Chapter 18: Four More Directions for Maintaining Heart-Treasure
7. Another help for continuing and increasing this good treasure of the heart, is, Be frequent and exact in the search of your hearts: be much in reviewing the frame of your spirits, commune with your heart, ask it what it gets or loses every day; wise tradesmen often cast up account, and provident housekeepers look into their provision to see how it holds out, and wherein there is most danger of want: O Christians be serious in this self-sifting work, and keep a distinct account how things are with you, whether you get or lose ground: take the advice of a royal learned writer to his princely son, thus: Censure yourself as sharply as if you were your own enemy — a little further, therefore I would not have you to pray to be delivered from sudden death, but that God would give you grace so to live, as that you may every hour of your life be ready for death: thus he. Sirs, study your hearts, try your ways, deal faithfully with your poor souls, for you must undergo a critical search at the great day, indeed now in this world, God is about to search you as with candles, and rouse up secure sinners from off their lees: a trying time may come, search yourselves first, you may by searching come to discern your state, and what degrees of grace you have, your spirits may know the things of man, that concern yourselves, and descend into the inward parts of the belly, therefore make use of this reflective faculty of conscience, try your hearts, measure yourselves at this time with what you were formerly, and thereby you will understand how things are, and this will be a singular help against losing ground, prevent apostasy, prepare you for, and engage you in a work of thankfulness or repenting suitable to what you find in your hearts: only be clear and distinct about your state, that you may deplore or congratulate your condition as you find cause: thereby God will have great glory, your souls much comfort, and if you find things amiss, that self-trial will be a step to reparation: O friends, take some time to pose and search your own hearts, in the multitude of businesses abroad be not strangers at home, you will find work enough there. I shall conclude all with the words of a contemplative divine. The varieties of an ever-changing condition while in this vale of misery cannot want the perpetual employment of a busy soul, therefore, says he, O God let me be dumb to all the world, so as I may ever have a tongue for you and my own heart: Take yet a verse from divine Herbert; Sum up at night what you have done by day And in the morning, what you have to do, Dress and undress your soul, mark the decay And growth of it; if with your watch, that too Be down, then wind up both, since we shall be Most surely judged, make your accounts agree:
Thus for the seventh direction:
8. Timely make up spiritual decays: This seconds the former, if you find yourselves declining, do not rest satisfied, let not an ill matter go on, decays and delays therein are dangerous, the further you proceed the worse will things be: a little rent in a garment, if neglected grows vast and incurable: a breach of water upon banks is quickly repaired at first, but afterwards in protract of time is widened to unavoidable inundations: suits in law are easily taken up in the beginning, and fallings out among friends may be soon composed at first, but when contentions beget animosities, and then a grudge, the agreement is more unfeasible, and the offended party more irreconcilable: If you miss your way upon the road, how suddenly may you at the first step back, and rectify your error? But the further you go in a wrong way the more is your danger, and labour in returning: many diseases might have been cured had they been looked to in time, that have proved mortal in the issue: and therefore the rule is [obsta principiis] hinder the first beginnings of a disease: we know it's easier to keep off an enemy, then turn him out when once he is entered: the juice of a lemon is soon wiped off a knife when first sprinkled on it, without impression left, but its abiding thereon corrodes into the metal, and leaves an indelible character: Even so, guilt is sooner removed immediately after it is [reconstructed: contracted], than when it's long delayed, deferring doubles the guilt and makes the wound deeper: David's long absence from God procures to his back a heavier burden and broken bones, but Peter got the breach made up quickly by a speedy repentance: therefore David learned by sad experience to make more haste to God, and not to delay his repentance and course of obedience (Psalm 119:59-60). O Christians, fall presently about this work, vow this day to the mighty God of Jacob, and you'll not find a room for yourselves in your houses or beds, till you have found a place for the Lord in your hearts, make not up the day till you have made your peace with God: give not sleep to your eyes till you can through grace say, your souls rest in the Lord and, God rests in his love to you; and if you die in that sleep, you shall sleep in Christ: Go to God poor sinning, pining soul, tell him, Lord, I feel, my heart growing out of order, you do not grant to me your wonted presence, sin is encroaching upon me, temptations prevailing; grace-weakening, my spirit cooling, all things go to wrack within me, but I am not satisfied in this declining state, I cannot live at a distance from you, I dare not neglect the means of my recovery, O revive your work, restore your quickening Spirit, repair and redintegrate in my precious soul your glorious image, which consists in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness; renew in my heart former affections, and return to my soul your wonted favor: And thus, Sirs, do you betake yourselves first to your hearts, and then to God, and use your utmost endeavors to recruit with speed your treasure of truths, graces, comforts and experiences, and as a candle newly extinguished will quickly catch fire, so the smoking flax of your languishing graces shall quickly be restored, and revived, and your fainting spirits if taken timely shall suddenly be recovered: Say then with sweet Herbert in his Poems — Sin is still hammering my heart, to a hardness void of love, Let suppling grace to cross his art drop from above.
