiced not; abate and
moderate all your joy and mirth.
(iv.) For our fear. This is well governed, when we fear
nothing but what we ought to fear ; and this we fear as
much, and no more than we should. For the regulating
our fears,
i. We are to keep our hearts in a due fear of what we
should fear.
(?'.) God is to be feared. The glory of his excellent
Majesty, of his holiness, of his righteousness, of his omni-
potence, and all his glorious attributes. The attributes
are his glorious and fearful name. " That thou mayest
fear this glorious and fearful name, The Lord thy God."
(Deut. xxviii. 58.) This fear of God, is a fear of revenge.
To fear God, is to stand in awe of his glorious Majesty.
But in special there must be a fear of the indignation of
God, and the power of his wrath. " I will forewarn you
whom ye shall fear : Fear him which hath power to cast into
hell." (Luke xii. 5.) The fear of God is the ground and
reason of all other fear.
(.) Sin is to be feared. " How wast thou not afraid, to
stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lord's anointed ?"
(2 Sam. i. 14.) It was thy wickedness, thy great sin, to
do that act. How is it that thou wert not afraid to do
it ? Sin is the most formidable of evils. If men knew
what it were to sin against God, it would make them
INSTRVCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 205
tremble. Not only great sins, but little sins ; not only open,
but the most secret sins : there is enough in every sin to
make men afraid. That men are so vile, and so wicked as
they are, is because they fear not sin : fear sin, and you
will fly from it.
mptations to sin are to be feared. Therefore we
are to pray. " Lead us not into temptation." It is our fear
that must brin-j us on our knees, to make this hearty
prayer. If sin be feared, then whatever enticeth or lead-
) sin is to be feared. Some of our temptations are
to be feared and shunned. Evil companions are a tempta-
tion : these must be shunned. The liberty of unnecessary ,
sports and recreations, of sumptuous feastings, of curious
and costly apparel, &c., are temptations, and therefore
must be shunned. Others of our temptations are to be
feared, and warily used. Riches and outward prosperity
are a temptation : our money, and our lands, and our busi-
ness in the world are temptations, " They that will be rich,
fall into temptation," &c. ; and therefore must so be
iVared, as to make us the more wary and circumspect in
the seeking and using of them. Follow your trades with
u'o into your fields and markets with fear, eat and
drink with fear ; fear your fine houses, fear your plentiful
and prosperous estates, lest by these you be led away to
sin, and to forget God. You are every day among temp-
tations, throughout the whole time of your lives; and
therefore is the exhortation of the Apostle, " Pass the time
"turning here in fear." (1 Peter i. 17.)
. i The punishments of sin are to be feared. The
wrath and the curse of God, even that everlasting death
which is the wages of sin. Our Saviour said," Fear himwhic h
i.i a/ilf tn (/rsfrni/ both soul and body in hell." He is able,
and he will do it, if thou continue in thy sin. This fear is
planted in the heart, as the sword of the angel was placed
in th l.alaam, to keep him back from his wicked
world is a wicked world. Notwithstanding
<;>(! h.-.ih placed such a flaming sword in sinners' ways,
notwithstanding all their fears, how wilfully wicked are
I'.nt v ,ld would this world be, if there
;u> fi-ar upon im-n's hearts, to bridle or restrain them!
206 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
ii. We are to keep the heart out of fear of what it
should not fear : to suppress and keep down all unreason-
able and sinful fears. There are two things especially
which men fear, but which they should not fear :
(*'.) The yoke of Christ. The difficulties and severities
of religion. Some men continue to be sinners, because they
are afraid to be saints ; they continue under the power of
the devil, because they are afraid of Christ. They look
on Christ as a hard Master, his service as hard service, his
yoke as a hard yoke. Some desires they have after reli-
gion : they could wish themselves Christians, but are afraid
to venture. The difficulties and the severities of a godly
life keep them off: they are afraid of them, that they
should never bear them. As God placed a flaming sword
in Eden, (Gen. iii. 24,) so these fears are a flaming sword of
the devil's placing, to keep the way of the tree of life, to
keep sinners back from Christ. They dare not come to
Christ for fear of him, and the heavy yoke that he would
put upon their necks.
(ii.) The cross of Christ. That is,
First. The sufferings of this life. These are not to be
feared. " Fear none of those things which you shall suffer."
(Rev. ii. 10.) And this very charge, not to fear them, is
an evidence that even Christians are too apt to fear
sufferings.
Second. Death for Christ's sake. "Fear not them that
kill the body." (Luke xii. 4.) Fear not the worst that men
can do. You may not only be persecuted by evil men, im-
prisoned, spoiled of your goods, but you may be slain, put
to death by them : yet fear them not. And as a violent
death, a being put to death for Christ, so neither is a natural
death to be feared. Death is the king of terrors. The
Apostle tells us, that "/or fear of death men are all their
life time subject to bondage." (Heb. ii. 15.) There is a
natural fear of death, implanted in every man, even in
Christ himself ; and there is also a sinful fear of death :
and then it is sinful, when it is excessive ; when there is
so great a fear of death, as to distress and distract us in
the duties of our lives ; when there is so great a fear of
death, that we cannot quietly and patiently submit to its
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 207
str.)ko ; when we cannot comfort and support ourselves
against the fear of death, by the hope which we have in
death. " The righteous hath hope in his death. 1 ' (Prov. xiv.
As the Apostle speaks concerning sorrow for the
. " Sorrow not even as others which have no hope ;"
1 Thess. iv. 13;) the same may be said concerning the fear
nf death. Fear not as men without hope. The righteous
hath hope in his death: he lies down in hope, goes to his
L r r tve in hope ; and this hope fortifieth his heart under
all its tears.
Now, friends, would you keep your hearts under go-
vernment, learn this lesson, Keep them in fear : and
particularly,
I-'irst. Keep you in the fear of God. Keep up the awe
and reverence of God in your hearts : get you trembling
hearts before the Lord : behold the severe and jealous eye
that is upon you. Live under such a deep sense of the
greatness, glory, and majesty of the great God, as may
;untly awe you. Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts,
and let him be your fear and your dread. Those that
live nut under an awe of God, lie open to the devil, and
all his temptation. It is this, the fear of God, that is the
bridle, to keep us in due order.
v K j> you in fear of sinning against God.
. and sin not." (Psalm iv. 4.) Art thou a pro-
: of faith in God, and dost thou not yet fear to sin
a-rainvt (Jod ? Dost thou believe that God is the observer
of all ungodliness ? that thine iniquities are all marked
before him '. Dost thou believe that God is the avenger
of all ungodliness, and that all thine iniquities shall be
:ij)> used and returned upon thine own head? How
is it then that thou art no more afraid of iniquity ? Art
thou an hypocritical professor, and does not thine hypo-
make thee afraid .' Art thou a proud professor, or a
worldly professor, or a lukewarm, or froward, or carnal,
thful professor .' How is it that thy pride, thy covet-
oiisness, thy coldness, or frowardness, or carnality, or sloth-
fnlm -*s. doth not make thee afraid f . Are these evils, this
pride, and this hypocrisy, this covetousness, this froward-
ness, rooted and reigning in thy heart ! Where are thy
208 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
v
fears all this while ? Call up fear, put on fear ; and let
this suppress these lusts, which will else he hreaking forth
into practical iniquity. If you would fear a life of covet-
ousness, a life of pride, fear this heart of pride, this
worldly carnal heart ; if you would fear a froward look, a
froward tongue, fear a froward heart, crush this cockatrice
egg, before it hatch into practical wickedness !
Third. Fear temptation to sin. What tends to foment
or heighten the lusts of thine heart ? What doth use to
draw them forth into practice ? Whatever it be, fear it as
you would fear the devil. Particularly,
Fear whatever you overlove in the world.
(First.) When you have your pleasant dishes before you,
and a variety of them ; when you have your pleasant cups
before you, fear your being tempted to excess. Feed not
yourselves without fear ; especially feast not without fear :
" Put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite."
(Prov. xxiii. 2.) " Look not thou upon the wine when it is
red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth
itself aright." (Ver. 31.) Look besides it, be afraid to look
upon it, lest it tempt thine appetite beyond its bounds.
(Second.) Fear your fine clothes, your fashions and orna-
ments that you delight in. Hast thou no pride in thine
heart, and is not thy pride even as tinder, that will catch
fire of every spark ? Dost thou love to be fine and
gallant ? dost thou love thy fine fashions and ornaments ?
Let thy love make thee afraid.
( Third.) Fear the money that thou lovest, and thy lands,
and thy fields, and the increase of thy substance. " When
riches increase, set not your heart upon them." (Psalm Ixii.
10.) Do you prosper, do you grow rich in this world, do
ye feel the world coming in, and your substance increasing
upon you ? Fear this prosperity ! I do not say, fear pros-
perity, and shun it, or flee from it ; but fear it, and look
the better to yourselves : be jealous of yourselves in such
a time, lest when you prosper and be full, you then forget
God. Have an eye to your hearts in your prosperous
estate. Take heed that your souls grow not poorer, as
your outward man grows richer. It was the joy of the
Apostle, " Though our outward man perish, yet the inward
- ABOUT HEART-WORK. 209
HUM is renewed day by day." ("2 Cor. iv. 16.) But, friends,
let it he- your fear, lest as your outward man flourisheth,
vour inward man grow to decay; lest your riches eat up
your religion ; lest you lose your love to God ; lest you
abate in your care for the things of Christ ; lest those
souls wither and suffer loss; lest the work of God
: ind with you; lest praying, and praising, and
communing with your hearts, and looking into the other
world, and caring and labouring for those poor immortal
souls, be laid aside, or but slightly shuffled over. Know
you, that are on a prosperous estate, that have set your
hearts upon getting, and finding the world increasing upon
you. know that you are in danger: your souls are in
danger, your religion is in danger of sinking and withering ;
your prosperity is a temptation, that will endanger your
neglect of God and your souls. Look upon prosperity as
a temptation, and fear it as a temptation : be jealous of your
hearts in such a time.
(Fourth.) Fear your vain company, your societies and
communfcations with your carnal friends and acquaintance.
thou love vain company ? I do not speak of vile com-
pany, of drunkards and rioters, of swearers, and scoffers at
those sons of debauchery, that are the filth and
garbage of the world ; but even vain company, that are
nothing but Troth and folly, compliment and merriment;
the unsavoury salt of the earth, that are good for nothing;
to whom a s- rious and savoury word put in, is as " vinegar
tn tli-- /U !
Friends, I have more than once provoked you to be
spiritual and more heavenly in your converse ; but
what hath been the fruit ! Is it better than it hath been (
<) that \ <>u could tell me it was ! 1 thank God it is a little
better ! I have set mine heart upon it, I have put myself
to it, to bring forth something of what I have learned for
other*.' benefit. 1 must tell you, this unprofitable^
an ill sign as to yourselves, as well as it may be a snare to
other . : barren lips are a sign of barren hearts. It is to be
not so much of Christ within you, when
is so little coining forth; that there is but little truth
in \our hearts, when there is so little grace in your lips.
O, friends, that you would yet check yourselves for this
..at you would yet charge it upon your hearts, to
be more fruitful this way! To what purpose are you
ml unto, to what purpose do 1 warn you, if you will
not -im> ;t,i .' 1 will tell you one way to help it: let
own hearts he more set upon Go.l : get more spiritual
Tits,
212 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
and it will find an easier vent. More divine communion
will be the best help to more holy communication. But
this, by the way.
(v.) For our grief or sorrow. I shall show here,
*'. That the object of our sorrow is evil. The evils we
are to grieve for are, (i.) Sin. (iz.) Misery or afflictions.
ii. What are the due degree and just limits of our
grief.
('.) Sin. This is the great and special object of sorrow :
and sorrow for sin is the best and most necessary of sorrows.
Sin is a grievous evil, and it most calls for grief of heart.
He loves neither God nor himself, that grieves not for sin :
sin is the abuse of God, and the wrong of our own souls.
\ How canst thou say thou lovest God, if thou canst abuse
him, or see him abused, without sorrow ? How canst thou
say, thou lovest thyself, when thou canst wrong thyself,
and not be grieved ? What wilt thou grieve for, if not for
> that which is so provoking to God, and so destructive to
\ thyself?
Sin seems good in the eyes of sinners, and therefore it
seldom troubles them ; it is that which pleaseth them, and
suits with their tempers ; it is that which pleaseth them, and
brings them in all their gains. Sinners, that must here-
after die for their sins, do at present live by their sins :
they are beholden to their sins for their livelihood. Some
men live by lying, and stealing, and defrauding ; by covet-
ousness and oppression : it is that which brings them in
their estates ; they had been, some of them, but poor men,
if their sin had not gotten them estates. Others live by
their pleasures, and carnal merriments : it is their mirth
and their pleasure that keep them alive ; sorrow and
melancholy, they think, would kill their hearts. Sinners
live upon their sins, and therefore will not be grieved.
But though thou thinkest thou livest by thy sins, thou
must die for thy sins : thy sins are making a grave for
thee, and carrying thee to it : thy sins are preparing a hell
for thee, and leading thee down to the chambers of death.
Thy sin spoils thee at present of all that is good, and
makes thee good for nothing, but to be fuel for the fire.
Holiness prepares the saints, and makes them " meet for
I RUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 213
t'/ir inheritance of the saints in light ;" (Col. i. 12 ;) and sin
prepares sinners, and makes them meet for the inheritance
of everlasting darkness ; fit to serve none but the devil,
fit to dwell with none but the devil. Sinners, you that go
on in your sins, you are herein but fitting and preparing
yourselves for the devil ! This pride that you live in, these
pleasun -s that you live in, this covetousness that you live in,
by all these, the devil is preparing you for hell ! There is
a fire prepared for you, " everlasting Jire, prepared for the
<>rrowiul. The degrees which, by the right government of
the heart, this sorrow for sin is held up, and thu bounds
.jnd limits it is held within, are these :
214 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
First. This sorrow must be so great, as to answer the end,
and to bring forth the proper fruits of it. The end of this
sorrow, and the fruits it must bring forth, the Apostle tells
us, is repentance. " / rejoice that ye sorrowed to repent-
ance" (2 Cor. vii. 9.) And, verse 11, "This self-
same thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what
carefulness it wrought in you ! yea, what clearing of your-
selves," &c. Whatever trouble for sin, whatever sorrow
any of you have in your hearts, if it doth not bring forth
repentance, a forsaking and turning from sin ; if this sorrow
doth not work a fear of falling back into sin ; if it doth not
work a care of preventing your fall ; if it doth not work to
indignation and zeal against sin ; if it leave you the friends
of sin still, the followers of sin still ; if this be all you can
say, I am troubled at it, but I cannot help it ; it is my
trouble that I am a drunkard : it is my grief that I am a
worldling, or proud, or froward ; but God be merciful to
me, I cannot get rid of these evils ! If your sorrow, what-
ever it be, doth not bring forth fruit unto repentance, it is
not wrought up high enough. There must be more load laid
on: there must be more of its thorns, and spears, and stings
thrust into that hard heart of thine : thou must feel more
of its gripes : it must fetch out more groans, and sighs, and
tears out of thee : thou must be brought to another manner
of trouble for sin, than yet thou art, ere it reach the due
degree of godly sorrow.
Second. This sorrow must not be so great, as to hinder the
exercise of any other grace or duty. It is seldom there is
an error in the excess : we do not use to sorrow overmuch.
No, no ; we are apt to err in the defect. We do not usually
come up to sufficient sorrow. Our hearts have but a light
hurt upon them; our wounds, ordinarily, are not deep
enough. It is this which mostly undoes us, we find our
sin to be too light a burden. It were well if our hearts were
more sick, that we could find them bleeding inwardly, and
bleeding more abundantly ; as it was said of false teachers,
" They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people
xlightly." (Jer. vi. 14.) It is seldom that we can,now-a-days,
hear of such a thing as a troubled soul, and a wounded spirit.
We are, even professors, of too whole and unbroken hearts.
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 215
.*/ God is a broken heart." (Psalm li. 17.)
IJut how few such sacrifices are there anywhere found fr
ird ! The work of the ministry, God help us ! is
seldom that more acceptable work, and healing work, to
i In- wounded soul, to bind up the broken heart, to
comfort tlu-in that an- cast down. But the main of our
work lies, in making wounds, in pricking to the heart, in
casting down the high and hardened hearts. Is not there
much of this work lying upon our hands, to be hammering,
and humbling, and piercing your hearts through with
godly sorrow > How few are there of you, who can truly
say, I thank (Jod, this work is done upon me; the breaking
work, the afflicting work, the affrighting work, is done upon
me. My heart, through grace, is brought low, and made
soft, and made sick of my sins; so that I am prepared for
the healing and comforting work. The sharp two-edged
sword of the word hath pierced so deep, and made such
work, such wounds in my heart, that now the oil is more
needed, and the balm, to heal my wounds. O, it is matter
of trouble and sadness of heart, to find no more such sad
and sorrow-bitten hearts, than we can either see or
"f in the world ! It is seldom, therefore, I say, that
is too much of this sorrow, that trouble for sin riseth
too high ; but yet sometimes, and in some cases, it may
. There may be an excess of sorrow for sin: Christi-
ans ii'ay be pressed down above measure: they may be
swallowed up of overmuch sorrow : as the Apostle inti-
. and would have prevented, " Comfort swh a one, lest
perhaps he should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow."
i . ii. 7.) Therefore, in this case, there must be limits
our sorrow ; and it must be held within these limits.
It must be so much only, as may not hinder the exercise
of other graces and duties: it must neither hinder our
hopes, nor our faith, nor our love, no, nor our joy in the
Lord. It should be with Christians in this case, as with
Apostle in another case, " As sorrowful, yet altcuy
'1 Cor. vi. 10.) Sorrowing, yet believing :
. I hoping; cast down, yet comforted. It
must not hinder our duties. Some Christians have been
.. rwhelmed with trouble, that they have not been able
216 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
to hear, nor pray, nor think with any comfort upon God,
or the things of God. This is an excess of sorrow, and
must be restrained. Sorrow for sin no more, than will
help you to believe, and hope, and love, and praise, and
serve the Lord.
(z'z.) Affliction. This is another object of sorrow. The
degrees and limits of this are,
First. That we sorrow not so little, but that we have a due
and a deep sense of the hand of the Lord upon us.
Otherwise we despise the chastening of the Lord, which
the Apostle forbids : " Despise not thou the chastening of
the Lord." (Heb. xii. 5.) By afflictions I mean here, the
sufferings of this life : crosses and losses of estates, of
friends, husband, wife, children, or near relations ; suffer-
ings in our persons, by sickness, pain, languishing, and the
like; these must be grieved for. God complains, " I have
stricken them, but they have not grieved." (Jer. iii. 5.) It
was their sin that they did not sorrow.
Second. That we sorrow not so much as to sink under
our afflictions. That we be not swallowed up of overmuch
sorrow. As we may not slight or "despise the chastening
of the Lord," so we may not "faint" when we are "rebuked
of him." (Heb. xii. 5.) The Apostle tells us, (2 Cor.
vii. 10,) that " worldly sorrow," the sorrow of worldly
men, on account of worldly crosses, "worketh death.''
It sometimes destroys their bodies : some men die of grief:
but it often kills their hearts, sinks their spirits, stupifies,
and makes them fit for nothing. We ought not to be so
depressed with sorrow, but that we may still keep our
hearts alive, and be of good courage.
Third. Not as men without hope. We must sorrow for
all our afflictions, but as the Apostle would have Christians
sorrow for the dead: "Sorrow not," says he, " as others
which have no hope." (1 Thess. iv. 13.) The righteous
hath hope in his heart, and his hope must moderate his
sorrow. This sad state will not last always : there is hope
of an end of his afflictions, and that should moderate his
grief. " The righteous hath hope in his death." (Prov.
xiv. 32.) He hath this double hope,
(First.) That death will put an end to his sorrows.
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 217
(Sec I ii.it the end of his sorrows will be the
ining aferarlMting joys: and in this hope he must
comfort himself under his sufferings, and moderate his
sorrow.
1 -'mirth. Always as men that have worse matters to sorrow
! .r. The least sin is a worse evil than the greatest affliction,
and calls for more of our sorrow. Christians must take
heed that they do not lose the sense of sin, in their excessive
sorrowing for affliction. When affliction lies too heavy,
sin usually lies too light. " Why criest thou for thine
affliction t because thy sins were increased, I have done these
tfiini/s unto thee." (Jer. xxx. 15.) Why art thou impatient
under thy sufferings? Whatsoever thou sufferest, how
hard soever it goes with thee in the world, there is a worse
thing than all this, that should set thee a crying: thy
sin, thy sin, which is the root of all that which thou
suH'erest !
Fifth. Let your sorrow for affliction never be so great, as to
hiadi-r your sorrow for sin. Sorrow more for iniquity, and
that will limit and moderate your sorrow for your affliction.
Why dost thou grieve so for losses in thine estate, for thy
lost friends and relations ? Thou hast greater matters than
these to trouble thyself about : thy sins are the losses of
thy soul. Think, when thou art mourning over thy
worldly crosses, as sad as they are, how is it with thy soul ?
Is there not sin upon thy soul ? Is there not guilt upon
thy soul .' And let out thy sorrows so much upon the sin of
thy soul, that thou mayest have none to waste upon the
sufferings of thy body. Restrain thy tears for thy afflic-
tions, thou wilt need them all to be spent upon thine
iniquity. O, friends, if you were concerned for your souls,
as much as you ought ; if you were sensible of the mischiefs
and miseries that sin is bringing upon your souls, they
would make all the sufferings of this life comparatively
light and little things !
(vi.) For our anger. The government of our anger is,
that which especially is meant, by ruling our spirits, in
those two scriptures : " /// that is slaw to ani/rr is In'tti'r
than the. miyhty ; and /it- that rult-t'i I/is spirit, tfmn In- that
takfth a city." (Prov. xvi. ;>_'. .1 " //< that liatlt no ruin
218 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
over his own spirit, is like a city that is broken down, and
without walls." (Prov. xxv. 28.)
The object of anger is evil : the limits of anger are
these :
i. Be never angry with God. Some persons are so
fretful, that none can please them : they are apt to be angry
with every one that hath to deal with them. There is no
escaping their anger, but by shunning their company, and
having nothing to do with them. Men cannot please them,
and God cannot please them : they will be angry with their
Maker. When his providences toward them are anything
cross to their humours, or their interest, they are angry at
God, angry at his providence. So it was with Jonah, when
God smote his gourd that had been given him for a shade.
Jonah was in a pet, angry with God ; and justified himself
in his anger: "/ do well to be angry." (Jonah iv. 9.)
Some foolish persons, if it be dry weather when they would
have it rain, if foul weather when they would have it
fair, they are angry and fret ; their hearts rise, murmur,
and -repine against the providence of God. So, when the
wicked are exalted and flourish, and themselves are
oppressed and brought low, men are apt to fret and
murmur at Divine Providence, that thus orders it. Thence
is that caution, " Fret not thyself because of him who pros-
pereth in his way ;" (Psalm xxxvii. 7 ;) that is, fret not
against God, because he suffers such wicked ones to
prosper. Let God alone in his way : whatever he doth in
the world, keep silence before him, and fret not, murmur
not against him. To be angry with the wind, or the rain,
or the clouds, or the sun, when we suffer prejudice by
them ; yea, or to be angry with the irrational creatures,
that serve us, with our horses, or oxen, or dogs, when
they do amiss ; this is often anger against God. Some are
such fools, that if their horse stumbleth, or their ox slug-
geth, or their dog barks, or takes what he should not, as
to be angry with them. Irrational creatures are not the
objects of your anger : you may strike your horse, or goad
your ox, or beat your dog ; but he is a fool that will be
angry with them. Some are so fretful, that they will fret
and chafe at senseless and inanimate creatures, which they
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 219
How do gamesters fret and chafe at their cards, at
their dice, when they run not for them ! How do some
tradesmen frvt at their labour, when it fadges not aright !
when their yarn breaks, when their cloth shrinks, when
their scythe, or knife, will not cut, or cut their fingers, or
their legs, or hit upon a stone, or the like ! Some such
then- an-, that will be angry with their work, will fret at
their scythe, or their knife, or their yarn, &c. These you
may reckon among the first-born fools ! And the folly of
such anger is not the worst that is in it, there is profane-
ness in it too : anger against these creatures is anger
ist (Jod.
li. Be not soon angry with man. " He that is slow to
anger is betti-r than the mighty." (Prov. xvi. 32.) Some
ns are so touchy, that it is hard to keep them quiet.
Like tinder, or gunpowder, that will catch fire by every
spark : a wry word or look, nay, their own jealous thoughts,
will set them on fire : every little thing will provoke them.
is an evil and sore disease, that is with difficulty cured.
You, whose temper this is, know that it is your misery.
It is a miserable temper, to be of such a froppish, touchy
spirit. You that are such, had need to pity the case of
that dwell with you. Look upon thyself as a brier,
or a thorn-hedge : and know that the fault lies not in them
thou art angry with, but in thine own angry heart.
Hi. lie not angry without a cause. " He that is angry
irith his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the
judgment." 1 (Matt. v. 22.) The only just cause of anger
is sin. lie angry, and sin not ;" (Eph. iv. 26 ;) and that
yon may do so, be only angry against sin. We may be
angry against wrongs or abuses against ourselves ; but it
must lie upon this account, that these wrongs against our-
s are sins against (Jod. Be not angry without a
cause, and be not angry for every little cause. Christians
must hi- patient, and hear much : it should be a great thing
that provokes them to anger. Do not pick quarrels one
-t another, and make anger where there is no cause
of anger; and do not quarn-1 tor trifles, which a wise man
would despise, rather than he provoked with.
IP. !' not long angry. " Let not tin: suit gn down upon
220 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
your wrath." (Eph. iv. 26.) " Anger resteth in the bosom
of fools." (Eccles. vii. 9.) Of the several sorts of tempers
that are among men, some are soon angry, and as soon
pacified. This, though it be an evil, is a more tolerable
evil. . Let it not justify you in your touchiness, that your
anger is quickly gone : to be soon angry is your sin, though
not so great, because you are soon pleased. Do not allow
yourselves in this temper : little sins ought to be carefully
avoided.
Others are " slow to anger," and swift to pacification :
( hard to be provoked, easy to be pacified. This is the
best of tempers ; this is that " meek and quiet spirit, which,
in the sight of God, is of great price." (1 Peter iii. 4.)
This man is a Moses, who could be angry, and was angry
to a great height, when he saw Israel become idolatrous ;
but yet this Moses was the meekest man upon earth. This
meek temper is the most desirable of all tempers, even for
our own sakes. Every man who is a wise man, would, if
it were possible, be a meek man : none would be a fury,
but a fool !
Meekness of spirit is the way to obtain every man's love
and good opinion ; and the way also to our own ease and
serenity of heart. Frowardness and fretfulness are their
/ own punishment. What vexations and galls are such per-
f sons to their own hearts ; and what a reproach, by-word,
, and odium are they to others !
Others are easily provoked, and hardly pacified. A little
spark will kindle a fire, but many waters will not quench
it. "A soft answer " saith Solomon, "turneth away wrath.''
(Prov. xv. 1.) In some it will : but in others, neither soft
nor hard words will do it. No contending, no stooping, no
yielding, no loving obliging words or carriage, will stop the
current, till time hath a little allayed and worn it out.
This is a wretched temper, and next to the worst ; soon
angry, and long angry.
Others are soon angry, and never pacified. The grudge
of their hearts is as a cancer in their breasts : there it
corrodes and frets, but will not be cured. These are
devils incarnate : it is the malice of the devil, that is
implacable malice.
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 221
r. Ue-train the sinful effects of anger: such as, First,
Angry look-. ^ < nad, Prov. xxv. 23, of an angry counte-
nance. An angry look is either a furious look, the fire of
the heart sparklingoutattheeye, or a sour, sullen, dogged,
discontented look. Second. Angry words: as reproachful
words, "/faca," or, "Thou fool!" "(Matt. v. 22.) Calling
name's, liar, thief, varlet, knave; or railing and bitter words,
which are dipped in vinegar or gall, spoken on purpose to
irritate and provoke. Third. Distances and estrangements.
ng aloof, refusing society with whom we are angry. I
will do him no hurt, but I will never have to do with him
more : tin re is an angry resolve. Never talk of not being
angry, whilst this fruit of it, distance and estrangement,
continue. Fourth. Revenge. When the grudge lies burning
within, and watching to do an ill turn, or to "be even with
him," as they usually express it. Revenge is the intend-
ndeavouring, or doing hurt, to such as offend, to
y our malice and wrath. We may right ourselves
ujion those that abuse and wrong us, either in our estates
or names, in just and honest ways; and in such cases where
or conscience, or the honour of religion do not call
upon us to suffer wrong, and pass by, or put up with
\Ve may right ourselves in case of wrong, but
r out of malice, to satisfy our wrathful hearts. Some
heel spirits there are, who, in trifling offences which
tiered, could pass them by, but only refuse on
nit of the satisfying their malice: their wrath must
be appcasrd. This, if it arises from the malice of
the In-art, is a revengeful righting of thyself. How often do
;k at such a rate as this: Not so much that 1
the things, but I scorn to be abused !
il, these are limits to bound your anger. Be not angry
with (iod, nor with his providence : be not sinfully angry
with man; not soon angry, not angry without a cause;
not over angry where you have a cause ; not long, not
Implacably angry : lay aside an angry look, restrain an
angry tongue, and beware of meditating revenge: let not
tlier. t grudge remaining, which will make revenge
: to thee.
\ \v, because this is a great piece of the government of
222 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
the heart, and of much difficulty, I shall direct you to
some means for the bringing it about.
First. Prize, seek, and maintain your peace with God.
