Yea, how are the consciences of fallen professors plunged, and even overwhelmed in the deeps of trouble ? God inwardly excommunica- ting their souls from all comfortable fellowship with himself, and the joys of his salvation : infinite are the mischiefs that come by the scandalous lives of professors.
And what is the true cause and reason of all this, but the neglect- ing of their liearts.? Were our hearts better kept, all this would be prevented. Had David kept his heart, he had not broken his bones : a negligent and careless heart must of necessity produce a disorderly and scandalous life. I thank God for the freedom and faithfulness of a * reverend brother, in shewing professors their manifold miscar- riages ; and from my heart do wish, that when their wounds have been thoroughly searched by that probe, God would be pleased to heal them by this plaister. O professors ! if ever you will keep * * Gospel- Glass,
502 A GOOD HEART THE BEST MARK OF SINCEUITY.
religion sweet ; if ever you hope to recover the credit of it in the world, keep your hearts; either keep your hearts, or lose your credit ; keep your hearts, or lose your comforts ; keep your hearts lest ye shed soul-blood. What words can express the deep concern- ments, the wonderful consequences of this work ! Every thing puts a necessity, a solemnity, a beauty upon it.
8 Motive. An heart well kepi will Jit t/ou for any conditum God casts you into, or any service he hath to use you in.
He that hath learnt how to keep his heart lowly, is fit for prospe- rity : and he that knows how to use and apply it to scripture-pro- mises and supports, is fit to pass through any adversity : He that can deny the pride and selfishness of his heart is fit to be employed in any senice for God. Such a man was Paul, he did not only spend his time in preaching to others, in keeping others vineyards, but he looked to himself, kept his own vineyard ; 1 Cor. ix. 27. " Lest " when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away.*" And what an eminent instrument was he for God ? He could turn his hand to any work ; he could dexterously manage both an adverse and prosperous condition : " I know how to abound, and how to suf- " fer want. Let the people deify him, it moves him not, unless to " indignation. Let them stone him, he can bear it ; If a man purge " himself from these (saith he, 2 Tim. ii. 91.) he shall be a vessel *' unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's house, and " prepared unto every good work."
First the heart must be purged, and then it is prepared for any service of God. When the heart of Isaiah was purified, which was the thing signified by the touching of his lips with a coal from the altar, Isa. vi. 7. then he was fit for God's work : " Here am I, send " me," ver. 8. A man that hath not learned to keep his heart, put him upon any service for God, and if it be attended with honour, it shall swell up and over-top his spirit ; if with suffering it will ex- animate and sink him.
Jesus Christ had an instrumental fitness for his Father's work above all the servants that ever God employed: he was zealous in public work for God ; so zealous, that sometimes he forgot to eat bread, yea, that his friends thought he had been besides himself: but yet he so carried on his public work, as not to forget his own private communion with God : and therefore you read. Mat. xiii. 23. that when he had been labouring all day, yet, after that he went up to a mountain apart to pray, and was there alone. O let the keepers of the vineyards look to their own vineyard : We shall never be so in- strumental to the good of others, as when we are most diligent about our own souls.
9 Motive. If 'the people of God woidd viore diligen tly keep their hearts, how exceedingly would the communion of saints be thereby sweetened.
How goodly then would be thy tents, O Jacob ! and thy taber- nacles, O Israel ! Then it is prophesied of the Jews, Zech. viii. 23.
A GOO© HEART THE BEST MARK OF 3IXCER1TY. 50S
** Men would say, we will go with you ; for we have heard that God *' is among you."" It is the fellowship your souls have with the Father, and with the Son, that draws out the desires of others after fellowship with you, 1 John i. 3. I tell you, if saints would be per- suaded to take more pains, and spend more time about their hearts, there would quickly be such a divine lustre upon the face of their conversations, that men would account it no small privilege to be with or near them.
It is the pride, passion, and earthliness of our hearts that have spoiled Christian fellowship. Whence is it, that when Christians meet, they are often jarring and contending ? but only from their unmortified passions : whence are their uncharitable censures of their brethren : but only from self-ignorance : Why are they so rigid and unmerciful towards those that are fallen ? but because they consider, not themselves as the apostle speaks. Gal. vi. 1. Why is their dis- course so frothy and unprofitable when they meet ? is not this from the earthUness and vanity of their hearts ?
My brethren, these be the things that have spoiled Christian fel- lowship, and made it become a dry and sapless thing ; so that many Christians are even weary of it, and are ready to say with the prophet, Jer. ix. 2. " O that I had a cottage in the wilderness, &c. that I '* might leave my people, and go from them !"" And with David, Psal. cxx. 6. " My soul hath long dwelt ^vith them that hate peace." This hath made them long for the grave that they might go from them that are not their own people, to them that are their own peo- ple, as the original of that text imports, S Cor. v. 8.
But now if professors would study their own hearts more, watch and keep them better, all this would be prevented ; and the beauty and glory of communion again restored : they would divide no more, contend no more, censure rashly no more ; when their hearts are iu tune, their tongues will not jar ; how charitable, pitiful, and tender will they be of one another, when every one is daily humbled under the evils of his own heart. Lord, hasten those much-desired days, and bless these counsels in order to them !
10 Motive. Lastly, jB^/ this the comforts of the Spirit, and precious influence of all ordinances would be fixed, and much longer presei'ved in your souls iJian now they are.