9. Be much in layings out: mental and spiritual treasures have this strange property, that the more you lay out the more you increase therein: here that text takes place (Luke 6:38): 'Give, and it shall be given to you, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men [or God] give it into your bosom'— We see in other things use makes prompt and perfect: it is use chiefly that makes the right hand stronger than the left: a key much used is bright, dis-use makes it rusty: a pump much used brings forth water easily and abundantly: instruments of iron and steel are brighter with use; Thus it is in human learning, gifts and graces, expense enriches the possessor, and Solomon says, the liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that waters, shall be watered also himself (Proverbs 11:25): a liberal soul is a soul of blessing, as the Hebrew has it, because it is a blessing to others, and the more blessed by God, for to him that uses well shall be given more, as that is usually interpreted (Matthew 25:29): (though that must be referred to talents of the same kind, for improving common grace does not necessarily procure special grace); God does not infuse these habits to lie dead in you, but you must stir up the gift of God, employ your stock, lay out your money to exchangers: be not either non-residents or non-agents, Christianity requires activity; the truth is, all excellencies in the world are worthless if they be useless, there is much good ground in the world that is neither cultured nor owned, a world of precious metals in the bowels of the earth which shall never be coined, it is the constant use of money whereby it answers all things: Improvement, says a reverend man, gives a true value to all blessings, a penny in the purse is worth many talents in an unknown mine, that is our good that does us good, and that whereby we do good, and the more we do good, the more we are good: therefore, sirs, be active for God, read, pray, meditate, confer, and do all with your might, as men that are bound straight for Heaven, and will do all the good you can upon earth, and draw with you as many as you can to glory; O how this will enrich you, and increase your store? But this I have enlarged upon before: only observe, that it is the property of true grace to be communicative, and a blessing annexed to its exercise to be aggregative: a Christian gets most by laying out, God helps those that are ready to help the souls of others.