(First.) This will find you other work to do, than to mind
every little offence that may come athwart you. The wrath
of God is as the roaring of a lion. Whilst you are in fear of
that, and caring how to escape it, you will not mind the
barking of a dog, or the hissing of a goose. What, hast
thou nothing else to take up thy thoughts, than these trivial
things ? It is an ill sign ; it is a sign thou mindest not God
as thou shouldest, nor thy soul as thou shouldest, when
thou art so apt to be in a pet at every little thing.
(Second.) Your breaking peace with men, is a breaking
peace with God. Art thou sinfully angry with thy brother,
or with thy husband, or thy wife ? Take heed, God is angry
with thee. " With the froward, thou wilt show thyself
froward." (Psalm xviii. 26.) You that are given to fro-
wardness, study that scripture, and tremble. Canst thou
stand before an angry God ? Wouldst thou that God
should carry it as frowardly towards thee, as thou earnest
it towards others ? Wouldst thou see such a frowning face,
wouldst thou hear such words of fury from the Lord, against
thy soul ? Thou must look for no other from him, if thou
earnest it thus frowardly toward thy friends. Mind your
peace with God more ; be more solicitous about the taking
up that deadly controversy, that hath been between him
and thee ; and prevent the raising of new quarrels with
God, and then we should have fewer quarrels one with
another. Is it peace betwixt God and thy soul ? Is all
fair and friendly betwixt him and thee ? Methinks thou
shouldest bear anything then from men. Is it not peace
betwixt God and thee? Is that great work yet to be done?
Is there such a weighty concern lying upon thee ? Is thy
peace with God yet to make ? What a foolish wretch art
thou, to disturb thyself with these little matters !
Second. Totally espouse the interest of God, and renounce
the interest of this self and flesh. It is this self that is the
make-bate, and the rise of all our quarrels. If you would
know no other interest, but the interest of God, you would
never be angry, but where you should be angry ; you
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 223
would only be angry with sin against God. If you have
renounced your selfish and fleshly interest, you would
never take its part, nor take up cudgels on its side. All
our carnal anger is taking part with carnal self: anything
that is spoken or done against thyself, anger must be
failed up, to revenge the quarrel. ' Be more zealous for
the interest of God, and these quarrels of self would
Third. Know that a pettish, angry disposition (whilst it %
i ins unconquered) will make thee a brier and a thorn, (
to whatever company thou art in. Yea, and it will make ^
every (Hie eKe seem to be a brier and a thorn unto thee. t
What ! wouldest thou have people say, There dwells a
wasp or a hornet ? there goes a brier or a thorn ? Take I
heed how you come near him, lest you be scratched or
stung ! If you would not make every one else to seem a ?
brier and a thorn, or a wasp to you, then kill this wasp in
your own bosom. If people would but study more their (
own ea>e, and the calm of their own hearts, and to be freed )
from those troublesome boilings and burnings of their own ?
spirits, they would prize and pursue a more meek and
quiet disposition. Never expect freedom from vexations
and perturbations, till you have conquered that troublesome
spirit.
''i. Know that implacable anger marks thee out for y
whom God hath excluded from pardon. If there be any ]
one person in the world, who hath so angered thee, that >
thou will not be pacified, that anger of thine will certainly
earry thee to hell. If you will not forgive, you shall never
be {(..r^iven. (Matt. vi. 15.) That is the word : your
-s of others is made the condition of God for-
tig you : your peace with others is made the condition
your peaee \\ith God. Thou that art an implacable ^ /
iture, how darest thou ever take the Lord's prayer into /
thy mouth .' How darest thou to say, "Forgive us our .
xissea as we forgive them that trespass against us ? "
ft is this included in it, If I do not forgive all the <
:-:d. h t not God forgive me. IVrhaps you will say, O,
but I do forgive! I thank God, 1 can say it with a clear <
conscience, 1 forgive all the world ; and any person or
fl
224 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
persons that I have had a particular quarrel against, I
' forgive them with all my heart. I shall never forget, but
( I do forgive. O, what folly and mere self-delusion is all
this ! I will forgive, but I cannot forget ; that is, I will
\ forgive, but I cannot forgive. It is the plain English of,
I cannot forget, I cannot heartily forgive. I will do them
I /no hurt, I will chide no more with them : but you must
/ 'excuse me if I carry a secret grudge in mine heart against
>( them. Is this the forgiveness that thou canst satisfy
7 thyself with ? Wouldst thou that God should say to thee,
I forgive thy wickedness, but I will never forget it ?
. / Angry soul ! art thou resolved to venture it, to go unpar-
cloned to thy grave ? Would it not be a terrible word to
thee, if God should say, I will never forget thine iniqui-
ties, nor blot them out of my book ? Wouldest thou have
thy name blotted out of God's book ? Thy sins must be
blotted out, or thy name blotted out. Wouldest thou
have thy sins stand upon record against thee at the great
day ? Then at thy peril look to it, that thou quench this
fire of implacable anger.
Fifth. Know that whilst the effects of anger remain, the
passion of anger will sinfully remain. Whilst there are
the fruits still continuing, there the root is not cut up.
Nay, if there be but some of the fruit remaining ; if thou
forbear thy sour looks, and put off an angry countenance,
yet if thy distance and strangeness continue ; if thou
sayest, I will do them no hurt, but I will never have any-
thing more to do with them ; if thou forbearest to give
them provoking words to their faces, but continue to bite
them on the back, take thy liberty to censure them, and
to rip up old sores to others when they are absent ;
deceive not thyself, thine anger is not turned away, but
thy wrath is stretched out still !
Sixth. Spend more of your anger against yourselves, for
your own sins, and then you will have the less to waste
upon others. That counsel of Christ is of use here :
" Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own
eye." (Matt. vii. 5.) Cast the first stone at thyself; yea,"
it may be thou mayest see reason to spend all the stones
thou hast to throw upon thyself, and thine own sins, and
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 225
have none left to spare, to cast at thy brother. How have
I Carried it towards the Lord ? O how have I provoked,
and do provoke, the Most High ! O this proud heart of
mine ! O this peevish heart ! O this envious, hypocritical
In-art ! Lord, what can I say for it ? Lord, how can I
hear such a wretched, deceitful, provoking heart ? Can I
endure nothing from others? Lord, how shall I bear it, that
thou hast been so oft provoked and dishonoured by me ?
O my foolish soul, thou hast other quarrels that are fitter
for thee to be engaged in ! Quarrel with thyself, be
antrry with thyself: thou hast sinned against God, and
there, let thine anger shoot all its darts. This would sewj
up thy lips, and put a bridle in thy mouth, as it did in
that of David. " 1 was dumb with silence, I held my peace."t
(Psalm xxxix. 2.) I had not a word to say, when I looked
up to God. What, if Michal mock, if Shimei curse ? God
had a quarrel with me, and it was he who opened their
mouths against me : Thou didst it, and therefore I was
dumb, and had nothing to say.
Christians, remember these things, and apply them,
every one of you, as far as your cases need. Do not say,
with some, Here such or such an one was struck at ;
this word was directed to such a man, or to such a woman.
Do not put it off, but take it to thyself: it is a word sent
from God to thee, as far as thy case is concerned. Let
every one of you reflect, and cast an eye upon yourselves,
and consider how far you are guilty of sinful anger ; and
then, as the disciples did in another case, inquire, "Lord,
Lord, am not I one of them thou hast been
preaching this word unto ? See, every one of you, how
far it may be your own case ; and accordingly accept the
warning, as sent from God, on purpose to you. And so
n M- the several means prescribed, that if it be possible,
> in may hereby be enabled to obtain the rule and the
; mnent of your own souls ; remembering what I
told you hut now from Solomon, " Hr tlutt ruleth Ins own
spirit, is Itrttt-r titan he that tukrth a city." If you can but >
secure the rule of your own spints.it is unspeakably better
a than if you had conquered ail your adversn:
if you can but restrain your : will be more ^
226 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
i comfortable, and tend more to the enjoying yourselves in
peace and sweetness, than if you could so charm the
whole world, that there should never be any to do a thing
that might offend or provoke you.
And thus I have despatched what I have to say, touch-
ing the government of some of the passions of the heart,
to order and regulate them so, that we may love nothing
but what we should love, &c. O what a blessed frame
should we be in, were we brought to this ! It is true, it
is not to be expected, that we should be brought fully to
this frame, in this imperfect state ; but so much might be
done towards it, as would make our whole way of religion
much more even and easy than it is. All our difficulties
and failings arise from the inward disorders and distempers
of the heart. The better order and the better temper our
hearts are brought into, the more easy will our work be,
and the more sweetly carried on.
Now therefore, after the many words which I have
spoken, after the many days that have been spent upon
this subject, let me in the name of God ask you, What
is there that hath been yet done upon you ? What is
there that hath been added to your holy love, to your holy
desires and joys, fears and griefs ? Are there any little
sparks' added to you ? Do you love God more than you
did ? Do you desire him more strongly ? Are your fears
of sin, your fears of temptation to sin, your grief and
sorrow for sin, increased ? Is there any abatement of your
love to the world, of your worldly desires and joys ? Is
there any allay of your fretful angry passion ? Who of
you can say, I thank God, these words have not been
spoken to me in vain : I thank God, I find this world
taken down a little lower : I do not love it so well, nor
desire it so much ; so that I hope I shall never again seek
it so earnestly as I have done ? Are you anything more
in fear of sin, or grieved for sin ? Are you in hope that
your anger shall henceforth not be without a cause, nor
above or higher than its cause, nor ever last as it has used
to do?
Friends, consider, in the name of God, consider ! What,
is there nothing done ? Are you as cold in your love to
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 227
as hot in your love to the world, as much without
fear and grief for sin, as if nothing of all this had been
spoken .' The Lord be merciful to us, what shall become
of sucli hearing '( What serves this preaching ? What
I this hearing ? Doth God take pleasure, or can you
take comfort, in your coming together to hear, and being a
little affected with the word whilst it is preaching, or
speaking some words after of your approbation and liking
what you have heard, when yet the word doth not work,
nor leave any standing and abiding impressions upon you?
It is vain to commend a sermon in words, if the fruit it
brings forth commends it not. The best commendation of
your food is your eating it, and maintaining your health,
and your gathering strength. O friends, that is the com-
mendation we would have of our preaching, and the only
commendation that we can take comfort in, that our word
rvaclieth its end ! that there is some sign of our ministry
upon your hearts, and in your lives ! that we may say
concerning you, as the Apostle concerning the Corinthians,
" } are our epistle, and are declared to be the epistle of
'. written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living
f/W." (2 Cor. iii. 2, 3.) Those are the best sermon
. that are written, not with ink and onpaper,but by the
Spirit of the living God, on the fleshly tables of our hearts.
These are the best sermon notes, and the best commenda-
tion of our preaching ! Now pray, friends, consider ! I do
not ask you what there is written of these sermons in your
note-books, but what is written of them in your hearts ?
Is there anything more of the love of God, of desires after
(iod, of fear of sin, &<., written or begotten within you ?
Had I ability and opportunity of personal converse with
you, 1 should be willing to deal with you in private, hand
in hand, and to ask you these questions man by man. But
pply that detect of speaking personally and in private
to every one of you, take what I speak in my public
ministry, as if it were spoken to you in particular, and 1
dealing with you hand to hand. Though you cannot
me your answer, ye fail not to give answer in yi.ur
own heart, when 1 ask you whether you have gotten any-
more love to God, any more desires after (i^d, any abate-
Q 2
228 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
ment of thy love to the world, any more fear of sin, &c.
Answer conscience in this particular. I must substitute
your conscience in my room : and let conscience take
thine answer. Speak, every man of you, in your con-
science, How do you find it ? Is there anything done
upon you by these words, or is there nothing done ?
What do you think of all your hearing, if there be
nothing done ? if there be as much love to the world, as
little love to God. and fear of sin ? if there be the same
touchiness, the same pettishness, the same angry distemper,
as if you had kept at home all this while, and never heard
any of that which has been said ? Are not you ashamed,
are not you afraid, that these words of the Lord should
have no effect upon you ? Beloved, I have preached to
you in hope : I have hoped for fruit ; I have laboured for
some change for the better upon you, in all these respects.
O set your hearts unto these words ! Remember what
you can, and recover what you have forgotten ! Look up to
God, look up to God, and offer this prayer to him, Lord,
let the things that have been spoken, be written : let them
be written, not with ink and pen, but by the Spirit of the
living God ! not in a book or on paper, but on the fleshly
table of mine heart ! Look up to God for help : and de-
termine in yourselves to set your hearts to it, to follow
after this blessed order and government of the heart.
Study within yourselves, how to raise your affections to
things above ; to loosen your hearts from the world, and
things below. Be not content to be thus dead in your
hearts towards God, thus alive towards the world. Nor be
content to wish for more of the divine love, to wish you
could abate towards this world; but in good earnest, make
it your business and study so to do. Might we once bring
you to this, that while we are labouring with you in the
word and doctrine, you would labour with us in the Lord, -
to work your hearts to an affectionate compliance with our
words : if you would be steadfast and unmoveable, and
abounding in this work, then there would be hope, that
neither our labour nor yours should be in vain in the Lord,
Then should we look to see the death of this worldly love,
and a spring of the divine love, and life, and joy, and glory ;
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. '- )- 2!>
this earth and flesh under foot, and the Spirit of glory and
of God resting upon you.
Put on, tin-More, in the fear of the Lord: set you close i
tu this bout-governing work : quicken, strengthen, en- j
eourageyour lu-arts herein with these words.
Yet further, the government of the heart stands, ^
iv. In suppressing all manner of evil, and exciting arid >
maintaining the good that is in the heart. There are in
the he-art, as there are in a kingdom, two parties, the evil,
and the good. The evil party are the- "rebellious lusts of \
our heart ; the good party are the graces of the Holy '
Spirit. The government of the heart is to be as the
government of a kingdom, for suppressing the evil, and )
encouraging and upholding the good.
The evil party are, the lusts of the heart ; such as pride,
t-nvy, malice, covetousness, &c. There is no government
of these, but by keeping under and suppressing them ;
they cannot be kept in order, they are " not subject to the
law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. viii. 7,) and
must be rooted out and crucified. Those that are Christ's
crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts." (Gal.
\. 'Jl.i Our business is not barely to moderate them, ,
but to kill them. Moderate pride, or moderate envy, or
moderate malice, or moderate covetousness, is not that i
which should be intended in the government of the heart :
nor is there any such thing possible ; the least degree of
lust is immoderate. Christ determines the case about swear-
ing, whether it be a little or a greater oath ; it is not, Swear
but a little, or, but seldom; but, "Swearnotat all :" (Matt.^
v. :$!:) such must be the determination here. Be not)
proud at all ; be not envious, or malicious, or covetous at N
all. To allow ourselves to be moderately proud or
us, is the same as to allow men to be moderate
drunkards, or moderate adulterers : this may be as well
allowed, as moderate lusts. Moderate lusts will cast into
intolerable lire. Possibly thy hell may not be altogether
as hot and scorching, whose lusts are more tame ; but
yet it will be intolerable. It is poor comfort for any one
to think, I shall have the easiest plaee in hell ! He that
Ml in the kingdom of God, shall have his load of
230 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
i everlasting glory ; shall have as much joy and blessedness
^ as his heart can hold ; shall be full of the goodness and
5 glory of the Lord. And he that is least in the kingdom of
darkness, shall have more than his load of the wrath of
God : his heart shall be brimful, and running over ; the
^ fury of the Lord shall break the back and the bones, and
tear the bowels ; inexpressible torment shall be given to
the least of the damned sinners. Moderate lust, if it be
not mortified lust, will cast into intolerable wrath and
C vengeance : therefore these must not be suffered in the
s least degree, but are to be mortified and destroyed.
But how may I suppress these lusts ?
(i.) Never make your flesh your favourite. If a prince
receive a rebel for a friend, and take him to his bosom,
not only his government, but his life, is in danger. How
was it with Samson, when he took Delilah into his con-
fidence ? She betrayed his strength from him ; she delivered
him into the hand of the Philistines. If you befriend this
flesh, it will betray you ; it will betray you into the hands
of the devil. Little do you think what mischief you are
working to yourselves, whilst you favour your flesh. In
; nourishing your corrupt flesh, you nourish a viper, that
will sting you to the heart. Know it for your enemy, and
' keep it off from you as your enemy. Do not gratify, and
please, and pamper your flesh ; but starve it rather, and
crucify it. If we would be so wise as to count our lusts
our enemies, and deal with them as our enemies, deal
more hardly and more severely with them, we should rid
ourselves of much of our danger, and of our disturbance
in the ordering our hearts.
(ii.) Never make the flesh your counsellor. "When it
pleased God to reveal his Son in me, immediately I con-
ferred not" that is, consulted not "with flesh and
blood." (Gal. i. 15, 16.) Let flesh and blood be none of
your favourites, none of your counsellors. What govern-
ment is there like to be, when the King is compassed about
with wicked advisers? "Take away the wicked from before
the King, and his throne shall be established in righteousness."
(Prov. xxv. 5.) Then there is like to be a holy govern-
ment within you, when you have none but holy counsellors.
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 231
Your flesh will be just such a counsellor to you, as Reho-
boam's young men were to him : (1 Kings xii. :) their
counsel cost him the loss of the kingdom.
Do not ask counsel of your flesh, nor take its counsel.
If you would know what you should eat or drink, or to
what measure, do not ask your appetites' counsel. That
would say, Eat to the full, spare not for cost ; eat what
thou hast a mind to, drink whilst thou listest. Do not
ask your pride, How shall I be clothed ? what garments
shall I wear, what fashion shall I use ? If you ask your
pride, what counsel do you think it would give ? Do not
ask your covetousness, What alms shall I give ? what
good shall I do with my estate ? where shall I bestow
what I have ! Keep it to thyself, keep it for thine own ;
make thee great with what thou hast gotten ; build thee a
house, and build thee a name in the earth, for a rich and
wealthy man ; get what thou canst, and then leave thy
substance for thy babes, thy children after thee: that is the
M-l that covetousness would give. Do not ask thy
sloth, What pains are needful to be taken for God, or thy
soul { Whether industry and diligence in working out
ilvation be so necessary ? Sloth will counsel thee,
Take thine ease ; do not make the way to heaven harder
or straiter than (!od hath made it; favour thyself, and do
not exjKise thyself to too much hardness.
Christians, you have multitudes of lusts, that will be
ready to give you counsel in every case ; but take heed,
take counsel of none of them. Take counsel of God, take
c-ounsel of the Scriptures, take counsel of conscience. How
would God have me to use my estate ? What alms would
He have me irive ? What bounty, what liberality doth He
call me to ? How would God and conscience have me to
!f, and clothe myself? Doth God say as pride
' On with thy ornaments, follow the fashions, deck
If with that attire that will best please thee ! Doth
God say as thine appetite says? Eat whatever thine
heart lusteth alter: drink as much, and sit at it as long, as
thou hast a mind! Doth eonseieiice say. as this sloth
saith .' Favour thyself; take- thine ease; be not too painful
and industrious for thy soul ; be not too strict or too pre-
232 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
else, nor expose thyself to the contempt and scorn of the
world, by thy zeal in religion ! Take counsel of God,
Christians : take counsel of Scripture and conscience. But
do not make flesh and blood your counsellors. To make
your flesh your counsellor, is to take the malefactor from
the bar to the bench, and there set him in judgment on his
own case ! Your lusts are the malefactors, that are to be
consulted against, to be condemned, and crucified. To
the bar with them ! Let them have sentence against them ;
but let them not be called up to the bench to be consulted
withal.
(iii.) Never look for any government or safety, till you
have gotten this flesh under foot. It will be on the throne
if it can : while it lives, it will be aspiring to the govern-
ment. Deal with your flesh as Herod and Pilate did with
Christ, when they feared he would take away the kingdom.
Let it be crucified. Or as Saul endeavoured to do by
David, who he feared would be King in his room : he did
all he could to rid the country of him. He persecuted
him from city to city, from hold to hold, and raised forces
to slay David. Look with the same evil eye at lust, as
Saul did on him. Prosecute it from hold to hold ; seek
the life of this flesh, which is every day undermining your
souls, and taking the government out of your hands.
O friends, that you were deeply sensible what a mis-
chievous and mortal enemy this carnal mind, this carnal
heart, these fleshly lusts, are to you ! Say of these, not
only as Rebekah of the daughters of Heth, I am weary
of my life ; but, I am in danger of my life, because of the
daughters of Heth. O it were a comfort, might one hear
Christians more heartily groaning under their tyranny,
Woe is me because of this proud heart ! woe is me because
of this froward, pettish, angry, impatient spirit ! O this
envy, O this earthliness, O this sluggishness ! Wretched
man that I am, who shall deliver me ! It would be com-
fortable to hear you groaning (I do not say complaining ;
complaints often come not deep ; but sighing, and groaning,
and mourning in secret) before Him who seeth in secret.
This hearty mourning and affliction under your lusts, is a
degree of striving against them ; and hearty striving is a
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART- WORK. 233
degree of victory over them. When you are once come
heartily to say, I can never have ease, and I will never
have peace, with this pride, or covetousness, or any of my
lusts ; and if they abide in me, they shall never abide in
in me. If I cannot utterly conquer them, through
the help of God 1 will never give over fighting against
them ; if they remain in me, I hope they shall never again
ivi^n in me. I will resist them, I will pray against them,
1 will watch against them. I hope I shall never again
resign myself to this pride, or to this covetousness, but
will withstand them ; in the name of the Lord will I
withstand them. To him I resign the government of my
soul, in hope that he will make my foes my footstool.
Friends, such a resolved and effectual striving against lust,
is a fair degree of conquest ; and when your enemies are
thus put under your feet, you may then with the more
ease have the government of yourselves upon your shoul-
ders. But, O beware of a flesh-favouring heart! beware
of a lust-excusing heart !
The good party. Grace must be excited and upheld.
Christians must hold a hard hand and a strait hand upon
upon every lust. There is no good to be done
whilst these are suffered : and they must quicken, and
cheri.sh, and encourage every little spark of the grace of
((1. These are the good subjects in the kingdom, which
must be countenanced and upheld : " That good thing
tchich was committed to thee, keep by the Holy Ghost."
('2 Tim. i. 11.) Whatever that good thing was that is there
UK ant, it is certain that the grace of God is the great
mod thin^ that must be kept. Keep it safe, that it be not
lost ; keep it alive, that it grow not to decay ; keep it in
good liking ; nourish and cherish the grace of God. Kings
must he nursing fathers, queens nursing mothers, to their
L r '<>d subject* : so must Christians be to the good in their
liearts. Keep grace in good plight, and keep it in good
order; keep it in action: let your faith be working faith, let
VDiir lovi- and your holy desires be working love, and work-
ing desires. There is no way to keep grace in a state of life,
y-iu keep it in action : holy actions are both the end
of keeping grace in life, and the means oi'maintaining its life.
234 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
O Christians, keep your graces in constant exercise ! be
busily working for God and glory ! Do not let these
precious talents rust for want of use : whilst grace lies idle
or asleep, then lust lords it in the soul. If you keep it
not in constant action, to the crucifying of lust, lust will
be busy in crucifying grace.
What government will there be, when governors side
with, and take the part of, evil ones ; and curb and dis-
countenance, or take part against, them that are good? If
you would govern your hearts aright, take part with the
grace that is in you, and take up arms against lust. Thou
hast pride in thy heart ; thou hast frowardness, thou hast
covetousness : but wilt thou take part with these ? Wilt
thou be on the side of thy lusts ? Tread upon them : be
glad, be thankful for every word, for every friend, that will
speak against the pride and covetousness of thy heart. Be
not angry when thou art checked or reproved ; be thankful
for anything that speaks against these evils. But take part
with the good that is in you. When the spirit lusteth
against the flesh, when grace rises and resists corruption,
when the interest of Christ within thee crosseth and con-
tradicteth the interest of the flesh, take part with Christ
and his grace. We are too apt to take part with our flesh,
when we do not think we do so. When the flesh enticeth us
to what we would have, this liberty, or that gain, or
pleasure, we sometimes, to do our flesh a kindness, will
study arguments to prove it good and right which flesh
would have. Though it be nought or pernicious, yet
because it is pleasing to our flesh, we do what we can to
prove it lawful and good. This is a taking part with the
flesh, a siding with and strengthening this rebel.
On the other side, when grace calls us to duties that are
contrary to the flesh, to hard and self-denying duties ; to
more strictness, to more severity than our flesh can bear ;
then we often study objections against it. Christ is not
so austere. But while we thus take part with the flesh,
the evil that is in us, and thereby take part against the
good that is in us, what government is there like to be, all
the while, in those hearts, where the rebels are sided with,
and the good subjects discountenanced and opposed ?
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 235
v . In st rengthening the sinews of government, rewards
and punishments. What are laws? what government can
there hi-, ii tin TV were no rewards and punishments ? Who
would obey, if there were no reward to obedience ? who
would fear to rebel, if men should suffer nothing for their
rebellion .' Rewards and punishments are the sanction
and strength of laws. Now for the strengthening of these
sinews of government, consider,
(i.) That there is an eternal world. After we have made
an end in this world, there is another, where we must have
a beinj4. Man dieth not as a beast dieth, as a dog or a
swine : as a wise man dieth not as a fool dieth, so neither
do wise men or fools die as a beast dieth. There is not an
ITU! of us when we die, as there is of the beasts that perish :
wi- pass away out of this into another world. "Then sliull
tin- duKt return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return
unto God who gave it." (Eccl.xii.7.) Man, though he hath a
mortal body, yet hath an immortal soul. The spirit of a
man is the candle of the Lord; and when this candle is once
lighted, it shall never go out. It is carried away hence, but
;irried to God that gave it. The souls of all men, good
and bad, when they die, do all go to God : even those that
go to the devil, are first carried to God, by him to receive
their sentence to their everlasting state. Sinners, when
they die, go not to God as their reward, or blessedness,
but to God as their Judge. Sinners will say, as Christ
did, " Father, into thy hands /commend my spirit !" (Luke
xxiii. !<>;) but God will say to them, Who are ye? " 1 never
knew you : depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matt,
vii. '23.) I am none of your Father. Ye are of your father
the devil : get you down to him. Commend your spirits
to me ! What, have you given up your souls to the devil,
and all your life long have they been serving him, and he
h.t> been Corrupting and depraving them, blinding them,
hardening them, making them such filthy and unclean
things, and now do ye think to come off so, to commend
the.se filthy and unclean souls to me? Away with them !
1 '11 none of them ! If those that are sanctified by my
Spirit, and serve me with their spirit, come to me when
they die, I will take them to me; I will acknowledge
236 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
myself their Father ; they shall dwell with me. But those
that have served sin and the devil while they lived, let
them not think to commend their spirits to me when they
die : I will none of them ! Well, but whether we must live
with God, or the devil, into the other world all souls, good
and bad, must pass when they go hence.
(ii.) There is an eternal judgment. So the Apostle tells
us, Heb. vi. 2 : " Of the doctrine of eternal judgment." It
is called an eternal judgment ; not as if the day of judg-
ment should last for ever. In how long or how short a
time, that judgment shall be despatched, no man certainly
knows : the glorious God can make short work, and will
do so, in that great and dreadful day. It is called eternal
judgment, because it sentences men to their everlasting
state : and it is the last judgment. There shall never be
another to all eternity, and the decree of this judgment
shall stand for ever. " We must all stand before the judg-
ment." (2 Cor. v. 10.) " Who will render to every man
according to his works, to them that by patient continuance
in well-doing, do seek for glory, honour, and immortality,
eternal life ; but to them that are contentious, and obey not
the truth, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, to
every soul of them that do evil." (Rom. ii. 6 9.)
(iii.) In the judgment to come, the secrets of the heart
shall be opened and judged. Men shall be judged for
their words, men shall be judged for their deeds ; but not
for these only, but for the secrets of their hearts. " God
shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing,
whether it be good or whether it be evil." (Eccles. xii. 14.)
The judgments of men are only over our bodies, and out-
ward acts : they know not our hearts, and therefore cannot
be the judge of our hearts. But,
i. God sees the heart. " / the Lord search the heart,
I try the reins." (Jer. xvii. 10.) " Thy Father which seeth
in secret, himself shall reward thee openly." (Matt,
vi. 4.)
(z.) He seeth the good that is in secret, the love and fear
of his name ; our inward desires, and thirstings, and
breathings after him ; every holy thought, every holy
purpose ; the inward mournings of the heart under sin and
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 237
temptation, the inward strivings and wrestlings of the
soul against temptation and corruption; our self-loathing
and .self-abasement ; the integrity and uprightness of our
hearts. Whilst men are censuring, or reproaching, or
punishing us as hypocrites, God sees the integrity that is
in our souls. O, friends, get an honest upright heart in
the sight of God! you shall never lose the benefit and
dness of it. God sees the sincerity of the upright,
and will certainly reward it.
. i He seeth the evil that is in secret. The proud heart,
the ial.se and guileful heart, are open before him. Beware W*
of playing the hypocrite ; of satisfying yourselves with K 1
hypocritical duties, hypocritical praying, hypocritical
hearing, or professing. God sees what that heart of thine CS
is doing, while thy tongue is praying, or thine ear hearing. \)
Thou mayest deceive men and thine own self, but God
cannot be deceived.
/'/'. The secrets of the heart shall be opened and judged in
that judgment of God. "Judge nothing before the time, until
t/i>- Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things
f; ncns, and icill make manifest the counsels of the heart,
and then shall ereri/ man have praise of God." (1 Cor. iv. 5.)
