1. Frequent observation of the frame of the heart, turning in and examining how the case stands with it, this is one part of the work. Carnal and formal persons take no heed to this, they cannot be brought to confer with their own hearts ; there are some men and women that have lived forty or fifty years in the world, and have scarce had one hour's discourse with their own hearts all that while : It is a hard thing to bring a man and himself together upon such an account ; but saints know those soliloquies and self-conferences to be of excellent use and advantage. The heathen could say, anima seden- do et quiesccndojit safnens, the soul is made wise by sitting still in quietness : though bankrupts wish not to look into their books of ac- compt, yet upright hearts will know whether they go backward or for- ward, Psal. Ixxvii. 6. " I commune with mine own heart."" The heart can never be kept until its case be examined and understood. J^. It includes deep humiliation for heart-evils and disorders; thus
WHAT IT IS TO KEEP THE HEART. 427
Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, 2 Chron. xxxii. 26. Thus the people were ordered to spread forth their hands to God in prayer, in a sense of the plague of their own hearts, 1 Kings viii. 38. Upon this account many an upright heart hath been laid low before God : O what an heart have I ? They have in their con- fessions pointed at the heart, the pained place ; Lord, here is the wound, here is the plague-sore. It is with the heart well kept, as it is with the eye, which is a fit emblem of it, if a small dust get into the eye, it will never leave twinkUng and watering till it have wept it out : So the upright heart cannot be at rest till it have wept out its troubles, and poured out its complaints before the Lord.
3. It includes earnest supplications and instant prayer for heart- purifying and rectifying grace, when sin hath defiled and disordered it; so Psalm xix. 12. " Cleanse thou me from secret faults;'"* and Psalm Ixxxvi. 11. " Unite my heart to fear thy name.'' Saints have always many such petitions depending before the throne of God's grace ; this is the thing which is most pleaded by them with God : When they are praying for outward mercies, haply their spirits may be more remiss, but when it comes to the heart-case, then they ex- tend their spirits to the utmost, fill their mouths with arguments, weep and make supplication : Oh, for a better heart ! Oh for a heart to love God more. To hate sin more, to walk more evenly with God : Lord, deny not to me such a heart, whatever thou deny me ; give me an heart to fear thee, love and delight in thee, if I beg my bread in desolate places. It is observed of holy Mr. Bradford, that when he was confessing sin, he would never give over confessing until he had felt some brokenness of heart for that sin ; and when praying for any spiritual mercy, would never give over that suit, until he had got some relish of that mercy. That is the third thing included in keeping the heart.
4. It includes the imposing of strong engagements and bonds upon ourselves to walk more accurately with God, and avoid the occasions whereby the heart may be induced to sin : Well-composed, advised, and deliberate vows, are, in some cases, of excellent use to guard the heart against some special sin ; so Job xxxi. 1. " I made a covenant " with mine eyes ;" by this means, holy ones have over-awed their souls, and preserved themselves from defilement by some special heart-corruptions.
5. It includes a constant holy jealousy over our own hearts ; quicksighted self-jealousy is an excellent preservative from sin ; he that will keep his heart must have the eves of his soul awake and open upon all the disorderly and tumultuous stirrings of his affec- tions ; if the affections break loose, and the passions be stirred, the soul must discover and suppress them before they get to an height : O my soul, dost thou well in this ? J\Iy tumultuous thoughts and passions, where is your commission ?
4f28 WHAT IT IS TO KEEP THE HEART.
State mr% quae causa viae ? quive est'is in armls. Vir.
Happy is the man that thus feareth always, Prov. xxviii. 1-^, By this fear of the Lord it is that men depart from evil, shake off security, and preserve themselves from iniquity ; he that will keep his heart, must feed with fear, rejoice with fear, and pass the whole time of his sojourning here in fear, and all little enough to keep the heart from sin.
6. And, lastly, To add no more, it includes the reahzing of God's presence with us, and setting the Lord always before us: This the people of God have found a singular mean to keep their hearts up- right, and awe them from sin ; when the eye of our faith is fixed upon the eye of God's omniscience, we dare not let out our thoughts and affections to vanity: Holy Job durst not suffer his heart to yield to an impure, vain thought ; and what was it that moved him to so great a circumspection ? Why, he tells you. Job xxxi. 4. " Doth he " not see my ways, and count all my steps ? Walk before me (saith " God to Abraham) and be thou perfect," Gen. xvii. 1. Even as parents use to set their children in the congregation before them, knowing that else they will be toying and playing ; so would the heart of the best man too, were it not for the eye of God.
In these and such like particulars, do gracious souls express the care they have of their hearts ; they are as careful to prevent the breakino" loose of their corruptions in times of temptation, as seamen are to bind fast the guns, that they break not loose in a storm ; as careful to preserve the sweetness and comfort they have got from God in any duty, as one that comes out of an hot bath, or great sweat, is of taking cold, by going forth into the chill air. This is the work, and of all works in religion it is the most difficult, con- stant, and important work.