10. Be thankful for treasures received, give God praise and God will give you more grace: as our duty ascends, mercy descends; man's blessing God, brings down more blessings from God. Adore free grace, and you shall have more fruits of free grace. You are bound to bless God for worldly comforts and earthly treasures, much more for heavenly riches. Should we bless him for filling our houses with goods, and bellies with food? And shall we not bless him for filling our heads with truths and our hearts with grace? Must we bless him for a crust, and shall we not much more for a Christ? Will we thank God for earth, and shall we not for heaven? I fear Christians are much defective in this angelical and evangelical duty of praise: they are much in complaining of their defects and imperfections, and that's good in its due place, and season, and measure, so as to humble them and promote endeavors. But with all you ought to be thankful for what you are or have; self-denial and gratitude are very consistent, and contribute mutually to each other. You may and ought to bewail your barrenness, though you must also thank God for the degrees of fruitfulness: for what you have attained is the fruit of special grace; from God alone is your fruit found. He alone has tilled, and sown, and given the increase, let him have all the crop and harvest. To him is this debt of thanks owing, pay for the old, and fetch new. Admire his free grace that you have any divine incomes, though you have not what you desire, yet you have more than you deserve, and so much as deserves your thankfulness. That's a churlish creature that drowns past kindnesses in a sea of desires after more. I do appeal to your own conscience, have you not something in your soul worth thanks? Have you not seen your sin and misery? Laid them more to heart than outward troubles? Do you not prize Christ above the world? Long after communion with him? You cannot deny but you have received sweet impressions of divine truths, and various experiences, and as for graces and comforts, deal but faithfully with your own hearts, and see what they will say to you. Begin to enumerate your mercies, and you'll see further occasion of gratitude; especially recount your spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Jesus Christ. Thus does holy David (Psalm 103:1-3). He stirs up all within him to praise God, and reckons up spiritual mercies first, and can you not say, he has satisfied your heart, and replenished your soul with good things? Lay your hand upon your heart, and ask it whether you have not abundant cause of thankfulness? And give God praise according to your convictions. This is one great end God has in bestowing mercy, and returning an answer of prayer, that the soul may praise him, which is the tribute of glory that's due from the creature to our Creator. See Psalm 50:14-15, 23. Mr. Greenham observes, that in our liturgies, among a hundred prayers scarce one thanksgiving is found, and yet in civil matters, either by a natural logic or cunning rhetoric, we have learned to begin a new suit, with a thankful commemoration of receiving the old. But I beseech you show not yourselves ungrateful, praise God for what you have received, indeed bless him for your certain grounds of hope, perform your duty, and trust God for the performance of his promise. Bless God that he has laid up so large a treasure in Christ for indigent souls. Bless him that he has laid out so much thereof upon the many thousands that are now filled brimful of grace and glory, and bless him for the sweet overflowings of distinguishing grace to your languishing souls. Sirs, you are much questioning the truth of grace, but exercising yourselves in this duty of thankfulness will evidence sincerity, and preserve your stock, and be a means of further proficiency. Unthankfulness and unholiness are linked together in Scripture, and the more thankful you are, the more holy you are and shall be. God loves cheerful worshippers. The great variety of musical instruments in God's worship of old, should be echoed with cordial praises in gospel times. Praise is comely in God's account, and thankful souls have largest incomes. What saint was ever loaded with such riches of grace as the chosen vessel, blessed Paul? And who was fuller of thankfulness, or sounded out the praises of God so much as he? He had it much in his lips, that had so much in his heart; and the more he speaks of it, the more he is filled with it. Every breath, let out in praises, draws in new supplies of grace. Do you glorify God, and he will satisfy you. Pay this rent, and God will not turn you out of doors. Give him this tribute, and you shall have your freehold. Praise God for your little here, and you shall have fullness of grace, and riches of glory to praise him in and with to all eternity.
I shall close all these directions to maintain a treasure, especially this last of thankfulness with a sweet poem of Divine Herbert's, called Gratefulness.
You that have given so much to me, Give one thing more, a grateful heart, See how your beggar works on you, By art.
He makes your gifts occasion more, And says, if he in this be crossed, All you have given him heretofore Is lost.
But you did reckon, when at first Your word our hearts and hands did crave, What it would come to at the worst To save.
Perpetual knockings at your door, Tears sullying your transparent rooms, Gift upon gift, much would have more, And comes.
This notwithstanding, you went on, And did allow us all our noise, In fact you have made a sigh and groan, Your joys.
Not that you have not still above, Much better tunes than groans can make; But that these country airs your love, Did take.
Therefore I cry, and cry again; And in no quiet can you be, Til I a thankful heart obtain, Of you.
Not thankful, when it pleases me; As if your blessings had spare days, But such a heart whose pulse may be Your praise.