(i.) The things of the heart are hidden and dark things :
the thoughts of the heart dark thoughts, the counsels of
thf Lord dark counsels; even the good things that are in
the heart, are to all others but dark things.
t /'/.) In the day of judgment, these things of darkness
shall be all brought to light; the secrets shall be all made
manifest. What a sight will there be in that day, when
the hearts of all the world shall be seen as it were at one
view ! What a blessed sight will there be, when all the
beauty and inward glory of the saints, all their graces, shall
be seen ! What a black sight also will there be, when all
..1th and garbage that is in sinners' hearts; all the
>:nous brood, all the cockatrice's eggs that ever have
. hatched in those unclean hearts ; when all the wicked
counsels and devices of their hearts ; all the curses and
blasphemies, all the cozenage and fraud of the heart;, all
the \\icked plots and contrivances of the heart against (Jod
or his stints : all the adulteries and filthiness of the heart ;
238 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
all the madness and follies of the heart ; all the malice,
and spite, and rage of the heart : when all these shall be
presented at one view, O what an odious sight will there
be ! Sinners, do not cheat yourselves in your sinful ways,
with hopes of secrecy ; for all must be brought to light !
If all that wickedness and hypocricy, if those filthy lusts
and unclean thoughts, that are in your hearts, should be
now seen by all this congregation, how would you be
ashamed, and how would you blush to look anybody in the
face ! But because thy naughty heart, and its naughty
thoughts and desires, cannot be seen, (thou mayest be a
proud fellow, of a froward heart, of a dissembling lying
heart, and nobody the wiser,) therefore thou lettest thyself
alone to be as thou art ! As long as thou hast a secret
covering for all thy ugly condition, it is well enough !
But do not cheat thyself thus : all these hidden things of
darkness must be brought to light. Thou must be turned
inside outward ; and all the shame of thy nakedness and
thy naughtiness be made appear, and be laid open before
God, angels, and men !
(iv.) There are eternal rewards and punishments, which, in
this judgment of God, shall be awarded to every man.
Whatever the state of your souls shall then be found to be,
they shall receive a due recompence of reward, an eternal
recompence. Therefore this judgment, as I told you
before, (Heb. vi. 2,) is called an eternal judgment, because
it appoints to every man an eternal reward. To the
repenting, and renewed, and upright heart, it appoints
eternal blessedness for their reward ; to the impenitent,
wicked, and unrenewed heart, it appoints eternal torment
for their reward. " These," the wicked, "shall go away
into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal."
(Matt. xxv. 46.) O what a weight is there in the crown
of glory, that shall be the reward of the righteous ! The
Apostle calls it an "exceeding and eternal weight of glori/."
(2 Cor. iv. 17.) And O, what a weight is there in that
curse, and in that wrath, that shall be the reward of the
wicked ! How will it break the back and crush the bones,
and tear the bowels, and burn the souls of every wicked
one ! Sinners, a fire, a fire is prepared for you ! What
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 239
torment is like the torment of fire, and what fire is like the
fire of hell? But O that word, Eternity, eternity! that is
the scalding and scorching word ! Everlasting fire that shall
never be quenched ! How weary are the days, how long are
tin- nights, to a sick man, who is tormented in his bed ! But
what will an eternal night be, thatshall never know morning?
" H'lio among us shall dict-ll with the devouring fire, who among
us shall dwell with everlasting burnings ?" (Isa. xxxiii. 14.)
It is fire that you must have your dwelling in ; it is de-
vouring fire that will consume all your former gains and
pleasures of sin. As the lean kine in Pharaoh's dream did
eat up the fat ones, this fire shall eat up all your plea-
sant days and merry nights. Ye will devour yourselves :
these bodies and souls it will devour. It will devour by
burning, a tormenting burning ! O dreadful ! Sinners, do
not your hearts yet tremble ? What, not to think of burn-
ing, devouring burning ! How do ye think that ye shall
look upon sin, when these bodies and these souls of yours
shall be all on fire ? when those eyes, and that tongue, and
those hands, and every limb, shall be all glowing fire, as
red hot iron in a furnace ? How do ye think ye shall
endure it ? But yet you have not all : the worst is yet
behind. It is everlasting burnings : fire that shall never
be quenched. O that word, Never, never, never an end!
What a burning dagger will it be, in the souls of those
damned ones ! Think what it hath already been to Judas,
who hath been burning in this fire above sixteen hundred
! think what it hath been to Cain, that hath been
burning there almost ever since the world began, above
;i\r thousand years; and yet are burning still at this day !
What a long and dismal time have they had of it already !
I'.ut all this is not so much as a minute, or a moment, to
: lasting ages of torment, that are still to run out,
and will m-\vr be expired. Such are the rewards of the
wicked, torment, torment in extremity, and torment to
eternity ! But the upright heart shall be rewarded with
u weight of glory and joy : and this shall be an exceeding
and eternal glory.
(v. ) A sense of these eternal rewards is the very strength
and sinews of government. Where 1 shall show,
240 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
i. What 1 mean by a sense of these eternal things.
There are three things in it :
(i.) A believing these things. That there are such an
eternal judgment and eternal reward. These things are
certain. " Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily
Jie is a God that judgeth in the earth." (Psalm Iviii. 11.)
And as verily as there is a reward for the righteous, so
verily there is a reward for the sinner. These things are
certain, and these things must be believed. " He that
cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Heb. xi. 6.)
And as he must be believed a rewarder of them that seek
him, so also a revenger of them that slight and disobey him.
He that cometh to God, and will obtain this reward, and
escape this vengeance, must believe this, or he will never
come. The reason of the rebellion of the heart of men
against God, is their unbelief: believe the judgment of
God, and that will bring you under his government.
When you come to say, Verily it is so : this is no fable or
delusion : it is certainly so, it is undoubtedly so : such a
judgment there shall be, such rewards will be given,
as verily as if 1 saw it done ! then your hearts will be
governed, and never till then.
('.) Understanding what these rewards shall be.
What great and wonderful rewards they are. Things to
come must be known ere they will affect. Heady sinners,
however they say they believe, yet they little know what
it is to believe. They know not what it js to be saved ;
they know not what it is to be damned ! " A brutish man
knoweth not, neither doth a fool understand this. When the
wicked spring up, as the grass, and all the workers of ini-
quity do flourish, it is that they shall be destroyed for' ever."
(Psalmxcii. 6, 7.) A brutish man understandeth not this,
neither that sinners shall be destroyed ; nor what a
dreadful destruction, their destruction shall be ! It is true
these things to come cannot be perfectly known here : we
know but in part, we understand but imperfectly. " It
doth not yet appear what we shall be." (1 John iii. 2.)
Now are we sons of God, but it doth not yet appear what
we shall be. So of sinners,- now are they the children of
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 241
the devil, but it doth not yet appear what they shall be.
Sinners, who are brands prepared for the burning, little
think what that burning is, that is prepared for them ; and
they shall never know it perfectly, till they come there.
Hut yet such a knowledge of these great and astonishing
things may be had while here, as may work mightily towards
the governing of the heart: and a knowledge there must
be of them, or they will never work. There is a foreknow-
ledge, that is obtained by believing, and meditating upon
these things. " Whoso is wise, and will observe these things,
they shall understand the lovingkindriess of the Lord."
;i t-vii. 13.) And as his lovingkindness, so his wrath
indignation. There is also an after-knowledge, or an
imental knowledge. Some sinners will never know
what hell is, till they know it by experience ; till they fall
into the pit, and the sense of that wrath, when they come
to be preyed upon, and wrapped up in the devouring
flames, teach them what a dreadful wrath it is. Beware,
sinners, of such an experimental acquaintance with hell ;
wherein your flesh and your bones, and the torments of
them, shall make you know, what now you will not un-
md ! It is a fore-knowledge, by observing and pon-
dering what is written and preached of these great things,
tint is necessary to your present government.
1 //;'. ) A feeling of these things. I mean now, a feeling
hand; a feeling that is realized by your foreknow-
ledge. What we believe and understand, if they be great
things, will make impressions upon our senses. By the
Irtlge of God. and the blessedness ofheaven, the saints
receive s-iine foretaste of that glory and blessedness. " If
tobeyi: hare tasted that the Lord is gracious." (1 Pet. ii. 3.)
And by the knowledge of the wrath and judgments of (Jud,
:->te that wrath ; it makes their hearts begin
ground. There is a heaven begun in the
(.1 saints, and a hell begun in the hearts of sinners.
This now is that which I mean by a sense of the thing*
to come : getting surh a belief of the certainty of these
things, such an undi rstamling of the greatness of these
things that may deeply affect the heart, and leave power-
ful impressions on the senses, that the heart may b
R
242 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
powerfully moved and deeply affected with them. Sinners'
hearts are as stones and senseless stocks : when we have
spoken to them of the deep things of God, we may say of
these eternal things, as the Apostle of his temporal suffer-
ings, (Acts xx. 24,) none of these things move them, or
will in the least work upon them. But if we could let in
a little more light into their minds, if we could show them
some glimpses of the glory to come, some flashes of the
eternal fire, these might make those stocks to feel !
, '. This sense of eternal things, is the sinews of govern-
S ment. There can be no government without rewards and
punishments ; and if these rewards and punishments be not
believed, known, and perceived, it is all one as to govern-
ment, as if there were none at all. It is the understanding
\ and sense of these rewards, which constitute the strength
of government.
/ Now there is, according to the two different rewards, a
' different sense of them.
(?'.) An alluring, encouraging, and obliging sense. A
^ sense of the magnificence, kindness, and mercy of the
Lord will encourage to subjection and obedience. It
\ will draw forth our love, and stir up all our powers to
active submission. O how would the lively sense of God,
and the blessedness of heaven, kindle our affection, enlarge
our desires, raise our hopes, and fill us with joy ! What
would be loved as God is loved ? What would be desired
as God is desired ? What would be hoped for, as heaven
is hoped for ? What would our love, or desires, or hopes,
find too much to be done or suffered, where there is a deep
sense of these great things, that shall be the reward of all ?
How would such a lively sense of God and of heaven,
< abate our love, and cool our desires after earth and the
> things thereof? Who would regard dust, and stones, and
trash, that had gold and pearls set before him? What
/ would this money be, these sheep and oxen, these carnal
} pleasures and sports be ; how easily could they be wanted,
how little would they be loved or desired, were that glory,
honour, immortality that is above, more before our eye and
/ upon our hearts ! You complain you cannot get your
^ hearts loosened and disentangled from these earthly things.
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 243
O, it is because heaven is so much out of sight ! you have *
so little sense of the good things to come; and hence it is, S
you fall a lusting after the good things present. Get more '
of God into your hearts, and you will feel your aflfec- . ^
lions to fall and abate towards these earthly things. S
" Look on the things which are not seen," as the Apostle ''
did ('2 Cor. iv. 18) upon the things that " are eternal," /
and you will disdain and contemn " the things that are S
which "are temporal."
(ii.) The sense of the punishments to come will be an 1
.iweing sense. The severities of the Lord, and his dreadful *
wrath and vengeance, would awe the heart into subjection
to him. O what an influence would this have upon the
governing our fears, and our grief, and our anger ! Whom
should we then fear, but God .' What would the wrath of
man be, what would temporal sufferings be, how little
would they be feared, were there a due awe of God upon
our hearts ? Your awe of God would say the same to you
as the Prophet, " Cease ye from man" (Isa. ii. 22,) trust i
not in him, and fear him not; and as Christ said, "Fear {
none of those 1h ings which thou shalt suffer ;" (Rev. ii. 10;) '
and, "Be not afraid of them that kill the body." (Luke xii. 4. ) )
r God, who is able to cast into hell. Whom should we / A
then fear, but God ? And what should we then fear, but sin }
-I God, which maketh us so obnoxious to his wrath ?
You that now make light of sin, can lie, and defraud,
and be covetous, and do anything else your hearts lead you )
to ; and make nothing of it, or treat it as a small matter. 7
i awe of God on your hearts, and your sins would
make you tremble ! And what an influence would it have
upon the suppressing your sinful anger? It would take
up all our quarrels ; a sense of heaven and hell would
make us all 1'rieiuls ; those great things would swallow up /
the lesser. Why do I stand vexing and fretting myself at ^
every one that me ? How stands it with my soul )
:-ward .' How may I escape the wrath to come?
Is it peace betwixt the Almighty and my soul ? Friends,
it is a siirn that you have little sense of your eternal con-
cernment s where every little thing so excessively moves
and disturbs your spirit.
ftl
244 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
iii. How to get, and maintain upon our hearts, this
sense of eternal things.
There are two things, I have told you, are supposed to
belong to this sense, a believing, and an understanding,
these great things. And to the improving of what we believe,
aad understanding of them, there is a third thing necessary,
meditation, and frequent thinking upon them. Exercise
your thoughts more upon the eternal world ; spend more
thoughts, think oftener upon it, and spend more deep
thoughts of heart upon them. Our thinking and meditating,
is the same with that looking on the things not seen, men-
tioned before. (2 Cor. iv. 18.) Look more heavenward,
and look more towards hell, and this will affect your hearts.
Particularly think these three thoughts :
(t.) Think that, In this eternal world I must shortly be.
One of these two rewards must be my reward ; one of these
two states eternal blessedness or eternal misery must be
iny condition. That heaven which I now hear preached of,
that hell which I now am warned of, I shall be in one of
them, in a little while : as sure as I am alive, and here this
day, so sure shall I be in heaven or hell a few days hence.
What is become of those that were alive a few years since,
that I knew and was acquainted with, and did eat and
drink with, and buy and sell with, that now are no more
seen ? Where are they all ? They are all passed over, and
gone into the other world : they are gone, and I am fol-
lowing after. I must shortly be with them. The saints
that are dead and gone, they are entered into their reward :
they are gone to Christ; they are entered into the joy of
their Lord : and if I be one of them, partaker of the same
faith, walking in the same holy steps, I also shall have the
same reward. The sinners that are dead and gone, they
are entered into their reward ; shut out from the presence
and joy of the Lord, and shut up under chains of darkness,
and burning in the furnace of fire : and if I follow them in
their sins, and be impenitent therein, a little while hence I
shall overtake them ; I shall have my chain with them, my
furnace with them.
Well, let this be one thought of your hearts, how nearly
you are all concerned in the other world, and how certainly
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 245
hall be there. As sure as you have a being for a
time in this world, so sure shall you every one of you have
an eternal being in the other; either in the everlasting
pleasures above, or the everlasting pangs and plagues
below.
(11.) Think also, Which of these two states in eternity
must be mine, is determining every day. It is thy
present life, thine every day's course here, that must de-
termine the case, whither thou must, when thou goest
hence. (Rom. ii. 7, 8.) Thy reward must be according
to thy work; thy reaping must be according to thy sowing.
(Gal. vi. 7, 8.) Think with yourselves, I am every day
working for eternity, sowing for everlasting. What would
you reap ? What would you shall be your reward in the
other world ? I know what you would answer : I
would reap in mercy, I would be rewarded in joy and
glory. But what must you reap ? where must your reward
Why that you are every day determining. Look
what your ways and your works are : such your reward
must be. " Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in
mercy." (Hos. x. 12.) *' They that sow in tears, shall reap
in joy. 1 ' (Psalm cxxvi. 6.) But if you sow in tares, sow
to your flesh, sow sin and vanity, I leave it to yourselves
to judge what your reaping must be.
Were such thoughts abiding upon our hearts, what
manner of persons should we then be ? Is this the business
of my life ? Is this the great debate of every day, where
mine everlasting dwelling must be, whether in the paradise
of God, or in the dungeon of devils ? whether in everlast-
ing blessedness, or burning ? Is this the great question to
be resolved and determined, what I shall be hereafter, by
what I am every day ? O no more sinning against God ! O no
more neglecting of Christ ! O no more hardness and impeni-
t cney ot heart ! O no more of this worldliness, or wantonness,
or drunkenness! Mine heart shakes to think, whither
these are carrying me, and when- they will lay me. Arise,
O my soul, shake off these lusts; shake thyself out of
sleep : it is high time to awaken ! Stop, stop this evil
course : cast off the works of darkness, lest thou be sud-
denly swallowed up of everlasting perdition !
246 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
(m.) Think further, That the state and the way of mine
heart is the great thing that must determine what mine
eternal lot must be. My works must determine what my
. ^ reward must he, and the state of mine heart will determine
> what my works will he. Well now, exercise yourselves
c to such thoughts ; dwell in such meditations : and think
/ not that you have done anything to purpose, till your
S thoughts have hegotten strong impressions upon your
} hearts, and you are wrought to a sense of those great things ;
/ and let your sense of them he an abiding sense.
O what even and steady lives should we then live ! The
* evenness of our lives will be both the beauty of our con-
'. versation, (when there is a due proportion of our days one
( to another, this will make our lives beautiful,) and will be
the evidence of our integrity. Fits of devotion, fits of
'- holy affections, will prove little to us of our uprightness :
our deadness and dumps, when those fits are over, will
' weaken all our hopes and confidence, and call all into ques-
< tion. It is our standing holy affections, that will be our
standing comfort.
O friends, how uneven and unsteady are we ! What
unstable souls, what wandering stars are we ! How sadly
different are we from ourselves ! Sometimes in our secret
duties, or at public ordinances, our hearts seem full of
God, full of heavenly affections. What movings, what
meltings, what enlargements of heart do we feel ! all
spirit, and love, and joy. And then shortly after, behold,
all is lost ! Our sun dips into a cloud, the stars fall to the
earth, our spirits sink and flag, and the flesh rises again !
O if we could but retain the serene temper we sometimes
are in, what a life we should have of it ! But it doth not
hold : we are given to change. The temper of our hearts
pften changes with our business and employment. When we
are busying ourselves about the things of God, then we are
spiritual and heavenly ; (and it were well if it were so
always;) when we are called forth about our earthly em-
ployments, we become as earthly as other men. Do none
of you find it so ? Do you not complain that it is so ?
Lord help me, it is even too true! I even find it so with
me. Sometimes our tempers change with our company.
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
247
:i we are conversant with those that fear God, there is
spirit and some savour in our converse. O it were
well if it were always so ! Sometimes, and too often, we are
barren, and carnal, and dead, in the best society ; our
conversing with Christians is too often an useless, and
carnal, and unsavoury converse. But if it be better with
us, when in good company, how doth it use to be, when
we fall into carnal company, or vain company? We seem
to have quite lost our God, and our religion : our eternal
concernments are laid by, and our care about them is in-
termitted : our God and our souls are thrust behind the
dour, or trodden under foot.
Whence is all this ? O our sense of eternal things is
lor the time worn off! Brethren, God is the same God.
" / am the Lord, I change not." (Mai. iii. 6.) There is
the same eye of God upon you, wherever you be. He that
looks how you carry it in your duties, looks upon you in
your business ; looks upon you in every company, where-
.ou are. And as God is the same God, so your ever-
:.iT concernments are still the same : heaven is as much
to be desired, hell as much to be feared, your salvation is to
be as carefully wrought out ; you have as important
business lying upon you everywhere as you have any-
where : and this work will never prosper, if it hath not
your constant care. It is true, we are not to speak the
words in all company, and our behaviour is not to
be alike, in its particular circumstances, in all company :
but in the general, a serious and holy behaviour; the car-
rying ourselves as men that are on a journey heavenwards ;
tlie t-wning and propagating serious religion ; the behaving
ourselves so that others may evidently see the spirit of
glry and of God resting upon us ; and may be both con-
vinced that God is in us of a truth, and, if it be possible,
be gained to God, or at least made ashamed of their own
sinful and carnal ways. Such a temper should we be in,
and such a carriage should we be of, in what company
soever uv he. \\ V are always in the sight of God, and we
should be nowhere but upon business for God, and we
should carry ourselves as such. What the Apostle speaks
of his ministry, should be exemplified in the practice of
248 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
Christians, "As of sincerity, as of God, in the sight of (Jod,
speak we in Christ." (2 Cor. ii. 17.) Wherever you
are, behave yourselves in sincerity, in simplicity ; whatever
you speak, speak as in the sight of God : be faithful,
approve yourselves to God in all that you do.
O friends, this, even this steady, this sincere course of
life, this universal approving .yourselves to God in all you
do, will be the fruit of an abiding sense of Him upon your
hearts. This will be the poise that will make you move
swiftly; this will be the ballast that will make you sail
steadily : and this swift and steady motion heavenward,
will both make you appear to be Christians indeed, and
mightily improve and advance your souls in that grace of
God that bringeth salvation. O beloved, that this now
might be the fruit of these many words that I have spoken
to you, that you would, every one of you, set your hearts
/ ) to it, to realize and hold such a deep sense of eternal things
\ \ upon your spirits, as might have influence to the carrying
you on in this even and steady course ! Do not every one
of you need some establishment ? more settledness, more
fixedness in a heavenly frame ? Do not you feel your-
selves so up and down, so off and on, that you can hardly
fix ? Would it not be more comfortable for you, if you (
could be more like the unchangeable God : that as he is /
the same Being, so you might be the same Christians, of the \
same spirit, of the same way ; so fixed and composed in f
your mind, that you might not be moved from the hope, \
nor from the holiness, of the gospel ? Would it not be /
comfortable to you, were it thus with you ? Would it not 1
be much to the honour of the gospel, and to the joy of
your own souls ? Then once again, I exhort you by the i
Lord Jesus, get this sight of God in your eye, keep this \
sense of God upon your hearts, which will have its fruit /
unto this settled and even course of holiness, the end v
whereof will be everlasting life. This is that which I strive i
f , for, and am reaching towards in mine own soul. And I '
must say with the Apostle, I pre1^tliese"1hlirlgs"upon you,
" not as though I had already obtained, but I follow after, if
that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended
of Christ Jesus." (Phil. iii. 12.) What I seek, and wait, and
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
219
hope for in mine own soul, my heart's desire is, that you
also may follow after ; and be partakers of the same
grace, that my soul is in pursuit of, that you and I may
rejoice togi-ther in the day of the Lord.
Thus much for the keeping the heart under government.
-. Keep the heart under guard. Keep it, and all the
good that is in it, in safety, that it be not lost. Christians
must keep tlu-ir hearts, as worldlings keep their money,
and their jewels, and their writings by which they hold
their estates. If they have any stronger or safer place
than another, there they lay them up ; and whatever else
they have to look to, their special eye and their strictest
watch is upon their treasure. And here I shall show you,
(1.) Why Christians must especially guard their hearts.
(2.) How Christians must guard their hearts.
(1.) Why Christians must especially guard their hearts.
They must set a guard upon their tongues ; they must
watch their words, and all their carriage : but above all
keeping, they must keep their hearts. So the word in
the- text is rendered, and interpreted by some, Keep the
heart with diligence, above all keepings. Keep the heart.
But why so ? Because the heart is,
i. The fountain of life. ii. The spring of all vital
actions, iii. The record of all our sacred transactions,
iv. The cabinet of our jewels, v. 1*he ark of our strength.
vi. Our box of evidences, vii. A sacrifice for God. viii. The
temple of the Lord.
i. Because the heart is the fountain of life. This is
the reason that is urged in the text, " For out of it are the
f of life." The issues, namely, the streams or rivulets,
of life. Tin- la-art is the fountain from whence all our
living streams do flow. Christ is our life, and the seat or
habitation of Christ is the heart : therefore that expres-
sion, " Christ in you the hope of glory." (Col. i. 27.) The
hope of the saints is a living and lively hope: the life of
our hope is from Christ, and from Christ within us. (Eph.
iii. 17.) Christ dwells in the heart by faith. The heart
natural, is the fountain of natural life ; it is the primum
rin-Hs ; and the heart spiritual, is the fountain of spiritual
life. \\ e begin to livu from within. As death begins in
250 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
the heart, so life. Death natural ends in the heart : the
heart is the last that dieth ; hut death spiritual hegins in
the heart, the heart is the first that dies. Sinners' dead
works all arise from their dead hearts. The root dies
first, and then the branches and fruit wither and fall off.
The devil's great design is, firstly, upon the heart. When he
hath slain the good that is within, he can with ease destroy
whatever good is without : the fruit will fall off, when the
root is dead. The heart is the first that dies, in a spiritual
sense, and it is the first that lives. It is there the seed of
God, his immortal seed, is first received, and takes its
root ; so that there is the same reason to set a guard upon
our hearts, as to preserve our life. If you would keep
yourselves alive, if you would not fall down among the dead,
then look well to your hearts, which are the fountains of life,
ii. It is the spring of all our vital actions and operations.
This is included in the former : the heart is the fountain
of life, and life is the fountain of action. A dead man
cannot see, nor hear, nor speak, nor move : he must live
before he can speak or move. And what can the spiritually
dead do ? " The dead praise not the Lord:" (Psalm cxv.
17:) "the living, the living, he shall praise thee." (Isa.
xxxviii. 19.) That is spoken of the naturally dead, and
living : and must we not say the same of the spiritually
dead, and the living soul ? Dead souls cannot praise the
Lord : they cannot pray, nor believe, nor hope, nor serve
the Lord. The living, the living soul, it shall praise thee,
it shall pray unto thee, and serve thee. Hypocrites
are all dead at heart, and therefore all their services are
but dead services. They make a show, and keep a stir, in
the outward parts of religion ; they can talk as Christians,
and walk and move : but it is with these dead souls, as with
those dead bodies which we call walking ghosts, they look
like men, and speak like men, and go up and down like
men ; but still they have no soul in them : it is the devil
that acts in them, and speaks in them, and carrieth them
up and down. None of all their actions or motions are vital
actions. The devil can make them speak, and walk, and
look like living men ; but he cannot make them live. Such
is the hypocrite's religion : he can pray, and hear, and sing,
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
251
and speak as Christians do ; but he is dead at heart, and
thereupon all his duties are but dead duties.
Friends, you are as much concerned to keep your hearts,
D are to be able to do anything that will please God,
or save your soul. What is the intent of your religion ?
Why do ye come together to pray, and hear, and partake
of the table of the Lord ? You will say, I come to per-
form these duties, to please the Lord ; I come in order to
the saving of my soul. Do you so ? Then look to your
hearts better : see that there be the root of religion within
you : see that your praying be the praying of the heart ;
that your hearing be not the opening your ear, but the
opening of your heart to the word : see that whatever you
do, that hath any show of religion in it, you do it heartily :
watch your hearts when you come into the house of the
Lord : watch your hearts when you set upon any work for
(iod. lest they give you the slip, and so make all your
services to be but " bodily exercises," which "profit little."
(1 Tim. iv. 8.) Bodily exercise, that is, the outward part
of our religion, ear-religion, tongue-religion, knee-religion,
these bodily exercises, where there is not a heart at the
bottom of tin-in, profit nothing at all : they will do nothing
to the pleasing of God, or the saving our soul.
Friends, beware of hypocrisy : take heed lest any of you j
be found hypocrites : that your faith you seem to have, be
not the faith of hypocrites ; that your hope be not the ,
hypocrite's hope, that your praying, and fasting, and alms, '
be not all the sacrifices of hypocrites ; and such sacrifices
they are, if they be sacrifices without a heart. Come not
before the Lord with empty vessels, which will make a
sound, but have nothing in them. We that look upon you,
cannot tell what there is within you : we see your faces,
and hear your voices, but what is under, God knows.
Look yon to it, that it be not all hollow and empty within.
He that seeth the heart, seeth what is within; and will
.K-c-ept or reject according to what he finds of the heart in
all you do.
Friends, what do you here this day? Have you brought
with yu a sacrifice for (iod, even a living sacrifice > The
Jiving God will regard none of you, if you bring not a living
252 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
sacrifice. He doth not require of you, as he did of old,
a bullock or a ram for a sacrifice ; neither a dove, nor a
lamb, but a soul for a sacrifice, a living soul, that
is quickened and sanctified by the blood and Spirit
of Christ. And upon this account farther are you
concerned to look to, and to keep, your hearts, as ever
you would do anything in religion, that is acceptable with
God, or of any avail to your own salvation. The heart is
/ the spring of all vital action; and they are only our vital
J actions, our living and lively duties, that will be accepted
of the living God. Would you not be rejected for hypo-
crites? Would you not "compass the Lord about with lies,"
' as Ephraim did? (Hos. xi. 12.) Would you not come
before the Lord w y ith lies, and comfort yourselves with lies ?
/ Then see that you bring your hearts with you before him.
) Is there any life begotten in your hearts ? Is Christ formed
N in you ? Is the Spirit of Christ poured forth upon you ?
Is there the life of God in your hearts ? And is this the
\ spring of all your acceptable services ? Then, as you love
" your lives, as you fear to serve the living God with dead
service, set a careful guard upon your hearts, that neither
these be stolen away from God, nor that life which is
within be stolen from you.
Brethren, I would not that any of you be found hypo-
crites : therefore do I labour with you, therefore do I
preach to you, and warn every one of you, that you may
be presented perfect and upright in the day of the Lord.
