rison whereof they are as nothing. Lastly, If we could conceive some afflictions not contrary to lust, yet afflictions are ever contrary to the provisions of lusts, to the materials. and instruments of lusts, such as are health, pleasure, riches, honours, &c. And in all these respects, a heart, set upon lust, is weakened and disabled to bear afflictions.

b

Sect. 76. Secondly, When the heart is set upon the creature, it is utterly disabled, in regard of its active strength, made unfit to do any duty with that strength as God requires. First, because 'Bonum fit ex causâ integrâ :' a good duty must proceed from an entire cause, from the whole heart. Now lust divides the heart, and makes it unsteadfast, and unfaithful unto God. There is a two-fold unsteadfastness; one, in degrees; another, in objects: the former proceeds from the remainders of corruption, and therefore is found, in some measure, in the best of us; the other, from the predominancy of lust, which oversways the heart unto evil. Good motions and resolutions in evil hearts, are like violent impressions upon a stone; though it move upward for a while, yet nature will at last prevail, and make it return to its own motion. Secondly, a heart, set on lusts, moves to no end but its own*; and self-ends defile an action, though otherwise never so specious; turn f zeal itself, and obedience into murder; hinders all faith in us, and acceptance with God; nullify all other ends; swallow up God's glory, and the good of others, as the lean kine did the fat: as a wen in the body robs and consumes the part adjoining, so do self-ends the right end. Thirdly, The heart is a fountain and principle, and principles are ever one and uniform: out of the same fountain cannot come bitter water and sweet. And therefore the apostle speaks of some, that they are 'double-minded ' men, that have a heart and a heart: yet the truth is, that is but with reference to their pretences; for the heart really and totally looks but one way. Every man is spiritually a married person, and he can be joined but to one. Christ and an idol (as every lust is) cannot consist: he will have a

Rom. xiii. 14. a Deut. vi. 5. d Acts vii. 39. Jer. xii, 10. f 2 Kings ix. 7.

b Hos. x. 2. Jam. i. 8. e Psal. lxxviii. 37. e Phil. ii. 21. Isa. lvi. 11. Ezek. xxxiv. 2. g John v. 44. Jam. iii. 12. Jam. i. 8. Ephes. v. 27. Psal. xlv. 10. Matthew x. 37

10.x. 16. Hos. i. 4. Rom. vii. 3, 4. Matthew vi. 24. Cant. v. 10, 16. Phil. iii. 8.

VOL. I.

H

chaste spouse; he will have all our desires and affections subject unto him. If the heart cannot count him altogether lovely, and all things else but dung in comparison of him, he will refuse the match, and withhold his consent.

men.

Sect. 77.-Let us see in some few particulars, what impotency unto any good the creatures bring upon the hearts of To pray requires a hungry spirit, a heart convinced of its own emptiness, a desire of intimate communion with God : but now the creature draws the heart and all the desires thereof to itself, as an ill spleen doth the nourishment in a body: lust makes men pray amiss, fixeth the desires only on its own provisions, makes a man unwilling to be carried any way towards Heaven, but his own. The young man prayed unto Christ to shew him the way to eternal life; but when Christ told him, that his riches, his covetousness, his bosom lust, stood between him and salvation, his prayer was turned into sorrow, repentance, and apostasy.i

Sect. 78. Meditation requires a sequestration of the thoughts, a mind unmixed with other cares, a sincere and uncorrupted relish of the Word. Now when the heart is prepossessed with lust, and taken up with another treasure, it is as impossible to be weaned from it, as for a hungry eagle1 (a creature of the sharpest sight to fix upon, and of the sharpest appetite to desire its object) to forbear the body on which it would prey; as unable to conceive aright of the preciousness and power of the Word, as a feverish palate to taste the proper sweetness of the meat it eats.

m

Sect. 79.-In hearing the Word, the heart can never accept God's commands, till it be first empty : a man cannot receive the richest gift that is, with a hand that was full before. Now thorns, which are the cares of the world, filling the heart, must needs choke the seed of the Word. The Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, because their pride would not let them yield to such a baptism, or to such a doctrine as requires emptiness, confession of sins, justifying of God, and condemning of themselves: for these were the purposes of John's baptism, and of the preaching of repentance. That man comes but to be rejectMatth. vi. 21. 1 Matth. xxiv. 28.

