0 sirs ! though heart defilement is least taken notice of, yet heart defilement is the worst defilement, and the most dangerous defilement in the world. Heart defilement is spiritual defilement, and spiritual defilement is the defilement of devils, which of all defilement is the most hateful, odious, and pernicious defilement, Eph. vi. 12, [videBezsk.'j The hypocrite's only care is to keep his life from defilement, but the sincere Christian's care is mainly to keep his heart from defilement ; for he very well knows, that if he can but keep his heart clean, he shall with more ease keep his life clean ; if the fountain be kept pure, the streams will run pure. The heart is the spring of all actions, and there- fore every action is as the spring is from whence it flows ; if the spring be good, the action is good that flows from it ; if the spring be evil, the action is evil that flows from it : ' A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth good things ; and an evil man, out of the evil treasure of his heart, bringeth forth evil things,' Mark xii. 35. Cer- tainly, the great work of a Christian lieth with his heart. The refor- mation of the heart is the highest and choicest part of reformation, be- cause it is the reformation of the noblest part of man, and is that which God looks most after, Prov. xxiii. 26. The reformation of the heart is indeed the heart of reformation. There is nothing reformed to purpose till the heart be reformed ; if the heart be naught, all is naught ; if that be very naught, all is very naught ; if that be stark naught, all is stark naught ; but if that be reformed, all is reformed. A gracious man's watch is mainly about his heart : ^ ' Create in me a clean heart, O God ! and renew a right spirit within me.' ' Unite my heart to fear thy name.'
' Incline my heart unto thy testimonies.'' ' Let my heart be sound in thy statutes, that I be not ashamed.' ' When thou saidst. Seek my face, my heart answered, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.' ' With my whole heart have
1 sought thee.' ' Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin ao-ainst thee.' ' Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not unto covetousness.' The heart of man is the fountain of life or death, and therefore sin in the heart, in some respects, is worse and more dangerous than sin in the life ; and hence it is that the sincere Christian doubles his guard about his heart. Luther hit it when he said, *I more fear what is within me than what comes from without.' The storms and winds without do never move the earth ; it is only vapours within that causeth earthquakes, as philosophers observe. Hypocrites, as our Saviour testifies, are all for the outside ; they wash the platters and the cups, and beautify the tombs, like an adulteress whose care is to paint and set a fair face upon a foul matter. Mat. xxiii. 25-30 ; but now a sincere Christian, though he has a .special respect to the well ordering of his life, yet his main business and work is about his heart, Ps. 1. 23. Oh that this ignorant heart were but more enlightened ! Oh that this proud heart were but more humble ! Oh that this profane heart were but more holy ! Oh that this earthly heart were but more heavenly ! Oh that this unbelieving heart were but more believing ! Oh that this passionate heart were but more meek ! Oh that this carnal heart
> Ps. li. 10, Ixxxvi. ll.cxix. 30, cxix. 80, xxvii. 8, cxix. 2, 10; Acid viii. 30; Heb. viiL 10 ; Jer. xsxi. 33.
Chap. II.] a cabinet of jewels. 385
were but more spiritual ! Oh that this lukewarm heart were but more zealous for God, and Christ, and the gospel, and the great concernments of eternity! Oh that this slight heart were but more serious ! Oh that this dull heart were but more quickened ! Oh that this dead heart were but more enlivened ! &c. The highest and hardest work of a Christian lieth with his heart. Mark, common light, common convic- tion, education, enforcement of conscience, principles of common honesty and morality, the eye of man, the fear of man, the examples of man, the laws of man, and the rewards of man, with a hundred other things, may be very prevalent to reform the life, to regulate the outward con- versation, and to keep that in some due decorum ; and yet all these things will be found too weak, too low to change the heart, to reform the heart, to mend the heart, to purify the heart. To this great work there are principles of a higher nature required : ' Purifying their hearts by faith,' Acts xv. 9. It is not a guard of moral virtues, but a guard of saving graces that can keep the heart in order ; to reform the heart, to keep the heart in a gracious frame, is one of the best and hardest works in the Avorld : Prov. iv. 23, ' Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.' The text is about matter of life and death. The words are mandatory, for all counsels in Scripture carry in them the force of a command. In the words you have two things observable : (1.) A duty enjoined, ' Keep thy heart with all diligence.' (2.) The reason or motive enforcing it, ' For out of it are the issues of life.'' In the duty there are two things considerable : (1.) Here is the subject matter, the thing that is to be done, and that is, ' keep thy heart.' This duty is charged upon all in peremptory and undispensable terms. (2.) Here is the manner how it must be done, and that is, ' with all diligence.'
(1.) ' Keep! The Hebrew word IVJ, natsar, to keep, hath various signitications, but the main is to keep in safe custody ; we should keep our hearts as under lock and key, that they may be always at hand when the Lord shall call for them, &c.