I would not that you be found hypocrites in that day ; nor
would I that your religious actions be found hypocritical
actions, in your present day. It is said of the limbs of
Antichrist, "that they speak lies in hypocrisy." (1 Tim.
iv. 2.) I would have Christians, not only none such as
speak lies in hypocrisy, no nor to speak truth in hypo-
crisy, to do good in hypocrisy ; and therefore it is, that I
have spent so much time among you, upon this subject of
looking to your hearts, that these may be right with God,
in all that you do. I fear there are hypocrites among you;
I fear that much of the religion of some of you, may be
but hypocritical religion : but look to yourselves, and as
you would be loth to have no better acceptance than
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 253
hypocrites, as you would dread to have your portion
with hypocrites, so dread to satisfy yourselves with
h\ pocritical duties. Serve the God of your hearts with a
hearty service; serve the true God, with a heart, and with
;i true heart ; serve the living God with living hearts : see
that there be the life of God in your hearts, and let the life
within you be the spring of all your performances; that
all that ever you do in religion be the issues of life.
iii. Jt is the record of all the transactions which havex
been betwixt Christ and your souls. If ye be Christ's,/
there have been great dealings betwixt Christ and your J
souls. Christ hath been dealing with you ; dealing with )
you by his word, dealing with you by his Spirit; in-/J
structing and enlightening your souls, convincing andy
awakening your hearts, persuading and alluring your / !.
hearts after him. Christ hath been dealing with you about I
your repenting and turning to the Lord, about youtVf
reconciliation and making peace with God : God hath been) /
in Christ, reconciling you to himself. (2 Cor. v. 19.) You \
have not had us dealing with you in the name of Christ, C
who are the ministers of reconciliation; (2 Cor. v. 18;) v
but he who is the great reconciler, Christ himself, hatW
been dealing with you, and hath reconciled you to God. '
So sure as the devil hath been dealing with sinners, he
hath drawn them away from God, drawn them to sin and
wiekedncss against God, hath been hardening them against
You could never have been so wicked, you could
never have been so hardened against God, as you are,
hardrn-d against conversion, hardened against repentance,
if the devil had not been dealing with you. You see what
hard hearts you have : we cannot humble you, we cannot
ilr you to repent and turn, our words do nothing
with you : you will not be persuaded to return, but you
go on your way, and remain stupid, and senseless of your
sin and mis* TV : you will not be persuaded it is so bad
with you. \\\- cannot, for our hearts, make you sensible
of your wretched eases, nor put a stop to you in your sins.
You may sci- well enough who hath been dealing with
you, thru you continu" :-,o sinful still, and so hardened in
:n*. It is the devil that Irith had to do with you thus
256 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
, to him. Your hearts are the records wherein these sacred
'transactions have been registered. Look into thine heart:
doth not it testify for thee, how thou hast hound thyself
to be the Lord's for ever, and hast accepted of his bond to
thee ? The remembrance of this covenant transaction will
be of use to you as long as you live : will be of use to
comfort you in the day of your doubts and fears ; to con-
firm you in the 'day of temptations ; to hold you close
to the Lord, according to the vows that are upon you ; to
quicken you and hold you on in that way of holy and lively
obedience, -which you have covenanted for. When you
grow cold, and careless and remiss in your way of religion,
then remember, Is this the life I covenanted with God to
live ? When you are tempted to decline to a worldly life,
or a fleshly life, then remember, I have promised to the
Lord, that I will never return to such a life again. When
^ you are out of heart, and complain of weakness and want of
strength, and so are discouraged and disheartened, and say,
I shall never be able to hold to such an industrious life,
then remember the covenant of the Lord with you ; who
hath sealed to you, that he will help you, and never fail
you, nor forsake you. When your flesh and your heart fail,
he will be the strength of your heart : when you are
in doubt and fear, that you are none of the Lord's, and
can lay no claim to him, then remember the covenant
' which hath been made between him and you, and how you
C own it, and stand to it to this day, and that may satisfy you.
Of such great use will this covenant of God be to you ; and
therefore your hearts, which are the records where it is
kept, must be carefully looked to.
(ii.) In point of communion. There have been great
dealings between Christ and you, in a way of friendly
communion. What correspondence has been held betwixt
Christ and you ! What friendly interviews have there
been between you ! Christ hath been often looking down
upon you, and rejoicing in his portion ; and you have been
often looking up to him, and solacing yourselves in his
love : Christ hath been supporting and sustaining your
hearts, and you have been staying and leaning upon your
beloved. WTiat mutual intercourse has there been ! Christ
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 257
hath been often sending down messages of love to you,
telling you. Soul, I am thine ! Has he never sent thee
some tokens of his love ? sent thee thy pardon, sent thee
u. .' I lath hi- in-ver sent thee down some tastes of
the hidden manna, and the white stone, and the new name? i
ii. 17.) And such a comfortable word with it, Soul, i
" be of good comfort, thy sins be forgiven thee" thy name is
written in heaven ? And do you neve'r send up to your
beloved ? If you have nothing but a sigh to send, or a
tear to send, yet up it must be sent to your beloved, to (
tell him, I am sick of love, or, at least, I am sick for love.
How often hath thine heart ascended in prayers, and his
heart descended in gracious returns ! What mutual em-
braces have there been of thy faith with him, and his love
with thee ! There hath been a Jacob's ladder set up
betwixt Christ and thee.
Christians, such experience I hope some of you have
had, of comfortable communion with Christ. But what
.es of all this blessed experience ? Hast thou forgotten
it ? Is it lost .' O, how hast thou kept thine heart ? Sun
such mercies should be carefully recorded, and the record /
should be warily kept.
iv. It is the cabinet of all our jewels. Christ and all
his graces are kept in the heart.
Christ and his graces are jewels. Christ is a precious >
the "pearl of great price," (Matt. xiii. 46.
which the wise merchant traded for ; and is there said to
In- a pearl of great price, of so great a price, that this one
pearl bought the whole world. It is intimated, (Matt,
xv i. _'<;. > that one soul is worth more than all the world :
this pearl is v.orth more than a world of souls. It hath
bought, not only this world below, but the world above:
this one pearl hath bought the whole kingdom of heaven : /
all the everlasting treasures, the everlasting joy and plea- j
Mires above, that "exceeding and eternal weight of 'glory ,'' )
all hath been bought by this pearl. Christ is recko
by foolish simu-rs, at a very low rate. Judas sold this pear!
for thirty pieces of silver. Sinners, many of them, sell /
Christ at a lower rate than this, tor their foolish and flesh: .
lusts! They tread this pearl in thedus!.
256 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
, to him. Your hearts are the records wherein these sacred
^transactions have been registered. Look into thine heart:
doth not it testify for thee, how thou hast bound thyself
to be the Lord's for ever, and hast accepted of his bond to
thee ? The remembrance of this covenant transaction will
be of use to you as long as you live ; will be of use to
comfort you in the day of your doubts and fears; to con-
firm you in the 'day of temptations ; to hold you close
to the Lord, according to the vows that are upon you ; to
. quicken you and hold you on in that way of holy and lively
obedience, which you have covenanted for. When you
grow cold, and careless and remiss in your way of religion,
then remember, Is this the life I covenanted with God to
live ? When you are tempted to decline to a worldly life,
or a fleshly life, then remember, I have promised to the
Lord, that I will never return to such a life again. When
you are out of heart, and complain of weakness and want of
/ strength, and so are discouraged and disheartened, and say,
\ I shall never be able to hold to such an industrious life,
then remember the covenant of the Lord with you ; who
hath sealed to you, that he will help you, and never fail
you, nor forsake you. When your flesh and your heart fail,
he will be the strength of your heart : when you are
in doubt and fear, that you are none of the Lord's, and
can lay no claim to him, then remember the covenant
which hath been made between him and you, and how you
( own it, and stand to it to this day, and that may satisfy you.
Of such great use will this covenant of God be to you ; and
therefore your hearts, which are the records where it is
kept, must be carefully looked to.
(ii.) In point of communion. There have been great
dealings between Christ and you, in a way of friendly
communion. What correspondence has been held betwixt
' Christ and you ! What friendly interviews have there
been between you ! Christ hath been often looking down
upon you, and rejoicing in his portion ; and you have been
often looking up to him, and solacing yourselves in his
love : Christ hath been supporting and sustaining your
hearts, and you have been staying and leaning upon your
beloved. WTiat mutual intercourse has there been ! Christ
IRfCTlONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 257
hath been often sending down messages of love to you, v
telling you, .Soul, I am thine! Has he never sent thee
sonu> tokens of his love ? sent thee thy pardon, sent thee )
his peace .' Hath he never sent thee down some tastes of )
the hidden manna, and the white stone, and the new name? )
' Re\. ii. \~.} And such a comfortable word with it, Soul, v.
" be of good comfort, thy sins be forgiven thee" thy name is
written in heaven ? And do you neve"r send up to your (
beloved ? If you have nothing but a sigh to send, or a
tear to send, yet up it must be sent to your beloved, to (
tell him, I am sick of love, or, at least, I am sick for love.
How often hath thine heart ascended in prayers, and his
heart descended in gracious returns ! What mutual em-
braces have there been of thy faith with him, and his love
with thee! There hath been a Jacob's ladder set up
betwixt Christ and thee.
Christians, such experience I hope some of you have
had. of comfortable communion with Christ. But what
;es of all this blessed experience ? Hast thou forgotten
it .' Is it lost ? O, how hast thou kept thine heart ? Sure /
such mercies should be carefully recorded, and the record ?
shuld he warily kept.
iv. It i.s the cabinet of all our jewels. Christ and all
his graces are kept in the heart.
(i.) Christ and his graces are jewels. Christ is a precious >,
jewel : In- is the "pearl of great price, 1 " (Matt. xiii. 4G.
which the wise merchant traded for ; and is there said to
be a pearl of great price, of so great a price, that this one
pearl bought the whole world. It is intimated, (Matt,
xvi. _'(>, i that one soul is worth more than all the world :
this pearl is worth more than a world of souls. It hath
bought, not only this world below, but the world above :
this one pearl hath bought the whole kingdom of heaven : /
all the everlasting trea>ure>, the everlasting joy and plea- S
Mires above, that "exceeding and Htrnttl weight of glory,'* )
all hath been bought by this pearl. Christ is reckoi,
by foolish sinners, at a very low rate. Judas sold this pearl
for thirty pieces of silver. Sinners, many of them, sell
Christ at a lower rate than this, fur their foolish ami fleshly
They tread this pearl in the dust, r.i.d t: ke \vry ;
258 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
dnng in its stead. The very dung of their filthy pleasures
( is that which sinners take in exchange for Christ. Whilst
, / the Apostle counted all things but loss in comparison of
Christ, sinners make very dung of Him, for the sake of
' { their sins. But whatever sinners count him, Christ is a
? } | pearl worth more than all the world : and all the glory,
i and bravery, and beauty of the world, are but dunghill
' things in comparison of Christ.
As Christ, so all the graces of Christ are jewels. Faith
is a jewel; called " precious faith." (2 Peter i. 1.) Meek-
ness and humility are jewels, of great price in the sight of
God. Love is a jewel, and of so great price that it is not
to be bought for money. " If a man would give all the
substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned."
(Cant. viii. 7.) As little reckoning as sinners make of the
love of God, though this grace be offered them, and they
may have it for the taking ; (a heart to love the Lord, is
one of the branches of the covenant, which the Lord freely
offers to sinners ;) yet now they so slight it, that they will
not accept it ; a lust is taken up instead of this love : yet,
hereafter, these very sinners would give all that ever they
have for the least grain of the saving love of God. As
little as you regard the love of God now, (we cannot per-
suade you to accept it,) yet, when you come to die, there is
none of you but would give all that ever you may be worth,
for a little sincere love to Christ. O, now for a little faith !
O, now that I could " love the Lord Jesus Christ in sin-
cerity /" I would be content to be a beggar, and not to
have a mite left me in all the world : all my farms, all my
oxen, all my houses and lands, all my money, all the
substance of mine house, they shall all go, so that I might
now find the saving love of God in me. No, it cannot
be bought so ! If a man would give his house full of gold
for it, it would be contemned as a poor and low price to
buy love. The like may be said of every grace : they are
all jewels, and they make those who possess them jewels.
" In the day when I make up my jewels." Qlal. iii. 17.)
Every gracious soul is a jewel in the sight of God. Sin-
ners tread the saints under feet, make very dirt of them ;
but God will take them into his bosom as his precious jewels.
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 259
(ii.) These jewels, Christ and his graces, are all kept in
the heart. As the heart is the seat of grace, (faith dwells
in the heart, and love dwells in the heart, and hope dwells
in the heart,) so is it also the seat of Christ : Christ " dwells
in the heart by faith," intimated in the prayer of the
Apostle. (Eph. iii. 17.) If Christ hath any dwelling in
sinners, it is only in their mouths, and upon their lips ;
they will talk of Christ and of grace, but they have no dwell- ''
ing in them, but upon their tongues : it is in the heart
of the saints, that Christ and his graces dwell : " Christ in
you the hope of glory." (Col. i. 27.) The heart of saints >
is as the heavens, all bespangled with beautiful stars.
Christ is the sun in those heavens : his graces are as so "i
many stars, that have their brightness and lustre from his
light. The hearts of sinners are mere dungeons, and dark
holes, in which neither sun nor star appears : if there bo
any glimmering light, they are but comets, or torches, or
stinking snutl's, that they take for star-light. Sinners,
whatever brightness or beauty there be in any of your /
faces, whatever gaudy or merry outsides you have, yet (
what inside have you ? Your hearts are all dark holes, /
where d\\ dls every abominable thing ; toads and serpents,
owls and satyrs, and every unclean thing dwell within you.
Thou that hast the fairest outside, there are toads, and
serpents, and worms crawling and breeding in thine
heart. You would every one of you be afraid of your-
selves, you would loathe yourselves, and you would
tremble at yourselves; you would (if you knew how) run
from yourselves in a fright, if you knew what were
in yc ur hearts. Sinners care not to look into their hearts.
and some of them are afraid to look inwards : and well
Ji they may, they would see such ugly and monstrous
ta as might even seare them out of their wits. Saints
liave all tlieir riches within them : they have a treasure in ^
their hearts. "A yuml man nut of the yood treuxure of hix
heart." (Matt. xii. ;}.">.) There may be, and often is,
poverty without, but there is a treasure within. The riches:
of sinners have all tlieir treasure without them, in their
houses, in their purses, in tlieir shops, in their ehest^; but
all the while, there is poverty and beggary in their hearts.
s 2
2GO INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
Thou art a very beggar, sinner, with all thy load of wealth :
it is a poor beggarly soul thou hast, how richly soever thy
carcase be provided for. It is in the heart of the saints,
where God bestows all his riches.
Christians, look to your hearts : you carry more riches
in you than the whole world is worth : you lose all that
ever you are worth, if you lose your hearts. He that hath
a treasure in his house, will look more carefully to the
locking of his doors : especially the room where his riches
lie must be most fortified with bolts and bars. You have
more to lose than the Princes of the earth, and therefore
have the more reason to keep those hearts wherein all your
riches lie. Not only your graces, but your good works,
are kept in your hearts. If ever you have done any
good in all your lives, whereof you hope for a reward in
the other world, all your duties, the holiness and fruitful-
ness of your conversation, your works of righteousness,
your works of mercy, these are all kept in your hearts.
Conscience is the keeper of them : the conscience of an
honest, holy, gracious, heavenly life, is a precious treasure
kept within you. " Our rejoicing is tins, the testimony of
our conscience." (2 Cor. i. 12.) All your duties arise
from your hearts ; all your holiness, and fruitfulness, and
activity for God, are as so many holy streams, flowing
from a holy heart ; and all these streams return into the
heart ; there they must be kept against the day of accounts.
, v. It is the ark of your strength. Some men's strength
lies in their heads, in their wisdom, and counsel, and
, policy ; (a wise man is a strong man ;) others in their hands,
the strength of a Prince lies in his armies, in his forts
and castles, and strong towers : but a Christian's strength
/ is in his heart. The Lord is in his heart, and " Thou art
< the strength of mine heart." (Psalm Ixxiii. 26.) "Be ye
i ' strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." (Eph.
,' vi. 10.) The weakest Christians have a strong God ;
. and hence it is they are strong and of good courage.
Christians have need of strength.
(i.) Of strength for their work. There are great things
they have to do ; they have much work and hard service :
the life of a Christian is not a toying, but a toiling life.
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 201
You shall never get to heaven by play, or by idleness : ,
you have much business lying upon you, and great busi-
ness. The working out your salvation is hard work.
The souls of sinners lie idle, as if they had nothing to do.
What pains dost thou use to take for thy soul? What hast \
thou done all thy life long, towards the working out thy )
salvation .' Sinners, you live as if God should throw in
:i upon you, and clothe you with glory and immor- -
tality, whilst your souls are fast asleep ! No : you must
work if you will live ; you must " labour for the meat that '
endureth unto everlasting life" (John vi. 27,) if ever you
will have the eating of it. You must pray, and watch,
and " strive to enter in at the strait gate," if ever you will
get in. This should be your work, and it is the work of
Christians : and for this their great work, they have great
strength given them ; and all their strength is in their
hearts.
(ii.) Christians have need of strength for their burdens. v
Christians have hard work, and heavy burdens lying upon J
them. Besides the care that is upon them for their soul-.
which is a great and weighty burden, and their fear of mis-
carrying in the matter of their souls, which is another
burden, they have burdens of suffering, and affliction,
ordinarily upon their backs. All the hatred and malic*
all the scorn and reproach of this evil world, light and lie
upon the backs of poor Christians : and how shall they bear
their burdens it' they have no strength (
i iii. ) They have need of strength against their enemies.
Christians live in the midst of enemies : enemies without,
the deviland his instruments; enemies within, their own \
lusts and corruptions : and they must be in continual fight
with these enemies. And their enemies being so many,
and so strong, they have need of strength to resist them.
Christians have need of strength, and strength they ha\
and all their strength is in their hearts. There their
armour lies ; the shield of faith, the breast-plate of \ (
rightroustiess, the helmet, the hope of salvation : and there
their Captain dwells ; the Captain of their salvation lodges )
intheir hearts.
IxJose your hearts, and loose your strength, and what
262 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
will you do at your work ? How will you bear your
{ burdens ? How will you stand against your enemies,
( when your strength is lost ? What became of Samson,
when he was deprived of that wherein his strength lay ?
What weakly souls are careless Christians ! Every little
duty is too hard for them ! How quickly are they weary !
} weary of praying, weary of hearing, weary of meditation,
( weary of a watchful life. A little work will make them
<-' weary. How little can they do, and how little can they
bear ! Every little cross sinks their spirits : and what
resistance can they make against enemies ! Every lust is
/ apt to carry them away, every temptation overcomes them.
> O Christians, by how slow a pace do we keep on our way !
^ How little sign do we make at our work ! We have been
Christians, some of us, of twenty years' standing, or more :
how little good have we done, how little treasure have we
gotten in, how little execution have we done upon our
sins and lusts ! What poor weakly, lifeless, half-starved
souls have we to this day ! Sure we have been ill keepers
of our hearts ! The ark of our strength hath been laid
waste ; strangers have gotten in and devoured our strength,
whilst we have loitered and slept. Friends, do not lie
down, and idly complain, I am weak, I am a poor feeble
soul ! 1 cannot do the things that I would : I cannot pray,
I cannot hear, I cannot live, but at a sad, and halting, and
broken rate. God help me ! it is a barren, and unsavoury,
and unprofitable life that I live. It is a weariness to me,
that I can live to no better purpose. Fain I would be more
heavenly, and more lively, and more fruitful in my life ;
, but woe is me, I cannot, I cannot obtain ! Thus you /
^ complain of your weakness, of your unprofitableness ; but
why do ye stand complaining ? Look to your hearts <
4 better, where your strength lies. Hast thou Christ in ( '
thine heart ? hast thou graceTn thine heart ? and yet '
*~.; complainest thou hast no strength ? Look better to thine
heart ; keep Christ closer to thee ; get thy faith increased ;
stir up and kindle that spark of love ; call up all the grace
thou hast, and keep it in action. Let not the rust eat up
thy strength. A little more care and labour about your
hearts, to get and keep them in better plight, will recover
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 263
and renew your strength, and silence those unprofitable
complainings.
vi. In your hearts are preserved all your evidences for
heaven. This follows from the former. What are our
evidences for heaven, but Christ, and the graces of Christ,
being in us? Your sincerity in the covenant, your
having your conversation in all good conscience, prove
that Christ is in you ; and you thereby prove that you shall
hereafter be with him. Prove that you have grace, and
you thereby prove that you shall have glory. Prove that
you are in covenant with God, and walk before him, in all
good conscience, and that will prove that "your names
are written in fiearcn." (Luke x. 20.) And whither must
you look for all this, but into your hearts ? There, as I
told you, is a record kept, of your covenant and your
conscientious life ; and these are the rooms where you must
look to find Christ and his grace.
The devil will tell sinners, that they shall all go to
heaven ; and, to make them believe it, will provide them
evidences, such as they are ; but they are false and deceit-
ful evidences. Thou art a Christian, thou hast been
baptized into the name of Christ, thou attendest on the i
ordinances of Christ, thou goest to hear and to pray, &c. ; I
therefore thou needest not fear but thou shalt to heaven !
Let sinners look but into their hearts, where all good
evidences are kept, and there they will find nothing :
there is no Christ within them, no love to Christ, none
of the holiness of Christ ; their heart is a mere hell, full
of darkness, ignorance, unbelief, enmity against Christ, and
his holy ways. As the evidence of a Christian for heaven,
so the evidence of a sinner for hell, is mostly in their
hearts. Whatever your hopes are, if you would look into,
if you could see what hearts you have, these would quickly ,
tell you whither yi.u must go. There you should find your [
covenant with sin and with death not disannulled. No :
C hrist, no grace, no conscience, but an evil one, a guileful
one, a guilty one ; and nothing else but that which is vile
and abominable.
Sinners' evidences for hell are in their hearts : and such
evidences they might find, as would kill all their hopes of
264 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
heaven. But the Christians' evidence for heaven is in their
hearts. The devil will be telling them, that they are none of
Christ's : he will say to the saints, as God says to sinners,
" What hast thou to do to take my covenant in thy mouth?"
(Psalm 1. 16.) What hast thou to do with Christ? Thou
art mine, thou art none of his !
Let thine heart he carefully kept, and thou mayest
answer the devil, None of his ? Whose is this name that
is written in my heart ? Whose image are these graces of
my heart ? I find the faith of Christ in me, the love of
Christ in me, the very life of Christ in me : Christ hath
sent me many a token of his love, which I still keep by
me. I remember what hath passed between Christ and
me : I have given myself to Christ ; I have laid hold on
his covenant, and have bound myself in covenant to him,
and I stand to that covenant to this day. And there is
my conscience also within me, bearing me witness that my
care and endeavour hath been to walk before him accord-
ing to the covenant of my God : and therefore go on to lie
thus unto me while thou wilt, Satan ! I will not believe
thee : I believe God, who hath said, " There is therefore
now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who
walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Rom. viii. 1 .)
And I will not belie mine own sense, and experience of
myself : this is the testimony of my conscience, that I have
walked not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. And,
therefore, Christ is mine ; and I trust I shall one day be
with him where he is.
Friends, if you look well to your hearts, and keep the
records clear, this will be your benefit : whatever fears
the devil may raise, it is but looking inwards, and there
you will see that which will turn all your fears into lively
hopes. But if you look not to your hearts, to keep them
clean, you will be at a perpetual loss : you will never long
/ know what to make of yourselves, nor what is like to
become of you. Assurance necessarily depends on watch-
fulness : never look for a grounded peace without it : and
never trust to that confidence, or assurance you seem to
have, whilst you are of a careless heart. Whatever pro-
[, gress you have hitherto made in religion, whatever
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 265
experience you have formerly had, of the workings of the
Spirit of grace in you, a careless heedless spirit will so
darken all your experience, and blot your evidence, and
leave you under such uncertainty, that, for aught you
know, you may be damned at last. If, therefore, you /
would maintain an abiding assurance, that it is well with
you at present, and shall be well with you hereafter, be
watchful over your hearts, that record of all your evidence.
The reason why we are at such uncertainty, and so full of
our doubt and fear, lies here, in our carelessness of our
hearts. Yet who will take warning ? O, friends, stead-
fastly resolve, through the grace of God, to look better to
it. Say, Since my heart can never comfort me, unless I
watch it more narrowly, mine eye shall be upon mine
heart ui^ht and day. I will commit myself to the keeper
if Isravl, and I will set myself to keep whatever good
thing he hath committed unto me.
vii. It is a sacrifice for God. " The sacrifices of God are
a broken spirit ; a broken and a contrite heart, God, thou
tcilt not despise." (Psalm li. 17.)
(i.) It is the heart that is a sacrifice for God ; therefore, ,
" Give me thine heart." (Prov. xxiii. 26.) It is the )
sacrifices : all the sacrifices of God is the sacrifice of the (
heart. There are other sacrifices ; but whatever they be,
it is the heart that makes them such. Prayer is a sacrifice.
"Let mi/ prayer be set forth before thee as incense ; and the
lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice." (Psalm
cxli. 2.) Praise is a sacrifice. " Offer unto God thanks- j
giving." (Psalm 1. 14.) Alms are a sacrifice. " With
such sacrifices, God is well pleased." (Heb. xiii. 16.) But
what maimed sacrifices are all these, if offered up without
a hi-art { What is prayer, without a heart? What is praise?
What arc alms, when the heart is not offered up with
them I They are heart-prayers, and heart-praises, and
heart -alms, that are the sacrifices with which God is well
pleased.
^ii.) What kind of heart it is, that is a sacrifice unto God.
A broken or a wounded heart. The broken heart is
the only sound heart. The wounding of the heart is as the
lancing of the imposthume, it lets out the corruption, and
266 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
leaves it a sound heart. The hard heart is a sacrifice for
the devil : with such sacrifices, with hard and unbroken
hearts, the devil is well pleased. Is thy heart a hard
heart ? and wilt thou thus give it up to God ? See to it
that it be hroken, or thou mayest as well carry it to the
devil for a sacrifice. The devil loves a hard heart ; but it
is an abomination to the Lord. A hard heart is an unclean
beast, which is not for sacrifice. All the filthiness and
rottenness of the heart lie baked up together in a hard
heart : it will never be gotten out, till the heart be broken.
In the law, the sacrifices were to be without blemish.
" But whatsoever kath a blemish, that shall ye not offer : for
it shall not be acceptable for you. And whosoever offereth
a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the Lord to accomplish his
vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be
perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.
Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or
scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the Lord, nor make an
offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the Lord." (Lev.
xxii. 20 22.) It shall be perfect and without blemish.
Whatsoever is blind, or maimed, or having a wen, or
scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer. The unbroken
heart, is a heart full of blemishes, wens, and ulcers,- a
scurvy and a scabbed heart. It is the wounded or broken
heart, that is the perfect heart, or a heart without blemish.
Now herein you see both the necessity of looking to
your hearts, and what it is that you must secure your
hearts against. From all things, that may be a blemish
to the heart ; from all those maladies and diseases, that
will be a blemish to the heart ; that so you do not sacrifice
to God a corrupt thing. " But cursed be the deceiver, which
hath in his flock a male, and voweth and sacrificeth unto the
Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord
of hosts." (Mai. i. 14.) A sacrifice without a heart, is
a lame and maimed thing : a sacrifice from a polluted
heart is the sacrifice of a corrupt thing.
Beloved, you come with your offerings to the Lord ; but
what have you to offer ? O you have prayers and praises
to offer up ! But is there a heart in your prayers, a heart
in your praises ? And is it a perfect and upright heart, a
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 267
heart without blemish? A perfect heart! a heart without
blemish ! Who can bring such a heart ? Who can say,
My heart is perfect '. Who can say, My heart is clean?
Lord, be mereiful to me, my heart is the worst thing within
me, all sores, and all blemishes, and corruption!
OBJ. My mouth must be stopped for ever, my tongue
must be silent for ever, if I must never pray, nor praise
God, till my heart is a clean and a perfect heart.
SOL. There is a double perfection, a double cleanness of
heart.
First. Legal. And so that only is a perfect heart, that
fully answers the righteousness of the law, or first covenant:
that only, in this sense, is a perfect heart, which hath
nothing of evil or hypocrisy, no spot or blemish at all in
it, that the strictest justice could be offended at. Thus,
there is not a man in the world who can say, My heart is
perfect, my heart is clean.
" vond. Evangelical. Such a perfection, which the new
covenant accepts : uprightness. A sincere heart is, in a
Gospel sense, a perfect heart ; a heart that hath been broken
by the word of Christ, and been purged by the blood of
Christ ; a heart that is purging and cleansing daily ; that
hath its ^n-;tt spots and blemishes of unbelief and impeni-
tence pur-red away ; and hath no spots, but which are
begun to be purged, and are cleansing daily.
Now a heart that hath been thus initially purged and f
cleansed, will, unless it be carefully looked to, contract
new spots : the imposthume will gather and fester again,
the leprosy will fret and eat deeper and deeper into it :
longer then the purging work is carried on, the corrupting ,
work will be carrying on. If the wounds of the heart be *\
not carefully kept open, the devil will quickly heal it up :
his hardening is his healing the heart. He will be searing ,
the heart, so that though there be never so much )
wickedness in it, it shall not be felt and perceived: and
when we cease to feel our sores, when the heart grows
senseless of its sins, then is a time when iniquity is like <
to abound. And there is no way in the world to prevent ^
this increase of our corruptions, and hardening our hearts
under them, but by keeping a constant guard upon them.
268 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
The devil will be doing, sin will be working and growing
upon us, if there be not a constant watch kept.
And what will ye do then for a sacrifice for God ?
Wherewithal will you come before the Lord, and bow
yourselves before the Most High, if you have not a heart,
a clean heart, a perfect and upright heart, that he will
accept? As you would be loth that God should meet
you in all your duties, your praying, and hearing, and
praising his name, and say unto you, as to Israel, " To
what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices ? When ye
come to appear before me, who hath required this at your
hand, to tread my courts ? Bring no more vain oblations ;
incense is an abomination unto me ; the new moons and Sab-
baths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with, it is
iniquity, even the solemn meeting " Your meetings " my
soul hateth : they are a trouble unto me ; I am weary to
bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will
hide mine eyes from you : yea, when ye make many prayers,
I will not hear ." (Isa. i. 10 15.) Friends, would you have
the Lord thus to speak to you ? Is this all the entertain-
ment and acceptance you would have ? When you come
together to pray, and to hear, would you have the Lord to
say, I am weary of this people ; I am weary of these
meetings : my soul hateth this praying, and this hearing !