Jam. iv. 3. i Mar. x. 21, 22, m Luke vii. 29, 30.

ed, who makes love to one who hath fixed her heart and affection already. A man must come to God's Word as to a physician"; a mere patient, without reservations or exceptions. He must set his corruptions as an open mark for the Word to shoot at; he must not come with capitulations and provisoes, but lay down the body of sin before God, to have every earthly member hewed off. Till a man come with such a resolution as to be willing to part from all naughtiness, he will never receive the ingrafted Word with meekness and an honest heart: a man will never follow Christ in the ways of his Word, till first he have learned to deny himself and his own lusts. Nay, if a man should bind his devotion to his heart with vows, yet a Dalilah in his bosom, a lust in his spirit, would easily nullify the strongest vows. The Jews made a serious and solemn protestation to Jeremiah, that they would obey the voice of the Lord in that which they desired him to inquire of God about, whether it were good or evil; and yet when they found the message cross their own lusts and reservations, their resolutions are turned into rebellions, their pride quickly breaks asunder their vow; and they tell the prophet to his face, that he dealt falsely between God and them; a refuge which they were well acquainted with before. Some, when their conscience awakens and begins to disquiet them, make vows to bind themselves unto better obedience, and forms of godliness: but, as Sampson was bound in vain with any cords, so long as his hair grew unto its length; so in vain doth any man bind himself with vows, so long as he nourisheth his lusts within a vow, in the hand of a fleshly lust, will be like the chains and fetters of that fierce lunatick,' very easily broken asunder. This is not the right way. First, labour with thy heart, cleanse out thy corruptions, purge thy life, as the prophet did the waters, with seasoning and rectifying the fountain. It is one thing to give ease from a present pain; another thing, to root out the disease itself. If the chinks in a ship be unstopped, it is in vain to labour at the pump; so long as there is a constant inlet, the water can never be exhausted: so is it in these formal resolutions and vows; they may ease the present pain,

"Matt. ix. 12, 13. Jer. v. 12. Jer. xvii. 15. Matth. xiii. 21.

• Jam. i. 21. P Jer. xlii, 56. 2 Chron. xxxiii. 16.

r Luke viii. 29.

q Jer. xliii. 2.

Joh. v. 44.

let out a little water, restrain from some particular acts; but so long as the heart is unpurged, lust will return and predominate. In a word, whereas in the service of God there are two main things required, faith to begin, and courage or patience to go through; lust hinders both these. How can ye believe, since ye seek for glory one from another? When persecution arose because of the Word, the temporary was presently offended.*

Sect. 80.-Thirdly and lastly, in one word, A man ought not to set his heart on the creature, because of the nobleness of the heart. To set the heart on the creature, is to set a diamond in lead. None are so mad to keep their jewels in a cellar, and their coals in a closet: and yet such is the profaneness of wicked men, to keep God in their lips only, and Mammon in their hearts; to make Earth their treasure, and Heaven but as an accessory and appendix to that. And now, as Samuel spake unto Saul, Set not thine heart upon thine asses, for the desire of Israel is upon thee; why should a King's heart be set upon asses?-so may I say, Why should Christians' hearts be set upon earthly things, since they have the desires of all flesh to fix upon?

V

Sect. 81.-I will conclude with one word upon the last particular, How to use the creatures as thorns, or as vexing things. First, Let not the bramble" be king, let not earthly things bear rule over thy affections: fire will rise out of them, which will consume all thy cedars, emasculate the powers of thy soul. Let grace sit in the throne, and earthly things be subordinate to the wisdom and rule of God's spirit in thine heart. They are excellent servants, but pernicious masters. Secondly, Be armed when thou touchest or meddlest with them; armed against the lusts and against the temptations that arise from them. Get faith, to place thy heart upon better promises; enter not upon them without prayer unto God, that, since thou art going amongst snares, he would carry thee through with wisdom and faithfulness, and teach thee how to use them as his blessings, and as instruments of his glory. Make a covenant with thine heart, as Job with his eyes; have a jealousy and suspicion of

Matth. xiii. 21.

v 1 Sam. ix. 20.

• Joh. v. 44. u Judg. ix. 14, 15. w Nec meliores servi, nec domini deteriores. * 2 Sam. xxiii. 6, 7.

thine evil heart, lest it be surprised and bewitched with sinful affections.

Thirdly, Touch them gently; do not hug, love, dote upon the creature, nor grasp it with adulterous embraces the love of money is a root of mischief, and is enmity against God. Fourthly, Use them for hedges and fences, to relieve the saints, to make friends of unrighteous Mammon, to defend the church of Christ; but by no means have them in thy field, but only about it: mingle it not with thy corn, lest it choke and stifle all. And lastly, Use them as Gideon, for weapons of just revenge against the enemies of God's church, to vindicate his truth and glory; and then, by being wise and faithful in a little, thou shalt at last be made ruler over much, and enter into thy master's joy.

1 Tim. vi. 10. * Jam. iv. 4. 1 John ii. 15.

• Judg. viii. 16.