A.h ! what would I give, that my soul might be preserved in that frame I sometimes find it in after an ordinance ? AUquando intromittis me, Domine, in ciffectum multum inusitatim, introrsus ad quam nescio dulcedinem, &c. Sometimes, O Lord, (saith one of the Fathers sweetly) thqu admittest me into the most inward, unusual, and sweet delights, to I-know-not-what sweetness, which were it per- fected in me, I know not what it would be, or rather, what it would not be. But alas ! the heart grows careless again, and quickly re- turns, like water removed from the fire, to its native coldness. Could you but keep those things for ever in your hearts, what Christians
504 CHOICE MEANS TO KEEP THE HEART.
would you be ? what lives would you live ? and how is it that these things remain no longer with us ? Doubtless it is because we suffer our hearts to take cold again ; we should be as careful after an ordi- nance or duty to prevent this, as one that conies out of a hot bath, or great sweat, is of going out into the chill air. We have our hot and cold fits by turns : and what is the reason but our unskilfulness and carelessness in keeping the heart ?
It is a thousand pities, that the ordinances of God, as to their quickening and comforting effects, should be like those human or- dinances the apostle speaks of, that perish in the using. O then, let me say to you, as Job xv. 11. " Do the consolations of God *• seem small to you ?''' Look over these ten special benefits ; weigh them in a just balance : are they small matters ? Is it a small matter to have thy weak understanding assisted .'^ Thy endangered soulan- tidoted, thy sincerity cleared, thy communion with God sweetened, thy sails filled in prayer ? Is it a small thing to have the decayed power of godliness again recovered, all fatal scandals removed, an instrumental fitness to serve Christ obtained, the communion of saints restored to its primitive glory, and the influences of ordinances abid- ing in the souls of saints ? If these be no common blessings, no small benefits, then, surely, it is a great duty to keep the heart with all diligence.
The III. Use, /or Dh'ection.
The next use shall be for direction to some special means for the keeping of the heart. And here, besides what hath been hinted in the explication of the duty at the heginn'ing of this discourse^ to which I refer the reader, and all those directions throughout the Avhole, appropriated to particular cases and seasons ; I shall farther add several other general means of excellent use to this end. And the first is this:
1 Mean. Would you thus Tieep your hearts as hath been persuaded ? Then furnish your hearts ricldy with the word of' God, which is their lest preservation against sin.
Keep the word, and the word will keep you : as the first receiv- ing of the word regenerated your hearts, so the keeping of the word within you will preserve your hearts: Col. iii. 16. " Let the word " of Christ dwell richly in you :"" let it dwell, not tarry with you for a night, and let it dwell richly or plentifully ; in all that is of it, in its commands, promises, threats ; in all that is in you, in your understanding, memories, consciences, affections, and then it will preserve your hearts; Psalm cxix. 11. " Thy word have I hid in " mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." It is the slipperi- ness of our hearts in reference to the word, that causes so many slips in our lives. Conscience cannot be urged or awed with forgotten truths ; but keep it in the heart, and it will keep both heart and life upright; Psalm xxxvii. 31. " The law of his God is in his heart: ** none of his steps shall slide ;" or if he do, the word will recover
CHOICE MEANS TO KEEF THE HEART. 505
the straying heart again ; Mat. xxvi. 57. " Then Peter reraem- " bered the word of Jesus, and wept bitterly." We never lose our hearts, till they have first lost the efficacious and powerful impression of the word.
2 Mean. Call your hearts frequently to an accowit, if ever you Tnean to keep them with God.
Those that put a stock into the hands of unfaithful or suspicious servants, will be sure to make short reckonings witli them ; " The *' heart is deceitful, above all things, and desperately wicked," Jer. xvii. 9. O it is as necessary as sweet, that we and our reins, that is, we and our secret thoughts, should confer together every night, Psalm xvi. 7. We should call our hearts to account every evening, and say, O my heart ! Where hast thou been to-day ^ Where have thy thoughts been wandering to-day ^ What an account canst thou give of them 1; O naughty heart ! vain heart ! couldst thou not abide by the fountain of delights.'^ Is there better entertainment with the creature than with God ? The oftener the heart meets with rebukes and checks for wandering, the less it will wander : If every vain thought were retracted with a sigh, every excui'sion of the heart from God with a severe check, it would not dare so boldly and frequently to digress and step aside : those actions which are committed with reluctancy, are not committed with frequency.
3 Mean. He that will keep his hearty must take heed of plunging himself into such a multiplicity of earthly business^ as he ca/nnot manage without neglecting his main business.
It cannot be imagined he should keep his heart with God that hath lost himself in a wood of earthly business : Take heed you do not pinch your souls, by gratifying the immoderate desires of your flesh. I wish many Christians could truly say what an * heathen once did ! ' I do not give, but only lend myself to business." It is said Germanicus reigned in the hearts of the Romans ; I'iberius only in their provinces. Though, the world be in your hands, let it not justle Christ out of your hearts.
Take heed. Christian, lest thy shop steal away thy heart from thy closet ; God never intended earthly employments for a stop, but rather for a step to heavenly ones. O let not Aristippus the heathen, arise in judgment against thee, who said, ' He would rather neglect ' his means, than his mind ; his farm, than his soul.' If thy ship be overloaden, thou must cast some overboard : More business than thou canst well manage, is like more meat than thou canst well di- gest, which will quickly make a sickly soul.
4 Mean. He that means to keep his heart, must carefully observe its first declinings from God, and stop it there.
He that will find his house in good repair, must stop every chink as soon as discovered; and he that will keep his heart, must not let
506 CHOICE MEANS TO KEEP THE HEART.