Doubtless this will be all the entertainment you will have,
whilst you come hither and bring not your hearts for a
sacrifice ; yea, and broken hearts, hearts without guile,
sincere and perfect in the sight of God. Such hearts
you will never bring, unless you take more care and
pains about them : and therefore I exhort you, as the Pro-
phet goes on, " Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil
of your doings:" (ver. 16:) so also, watch ye, keep you
clean, prevent the return of your evils upon you. And
then I should be bold to add, as ver. 18, to call upon you,
and encourage you in the name and the words of the Lord,
" Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord." Let
your hearts be thus kept, and then come ; come with
your prayers, come with your praises, and I will hear and
accept you.
viii. It is the temple of the Lord. " Ye are the temple of
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 269
tin- liiiiiy Cod." (2 Cor. vi. 16.) It is the heart especially
that is his temple.
There are four things in the temple of God, which are
so many n-asons why our hearts should be carefully kept
and guarded.
(i.) The law of God is in his temple. The law was read
in the temple, and kept in the temple. And as in that
temple made with hands, so also in that living temple, made
without hands, the law of God is placed and preserved.
Christians have the law of God within them, their Bibles (
in their hearts : in the heart of a Christian is the copy of
the Bible. God hath not only preached it to their hearts, ':
but they have laid it up in their hearts. " / have hid thy /
word u-il/tin mine //cart, that I might not sin against thee." i
i Psalm exix. 11.) Mary kept the sayings of Christ, and
laid them up in her heart. (Luke ii. 51.) God promised, /
"/ it-i/l write mi/ law in their hearts;" (Jer. xxxi. 33;)
and h'- hath done what he promised. He that once wrote ^
his law in tables of stone, hath also written it in the fleshly '
table of the hearts. Therefore, " Thy law is within my
heart." (Psalm xl. 8.)
The law written in the heart implies,
. That all those holy notions of God, of Christ, of
glory, honour, immortality, of the power, wisdom, and
goodness of (Hod, and of the mystery of Christ, which are
writti-n in the Scriptures, are revealed in the heart.
//. All those holy principles or divine axioms, concern-
ing truth, righteousness, holiness, mercy, temperance,
sobriety, &c. ; the nature and necessity of them, to true
gudliiu ss and blessedness.
;'//'. That "Ian' of the Spirit of life, which is in Christ
Jesus;" (Rom. viii. 2;) the new law, t lie covenant of grace,
by which we are freed "from the law of sin and death;" the
tenor and the terms of the covenant, the promises and the
conditions of the covenant; the great charter of the saints, ,
which gives them a title to, and will give them an entrance ( ,
into, the everlasting kingdom ; the writing that la.
writing the new co\eiiant. in the heart.
if. That inward living law, the holy bent, inclination,
and disposition, begotten in the heart, by the word, and
^ /
* X,
270 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
Spirit of the Lord; that renewed conscience, inwardly
obliging and holding the heart to the obedience of the
truth. A Christian hath not only something without, but
something within him, binding him to obedience ; whereby
it may be said, much more of him, than of those Gentiles,
" He is a law to himself." (Rom. ii. 14.) His own heart
holds him in to Christ, his own heart holds him on in
obedience to the Gospel. If all our Bibles should be lost
or burnt, if all our Preachers, that urge and press our
obedience, were laid aside and trodden under foot, a
Christian hath that within him, that would hold him on in
his Christianity. That knowledge of God, and those
holy principles, that love of Christ, and that renewed
conscience within, will keep him a Christian still..
Now all this treasure, those holy notions, and holy prin-
ciples, this law of grace, and this living law of the new
covenant, being all kept in the heart, the heart (being the
temple of God, wherein all these are preserved) had need
be carefully kept. W T ould you have all the notions of God,
and the knowledge of Christ dimmed, and darkened, and
razed out ? Would you lose all your holy principles of
righteousness and honesty, of temperance and sobriety ?
Would you have the book of the covenant stolen away, on
which all your hopes and expectations, all your title to
everlasting blessedness, depend ? Would you lose that
holy bent, those holy inclinations, and that renewed con-
science, by which you are disposed, and inwardly bound,
bound in spirit, to the life of Christianity ? Would you
that all these should be lost ? Would you return to be
dim- sigh ted and dark souls ? Would you exchange your
holy principles for carnal principles ? your renewed purged
conscience for a corrupt conscience ? Would you that the
temple of the Lord be robbed ? Would you that your
heart be deprived of all these treasures ? Then neglect to
set a guard upon your hearts. "*wtft
(ii.) The name of God is in his temple. It is said often,
" He places his name there." (Jer. vii. 10, 12.) And upon
these living temples the hearts of saints it is said,
" / will write the name of my God, and the name of
the city of my God." (Rev. iii. 12.) And in chap. ii. 17,
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 271
in this heart there is a precious stone put, and upon this
stone a new name written, which no man knows but he
that hath it. A Christian hath not only the name of Christ
put upon him, (he is called a Christian, after the name of
hi-> Lord,) he hath this name written upon him, written
upon Iiis heart. Surely that table should be kept clean in
which is written such a precious name. What, shall the
name of God be written on a dunghill ? Wilt thou suffer
sin and the devil to make a very dunghill of thy heart, and
on that dunghill write the name of thy God ? If the heart
be not well guarded, the devil will not only be carrying (
out, but carrying in, all the precious treasures that are in /
your hearts : let Satan alone awhile, and he will carry
them all away. Whatever thou hast now, thou shalt have
nothing of God left in thee, nothing of Christ left in thee,
none of all thy graces, none of all thy comforts. Hast
thou love for Christ, hast thou hope in Christ, hast thou
peace or joy in God, hast thou either the image or the
comforts of God in thee ? Satan stands ready, and if thou
look not to him, he will carry all away. Thou wilt quickly
be left a very miserable soul, poor, and blind, and naked,
if thou take not heed. And as the devil will be carrying
out, so he will be also carrying in, to that heart of thine.
Thy gold and thy jewels he will carry away; and he will
bring in dirt, and filth, and trash. As he unloads thee,
he will load thee ; unload thee of the treasures of light,
and load thee with the treasures of darkness. He will fill ',
those hearts with every unclean thing ; he will make those
temples very stables and sties ; he will make that heart a very
dunghill ; and Christ must either have no name within
thee, or that precious name written upon a dunghill. And
will you suffer such an afi'ront and abuse to be put upon
your Lord ? If you do not keep your hearts, so it will be.
' iii.) The worship of God is in his temple. " My house
shall ! railed the house of prayer." (Matt. xxi. 13.) In '
this inward temple the heart is the inward and spiritual
worship of God. The people of God are said to be the
who "worship (ind in tin- Spirit." (Phil. iii. 3.)
There an: great thought ^ of heart, and many scruples
arising about the outward worship of God, keeping that
2/'J INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
pure, clearing and securing it against all superstitious
inventions, and corrupt mixtures of human impositions.
And it were well if the houses of God in the land, were
swept cleaner, and kept cleaner, than they are. But the
main of our care lies not here : these are not the great
things we are concerned to take care about. If outward
ordinances were never so purely administered, and kept
never so free from adulterating mixtures, there is a greater
thing than this that lies upon us, that the inner temple
he kept pure, that the heart-worship be kept pure and
entire. The heart also is to be a house of prayer : and
v shall we make this house of prayer a den of thieves, or an
house of merchandise ? O what droves of unclean beasts
are let into these hearts of ours! What houses of mer-
chandise are these houses of prayer become ! These
sanctuaries of the Lord are become mere shops of buyers
t and sellers. Whilst they should be employed in those
spiritual exercises, of loving and fearing, of praying and
praising God, offering up living and spiritual sacrifices to
the Lord ; behold, how our money is brought into our
hearts ! our sheep and oxen, buying, and selling, and
trading, and getting gain ! these are the inhabitants, and
these are the exercises, of our hearts ! It is a grievous
thing to consider, how much the hearts of Christians are
taken up with these things. We cannot love the Lord as
we should, we cannot mind glory and immortality as we
should. It is miserable praying, lamentable praising, or
meditating on God, that is to be found in us. We are so
disordered, distracted, and confused in these spiritual
, exercises ; there is such a mixture of carnal thoughts, such
carnal affections ; worldly projects and cares are thrusting
/ in, which corrupt, and spoil, and enervate all our spiritual
) duties, so that we can find nothing but blind, broken, and
maimed sacrifices, to offer unto the Lord.
Friends, how do you find it, when you set yourselves
to pray, or meditate on God ? Is not the world frequently
thrusting in ? Are not your carnal friends, or your business,
or pleasures, thrusting in ? And do not your thoughts
and affections fall a-gadding and a-wandering after these ?
And do you not hereby lose many prayers, and lose many
; IONS ABOLT HEART-WOKK. 273
sermons, and sadly complain of yourselves, that whatever
duty you perform, it is all spoiled in the doing, so that
ymi c-:ui take- no comfort in them? What help is there
tor it. hut setting a better guard upon your hearts? Sure,
friends, we had every one of us need to be more vigilant
and watchful, to prevent these sad matters of our com-
plaints. It is not complaining how bad it is, that will
inaki- amends or make up the matter : possibly your com-
plaints of yourselves may seem to give you some ease ;
imt consider, the same complaints that you make of your-
selves, God also makes of you. The Lord God hath
complaints against you for the same things. Think of
that more than you do, God complains of you. Do you
1 am weary of such a distracted, divided, worldly heart?
And I am weary too, says the Lord; "Ah I will ease me of
mine adrcrxnrics;" (Isa. i. 24 ;) I am weary of these halting,
trifling, distracted hearts ; these cold prayers, these hypo-
1 praises; these maimed, broken, confused services: I
-m weary of them, saith the Lord. If you go on thus to
worship God, come hither as often as you will, God will
be wean' to meet you : he hath been waiting from week
i k, from Sabbath to Sabbath, to see if it may be
better ; if he could meet with such sacrifices here, such
-; here, as might be pleasing to him. He hath waited
thus so long, and still finds so little of what he likes, so
tew living sacrifices : he hath waited so long, and found so
little, that it is to be doubted, if we continue thus, we
eome hither to meet one another, whether God will
sry to give us a meeting. Friends, if you would
not tint the things that offend in your hearts should drive
God away, then take more heed how you suffer these
js, or things, to come in, or to lodge any longer in
you.
. ) God himself is in his temple. " Ye are the temple
(if the licint/ dod." God hath said, " / tcill dwell in them,
ulk in ihem" (2 Cor. vi. 16.) The hearts of
saints are the house of God, and the house of God i
habitation. The holy (iod will have none but an holy
habitation. \Vill you let sin and the devil in to <
habitation? These will darkm ami defile your hearts:
T
274 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
those hearts are but blind houses, and dirty holes, where
sin and the devil dwell. And is this the best habitation
you can afford to the Almighty ? What place do you
think God will prepare for you, if you prepare no better
place for him ? How long will the Lord stay with you ?
How certainly will he withdraw and forsake you, if you
let lust in with him ?
Sure, friends, if you had a due and a deep sense upon
your hearts of the holiness, of the glory, of the majesty,
of the jealousy of the holy God ; if you did really believe,
that of a very truth this holy and glorious God had a mind
to come and take up those very hearts of yours for his
own habitation ; that he would come and dwell in you,
and walk in you, and make them his chambers of presence,
and the thrones of his glory : if you have such respect for
God, and such affection, that you would have him pleased
with his habitation, and not meet with that which is an
offence and a loathing to him in you ; were you sensible,
did you truly believe all this, you could not but take
more care to keep these hearts cleaner and more free for
him.
If you had a great friend, a lord or knight, who
intended to lodge an evening in your house, what
would you do ? How would you prepare your house for
the entertainment of such a friend ? What sweeping, and
washing, and rubbing, and scouring, and adorning would
there be ! Every vessel would be brightened, every room
would be beautified ! Would you let it lie all dirty and
dusty, overhung with cobwebs and spiders ? Would you
let it lie nasty and filthy, and everything out of its place
and order ? Surely you would not. And when he were
come in, would you set open your doors, to let in a rabble
of sordid beggars, or common rogues and drunkards, to
come and drink, and roar, and spue in the very room
where your friend was entertain'ed ? No ; you would
sweep all within, and set a porter at your doors, to keep
the unclean rabble out. O what is the greatest friend in
the world, to the great and holy God ? Prepare him an
holy habitation ; open the doors, and let the King of
Glory in ; and then shut the door, and let no unclean
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 275
thing enter, to offend and displease him ; so that the Lord
may take pleasure in you, and delight in you, and may
say concerning you, " This is my rest, here will I dwell fur
ever." (Psalm cxxxii. 14.)
(2.) How the heart is to be kept under guard.
i. What it is to be guarded against; that is, thieves,
blots, and distempers.
(i.) Against thieves. The great thief is the world, and
all that is of the world; and all that which is in the world,
which purloins from the heart. Its profits or worldly gains,
its pleasures and carnal mirth, its favour, and friendship,
and fawnings. These all lie in wait for entrance into the
heart, to the end they may rifle and spoil it of all that it f
hath. The world steals in upon the heart, and it never
comes there, but to steal away its treasures ; and therefore
it is to be observed, that the hearts of such Christians as
are most possessed of the world, are ever the most poor i
and beggarly. Never look to find much of Christ or his /
grace, if anything at all, where the world hath gotten pos- )
session. Christ comes into the heart, on purpose to carry >
away the heart from the world: his word, where he comes,
is, "My SUN, give me thine heart;" (Prov. xxiii. 26;)
" Love not the world, neither the things that are in the
world." (1 John ii. 15.) The world comes into the heart
on purpose to steal it away from Christ. There is never
any one that embraced) this present world, but it is to his
loss : whatever the world can offer, it takes away better than
it brings. " Demas hath forsaken me, having loved the
present world." (2 Tim. iv. 10.) He embraced the world,
and what gut he by it? The same day he embraced the
world, he forsook Christ.
Christian, art thou fallen in with the world? Have its
gains and its pleasures found a place in thy heart? Doth it
fawn and smile upon thee, and is thine heart taken and
pleasi el with its fawnings? Look to thyself: what hast thou
within tin :' II : -lion grace ? hast thou peace? does thy
soul ll'iurl-sh ? For anght I know, thou hast seen the last
of thy good days, what time this world is thus embraced
by ti.
O Iriends, set a watch against this thief, set a guard
T2
276 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
\ against it ; " Take heed and beware of coretousness."
! (Luke xii. 15.) That is the same counsel as, Guard your
hearts against this world. Covetousness is the opening
the door to let the world in ; nay, the world has entered in
already where covetousness is. Thou who hast a covetous
heart, thine heart is already possessed of the world. May
: be thou hast yet hut a little of it in thine hand, but thine
heart is full of it : the whole world is in, where covetous-
/ ness has found a residence.
Worldly professors, methinks you should be startled at
it, if you considered what a thief you have within you.
Whatever you seem to have of Christ, or the treasures
of heaven, you are like to be but poor wretches in a little
^ time. And how is it like to be with thee, whose heart
( hath entertained the pleasures and the merriments of the
: world ; or the favours and fawnings of the men of the
world ? who lovest to be somebody with evil men, to have
} their respect and esteem ? He that would fain be some-
'-, body with the world, is like to be nobody with Christ.
Make the world to know its distance ; and whatever you
have to do with it, keep it at a distance from your hearts.
Never look to thrive in Christianity, while you venture to
; be too busy with this world, or to dote on its favours or
friendship.
O, it were well with us, were we but sensible what a
C snare this world is to us ; what a bane it is to all that is
' good in us ! Never a flower in all our garden will flourish
' where these thorns stand so thick about it. The little
grace you have will be less daily, it will be choked up and
devoured, if you keep you not more clear of this world.
It were happy for us, were we deeply sensible of the
danger we are in : but there is the misery of it, people
will not be sensible, nor be warned to take heed of it.
This thief steals away the reason and conscience ; makes
men such children and fools, that they will not understand
J what an enemy it is to them. How many sermons have
' been preached and published, to warn you to take heed
of a worldly heart ; and yet how very few are there
* that escape it ! It is who can be richest, and who can be
s the greatest in the world, that the most of our hearts are
i' RUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 277
upon. It is not who can be the holiest, or most .
nly ; it is not who can improve in the faith and hope y
of the Gospel, in the love and fear of the Lord ; who can
i;et most of Christ and heaven into his heart, and grow
rich unto God ; but who can grow greatest in this present
world. Is not this too common a case ? Though the Lord\
hath been knocking off our fingers from it, pulling off our
chariot-wheels, and making us to drive heavily ; letting '
loose the spoilers upon us, to catch from some of us what *
we have obtained; fed the husbandmen with short harvests, ;
filled the tradesmen with complaints of bad markets ; yet \
all is one : how little soever men can catch of this world,
they will catch after it still. And what wonder is it,
while this world doth so generally carry our hearts, that
Christ hath so much lost them ? You that would save t
anything of what you have left in you, you that would
get any more while you live, you that would not go down
to your graves stripped and naked of all that should then -
comfort you, again I say to you, Take heed of this world, }
take heed of this worldliness.
(ii.) Against blots; that is, against wilful and allowed
sins. Every wilful sin will be a blot upon your hearts.
Our sins are blots and blemishes upon our lives; but every
blot upon the life, is a blot upon the heart. Blots will
darken, obscure, and defile the soul.
I'.lots will darken and obscure the soul. I told you
that in the heart are kept all our evidence for heaven.
Our sins that we give way to, will be blots upon this
oee ; will so obscure and blur it, that it will not
_ r ible. Our sins will do directly contrary to what
the blood of Christ will do : the blood of Christ will "blot
nut t/ie hand-writing that teas against iw." (Col. ii. 14.)
( )ur sins will blot out whatever hand-writing there is for
us. Thou that art a Christian, there is a hand- writ ing
:!iy heart; there is the covenant of God, \\liieh is
thy charter for glory, written upon thy heart. There is
the token of the covenant, and thine interest in it, the
circumcision of the heart : there are the articles of the
ml. which have been consented to between the Lord
and thee, recorded in thine heart. Whilst thou kc<
278 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
thine heart clean, there thou mayest read thy title to glory;
thou wilt find that within thee, which will comfort thee
concerning thine everlasting state. There are the very
prints and marks of the Lord Jesus, his image formed
upon thy soul, which marks thee out for an heir of life :
but what wilt thou do for comfort, when these writings
and this holy image are blotted? When thy circumci-
sion is become uncircumcision, will blotted evidence
satisfy thee ? Will a defaced image prove thy title to
Christ good ? Set a guard against sin ; allow not your-
selves in iniquity ; fear what sad work it will make upon
your inner man. Hath the blood of Christ blotted out
the hand-writing that was against you ? Hath the Spirit
of Christ engraven a new hand- writing for you ? O, watch
against iniquity, which will restore the old hand-writing,
and blot out the new! Have you any comfortable title to
glory ? any comfortable evidences for heaven ? O, sin
them not away ! Whatever comfortable evidence you
have, never look that they should speak comfortably to
you longer, than you keep watch against sin ; and
never trust to that comfort, which will hold up the head,
whilst thou allowest thyself in sin. " If I regard iniquity
in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." (Psalm Ixvi.
18.) What comfort canst thou have, when thou art
become such an one as God will not hear when thou
prayest ? Thou art a professor of religion, and thou hast
comfort in Christ, and confidence thou shalt be saved
through him. And yet for all this, thou canst lie for thy
advantage, or to cover a fault ; thou canst drink, if not to
downright drunkenness, yet to intemperate excess ; and
make thyself a fool, if not a downright beast ; or at least
be a companion of drunkards in their drunkenness. Thou
canst defraud or do wrong, put off false wares, use deceit-
ful balances ; thou canst defame or backbite ; thou canst
be peevish, and give rope to thy fretful passions, and let
thine anger rest upon thee ; thou canst profane the Sab-
bath, by working, or travelling, or loitering ; thou canst
live in an ordinary neglect of thy family, and their souls,
without instructing them, or praying with them, and the
like ; and thou canst let thyself alone in these evils, or
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 279
some of them, or some other such like. But how dost
thou hold up thine head under these things ? When thou
lookest into thine heart, how dost thou find it there? Dost
thou not discover thy sins to be blots within thee ? Dost
thou not find the writing disfigured, thine evidence blurred,
the image of Christ defaced, thy comforts vanished ? If
thou dost not, if thou canst be of good comfort still, if
thou art of good cheer, and confident still ; this comfort,
this confidence, is not the comfort of God, but false and
deceitful. Thou mayest comfort thyself, and speak peace
to thyself still ; but mistake not thyself, God speaks not a
word of comfort to thee in such a case. If thou hadst any
real comfort before, that thou wilt find all blotted, and the
true sense of it utterly lost. If thou hast peace in thine
heart, it is none of the peace of God that is broken by thy
returning to have peace with sin. "God will speak peace,
lit let them not turn again to folly." (Psalm Ixxxv. 8.)
H. Blots will defile. They are stains upon all our glory.
The coming in of sin upon the heart, is as the breaking in
of the heathen upon God's inheritance. " O God, the
heathen are come into thine inheritance ; thine holy temple
they defiled." (Psalm Ixxix. 1.) The heart of a
Christian is, us is said, the temple of the Lord : the tem-
ple of the Lord is holy. "Holiness becometh thine house."
(Psalm xciii. 5.) It is only a clean heart that is a fit
habitat inn for God. God hath been at great cost, to make
the hearts of his people clean, that they may be a fit
habitation for him. He hath washed them with blood,
with the blood of his Son : hath washed out those original
blots j.nd stains that were upon them. " The blood of Jesus
Christ cleanseth ." (1 John i. 7.) He hath washed
tin-in with water, the sanctifying work of his Spirit. God
hath made him a clean habitation, and he looks that we
should keep it clean. " If any man defile the temple of
God, him shall God destroy." (1 Cor. iii. 17.) God will
depart from, He will pull down, that house, and make a
dunghill of it, whk-h sin is suffered to defile. We had
nerd take hred of such blots and stains upon our hearts,
lest they drive out the Holy One of Israel from us. Whilst
we keep ourselves pure, the Lord God will delight to take
'
280 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
his abode with us. Who is it, Christian, you would have
to dwell in you ? O, let me be a habitation for the Lord !
let the holy Jesus, let the Holy Spirit, dwell in me ! None
but God, none but Christ : thou, Lord, art mine inhabitant,
let me be thy habitation. Where God dwells, there light
dwells, there peace dwells, there hope and joy dwell. I
count upon nothing ; I have no joy, no hope, no peace :
all that I have is lost, all that I have to comfort me, all
that I have to stay or support me, all that I have to
delight and refresh me, all is lost ; yea, I have lost
myself, when God is departed from me. Do you indeed
' look upon it as so miserable a case, when the Lord hath
.forsaken you? Then take heed how you defile his habi-
) tation. Let wilful sin in, and that will certainly drive the
Lord out : and if you would keep sin out of the heart,
j keep it out of your lives. Life-sins are heart-blots.
/ " Thine iniquity is marked before me." (Jer. ii. 22.) And
S it is the heart that bears its black marks upon it.
O friends, what sad marks have we upon us ! What
speckled and spotted souls have we ! How miserably are
our insides defiled, minds defiled, affections defiled, con-
sciences defiled ! It is a sign what lives we have lived,
it is a sign how well we keep our garments, how well we
keep ourselves from practical iniquity : our heart-stains,
our heart-defilements, show sufficiently how much iniquity
hath abounded in us.
Friends, look inward : see what work sin hath made
within you, what a conscience hath it left you, what affec-
tions hath it left you ! how hath it dimmed and defaced
the image of God in you ! Do you complain that God is
withdrawn from you? that you have lost his quickening
presence, his comforting presence ? that you have lost
your acquaintance, lost your communion with God ? that
your only friend and portion and hope is become a stranger
to you ? Learn to keep you cleaner, if you would have it
better ! Count upon it, there is no hope that God should
take pleasure in you, or give you any pleasure in him,
that God should be a comfort to you, longer than you keep
yourselves more pure. O get your hearts washed anew :
we have need of many washing-days, who have so many
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 281
sinning-day. Kvery day should be a washing-day to us.
that counsel of the Prophet, "ffasA you, make you
clean, put aicay tin: eri I of your doings." (Isa. i. 16.) Make
.van, and keep you clean. Wash ye, and watch ye :
put away the evil of your doings, if you would that your
hearts should long be kept clean. Wash your hands, and
wash your face, and wash your feet ; or these will defile
your hearts. Put away the garment spotted with the
flesh; keep your outward man clean; keep you unspotted
from the world ; that so you may be blameless and unre-
provable in the sight of God. O Christians, let us study,
every one of us, to get to such a blameless and unrebukable
conversation, that not only the world may have nothing to
spot us with, but that our consciences may have nothing
to spot us with, that our hearts may not have wherewith
t.> reprove us, and that we may have as little as may be,
of the common and unavoidable infirmities of our flesh.
But however we may be overtaken as to these, we may be
nan-provable as to any tolerated or allowed iniquities :
these are the great blots wherewith the heart is defiled.
J'rethrcn beloved, whoever among you that fear the
Lord, 1 would fain do what I can to prepare you a holy /
tion 1'or the Holy One: that whereas he hath said,
"/ will du-fll in them, and tcalk in them," (2 Cor. vi. 16,) /
you may be such in whom his soul may delight to dwell,
that In- may say of you all, " This is my rest for ever :
rill I du~ dl; for I have desired it" (Psalm cxxxii. 14.) \
It is a strange expression. The holy God speaks this to /
all his holy ones, to thee in particular; to thine heart, if it
be but a dean heart. The Almighty God says to thee,
There is my rest : in that heart of thine will I dwell; for I
have desired it. The Lord God hath a desire to be thy
guest ; hath a desire toward that poor soul of thine, to take
it up lor his own dwelling. I would that you may be pre-
sented at last unspotted and unreprovable in his sight :
and to tliis end, that you may be presented holy at last,
I would that you may be preserved holy and without
blame at present. () look to those hearts ! Keep your-
I.et there be written upon you, llolin
the Lord. They ought to be a little heaven into which
I
/
282 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
nothing that defileth could enter. O, purge yourselves of
whatever may offend, and then guard yourselves against
1 it. This is my warning to you, and this is my prayer for
) you, that " the very God of peace may sanctify you wholly,"
{ and I pray God that your whole "spirit, and soul, and body
\ be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus
I Christ" (1 Thess. v. 23.) And to him I commend you,
> who is "able to keep you from falling, and to present you
faultless before the presence of his glory, with exceeding joy.
^ Amen." (Jude 24.)
(iii.) Against distempers.' A good temper of heart will
be an advantage to us, in anything we have to do. A
heart out of temper, is like a hone out of joint, or a
tempestuous sea, there is no good sailing in it. We cannot
keep our way, hut shall be driven about this way and that
way, with every wind and wave. A heart out of temper,
it like a door off the hinges, or a chariot off the wheels,
it drags and goes untowardly and heavily on.
O, how often are our souls unhinged, our chariots off the
wheels, or our wheels without oil ! And then what pitiful
work do we make, at anything we have to do ! When we
have been in a crowd of worldly business, or been foolishly
merry and vain, what a discomposure do we find upon our
souls, and how unfit are we then for duty! When we come
to pray or hear, what labour doth it cost us, to reconcile
our hearts to our duties, or to raise us into a praying or
hearing frame ! We come to pray, as a musician to play,
when his instrument is out of tune : he must spend a great
deal of time in tuning, before one note can be struck.
How much work have we, to tune our hearts at such times !
and at last it may be more than we can do : so that we
must either let the duty alone, or make such sad melody
in the ears of the Lord, as a musician would do in ours,
who played on his instrument when every string was out
of tune.
Get your hearts in temper, and keep them so. Be able
to say, with the Psalmist, " My heart is fixed, God,
my heart is fixed." (Psalm Ivii. 7.) The good temper
of the heart-notes, freedom and towardliness and disposed-
ness for anything God calls to ; and firmness and stability
r RUCTIONS ABOUT HEART- WORK. 283
in that towardliness. Let your hearts be established in
good. Let there be an abiding holy temper upon your
spirits. Some of the distempers that we should guard our
hearts against, are,
i. Lightness and vanity of spirit. A well-tempered
heart is a serious heart. Seriousness of heart is as ballast
to a ship, we shall go steadily whilst our hearts are
serious. " Gird up the loins of your minds, be sober."
(1 Peter i. 13.) Soberness here, is the same with serious-
ness. Christians are always engaged about serious and
weighty things : their eternity is concerned in every day
they live, and in every thing they do. Every action of
our lives is a stroke at that work which must have an
influence upon our eternal state. We have weighty work
lying upon our hands every day and hour: and how
unsuitable is a light and trifling spirit, to such important
aii';iirs ! A light heart is an empty and shallow heart ;
and a shallow heart is unfit to meddle with the deep
things of God.
Watch against lightness of spirit. Frothiness and vanity
becomes not a Christian at any time. We may say of the
frolicks, and light and jovial lives of the carnal world, as
Solomon says of laughter, " I said of laughter, It is mad."
(Eccles. ii. 2.) A Christian is beside himself, when he
indulgeth in a vain and frothy spirit. Friends, it is
not for us to live in jest : eternal life and death are no
jesting matters. Learn to live in good earnest. Those
that are light and vain, that are little else but froth and
vapour, in their ordinary course, do use to be but little
better in their most serious duties. O what light praying
is there amongst us ! what shallow and empty duties do
our light and trifling hearts satisfy themselves withal ! It
may be, some of us, when we have spent a whole Sabbath
with the Lord, if we reflect upon the temper we have been
in, may somrtimes find that we have hardly had a serious
hour in the whole day. If they shall be asked, as Christ
asked his disciples, " It'lmt. could ye not watch with me one
hour?" (Matt. xxvi. 10.) NVhat, could ye not be serious
with me one hour' what could we answt-r ? What returns
do you think, slight and trifling duties are like to have?
284 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
Look to it, God will give you but a light answer, if you be
but light in seeking. Be sober, be serious : and if you
would be serious in your most solemn duties, get this holy
seriousness to be your temper. Beware of a vain and
frothy habit : habituate yourselves to godly seriousness.
Not but that there must be at times some little relaxation :
the bow would grow weak, if it should stand always bent ;
but then,
(.) Relaxation, or remitting the intention of our spirits,
must be but short, and no more than necessary, (fi.) Never
such as to be a hinderance to seriousness afterward. Though
I must sometimes unbend, yet I would never unhinge my
soul ; or disjoint, or discompose it for its return to its
proper work. We must not be of those whose lives be in
jest, and only now and then a fit of seriousness : it should
be thy life, thine ordinary course, thine ordinary frame,
and only some little intervals for recreation.
/ To secure yourselves against the distemper of a light
^ and vain spirit, get a deep and standing sense on your
,. heart, of the weight and importance of those great concerns
) that are daily upon you: look more into eternity.
Remember, you have an immortal God, whose eye is
< always upon you ; you have an immortal soul, that must
. live or die for_ever. Your business in this world, is not
J to please your humour, and gratify your flesh and your
fancy ; but to serve the living God, to secure Him to
yourselves, to seek your peace and reconciliation with Him :
v and to that end, to make Christ, the reconciler, sure to
you ; to serve the Lord Christ, and herebyTo secure the )
* salvation of your soul.
Remember that you have this great work lying upon
you. And this is not the work of some short moments of
your time, of an hour in a day, or one day in a week ;
but that this must be your every day's work, and your all
day's work. Think often, What if I should miscarry in
this great work ! if I should loiter, or laugh, or trifle away
so much of my time, that when I shall come to die, and be
away for the other world, I should find that work I lived
for here, were not done, or but half done, or but slightly
done ! If I should then find, that I had been light and
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 285
vain in my conversation, and but slight and shallow in my
religion ! And whilst I was allowing my flesh what it
would have, I cut my soul short of what it should have
had ! Death will make every one of you serious : the
grave, when you are stepping into it, will make you all in
good earnest. And how would your living in jest, or in
itit idleness, then look upon you? Remember these
things daily; let deep thoughts of them come constantly
upon you : and this would put you out of your light and
merry tune ; the sense of these serious things would hold
you in a serious temper.
//. Looseness. There is a double looseness.
(i.) Such as is opposite to fixedness. Which is the same
with lightness and vanity of heart ; a whiffling in and out,
unstable soul, a slippery heart, that we never know where
to have it.
(//.) Such as is opposite to strictness. That is, the same
with licentiousness; and this is it which I am now to speak
to. A licentious heart is a distempered heart. The con-
trary to this distemper, is the compliance or closing of the
lu-art with the rule, and keeping to it. The new heart is
made after the pattern of Christ its new Lord: there exists
inu' spirit in a Christian, which was in Christ: " as
he is, so are we in this world." (1 John iv. 17.) His very
spirit and image is formed upon our hearts. It is con-
formed to tin; new law or rule, which Christ hath prescribed
to it ; and it stands determined for strictness or exactness
of walking, according to this rule, whereof the Apostle
peaketh, " As many as walk according to this rule, peace
be on them." (Gal. vi. 16.) That is a strict heart, which
is determined and disposed to live by rule. Licentiousness
of heart, is the heart's allowing and indulging its liberty
and latitude in its course. Christianity in general, is that
which it takes up; but it will not be held within the limits
of it. The strait gate, and the narrow way, is too strait
and too narrow for it. That way it pretends t > have
chosen ; but it will be breaking over the hedge, as the
inclinations and interests of the flesh lead it. In some
Christian, in other things a libertin .
O how much of this licentiousness of heart is to be
286 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
found amongst Christians ! How few exact and strict
Christians are there, whose hearts determine for exact-
ness and strictness of life, who impose and charge upon
themselves the whole rule, and the diligent observing of
every point and tittle of it ! Such exactness in point of
practice, we cannot in this imperfect state reach unto: "in
many things we offend all." (James iii. 2.) Our feet slip,
and our steps . are turning aside every day ; hut it is the
indulging ourselves in the liberty thus to turn aside, or in
the heart not charging strictness upon itself, this is
licentiousness of heart.
There is a gradual licentiousness of heart, and there is a
total and complete licentiousness. A total licentiousness
is of those who utterly reject the yoke of Christ, and will
not come under his government, but resign up themselves
to lust and carnal inclinations, which command in chief
, over them. As those " among whom also we all had our
\ conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling
. the desires of the flesh and of the mind ; and were by nature
) the children of wrath, even as others." (Ephes. ii. 3.) Such
licentious ones are no Christians : if they have the name,
^ the heart of a Christian is not found in them. Gradual
* licentiousness is when the heart, though it hath put itself
j under the yoke of Christ, and resigned up itself to be
'' governed by Him, in opposition to the lusts of the flesh
and the world, yet often falls a lusting after that liberty,
^ from the exactness and severity of Christianity, which in
the general it hath professed to consent and yield itself
unto. And though the decree of the soul, for following
Christ in everything, be not made void and utterly broken,
yet it is so remiss and weak, that it will not hold it closely
in : but there is a frequent breaking loose from the rule,
and the heart too often indulgeth itself in that liberty.
How far a Christian may break loose from the rule, and
how far he may indulge and allow himself at times, and
yet be a Christian, is not easy to determine. But this is
certain, that every degree of this laxity of heart is a per-
nicious distemper, that must be watched against; especially
if it rise so high, as to conduce a dislike of strictness,
and such a groaning under the severities of religion, as
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 287
maketh it seem a bondage to be tied up so short. The
more of this, the higher the disease is, and the more to be
doubted whether such professors of Christianity be sound.
The strictest Christian is the most healthful, and the most
evidently a Christian indeed : and the greater latitude the
heart indul^s itself in, the more sickly the soul is, if it
be not quite dead, and no Christian at all.
Friends, you that are Christians indeed, know what you
done, you have vowed the greatest strictness pos-
sible : to press on towards it, and to reach out after it.
You did not covenant to follow Christ to a certain degree,
and no higher ; to advance in religion so far, and no more :
you did not covenant for thus much obedience, thus much
duty, thus much diligence, thus much zeal, and no more :
if ye be Christians indeed, you have covenanted to follow
the Lord fully ; to watch every duty, to watch against every
sin ; to press on to the highest pitch of holiness, and to the
utmost to please the Lord. If there were any reserve
in your vow to Christ, any little liberty in the flesh, any
limit of your zeal and care ; if there were any such reserve,
you are false in your covenant, and false Christians.
O friends, have you vowed the greatest strictness ?
Then watch against the least degree of levity. Seek a
settled judgment of the excellency and necessity of strict-
ness; obtain a hearty love to and good liking of it; let your
souls be bent upon it ; let it be your desire, and your aim,
and your hope, and your labour, to hold close by Christ.
And if you would not have licentious practices abound in
your life, let no licentious principles, no licentious affec-
tions, nestle in your hearts. See that there be no lust
after any other liberty than Christ hath allowed you. See
to it, that you are heartily well pleased with all the laws
of Christ, with his narrowest ways. Let that latitude of
religion, which is the measure of carnal disciples, be your
It ar, and not your desire. And if you feel any wish for it,
l(>'.k upon it as a disease and distemper of your heart.
Count thvM'lf but a weak and sickly Christian, whilst it is
thus with thce.
Know that it is your greatest excellency : if holiness be
an excellency, then the more strictly holy, the more excel-
288 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
lent. Yea, and you will find it your greatest liberty : the
more holiness, the more enlargement of your heart to all
the holy ways of God. " So shall I keep thy law continu-
ally for ever and ever. And I will walk at liberty : for I
seek thy precepts." (Psalm cxix. 44, 45.) His meaning
was not, I will walk licentiously, at liberty from thy laws,
at liberty from rule ; but, I will walk freely in thy ways,
when thou shalt knock off the fetters that hinder me. The
more we can hold in, and inure ourselves to be punctual
in our religion, the more freedom shall we find, and with
more ease and delight shall we run the way of God's
commandments.
And know this, that the more loose you are from the
ways of God, so much the more loose you are from God :
and what will you have to comfort you, what will you have
to sweeten religion, when God is at a distance from you ?
Keep fast to him, and you shall live the more under his
reviving and refreshing influences. Religion has its troubles
and its harshness ; and you will have little else if you keep
not close to the Lord. The waters of the sanctuary will
taste but brackish if the sun shine not upon them : a little
sunshine from above, a smile from the face of God, form the
sweetness and the blessedness of piety. Keep close to
God, and you shall keep the passage clear between heaven
and your hearts ; otherwise religion will be like Ephraim's
idolatry : " For they have sown the wind, and they shall
reap the whirlwind : it hath no stalk : the hud shall yield
no meal : if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up."
(Hosea viii. 7.) There will be the labour of it, and the
trouble of it, but no meal for your souls to feed upon, if
you meet not God in your duties. " Draw nigh to God,
and he will draw nigh to you." (James iv. 8.) Keep close
to God, and he will keep close to you. May be, some of
you have never yet tasted how gracious the Lord is ; nor
will you ever be like to do, if you set not closer in his
ways. Loose religion will keep you still in the dark, and
in a weary and uncomfortable state. There is no other
way to make Christ's ways pleasant, than by keeping con-
stantly in them ; no such way to make Christ's yoke easy,
as by holding it close to your necks : it never so galls and
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 289
wrings, as when it lianas loosely on : resolve upon strict-
and you shall taste the sweetness. Hold you in
from running after the pleasures of the flesh ; and the
d will lio a pleasure to you, which the distem-
r a loose and carnal heart will certainly deprive you
of, and hinder you from relishing, or finding delight
therein.
/'/'/. Listlessness. A dull, untoward, sluggish, inactive,
lifeless temper; where the edge of our spirits is blunted,
insomuch that whatever opportunities we enjoy, or what-
ever calls we have to be employed for God, or our souls,
we have no list to them : but through the waywardness
and untowardiiess of the heart, we let them slip, and
either do nothing, or nothing to purpose. Opportunities
are a priee put into our hands ; but by reason of this
Mi, listless, untoward temper, we have no heart to
them, and become like the fool. " Wherefore is there a
price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath
no heart to it /" (Prov. xvii. 16.) This is a wretched and
pernicious distemper.
(i.) It proceeds from an evil cause. From the carnality
of our hearts, and our unsuitableness to the work of God.
It is an ungrateful and unpleasing task to us. Our hearts
are so contrary to it, we had rather be anywhere than with
God ; we had rather be about any work, than the work of
our souls. We can be brisk and sprightly about our
carnal and earthly employments ; but for anything of
religion, there we drag and go heavily on. We are all
soul and life, in what we have to do for our flesh; but our
hearts hang backward, and come but heavily and unto-
wardly to do anything tor (Sod. This is from the little
interest that God hath in our souls, and the little affec-
tion we hear to him. We arc yet carnal, and that is tlie
.1 we have so little edge, or so little list to spiritual
this:
II an ill sign. What ill sign is it? It is a sign of
want nt' grace : eitht-r that we have no grace at all. or al
least are hut very low in the grace of God ; that our day
but a day of small things. Win re is our faith in
Christ, when v. backward in the work of faith t
290 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
As Christ said, " Wherefore didst thou doubt?" (Matt.
xiv. 31.) So, wherefore dost thou drag so, O thou of
little faith ? Where is our love to Christ, when our work
for Christ goes so slowly on? " The love of Christ con-
straineth us." (2 Cor. v. 14.) The love of Christ will
quicken us, the love of Christ will put life into us : we
should find our tongues, and find our hands, and find time
to be more abundant in service, could we feel more of the
love of Christ in us. Thou makest nothing of it, whilst
thou art such a dull, untoward, inactive soul : but is it
nothing to want faith ? Is it nothing to want love to
Christ ? Is it nothing to be without grace in thy heart ?
or, if thou hast any, to have so very little, as thou canst
not tell whether there be any or no ? It is an ill sign, that
thy soul is in a very doubtful case : at least it is to be
doubted, whether thou hast any grace in thee, where in
ordinary thou art so untoward and listless to the matters
of God, and the business of religion.
(Hi.') It is of ill consequence. It is a sign our case is
bad, and it is ahinderance to our growing better. It is the
vivacious, active, stirring soul, that is like to be the thriving
soul. Sluggards and sleepers are never like to come to
anything. We may preach to you while our hearts ache ;
we may instruct you, and tell you what is your duty,
while we will, and you may hear us while you will ; but
in vain shall we preach, and in vain will you hear, till we
can fire you out of this deadness, and whet and set an edge
upon those blunted souls. What will it be, to be told of
your duty, whilst you have so little heart to it ? What
becomes of all the sermons you hear, of all the teaching
vou have, what you should do, and how you should live {
What becomes of all the convincing, awakening, quicken-
inor words, that are in your ears from day to day ? What
doth all our preaching, and all your hearing, bring forth
upon you ? Truly, friends, the little success that is to be
perceived, of our preaching among you, either to the con-
verting of sinners, or improving of professors ; the small
success that does appear, (what there is within, God
knows,) does even make us out of heart ! But as little
success as we have, we are never like to have it much
IN-TRVCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 291
better, unless we uriy stir your hearts, and awaken you to
more diligence and activity. When we have done all we
can, we an-. I doubt, likely at last to leave the most of
you, cither quite dead in sin, or but very dwarfs in religion.
Sinners, is it nothing to you, that the enlivening word
should leave you still among the dead? Christians, is it
nothing to you, that the nourishing and quickening word
should leave you but babes and infants ? Is it not a
trouble to you, and a discomfort to you, that you get no
more, that you grow no faster ; much more that any of
you should consume and languish, under the hands of
your physicians? I must tell you, it is a discomfort to us;
but ought it not to be more a discomfort to you ? Can you
continue at this pass, and not be troubled at it? O, what
a comfort is it to be a thriving, lively Christian ! Methinks,
when you see any such before your eyes, you should at
-i.Lrh out such a wish, O that it were so with me ! and
breathe out such a groan, Woe is me that it is not so !
Mi-thinks it should be a heaviness of heart to you, to feel
your own soul in clogs, when you see others upon the
wing. O that I could make you sensible of your diseases!
that I could preach you heart-sick, that I could but make
your hearts ache, under your distempers ; that you might
no long, r be able to go up and down, without trouble in
this unthriving case ! Sure, friends, you whose case this
1 nt i (1 to be troubled ; and it would be well for you,
it' your souls were in pain, and refused to be comforted till
you were cured.
To make you yet more sensible of the perniciousness of
this untoward, dull, and listless temper, look a little more
upon the excellency of the contrary, a cheerful, lively
ten, per. !: is called, a "J'unrurd" mind; (2 Cor. viii. 17;)
>nl ij mind," (1 Peter v. 2. ,) that need not be spurred
and whipped, but goes cheerfully and freely on its way.
\Vh:it is a sprightly horse, to a dull and heavy jade .'
What is a blunted, ru^ty knife, to that which is bright and
What is a consumptive, languishing body, to one
that is lively and healthful.' What is a dark and lowering,
unshiny day ! What is winter to summer? ^i
what are the living to the dead .' What a pitiful thing is
V _'
292 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
that dead and spiritless heart of thine, when thou lookest
on them in whom is the life of God !
Hear, O ye sleepy and listless souls ! Awaken ! stir
up yourselves ! shake off this sloth and sleep ! work out
this untoward spirit ! What do you mean, to hang thus
betwixt alive and dead ? Will you hold you at this pass,
till you come to your graves ? Is this all the care and the
pains you ever intend to bestow on God, and your souls ?
Must the Lord ever find you unready and untoward, to
what he calls you ? Shall the world find a forward mind
in you ? Shall your flesh find such a ready mind, to
whatever it hath for you to do, and will you only be
unready and inactive for God ? Wherefore have you reason
and understanding ? Wherefore have you the Scriptures
before you ? What are Sabbaths, and ordinances, and
ministers for? Must we come hither only to sing you
asleep, or to rock you in your cradles ? Where is that
grace that is in you? WTiere is your faith? where is your
love to Christ ? where is your hope ? If you have any
grace, where is it ? What, must all these precious talents
be eaten up with rust, or "laid up in a napkin?" Remem-
ber the slothful servant's doom. (Matt. xxv. 30.) What
are your immortal souls ? what is the holy God ? what is
Jesus Christ ? what are the glorious treasures of eternity ?
Are all these worth no more of your care and industry ?
Will none of these things move you ? Will not these great
things quicken you ? Hear them all calling upon you! God
calls upon you, O my children, if you have any respect for
me, come along, come faster after me ! Christ calls, O my
disciples, if you have any love tome, if all that I have done
for you, if all that I will do for you, will move you, arise and
mend your pace ! Heaven calls upon you, If ever you mean
to come here, gird up your loins, and come on ! Yea, hell
calls, Look ye down hither, what a place is here prepared
for sleepers and loiterers ! Your poor souls call, Have
ye any pity for me ? Must I perish and die for the pleasing
this lazy flesh ? Your poor families call, your poor chil-
dren call, your poor neighbours call, (which all need the
utmost you can do for them,) Where are your bowels to
us-ward ? or our sakes awaken ! for our sakes arise and
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 293
be doing ! Wo die if you will not give us a better example :
we die if you sleep on, who should awaken and save us !
The whole interest of God in the world calls upon you,
For his nanu-'s sake, for the Gospel's sake, for the church's
; >r religion's sake, which sinks, which decays, for
all these, recover your souls, and your life !
O friends, what will these loud eric s do for you ? Shall
all leave you such lumps and loiterers ? Christians, be
yet awakened; call all the grace you have; whet those dull
and blunted spirits ; set you a better edge upon them.
Why may nt this work give a whet to you? If you
came hither sleepy souls, what a mercy would it be, if
you might return home awakened ! If you came hither
dead, and dull, and listless souls, what a comfort would it
be, it' you might return home quickened and enlivened !
What if you should feel, that this word had kindled a fire
i, had made your hearts burn within you, burn
with holy love, and life : what a mercy would this be to
you ! What, if you might be sent hence, with ready minds,
forward minds, bent upon a more active, and useful, and
ily life ! Hut what if, after all this, you should go
away ju-t a- von came hither .' Though the bellows have
been blowing, yet your ashes are not purged away ;
though the lire hath been kindled, yet it will not burn !
Would you like it, if all this should be lost, and do nothing
for yon .' If this untoward and dull temper of soul should
hard for the word, and you should return from the
ils, with your diseases uncured ! Do what
you can, friends, every one of you, to help your own
recovery, to raise this lively active frame : and if you.can
obtain it, then look to your hearts as long as you live, that
if it be possible, this wretched distemper of a leaden,
ful, lifeless, listless, inactive heart, may never return
upon you.
ii. How the heart must be guarded. This I shall )
answer in these live particulars ; namely, (i.) Set a con- >
slant watch upon it. (ii.J Keep all your powers up in
arm-. K liy \ our Captain and 1'hysieian
y up your hearts where your enemies cannot come
(v.) Commit the keeping of them to the keeper of Israel.
i
294 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
L (i.) Set a constant watch upon it. That is a word which
^ is given to every Christian, " What I say unto you, I say
unto all, Watch." (Mark xiii. 37.) Of all things we have
^ to watch, the heart it is that must chiefly he watched.
4 Our eyes must be chiefly there : whither ever else we have
to look, we must especially look upwards, and look
/ inwards. We must look upwards : our eye must be upon
<( God's eye, that all-seeing eye which seeth in secret.
Whether our eye be or not, God's eye is ever upon our
^ hearts. "/ the Lord search the heart, I try the reins."
} (Jer. xvii. 10.) The eye of the Lord is a searching eye ;
there is no secret of the heart, but he espieth and searcheth
5 out : and it is a jealous eye, that will not wink at, nor
* allow, nor indulge the least heart-evils. The sense of that
jealous eye would awe us into more watchfulness over
S ourselves. The reason of our neglect of self-inspection is,
? that we forget that the Lord looks upon us. We cannot
look upwards, but we shall behold the very eye of God
J upon us. If a hundred men stand looking upon us, and
s we do not look upon them, we cannot tell whether they
j look upon us or not; but if we look steadfastly upon them,
> we may see in their eye, that they are looking upon us.
Look up to God, and you will plainly see that his eye is
^ upon you. The observing of God's eye upon you will
<; turn your own eyes upon yourselves. Why is it that the
Lord looks thus upon me 1 "What is it he sees in me ? Is
/ it anything he likes, that he looks upon ? Is it his
-' approving eye that is upon me ? Is it a look of love and
kindness ? Or is it on that at which he is offended or
( disliketh ? Is there jealousy, is there displeasure, or anger
) in that holy eye that is upon me ? Is it a smiling look, or
a frowning and angry one, that he casteth upon me ?
/ Look on me I see he doth ; his eye is never off me : let
^ me look upwards when I will, I see that God is looking
downwards ; and his eye is directly upon me. His eye is
/ a piercing eye, it pierceth to my very entrails ; he
5 beholds the very bottom of my heart. I had need look
carefully to mine own soul, when there is such an eye
upon it night and day. Thus look upwards, and set the
S Lord before you, as the Psalmist did. (Psalm xvi. 8.)
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 295
Tlu 11 look inwards, and set your heart before your- /
Then- is an i xpression, " If they shall bethink )
Ihemselres," (I Kings viii. 47,) which may be interpreted, '
If they shall return into themselves. The eye of the body
cannot see itself; but the eye of the soul may, and must be (
chirfly upon itself. You that are looking about, this way
and that way. you had more need look homewards. There
are men that are of great acquaintance in the world, but /
yet have no acquaintance with their own hearts ; whether
their souls be in safety, or among thieves; whether their ^
hearts l)i- clean, or all hespottcd and defiled; whether they
be healthful or sickly souls ; whether they be alive or ^
dead ; it is more than they can tell, where they be, or in
what case they are. How is it with your souls, friends ?
How fares it with you, in your inner man? Who is there
within with you ? Are there none but friends ? Is Christ
there .' Is the Spirit of grace there ? Is there a good
conscience ? Or are there not robbers within ? Is not
thine heart a house full of thieves? Has not the world /
gotten in .' Are not the pleasures of the flesh within ? )
Is not the devil within, that unclean spirit ? Hath he >
not defiled and defaced the image of God ? Is he not
sowing his tares in thee ? Is not thine heart a defiled, /
.>tempcred heart? Is it not a slight, and frothy,
and vain heart ? Is it not a loose and licentious heart?
Is it not an untoward, wayward, listless heart ? Look
inward, Christians ; and look often inward, and see what
you have, and how it is with them: "Commune
irith i/inir men lirart.'' ( Psalm iv. 4.) Look into them,
and 'alk with them, and take an account how it fares with
them. l! 1 should ask you, How is it with your hearts '.
Are they alive or dead ! Are they clean hearts, holy
, tender hearts, heavenly hearts, lively, and strong,/
and working upwards f Or are they hard hearts, pol
luted, defiled hearts, dull, and slow, and listless hearts (
iiould ask you thus, what account could you give .'
1 doubt this is the account that most of you would give :
! cannot tell. (!od knows how it is with me: lor im-
part, 1 know not how it is. That heart hath been well
looked to nieanwhil" : hast thou carried it like a wise man
296 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
i the while ? Thou hast great acquaintance in the world :
/ thou takest upon thee to know other men's hearts ; and
wilt judge and censure them as thou listest. What, man !
/ and yet hast so little acquaintance with thyself? Be thou
f thine own judge. Hast thou been a wise man the while,
to be such a stranger to thyself, that thou dost not know
L thine own heart ? Thou wilt say, The word tells me "the
/ heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked :
t who can know it ?" (Jer. xvii. 9,) how then should 1 know
it ? I answer,
. i. The more deceitful the heart is, and the harder it is
S to know, the more it had need be looked into. //. Though
it cannot be perfectly known, yet there may be much of it
\ known. The heart of man is a great deep, it is true ; and
I though thou canst not easily see to the bottom of it, yet if
thou wilt but look down into the deep, thou must see a
great way. Hi. If thou canst not see through thine heart
/ with thine own eyes, yet with the eyes of God thou mayest.
Take the help of the eyes of the Lord, and thou mayest
understand even all that is in thine heart. God, that sees
y < the heart, reveals the heart : and he hath given thee such
4^ discoveries of thy heart in his word, he hath made the
< Scriptures such a looking-glass for thee, that if thou
,/ ' wouldst look into that more, there thou mightest see
C thyself, and all that is in thee. " For the word of God is >
quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged stvord, "*
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and <
of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts /
and intents of the heart." (Heb. iv. 12.)
Christians, if you would secure your hearts from danger,
know them, and be acquainted more thoroughly with them :
if you would know your hearts better, look oftener inward ;
commune with your hearts ; go down daily into your own
bosoms, take an account of yourselves, question with
/ yourselves, How fares it with my soul ? Is there any
real saving grace in me ? If there be, how fares it with
that grace I have ? Does it thrive ? doth it flourish ? is
it kept up in life and activity ? Doth my light shine ?
Doth my love flame ? Do my thoughts and my affections
climb ? and are they working upwards ? How is it with
I RUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 297
my conscience '? Is it kept pure? Doth it speak peace?
Doth it deal faithfully ? Doth it check me ? Doth it
sin it i- IIH- tor the least evils? Doth it comfort me when it is
with me .' H:ive I :i good conceit nee .' Have I the tes-
timony of a good conscience ? Doth my conscience witness
for nit- that I have heeii faithful ? that my desire, and my
and endeavour is, and hath heen in all things, to
approve myself to the eye of God, and to be sincere and
upright before him f .
() beloved, what a mercy to us would it be, if we would
be persuaded to be much in such heart-inspection, and
much in such heart-communing ! The devil would find
the harder work to get in : there is no disease or distemper
would then grow upon our hearts ; but it would be espied
in the beginning, and so the more easily removed. Friends,
let me prevail with you in this thing : I beseech you, in
the name of the Lord, set more upon this heart-study.
Of all the business you have to do in the world, there is
nothing more necessary, nothing more advantageous, and
doubt nothing more neglected. Friends, if you have
been strangers at home, be no longer strangers : never say
Hiram, I cannot tell how it is with my soul: study it till
youcantell ; and study it diligently, and you shall be
aT)Te""to""teir The Lord will help you to understand your-
selves, if you will but more diligently commune with your
own heart-.. Will you be persuaded to it ? Will you
\e upon it. to make this a great piece of your every
day's work ? Never look for soul-prosperity, never look
ail-security, without a serious and frequent discharge
of this great duty. You may hear all your days, and pray
for a belter heart as long as you live ; and all in vain, if
'.sill notjvateh as well as pray. O that the Lord
would so strike home this word upon your hearts, that
you might feel this charge, sensibly abiding upon you,
to keep your hearts by heart-acquaintance and heart-
tt.it eh fulness^
soul is exceedingly concerned about the bringing
you upon this duty : and 1 am in great doubt, that the
most of us are \ ( -ry delieient herein, either neglecting it,
or but slightly or seldom being conven-ant with it. Sure,
298 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
I. friends, our tongues would be better employed ; our speech
would be with grace, seasoned with salt ; we should have
more savoury words coming from us ; we should commune
one with another more about the concerns of our souls ;
, were there more faithful communing with our hearts, our
whole conversation would savour more of it. We should
/ be more spiritual and heavenly ; more active for God ; more
^ fruitful, and abounding in every good work : our work for
our souls would be carried on with more life, and with
more power ; we should live a more self-denying, a more
circumspect, a more heedful, and a more watchful life,
were there a due watchfulness over our hearts. What
shall I say more in this thing ? Be diligent, be careful :
be diligent to know the state of your hearts. If I should
say, with Solomon, "Be thou diligent to know the state of
' thy flocks, and look well to thy herds;" (Prov. xxvii. 23;)
would you not hearken to me ? If I should say, Be
! diligent to look well to your trades, and to your money ;
would you not hearken to me in this ? If I should say,
Be diligent to take care for your health, and look well to
( your bodies ; would not this counsel be accepted by you ?
How much more then should you hearken to me in this :
Be diligent to know the state of your souls ! O friends,
^ be diligent to know, and be diligent to get your souls into
a good state, and to secure them in it : be diligent to know
what it is that hurts you, and what it is that hinders you,
and what it is that endangers your souls ; and take heed
( of it: and then be. diligent to know what it is that will
help you, and further you, and advance you, and stablish
your souls in peace, and build them up in holiness ; that
^ you may take those advantages, and improve those helps,
I that are before you. With such watchfulness as this,
S what a heart-reviving, what a heart-flourishing, what a
\ heart-rejoicing would follow to yourselves ! And what
abundant praise, glory, and honour would grow up
t to the name of God, and our Lord Jesus Christ ! Then
would those hearts of yours, which are now too often
^ dens of thieves, shops of vanity, fountains of folly, nests of
lusts, and houses of merchandise, become the sacrifices of
? the Lord, and the temples of the living God ; and he would
1RUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 299
dwell in them, and walk in them, and say of them, These ^
are my re>t. here will I abide for ever.
\> all your powers up in arms. Our enemies will
fight for our hearts. Sin, the world, and -the devil are like
Absalom, ( '2 Sam. &v. 6,) at first he used fair and flat-
tering speeches, and complimented, and kissed them that
caim- nigh him, saying, " O that I were made judge in the
land!" (Ver.4.) Hismeaning was, O that I were king, what
a king would I be to you! So he stole the hearts of the
men of Israel. Afterwards he takes up arms, and fights
-t those whose hearts he could not steal from David.
Our spiritual enemies deal alike with us : at first they
attempt to steal away our hearts from God. Sin smiles
upon us, and fawns upon us, and promiseth what it will do
for us, () that you would hearken to me ! how happy
should ye be, if you would follow me! It doth not pretend
to be king, but to be our servant : if you will love this
world, all that is in the world will be your servants. But
if this will not do, our enemies will fight for us ; our
"Jlrshly lusts war against the souls," (1 Peter ii. 11,) to take
them captives ; and the world and the devil will side with
lust. The devil will buifet, the world will rage and bluster
against those who will continue the servants of Christ.
Hereupon Christians are said to be soldiers. (2 Tim. ii. 3.)
Their slate here is a warring and warfaring state. They are
to tight," /'////// the good Jight of faith." (1 Tim. vi. 12.)
They are to wrestle, " For we wrestle not against Jlesh and
blood, but ai/'iiiist principalities, against powers, against the
rulers nftlie darkness oj this icorld, against spiritual wicked-
ness" or wicked spirits "//* high places." (Eph. vi. 12.)
" The Jlesh liistt-th" that is, h'ghteth, "against the Spirit ;"
(Cial. v. 17 ;) and the Spirit must lust or fight against the
And all this fighting, what is it for? It is for our
. Tlie devil and t lie world are fighting, and our souls lie
at stake. He that overcometh, there isasoul gained, asoul
.saved : he that is overcome, there is a soul lost. When
men light for their lives, when this must be the issue,
kill or he killed, how desperately do they fight ! We
manage our warfare against sin and the devil, as if there ^
were no great matter lying upon it. Men count not them-
300 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
selves any great losers if they be overcome ; and hereupon
it is that we leave ourselves so open to temptation, and
stand as so many naked men against our adversaries, and
entertain such truce and treaties with them, and make
such weak resistance against them, *as if our contention
were about a flea, or a dead dog. Men do not consider
that it is for their precious life the devil and the world is
fighting: but that is it that sin and this world would have
of you, they would have your hearts ; they fight for your
souls.
Now hereupon Christians must be always up in arms, and
stand to their arms. As the devil rallies up armies against
s us, so the Lord provides us with armour, and requires us
^ to put on our armour, and to stand to our arms. " Take
Y unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to
.' ^withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand."
> o(Eph. vi. 13.) We may neither stand unarmed, nor put
on our armour to sleep in : put on your armour, and stand
;in your armour. Especially must we keep close about us
these six pieces ; viz.,
i. The shield of faith. " Above all, taking the shield of
faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts
\ of the devil." (Eph. vi. 16.) The devil is shooting his
darts at us, and every dart is levelled at the heart. The
devil's darts are fiery darts, burn when they hit, that
will burn up all the good in the soul. Darts will stick,
and fiery darts will burn. When you see one man burn
in lust, there is a dart of the devil that burns in his heart:
when you see others flame in anger and fury, there is a
fiery dart of the devil there, his " tongue is set on
fire of hell." (James iii. 6.) Think on this, you that
are apt to be thus set on fire : the next time you are in
such a heat, that your hearts burn with fury, and your
tongue spits fire, in venting furious language, then think
with yourselves, I feel my soul in a flame ; the fire comes
out at my mouth: Lord, whence comes all this? O, I had
need look to myself! Sure there is a fiery dart from the
devil in mine heart ! these angry, hot, and hasty words are
no other but the smoke of that fire, which the devil hath
kindled within me. Such a thought as this might be as
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
301
water to quench the fire. But if such a thought will not
. thru take the shield of faith, by which you may
quench these tires. We an- therefore exhorted to resist
the devil, " steadfast in the faith." (1 Peter v. 9.) Trust
upon r your help : stand against the devil, as
David against the Philistine. " Thou contest to me with a
sword and irit/i a spear : but I come to thee in the name of
tin- I.<,rd <.) Strive against sin, but strive in hope ;
temptation, but resist in hope : withstand this evil
world, withstand its flatteries, withstand its furies, and
withstand in hope. Do not say, as David < nee did, " /
shall nun' perish one day l>y tin- hand of Saul.'' 1 (1 Sam.
! . 1 >hall one day or other fall by temptation, 1
shall never hold out, and so shift for thyself. Hope for
302 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
the victory, hope in God for his help, hope in Christ for
his strength, and in that hope stand against temptation.
Hi. The girdle of truth. " Having your loins yirt about
with truth" (Eph. vi. 14.) Look especially to this, that
you he armed with truth and uprightness of heart. What-
ever other armour you seem to have, whatever faith you
have, whatever hope you have, whatever word you have
to support you, whatever prayer you make to help you,
there is no armour will hide an hypocritical heart from
God or the devil. God strikes his dart into the false heart,
through the joints of thine armour. As for the devil, he
is gotten in already ; the devil is already in thine heart, if
it he a false and hypocritical heart. O get sincerity, and
< uprightness hefore the Lord ! See that there he truth in
your inward parts. A sound heart will be the best shelter,
both against the accusations and temptations of all your
> adversaries ; whereas, if there were no enemies from with-
x out, a rotten heart would be its own ruin. That rust, and
; that moth, which are bred within, will eat thee out, though
there should be no thief to assault thee from abroad.
iv. The breastplate of righteousness. Put them both
together, truth and uprightness of heart, and righteousness
of life, will be a mighty security against the devil and all
his whole party. The Psalmist would trust to no other
armour without that, and that he will trust to. " Let
integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I icait on thee."
(Psal. xxv. 21.) Faith without truth, hope without right-
f eousness, or uprightness, will never secure us. Sincerity
and uprightness of heart, are our best heart-armour : the
hypocrite's faith will not save him, the hypocrite's hope
will perish with him ; it is sincerity that will carry the
day. Be honest and plain-hearted towards God. Let
there not be guile and unrighteousness found in you.
" He that walketh uprightly, u-alketh surely." (Prov. x. 9.)
Hie murus ahteneus esto. A good conscience is a wall of
brass, against all the darts that are cast against us.
v. " The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
/ (Eph. vi. 17.) This was the weapon with which Christ
conquered the devil, when he fought him hand to hand.
f " It is written, Man shall not lire by bread alone. It is
INSTRt'CTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 303
written. Than shall not tempt the Lord thy God. It is written,
ThouJnilt trors/iipt/,,- Lord thy God" (Matt. iv. 4, 7, 10.)
in the Scripture, and you have a sword by
every temptation. Art thou tempted to
pricK>. ; Rfinember, it is written, " Godresisteth the proud."
.las. iv. (. ) Art thou tempted to a covetous worldly life ?
It is written. " Take heed and beware of covetousness."
xii. I.").) Art thou tempted to anger, and to bitter
expressions of it .' It is written, " If ye bite and devour
(tut- another, ye" shall "be consumed one of another." (Gal.
\. 1.").) Art thou tempted to a carnal, vain, sensual life?
It is written. " If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die."
( Rom. viii. 13.) Art thou tempted to a cold, lukewarm,
indifferent t< mper or way .' It is written, "Because thou
art neither hoi nor cold, I tci/l spue tltee out of my mouth."
Ri v. iii. 16.) And so, whatever the temptation be, have
a particular word ready at hand, which may be a sword to
strike through it.
ri. The spirit of prayer. " Praying always with all
]>rd i/tr and supplication in the spirit." (Eph. vi. IS.
v temptation with the sword in your mouth, and
with a prayer in your heart. Believe and pray ; hope and
pray ; be true, be upright, and pray, " The Lord rebuke \ .
thee." (Jude 9.) The Lord strengthen and uphold me. )
to Him, be tnie to Him. hope in Him, who was
tempted himself, and is "able to succour them that are
tempt, d." ( If 1). ii. 18.)
Put on all this armour, and stand to your arms ; be -N
always up in arms ; be always ready to receive the alarm.
Let that word be tor an alarm to you, and be ever in your
"the /'Jiilistint-s are upon thcc, Simmon."
i JiuL'i s \\i. 12. i Rlsi-, Saul ! -in is upon thee, the world
.apany is upon thee. Or that word
of Christ. /; . t us be goiiuj ; it-hold, he is at hand that
,liitli hetrui/ nir." i Matt. xxvi. -10.) The ease that thou
:vs that thou lovest, that money thou
'. that carnal acquaintance that thou lovest, whom
thou lu-vi-r siijpectest to be enemies. they have a design to
betray tin e of thy life, to take away thine heart from God;
and they ,:t hand to betray thee : however thou ,'
304: INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
Sthinkest thou art armed, take heed of being secure. Of
what use is armour to him that is asleep ? Remember
Saul and his whole army, when they were asleep : David
; came upon them, and had them at his mercy, for all their
; arms : and if he had hearkened to Abishai, had smitten
; * him dead in the place. Be never secure ; stand upon your
watch, or you never stand to your arms. Never think
you are out of danger : you are in jeopardy every hour ;
your enemy the devil is ever walking up and down, and
watcheth to devour you. Therefore that counsel is need-
ful, " Be vigilant, be sober; for your adversary" fyc.
/ (1 Peter v. 8.) Be always as the besieged in a town, that
\ have their enemy close at the gates and the walls : they
. are upon their guard night and day. Especially let the
main fort, the heart, be still well watched and guarded.
Set fear for your sentinel ; live in constant fear of a sur-
prise : fear will keep the soul waking : be conversant in
the world in fear ; be amongst your carnal friends and
acquaintance in fear; eat and drink in fear ; pass the time
of your whole warfare in fear. O, this fearless secure
heart, how often it betrays us into mischief! How often
have our hearts been even choked up with the world, and
surfeited with carnal pleasures, and robbed of its peace,
and spoiled of its treasures ! and we have exchanged
, a sprightful, lively, cheerful, healthful soul, for a flat,
leaden, earthly, senseless frame, before we were aware;
and all because we were secure and without fear ! Live in
fear daily, and in constant jealousy : be jealous of your
friends, be jealous of your enemies, be jealous of this
world, be jealous of every sin, be jealous of yourselves.
Let a holy jealousy dwell in your eye, and let it keep you
i waking and watching. After all your professing, and
praying, and believing, and hoping, would you not lose
/ your hearts at last ; and lose all you have hoped and
laboured for ? Then, beware of security. If you would be
in safety, then be never secure ; but always stand with
your loins girded, and your lights burning. Stand upon
your watch-tower : keep your doors shut, but your win-
dows open. Let your eye observe the approaches ; and
X be readv and prepared for the assaults, that your enemies
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 305
arc making daily upon you. I never expect that you should
iirishing or conquering C'hristians, till you are per-
suaded to In- jealous Christians, fearing and watchful
Christians ; and therefore, what I said to you before, 1
say to you again and again, Stand upon your guard, and
watch.
(iii.) Keep close by your captain and physician.
i. Keep by the side of Christ. You know what a
stream there once ran down from His precious side, a
stream of blood and water. This stream (as to the virtue
and influence of it) is nmning daily : and it is for the
healing of diseased, and for the washing of spotted souls.
There is no balm that will heal our diseases ; the blood of
Christ must do it : there is no soap that will scour off our
spots ; this water must cleanse us. This physic will heal
every disrate, this water will cleanse us from every spot,
and will present us at last without spot or wrinkle. (Eph.
v. L'7.) Hut what will diseased polluted souls do, when
tlmr physician is out of the way? Many sick persons die
ui' those divases. which, had they been near the physician,
nii'idii have been cured. Keep you ever near to Christ :
his presence Avill be either preventing physic, warding off
your soul-diseases, that they seize not upon you, or else it
will be curing physic, so that no disease shall be mortal to
you. We never wander from Christ, but we catch that
whieh we cannot easily claw off. If the devil can but
catch a Christian wandering, what sad work doth he make
with him ! We may all say of our wanderings from Christ,
mi. " / went nut full, and the Lord hath brought me
tionif (i(/
you as his own soul.
(ii.) It is the firmest union. I will betroth thee for t
ever. It is written concerning Christ and his saints, as /
concerning husband and wife, " What therefore God hath /
. let not man," no, nor devil, "put asunder."
(Mark x'. !).)
when there is such a nearness of relation, and such
a dearness of atf'ection, there must be also association. (
You must live together, and dwell together, with Christ.
This is not only your duty as Christians, but your safety \
depends upon it. He who is your husband, is your refuge,
you may dwell safely ; your only rock, in whom
you may hide yourselves from danger. If you forsake
your rock, take heed you be not forsaken of your rock. (
Take heed you neither prove runaways from Christ, and
forsake him utterly ; nor slink away, and skulk out,
or turn aside from him. Keep constant to Christ, and
i lose to him. Let there be intimacy and dearness
maintained betwixt Christ and your soul ; keep you in
the memory of Christ; let your beloved be ever before
your eye; be looking daily towards him ; "/. -ives
in the love of Cod;" (Jude 21 ;) be much in solacing
yourselves in the contemplation of his love, and keep your
hearts in a flame of love to him. lie tender how you J
x 2
308 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
provoke him to jealousy against you. Keep you close to
Christ, by making all your carnal things keep their dis-
tance from your hearts. Keep you in the diligent exercise
of all the acts of Christianity, whereby your commxmion
with Christ is maintained ; let there be nearness to Christ
in point of conversation ; walk with Christ, yea, walk in
Christ, as the expression is, " As ye have therefore
received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him." (Col.
ii. 6.) Whilst others walk in the flesh, let Christians walk
in the spirit. Walk in Christ, both in union with Christ
living in the strength of Christ, and in conformity to
Christ in all well-pleasing before him. Let no place be
a place for you, let no way be a way for you, let no
company be company for you, where Christ would not
be pleased to find you. Let no temper or frame of spirit
grow upon you, but what Christ would be pleased to find
in you. Would Christ be pleased to find you among the
vain company of the vile ones of the earth ? Would Christ
be pleased to find you in a careless, senseless, untoward,
jolly, frothy, or in a sour, angry, envious, impatient
temper ? Keep you from such ways, keep you from
such company, keep you out of temptation, and have
! as little to do as possible with them. Keep you out
of vain and evil ways, company, and temptation ; and
keep you on with life, and vigour, and power in the
ways of Christ. Let not your ways only please Christ,
but your walking in them : do not be slugs, and
drones, and triflers in Christianity : follow the Lord, and
follow him fully : follow the Lord, and let your souls
follow hard after him. Be doing the will of Christ, and
let your hearts stand complete in all his will. The most
watchful, diligent, painful, lively Christians, are they that
keep nearest to the Lord.
Friends, be warned to keep you thus near to God.
The Lord calls you such, " A people near unto him." (Psalm
cxlviii. 14.) Approve yourselves to be such : since the
Lord hath made you near, keep near to him. Live in
union and communion with Christ, in intimacy of
acquaintance with Christ ; and with all possible care, that
your whole course may be such as may be a walking
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 30!)
worthy his great name, and be well-pleasing to him. \
This is the way to keep out of danger. And whatever /
befalls you, whilst you are thus walking in Christ, you will
be still near your remedy : whilst you are near Christ, he
will not he far from you, but will be ready to help, and
ready to comfort you. You complain, it may be, every ">
one of you, that your hearts are out of order. One cries,
() my heart, what a proud heart it is! Another complains,
() mine heart, it is a fretful, peevish heart ! Another says,
() mine heart is an earthly, worldly heart ! Another, N
() my heart is a sluggish, slothful heart ! Another, O what
shall I do { mine heart is a dead and a hard heart ! Why,
briu^' them all to the physician? Where be the diseased
or distressed souls among you? What, be you all well?
Is there no soul-disease upon you ? O, there is not
one of you but has his soul-distempers, and sad ones
too : come then to your physician for a cure ? If any
of you were sick of the palsy, or dropsy, fever, or con-
sumption, and Christ were standing here, as of old, every
such diseased body would be thronging upon him. Come,
ye poor blind hardened souls, come lay yourselves before
the Lord, and cry unto him, " Lord, that our eyes may be
opened!" (Matt. xx. 33.) Lord, that mine hard heart
might be broken ! that my dead heart might be quickened !
Whoever of you hath a complaint to make, hath a wound,
hath a disease, or hath a weakness, or discomfort, come
every one of you, whatever may ail you ! Come, bring in all
the lame, and the blind, and the diseased, defiled, and dis-
! lu-arts: bring them to the physician ; come and lay
then, all at the feet of Christ. Lord, help me ! Lord, heal
me! Lord, wash me! But be sure you come with a purpose
to keep by him. When ye come to him, come unto Christ,
and he will heal you; and then keep you by him, and he
will preserve you from relapses into the same, or a wor>e
disease, which, if you wander from him again, is like to
come upon \..u.
//. Keep under Christ's banner. Keep to your colours.
The banner of Christ hath upon it, or bis colours bear
upon them, as his coat of arms, the Covenant, the (
and the Crown : with this motto, 1'iiynanti victuria, cinceitti
310 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
corona. " Victory to him that fights : the crown to the
conqueror." The covenant is for our union with Christ, the
cross for our trial, the crown for our encouragement. And
here I shall give you three directions.
(i'.) Let the covenant be upon your hearts. The
covenant is,
v First. For the strength of our hearts. It notes our enlist-
C ing ourselves under Christ as his servants, and Christ under-
C taking the conduct of us. When we understand what we
. are engaged in ; to what hard service we have bound our-
selves; what a painful active life, as Christians, we must
count upon ; our hearts will be apt to fail us, and cry out,
/ as the Apostle with regard to the work of the ministry,
< f " Who is sufficient for these things?" (2 Cor. ii. 16.) I
shall never be able to bear through such a life. But then
remember your covenant, your baptismal covenant I mean,
which doth not only engage you to the Lord, but engageth
the Lord to you. Look to the Captain of your salvation,
I who hath bound himself to help you through, who hath
\ said, " / will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Heb.
f xiii. 5.) Then you shall be able to say, with the same
Apostle, " / can do all things through Christ, which
strengthened me." (Phil. iv. 13.) Venture not on
anything in your own strength ; fear not, nor be dis-
mayed whilst you have the Lord Jesus your strength.
Christians, be not disheartened ; fear not to engage in the
strictest and severest course of Christianity ; lean upon
the Lord, and he will help you through. Set your hearts
to the work, and leave the care of success to him that
careth for you. Remember this, let your trust in Christ,
your hold on the covenant, be the strength on which you
lean, for carrying you through the whole of your Christian
course.
Second. This covenant will be the guide of your heart.
/ What is it that I have to do ? How is it that I must live ?
J Why, look into your covenant ? What is it that you have
engaged to do ? How is it that you have covenanted to
live ? You have covenanted holiness and righteousness ;
you have covenanted against an idle life, or doing nothing;
against a trifling life, or doing your work by halves ;
INSTRUCTION'S ABOUT HEART-WORK. 311
apainst a worldly, or fleshly, or wicked life ; the world,
flesh, and devil, these you have all covenanted against.
You have covenanted the crucifying the flesh and the
world, the resisting the devil, and to follow Christ against
them all. You have covenanted to fight against the flesh
and the world, and to fight to the victory ; not to be less
fleshly than other men, to be less worldly than other men;
but you have covenanted against a fleshly and worldly life.
Think not of carrying it fair with both ; of cutting out a
middle way betwixt Christ and the world, betwixt a fleshly
and a heavenly life : it is a total victory over this flesh,
and this world, over a fleshly and a worldly life, which
you have covenanted to pursue. Whenever you are at a
stand, and are in doubt, as to any particular actions, or
way of life, that you have before you, and are questioning
whether you should go on, or forbear, why then examine,
Would this be serving my flesh, or serving the Lord ?
Determine that well, and then your covenant would guide
you, whether to do or forbear. Once let your hearts stand
resolved to pursue the ends of your covenant, to live such
a holy, such a heavenly, such a mortified, such a self-
denying, such a diligent life, as you have covenanted to
live, and then your very hearts, which are the records of
your covenant, will teach you what you ought to do.
When your flesh at any time pleads with you, for any
abatement of the strictness of Christianity, for any liberty
of compliance with the more remiss and loose amongst
Christians ; and suggests to you, Not too far, not too ta.-t,
not too high in religion : drive on softly, deal gently with
thy flesh ; he not over ri^id or severe to it : be not over-
busy ; do not tire thyself at thy work : take time, take
thine case, drive on as thy carnal interest, and thy carnal
inclinations, can hear: then read over your covenant, and
consider, Is such a life according to the writing that hath
been agreed upon betwixt my Lord and me .' Is this cold,
and indifferent, and easy way of religion, all that 1 have
covenanted lor ! Well, this is one thing, if you would
keep to your colours, keep to your covenant.
Take up your cross on your back. This is your
Lord's word, " If any man will runic after me, let him dem/
312 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
himself, and take up his cross." (Matt. xvi. 24.) This
will be the proof of what there is of Christ or Christi-
anity in your heart : a sound heart will make a strong
back. He that loves much, will bear anything : he
whose heart is not cross-proof, is an unsound Christian.
; Your sinful shunning the cross, is running from your
Lpolours.
Christians, some little trials we have had, some crosses
we have met with ; but for aught I know, the Lord may
be preparing heavier crosses, greater sufferings, for us
than ever we have been proved withal. O, be so busy in
fortifying your hearts, that you may never balk your
Christian course, whatever cross may stand in the way. I
would not that we should needlessly run upon the cross,
when we may avoid it. Sufferings may come fast enough,
without our pulling them upon ourselves. But this I
would, we might every one stand to, and resolve in the
strength of the Lord, to be nevertheless hearty Christians,
nevertheless holy, nevertheless precise, nevertheless zealous
in the pursuit and practice of a sincere and exemplary
godly life, for anything we may suffer for it from men or
devils. I do not barely say, Take up your cross rather
than lay down your Christianity ; but, Take up your cross
rather than lay down your bold profession of Christianity ;
take up your cross rather than lay down your zeal for
Christ, or turn aside from the closest and most resolved
following of Christ. Let the cross neither make us who
are Christians to become no Christians, nor to be less
Christians than we have seemed to be. It hath been so
in former ages, that Christianity hath never improved nor
thrived so much, as under the sharpest and severest per-
secutions ; and why should it not be so still ? Look to
yourselves, friends : there is hazard that your souls may
suffer, that you may be inward losers by your over-
solicitousness to escape outward losses. The souls of many
professors may be losers, and the souls of some may be
quite lost, by the fears of the cross. Look to yourselves,
that this be not your case, that you be not losers by per-
secutions ; especially take heed that you be not lost
your souls lost by them. Be not persecuted from Christ,
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 313
be not persecuted to hell; let not the cross drive you back \
under tin- curse, from which you hoped that you had
been delivered.
And that you may not be losers, do what you can to
iners, as other Christians have been before you. If
it come to be winter without, get you to be warmer within :
it' the winds rise, keep your garments closer about you.
Tnink not to make your peace with evil men, by striking
sail, and following Christ more aloof; but make your
peace with God more sure, that you may be the more able
to bear the reproaches of the world. Be as the stars, that
are never so bright as when the night is darkest. Love
one another, help one another, quicken, and comfort,
and encourage one another so much the more, as the
world hateth, and goeth about to hinder you : and never
think, after all that hath been said about the governing
and guarding, the sanctifying and keeping your hearts,
that your hearts are yet right, till you can " holdfast your
inteyrity," (Job ii. 3, xxvii. 5,) and hold on your way in
all changes of weather.
. ) Keep the crown in your eye, and let that word be
ever in your car, " Hold that fast which thou hast, that
no iiiuii take thy crown." (Rev. iii. 11.) Run from your
colours, and you lose the crown. He that hath heaven in
, will not fear to have holiness in his life. The
hope of the victory will encourage in the fight ; the
"(' the crown will make the cross easy, and us
faithful in the covenant. Therefore, remember that word,
/*'<' thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown
of life." (Rev. ii. 10.) Christians, if you would not
lose the crown, be faithful, be faithful to the death in
the covenant of your Lord. Whatever difficulties or dis-
omragi-ments you may meet with in your way, whatever
hardships or tribulations may befall you, if you can yet
say \sith the church, " All this is come upon us; yet have
we not fon/otten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy
covenant. Our heart is not turned back, neither hare our
tteps declined from tin/ way." (Psalm xliv. 17, 18.) If
you can hut utter this, your Lord will say to you,
Whatever I have done, or brought upon you, yet I have
314 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
not forgotten thee; the " covenant of my peace" shall never
"be removed." (Isa. liv. 10.) " / have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course, I have kept the faith : henceforth
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day : and
not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appear-
ing." (2 Tim. iv. 7, 8.)
(iv.) Carry up your hearts thither, where your enemies
cannot come. Carry them up to heaven : whatever treasure
you lay up there, " neither moth nor rust doth corrupt,
and thieves do not break through nor steal." (Matt. vi.
20.) There is no safety helow, the thief will be every
where upon you whilst you are conversant in the world,
walking after the flesh ; these are your enemies' quarters.
Your hearts are in the midst of them, in the midst of
those thieves that seek your life, whilst they are conver-
sant about these fleshly things. Yea, whilst you are
where God is, in your duty, in ordinances, if your hearts
be not above at such times, if you feed only on what comes
down, if you ascend not in your duties, if you ascend not
by ordinances, if you get not up to have communion with
God in them, this flesh and this world will be thrusting in
upon you, and stealing your hearts away. Christ hath
been riding down to you this day, as the chariots and
horses of fire once were sent down for Elijah. The chariots
came down to take the Prophet up in them. The ordi-
nances of God, that you have been at this day, were the
chariot of God, that was sent down on purpose that those
hearts of yours might ascend into glory. I hope some
of your hearts got into the chariot, and are ascended
with your Lord, who came to fetch them up. What,
Christian ! is thine heart yet below ? Where was it when
the chariot came ? What ! are your souls yet among
the sheep and the oxen ? among the grass of the field,
and the dust of the earth ? What ! yet among the worms ?
What ! yet creeping upon this earth, and feeding upon
ashes ? Do your souls still dwell in these tombs and
sepulchres ? I hope there may be some among you who
can say, I thank the Lord, my heart is no longer here ;
it is risen, it is ascended with Him who came down
[RUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 315
for it, and hath carried it up with him. But, man, how is
it with thee. whose heart is left behind? Christ hath been
hen-, and those that were wise took the season, and got
with him into the chariot. But is thine heart still
upon this earth .' and must it away again to its old trading,
to its old feeding on this dirt and trash? Hast thou been
tasting of that angels' food, that hidden manna, the bread
of God that came down from heaven ; and canst thou now
return to thy quails, or thy husks ? Sure thou hadst not
a taste of that heavenly food, if thou dost not disrelish
and reject thine old carnal delights !
But are your hearts, any of you, yet left below ?
Behold, a chariot from God is still before you, this ordi-
nance of preaching. Behold, the same Jesus in this
chariot is come down again for those hearts that are not
yet risen. Thy Lord is loth to leave thee here: wilt
thou ascend with him ? Why is there not a cry among
you, Lord, help me into thy chariot ! Lord, take my
soul up with thee ! Lord, let me not be left behind ! Let
Christ hear that voice from you, Lord, take me up with
thee ! here this poor wretched heart of mine lies at thy
1 cannot lift it up, it is too heavy for me ; it hath
s, hut no wings : yet it groans after thee ; it would
not that thou shouldst ascend without it. Lord, lift me up!
Lord, carry this poor and wretched heart from earth to
;i ! what, must I yet dwell in Meshech, and have
my heart amongst the tents of Kedar? Must I yet live
amongst these thieves and robbers '. (), where is that love
that hath bnmght thee down again for me! Lovest thou
me. () Lord > and wilt thou yet leave me at this distance
from thee ? (), take pity! (), take me up, that I may from
henceforth " lie with thee where thou art !" Christians, O \
that 1 could set you, even every one of you, crying thus (
after the Lord, and bemoaning these earthly and carnal >
hearts, that they are not yet ascended ! Let Christ yet /
hear that voice, and let it come deep, even from the bottom ^
of thy soul. Let Christ hear, not that mouth crying, nor ^
those eyes weeping, but that soul exclaiming. Lord, take f
up me aKo with thee! and he will take thee up. O, get you
into the Psalmist's posture and spirit. "As tin- hart pantcth
316 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, God.
My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God : when shall I
come and appear before God?" (Psalm xlii. 1, 2.) "My
soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord :
my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God."
(Psalm Ixxxiv. 2.) When, Lord ? O, let this be the day:
take me this hour, and carry me up to the mountains of
spices! Christians, he but unfeignedly willing that Christ
should carry away those hearts from this earth, be but in
good earnest with him, when you say, Lord, take me up !
/ and he will not leave you behind.
Get these hearts to heaven, and keep them there. Get
you from earth to heaven, and come not down again
from heaven to earth. Let that blessedness be antedated,
which is promised to be after the resurrection. " And so
shall we ever be with the Lord." (1 Thess. iv. 17.) Say
to the Lord, even from henceforth, as he says to his
church, "This is my rest for ever ; here will I dwell ; for I
have desired it." (Psalm cxxxii. 14.) Let it not be a
visit to heaven that will satisfy you, but a residence in
heaven. "Our conversation is in heaven." (Phil. iii. 20.)
Let it not be a few heavenly hours, or a short heavenly
repast, but a heavenly life that you design and follow
after. When you get once thus near unto the Lord, live
as much as possible in the constant views of his glory ; so
continually beholding and feeding upon the foretastes and
forethoughts of his goodness and grace, that you may be
changed daily " from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of
the Lord." (2 Cor. iii. 18.)
Know, friends, that if there be any security in the world
^ from the robbers and the spoilers, from your lusts and
/ temptations, from suffering such losses again in your
peace, the only security you have is to keep your hearts
above. Hast thou gotten thine heart to heaven ? keep
thee where thou art ; keep thee out of harm's way. If
the devil can but catch those hearts again below, dis-
cover you a-roving, find you wandering after your carnal
things ; if he can but meet you declining from a heavenly
< to an earthly conversation, from a spiritual to a carnal
conversation ; O, what sad spoils of whatever good days
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 317
you have had, of whatever delight, and satisfaction, and
joy, and comfort you have had, what spoil will he
make of them all ! Christians, whenever you can get, or
do fed, your hearts in a better frame, most full of the
love, and life, and joy of the Lord, think what pity it is,
what a sad fall it will be, to make an exchange of this
blessed state, for the barren and brackish pleasures of this
world ! Think with yourselves, Shall I forsake the sweet-
of the fig-tree, and the fulness of the olive, and go
and browse upon brambles !
The design, friends, of all this is, to persuade and invite * .
you to live in constant communion with God. You have
received and entertained this day in special com-
munion with Him; and the intent and meaning of this )
solemn communion is, that b.y the sweetness and refresh-
ing you find in it, you may be set into a way of ordinary ( )
communion with him. That your life may be a life of / ,
communion with God, a life of faith, a life of love, a life )
of holiness and joy, that so you might prophesy to your- \ \
selves, with the Psalmist, " Surely goodness and mercy Cf*
shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in ^
the house of the Lord for ever." (Psalm xxiii. 6.)
Brethren, do you in good earnest desire to possess ;
such a life as this ? Do you heartily wish it might be ^
with you ? Have you any hope that you shall
obtain, and will you follow after it? Will you go hence, ?
as men and women designing any such thing? Shall we '
that have been with the Lord together this day, now agree
together, in the name of the Lord, to be reaching forward,
with one heart and with one soul, towards such a heavenly
life .' Shall we help one another, and quicken one
ano'her, and set examples one to another, of such spirit-
uality and heavenliness ? What do ye think would be
the fruit of our appearance before the Lord this day ?
mJLrht we return to our houses w ith our hearts full of such (
holy resolutions, with our hearts flaming in such holy ^
desire.s .' () grie\e to think of returning again to your
old carnal, and sensual, and worldly frames; to your .
cold, and indifferent, and lukewarm, and lift less way of
religion ! Let not the devil catch you again wandering.
318 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
or carelessly jogging on at your wonted rate. If he do,
look for it> that whatsoever of the divine life or love, of
the divine hope or joy, hath heen kindled in you this day,
you will be quickly spoiled and robbed of it : and those
poor and weakly hearts will fall into a worse condition
than before. If you would keep anything about you that
might comfort you, if you would secure your souls from
being rifled of all that you have received, if you would
not return to be dark, and dead, and barren souls, then
remember this counsel you have received from the Lord,
to whom my prayer for you is that which David offered
for Israel, " Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel,
our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the
thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart
unto thee." (1 Chron. xxix. 18.) Keep these thoughts
fresh upon your hearts, and you shall thereby keep your
hearts, after the Lord hath spoken grace unto you, from
returning again to folly.
, (v.) Lastly, Commit the keeping of your hearts to the
keeper of Israel. Commit them to God. " Except the
Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."
(Psalm cxxvii. 1.) The keeping of the heart is a greater
trust than the keeping of a city, and therefore had need
be put into safe hands. God is able to keep it. "I know
whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to
keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."
(2 Tim. i. 12.) God is able, and God is faithful,
" Faithful is he that hath called you, who also will do it,"
(1 Thess. v. 24.) But it may be you will say, O, I shall
never be able to keep mine heart in heaven, keep up the
love, and life, and joy of God in my soul, keep myself
pure, keep me close to God, that the devil never catch
me wandering abroad ! Why, I see he may catch me
every hour : mine heart is given to wandering, and I
cannot hold it in. It would be an ease, and a joy, and a
great delight to me, could I be raised to such a pitch;
as to be all spiritual and heavenly ; and there to fix,
and be ever with the Lord. O what a joy it would be to
me, had I but hope that I might attain to such a state !
but woe is me, I shall never be able. Why, do your duty;
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 319
and for such a comfortable success, let that care lie on the
Lord. Commit it to him, both to help you in such a
frame, and to keep you in it. Hath he said he will not
fail you? He hath scaled to you this day, that he will
help you, tint he will keep you : trust upon him, and he
will do it. Hut what is it to commit the keeping of our
hearts to the Lord ?
i. To give them to the Lord. God will keep nothing
but what is his own. Wilt thou give thine heart to the
devil, and then commit it to God to keep it for him ?
Give your hearts to the Lord, give them to him for his
servants, and then commit them to his custody. t
ii. To trust him with the keeping of them. " Deliver f
m>\ () Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me."
(Psalm cxliii. 9.) I have many enemies, that lie in wait
for my soul : I dare not trust to myself for security.
God is my trust and my refuge; I flee unto Him to hide *
me, I will " trust under the shadow of his wings." (Psalm
xxxvi. 7.)
Therefore, brethren, my exhortation to you shall be the
same with Peter's exhortation to suffering Christians,
" Commit the keeping of your souls to Him in well-doing, as
unto a faithful Creator." (1 Peter iv. 19.) Observe it:
commit, but in well-doing. Do not neglect your duty,
and think to make it up with this, I have committed
the care of myself to God. I say, Do not neglect your
: be not idle and careless of your own duty: do not
leave yourselves open to the usurpation of lust, or the
invasion of the devil: do not suffer your hearts to lead you
on in your carnal ways : leave not that heart to be
a blind house, a dark hole, and filthy dungeon, full of
abominations ; and then think to make up the matter by
savin/, I have committed it to the Lord, to wash it,
and cleanse it, and keep it: I trust God with my soul;
he, I hope, will preserve it. Commit the keeping of your
st.uls, in well-doing : do your duty : keep your hearts
under i; ivcrnnient, keep them under guard : be washing
your hearts daily, be watching your hearts daily. Though
;. t you are everyone your own ket
Do your part to keep that which God hath committed to
320 INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK.
you, and then fear not but God will do his part : he will
keep whatever you have committed to him.
And thus I have at length run through this great duty
of keeping the heart. The Lord knows how great need
there is of every word that hath been spoken. O that
none of it might be lost ! Our poor hearts, God knows,
have hitherto found us but poor heart-keepers. The case
they are in is evidence sufficient to prove how sadly they
have been looked to. Some of them continuing in a lost
state to this day ; others of them but half recovered ; others
relapsed, and fallen back from what they were once hope-
fully recovered to ; none of our hearts but have often been
among thieves, where we have suffered great loss ; and
how many have been the heart-distempers and diseases
we have fallen into ? O, what slight, what licentious,
what listless, dull, and lazy souls have we been ! Sure
these hearts have found us but bad keepers. O, what
shall be the success of the many words that have been
spoken ? What say you, Christians ? Is there any hope
that your hearts shall be better looked to for the future ?
What say you ? Will you now be faithful ? Will you
keep this charge of the Lord? keep this "heart with all
diligence ? " (Prov. iv. 23.) Who is there among you
that will say, I confess my faults and my great neglects
this day ? I confess I have been careless ; the sad frame
my heart is in, is a witness against me ; but through the
grace of God, I will look better to myself, and hope I shall
not forget this word as long as I live. I hope I shall
leave meddling with other men's matters, and leave off
censuring other men's ways; and from henceforth keep
my eye more close and constant upon my own soul.
This do, be more faithful in keeping yourselves, and then
you may be bold to "commit the keeping of your souls
to Him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator." (1 Peter
iv. 19.)
. What hath been my design and desire in this whole
, ) work, but, 1. To prepare your hearts for the Lord, that
? /he may accept them. 2. To bring them over to the Lord,
' that they may become his own. 3. To preserve them for
the Lord, to keep them pure, that he may take pleasure in
INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HEART-WORK. 321
them. O let this be done, and then you may commit v
them to the Lord to keep them safe. ) ^
Will you be persuaded, will you be prevailed upon, thus \
to prepare and bring over your hearts to the Lord ? thus ) >
to preserve and keep them pure and faithful to him ? and ( *
so trust to his faithfulness ? Might I prevail with you in
this, I had done my work, and having put you thus into
safe custody, should there be bold to leave you, in the
confidence that you should thenceforth be " kept, by the
potcer of God, through faith unto saltation" (1 Peter i.
A
COMPANION
FOR
PRAYER:
OR,
Directions for Improvement in
Grace, and Practical God-
linefs in time of Extraordi-
nary Danger.
By RICHARD A L L E I N,
Author of F'Mffia Pietatis.
LONDON;
Printed by J. R. for T. C.
MDCLXXXIV.
i
REVEREND SIR,
THE motion made in yours concerning prayer, hath
much affected me, and hath occasioned some workings
of my thoughts, which though, in a conscience of mine
own weakness, I more than once laid aside, yet they
still returned upon me ; and I do now here offer the
result of them to your consideration.
We all know and teach, that they are only returning
:md reforming prayers that will prevail with God ; and
it is to be doubted, that in this dead and decayed age,
there- art- too many professors who will join in the design
of prayer, whom this must serve instead of reformation :
it is to such especially that the directions in the inclosed
paper are intended. I send them to you, desiring you
to read them, and then to do what you please witli
till-in ; beseeching you, and trusting upon your friendly
faithfulness herein, that you will take your full freedom,
either to keep them in silence to yourself, or else to
i-omiminicute and make them public. I should thankfully
accept of any expunging, alteration, or addition that you
326 A COMPANION FOR PRAYER.
shall think needful. The Lord pardon the failings, and
accept the sincere aims of my soul herein. To his grace
I commend you ; and in him I rest,
Dear Sir,
Your unworthy friend and servant,
RICHARD ALLEIN.
A COMPANION FOR PRAYER:
OR,
DIRECTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT IN GRACE AND PRACTICAL
GODLINESS.
To make way for, and to press to the diligent observing
the following directions, let these things be premised :
1. That the power of religion is much fallen, at least it
is at a stand, among multitudes of professors in England.
Sun.' this needs no proof, when we have so many sad ocular
demonstrations before us.
2. That for this, the Lord hath a controversy with us at
this day. (Rev. ii. 4.) Whatever controversy the Lord
hath with tlu- Ik-lials amongst us, whose horrible wicked-
ness hath even ripened them for vengeance, his special
quarrel seems to be with his own people. We may guess
against whom the chief anger is, by observing at whose
chiefly his arrows are levelled. Against whom do
our enemies (the rod of his anger) make a wide mouth,
and draw forth the tongue, and lift up their fiercest hands ?
.'i. No prayers will avail, nor have the least help in them,
but the prayers of those, with whom the Lord's controversy
is taken up and composed. Those with whom he hath a
particular quarrel, are like to be unhappy mediators for
others. \Ve choose the favourites of princes to be our
intercessors with them.
1. There can hi- no taking up God's controversy, unless
the matter of it be removed by repentance and reformation.
" And when ye spread forth your hands, I trill hide min.
eyes from you : yea, wltrn //< imtkf man;/ prayers, I trill no!
hear: your hands arc full of blood. ll'uxh //mi, inai.
fit-tin ; put aicuy the t-cil of your doings from I
328 A COMPANION FOR PRAYER.
eyes ; cease to do evil. Come now, and let us reason
together, saith the Lord : though your sins be as scarlet, they
shall be as white as snow ; though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool." (Isa. i. 15, 16, 18.) " And the
Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up ; wherefore liest thou
thus upon thy face ? Israel hath sinned, and they have also
transgressed my covenant which I commanded them : for they
have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen,
and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their
own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand
before their enemies, but turned their backs before their ene-
mies, because they were accursed : neither will I be with you
any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you."
(Josh. vii. 10 12.) Is there no accursed thing amongst
even the professors of religion ? Behold, the wedge of
gold, and the Babylonish garment, their pride and their
covetousness, hid in their hearts for a tent ! Go search out
these, and every other accursed thing within you : let them
be destroyed if ye would have the Lord to be at peace.
5. If there may be such a spirit of prayer stirred up
amongst us, as may have fruit unto holiness, and real
reformation of the evil of our ways ; this would comfort
us, and give us great hope in the hardest cases.
6. Therefore in all our crying to God for help, in case
of public fears, dangers, or distresses, our eye should be
first upon, and we should wrestle with the Lord, for the
pardoning, purging, and sanctification of our own hearts
and lives ; wherein if we prevail not, we shall be as a
rotten tooth, or a bone out of joint, for any help there is
in us, or for anything we do. Unless we can pray up a
spirit of holiness in ourselves, a spirit of love, and of power,
and of a sound mind, we are not like to do anything to
purpose, in praying down mercy for the people. The devil
will give us leave to visit the throne of grace, so we will
but carry our hard and uncircumcised hearts with us : if
we cannot get among the Lord's holy ones, though we
make many prayers, he will not hear. The interest and hopes
of the people of God lie, in the shedding abroad of the
sanctifying and quickening Spirit upon them : for this,
therefore, should we firstly pray.
A COMPANION FOR PRAYER. 329
7. It is not praying alone that will do : to the bringing
about our reformation, there must be a constant and
sedulous use of all God's other means, and that in our
whole course of life.
Some of these means are presented in the following
directions ; viz.,
I. General Directions.
Direction 1 . Take up a deep and sober design of making
an advance in serious religion. Sit not down by, take not
up with, what you have already attained; but resolve for
reaching forward, and following after, towards that which
you have not attained. Content not yourselves to drive
gently on, as your flesh will bear; but stir up yourselves
to follow hard after the Lord ; and let this* be the delibe-
.rree and intent of your hearts. Say to thine heart,
How is it with me? Doth my soul prosper? Are my
ways such as please the Lord ? What is my expectation
and my hope ! What is the aim and business of my life ?
Is it that Christ may be magnified by me, and that I may
be made a partaker of his holiness, and show forth his
virtues in my generation ? Can I say, with the Apostle,
" To me to live w Christ? 11 (Phil. i. 21.) Ah wretch that
I am ! How deeply hath this self, and this world, gone
shares \\ ith my Lord ! O, how little of my time, my parts,
in v strength, yea, and of my very heart, have been inclosed
and consecrated as holiness to the Lord ! How much of
me hath been left out in common for the world ! Well, but
what meanest thou for the future ? Wilt thou henceforth
change the purpose and intent of thine heart? Come, man !
wilt thou take up a design for, and henceforth determine
and set thine heart upon, a more watchful, fruitful, and
nly life? If thou wilt not be brought to decree and
resolve upon a better life, much less wilt thou be persuaded
aetually to it. What is begun well, is half done; and a
holy design deeply laid, is a good beginning.
Direction "2. Let (Jod's calls to extraordinary prayer, and
a sense of the necessity of your recovery and reformation,
to your prevailing in prayer, quicken you in the vigorous
pursuance of your holy design. Now is a time wherein
330 A COMPANION FOR PRAYER.
you have your hearts at the advantage, having such
weighty arguments before you, and the opportunity of
doing two such great things more, as the saving your-
selves, and also the people, both from iniquity and
calamity.
Direction 3. Do all in pursuance hereof, in the name of
the Lord Jesus. Be not discouraged at any prospect of
difficulty ; trust in him for help. Encourage your hearts
with the words of the Apostle, " I can do all things through
Christ which strengtheneth me." (Phil. iv. 13.)
Direction 4. Keep your eye and your heart much upon
God and the other world. Be able to say, with the Apostle,
" Our conversation is in heaven ;" (Phil. iii. 20 ;) that is,
there the business of our life lies ; and that not only above
spiritual and heavenly things, but with God himself. Live
at the fountain and spring head : thence all your light, and
life, and holiness, and strength must flow. Be much in
looking upwards, beholding in a glass the glory of the
Lord, and you will be changed into the same image, from
glory to glory. (2 Cor. iii. 18.) Look much and often
upon the things that are not seen, if you would be delivered
from the power and malign influence of the things that are
seen : let your eye be upon the sun, and you will see a
dimness and darkness upon the earth : get you clothed
with the sun, and you will have the moon under your feet.
Direction 5. See that sin be not allowed in your heart
or practice. "If I regard iniquity in mine heart, the Lord
will not hear me," (Psalm Ixvi. 18,) nor help me. An
allowed sin is as dead flesh in a wound : whatever methods
or medicine be taken, there will be no healing till the dead
flesh be eaten off. You may profess, and pray, and hear
all your life long, and yet will never prosper whilst you are
privy to any one indulged sin.
Direction 6. Be constant and instant in daily, secret, and
family prayer. Let not extraordinary prayer excuse your
ordinary ; and let not your neglect of ordinary prayer
unfit you for that which is extraordinary. Let not your
way to your closet be untrod. He that holds his acquaint-
ance in heaven by being often with God, will be most like
to prevail with God in pressing and difficult cases : those
A COMPANION FOR PRATER. 331
that are much in prayer, are the men who are mighty in
prayer.
Direction 7. In all your praying, both ordinary and extra-
ordinary, let your eye be, I say not chiefly, but firstly,
upon tlu- case of your own souls. What improvement you
obtain here will be of this double advantage: (1.) There
will l)e the more hope of your being heard for the public.
( :>.) If the Lord be not prevailed with for public mercies
and deliverances, you will be the better prepared for
suli'cring. If God should show mercy to the public, and
scatter our clouds, blow over our storms, cause our
light to break forth as the morning, and our righteousness
also as the noon-day, what would all this be to thee,
who art unrighteous? What would it be to thee, if in all
the land of Goshen there should be light, and thou in the
midst thereof shouldest be covered over with the darkness
ypt .' if there should be dew on all the grass of the
field, and thy fleece only should be dry? If thou shouldest
live to see thy people a saved people, and a holy and
fruitful nation, and thou shouldest stand as a withered and
dry tree amongst all the flourishing cedars ? Get up thine
own heart into good proof; or, whatever spiritual plenty
thou mayest see in Israel, yet thou wilt not eat thereof.
Talk no more of thine hopes of seeing good days : how little
would that he to thee, unless thou get thee a better heart !
Direction N. Let your prayers be followed with a constant
care of your ways. Let not your praying serve you in-
of repenting and reforming, but let it quicken you to
your whole duty ; let your entering into your closet be
you.- aserinliii'_r heavenwards; and let not your returns
thence br the tailing down of your souls from heaven to
earth. Let your duties and ways be all of a piece : live
like praying Christians. Let not the spirituality of your
morning and evening sacrifice countenance or encourage
you in your all-day carnality. " Be thou in the fear of the
Lord all dan lani/." (Prov. xxiii. 17.)
Direction !). Whatever income you receive from God into
yi-ur own souls, be tree in dispensing to others. I mean
in a way of holy discourse and conference. Dispensing
and communicating is the best way to thrive. " There it
832 A COMPANION FOR PRAYER.
that scattereth, and yet increaseth ; there is that withholdeth,
and it tendeth to poverty ." (Prov. xi. 24.) It is true with
respect to spirituals as well as to temporals, there are
none that grow more rich towards God, than those who,
by bringing forth what they have received, labour to make
others rich also. Give the holy fire within you a vent, and
it will burn the clearer. Keep not your religion to your-
selves ; let your full cup run over ; let your lips drop as
the honey-comb ; let your mouth be a well of life, and
your lips feed many. (Prov. x. 11.) Build up one another
in the most holy faith ; provoke one another to love and
to good works; let your families, your wives and children,
your neighbours and acquaintance, have light from your
candle, and be warmed by your fire. Doubtless it is one
special part of God's quarrel with Christians, that there are
so very many of them, of such carnal and unsavoury con-
verse. Is it thy case ? Hast thou this to charge upon
thyself ? O, amend, amend ! and see that thou continue
not such a barren soul. As low as it is with thee in grace,
think not to rise high, unless thou wilt make better use of
what thou hast.
II. Particular Directions.
Direction 1 . Consider what it is whereto you have already
attained, and be thankful ; and be encouraged to press on,
and hope for more. Hast thou obtained grace from the
Lord ? And hath he caused his grace to abound towards
thee, and in thee ? And hast thou a witness within thee
that thou hast not received the grace of God in vain ? But
dost thou study to walk worthy of that grace wherein thou
standest ? O rejoice in the Lord, and let all within thee
bless his holy name ; and take what thou hast thus received
as an earnest of more. Set thy foot upon the neck of every
mortified lust ; take the more heart to thee to go on in the
fight, and rejoice in hope of a total and final victory. The
soldier, when one wing of his enemy's army is routed, or
they do but give ground, and begin to fall, this raises his
courage, and he falls more smartly on. Go thou and do
likewise. And let thy beginning, much more thy growth in
grace, and thy experience hereof, be the oiling of thy
A COMPANION FOR PRAYER. 333
wheels, for thy more vigorous following on after a greater
MICH
Direction 2. Consider what your special corruptions,
infirmities, wants, neglects, temptations, or your most ordi-
nary failings, are. (1.) What your special corruptions are,
rtli Mm have conquered them, and where you
stick. In some professors, pride; in others, covetousness ;
in othrrs. sensuality ; in others, slothfulness ; in others,
Mmcss, or frowardness, or the like ; may have gotten
such head in them, that these weeds overtop, and even
rhokc up, all their flowers. (2.) What your special wants
iv in point of grace ; what graces they are,
whether faith, or love, or peacefulness, or meekness, or
humility, or patience, &c., wherein you are most deficient
or weak. ('}.} What duties they are, as either prayer,
meditation, communing with your own hearts, &c., which
m most apt to neglect, or find most difficult to go
comfortably through. (4.) What temptations they are, by
whieh you are most commonly assaulted and foiled.
What your most ordinary falls are in point of practice.
And ]icre let professors of religion be warned to consider, if
they be not overtaken, (besides many others,) by some of
three evils, (i.) An over-eager and greedy following
after the world. The zeal of some men's spirits after riches,
hath oaten up all their zeal for God. O, into what poverty
hath thy soul fallen, whilst thou hast been so busy in the
world, and hast felt the prosperities thereof come crowding
upon thee ! Some rich professors may remember the days
of old, and be troubled. This thought, When I was but a
little one in this world, then was it better with me than
: this thought may be an arrow in their hearts, and
kill tlu- joy, and let out the juice and sweetness, of their
trivatt st abundance. I remember the kindness of my
youth, and the love of mine espousals ; but O, where am I
My very rising hath given me the fall, (ii.) A
liberty for carnal jollity, a jovial and vainly merry life.
Such there are, who have left off to walk mournfully before
;!: Lord -f Hosts, and have given themselves to live
merrily with the world ; who have given over to \\cep with
them that weep, and are fallen in to laugh with them that
334 A COMPANION FOR PRAYER.
laugh ; to jest and sport, and be vain with the vain ones ;
yea, and it may be to drink and to sit down with those that
drink. It is now grown too creditable to frequent drinking-
houses : tradesmen that are professors, especially in cities
or great towns, how ordinarily do they, upon pretence of
despatch of business, sit many hours over a dish of coffee,
or a cup of ale, or a glass of sack ; and carry it so, that
they can hardly be distinguished from the good fellows of
the world, but perhaps by this only, that they are not
downright drunken into beasts. If there be a liberty of
such houses, and meetings in them sometimes necessary,
(as perhaps it may,) let not this liberty be used as an
occasion to the flesh, (iii.) Gaudiness or over-costliness in
apparel ; wherein some of them glitter and shine amongst
the greatest gallants of the earth. Some amongst professors
do not only shun, but disdain and despise the old self-
denial that was wont to be among Christians in these and
the like particulars ; as if they were set at liberty by the
Gospel from the laws of Christ, as well as from the law of
Moses. To these three let me add one evil more: (iv.) A
neglect of your families, of the instructing, catechising,
and due disciplining of them ; the consequences of which
neglect are very sadly to be seen, in the ignorance, errors,
rudeness, and disorderliness abounding amongst many of
them. There are not a few who take some care of them-
selves, but leave the bridle on the necks of theirs ; and reap
many heart-breaking crops in them, as the fruits of their own
negligence. O let holy Joshua's resolution be yours : "As for
me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Josh. xxiv. 15.)
Now diligently search and consider thyself in all these
things ; and when tliou hast faithfully studied thyself and
thy ways, and hast found what it is that thou art most
peccant or wanting in, and most prejudiced and hindered
by ; then conclude, here my great difficulty lies, and there-
fore here my great work lies, if ever I would prosper, to
get this or that corruption mortified, this or that grace
strengthened, such and such temptations shunned or pro-
vided against, and such and such faults amended. Now I
have found what hinders me ; and that which doth hinder,
will hinder, till it be taken out of the way.
A COMPANION FOR PRAYER. 335
Direction 3. Bend the main force of all your religion upon
those vi TV points wherein you are most failing or faulty.
The devu will allow us to be busy in other matters of re-
ligion, so In- ran hut keep us off from those things where
our great stress lies. The deceitful heart will take up
with that which is most easy and pleasant, that thereby it
may the better shift itself of that which is more hard, and
would go to the quick with it. We never purge or bleed
to purpose, till we hit upon the right humour, and strike
the right vein.
This is to act rationally, and in judgment ; to bend our
great strength there, where our great difficulty or weakness
lies. When you have by searching found out what you
mostly stick at, let it be your first grand errand in every
r, whether ordinary or extraordinary, to beg special
help in this particular case. Your weakness, in any par-
ticular grace or duty, the power of any particular lust,
corruption, or temptation, your most ordinary and common
falls in point of conversation, let these have a special place
in even," prayer you make. And also let them be most
hccdfully watched and laboured against in your lives.
Turn, in the strength of prayer and watchfulness, upon the
_ih of sin ; let your main batteries be against the
strong-holds ; and where your walls are weakened, there
set the strongest guard and watch.
Direction -1. Measure your proficiency in religion, by the
power you get in those particulars wherein you have been
'leiieient or faulty. Judge not yourselves by those
things which are most easy in religion, but by coming off
in your most difliculi case.
->rs may at times seem to be full of good
affections, strangely elevated and enlarged in their prayers;
uid to live in so great peace, as to imagine they have
attained to the riches of full avsiirance; and \ el for all this
may lie but very poor Christians all the while. Let them
be asked. How is it with your soul ? O, I bless the Lord, 1
find it \d in this time of their need, such praying as may have
c(jts fruit unto holiness in yourselves. By this you may do
S Anoeb to promote the holiness and happiness of the people:
invthin^, this will do it.
Wherefore gird up your loins, and set in good earnest
z
338 A COMPANION FOR PRAYER.
upon this seasonable and mighty duty. Go into your
closets, lift up your hearts, draw forth your souls, pour
out your tears, weep in your prayer, weep over your own
and the people's sins and fears, and bow yourselves with
your might before the Lord : this once, try what you can
do, try the strength of prayer. Pray all to rights within
n you, and at home ; and then seek, and cry, and wrestle, and
trust, and wait for the salvation of God to be revealed in
due time upon his people.
Let us at length hear the conclusion of the whole matter,
What shall be the fruit of all this ? What will you now do ?
If I should only ask, Who among you will join in, and
pray for the peace of Jerusalem, the church of the living
God ? every one would readily answer, I will for one,
I for another ; God forbid I should hold my peace. "Pray
for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper that love thee :
peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.
For my brethren and companions' sake I will now say, Peace
be within thee. Because of the house of the Lord our God, I
will seek thy good." (Psalm cxxii. 6 9.)
If it be asked further, And who will pray for the destruc-
tion of Babylon ? O, every one of us that has a heart for
the peace of Jerusalem ! Down with it, down with it, even
to the ground! "Remember, Lord, the children ofEdom,
in the day of Jerusalem, who said, Rase it, rase it, even to
the foundation thereof. O daughter of Babylon, who art to
be destroyed, happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou
hast served us." (Psalm cxxxvii. 7, 8.)
But would you that your prayers should be heard ?
' Then arise out of your places, and fall every man upon a
personal reformation. Down with your sin, and out with
the world ; lift up Christ in your hearts, if you would have
Antichrist fall in the earth ; let Christ have a name within
1 you above every name, and let every one that nameth the
name of Christ depart from iniquity, from his own ini-
quity ; seek not for corn, and for wine, or for freedom to
- sit down every man under his own vine, and under his own
v fig-tree, where none shall make them afraid ; but seek the
Lord, that the Lord God may dwell among you, may
delight in you and be exalted by you, that you may indeed
A COMPANION FOR PRATER. 339
become the people of his holiness, and the people of his )
prayer. Seek to be made partakers of his holiness, andC
i'ollow alter holiness, and so follow after that ye mayv
obtain. Let there be such a heart in you, and such a holy s
design heartily taken up, and zealously pursued by you ; '
and the Lord will certainly accept you, and answer your<
prayers, and your profane enemies will then learn to take
Deed how they again mock or boast themselves against the
prayers of the saints. It was reported of a great church-
man, that when several ministers were turned out of their
places for non-conformity, he said in disdain, " We'll turn
them out, and let them see if they can pray them in again."
Once lift up holy hands to the Lord, and God will give
such an answer, that they will take heed of boasting again
against prayer. If yet they should take unto them the
hardness to say, Where is your God ? doubt not but in a
little time you shall have this song put into your mouths,
"Z/o, this is our God, tee have waited for him, and he will
save tw ; this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will
he ijlad and rejoice in his salvation." (Isa. xxv. 9.)
But if it must suffice you to pray, and you will still go
on to traverse your old ways, suffering your sins and the
world to hold the head of you, let not such men think they
shall receive anything of the Lord.
Wherefore once again be exhorted to come to a point in
this matter, and determine what ye will do. If ye will
not heartily follow this necessary design of advancing in
holiness, you may stand aside, and sit out from that of
pray i -r, tor any good we can expect from you : but if you
are resolved on the former, and that with all imaginable
seriousness, you will the more prosper in the latter; let
both go together, and henceforth look for good speed in
either.
Well, shall this decree immediately go forth? Say the
word at once, but let it be with an unalterable resolution ;
;:t K-ast, In- advised to this (which I pray forget not) from
the day of \t' prayer for the public, let your decree be dated ;
and it' needs he, let the very day be written down, and so
go, and let it be heedfully prosecuted ; and upon each
340 A COMPANION FOR PRAYER.
return of this solemn service, let it be actually and
expressly renewed. " Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and
of Israel, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts
of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee."
(1 Chron. xxix. 18.)
London: R. Needhara, Printer, Patcrnceter-Row.
University of California
SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY
405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388
Return this material to the library
from which it was borrowed.
A 000525789 4