4. Watchfulness and heed is necessary, otherwise corruption will break out. There is a quick intercourse between the heart and the tongue. Pride will show itself in a vain ostentation of parts ; passion in some heat of words ; worldliness and sensuality will bewray them- selves, and divert us from holy conference to that which is carnal and worldly ; discontent in some unseemly expressions of God's dealings with us ; indiscretion and folly in a multitude of impertinent talk : Ps. cxli. 3, ' Set a watch, 0 Lord, before my mouth ; keep the door of my lips.' The tongue must be watched as well as the heart ; all watching will be to little purpose unless God bridle and curb our tongues, that nothing break out to his dishonour ; but this constant guard is necessary.
SERMON II.
The tongue of the just is as choice silver; the heart of the wicked is little worth. — Prov. x. 20.
I COME to the second branch, * But the heart of the wicked is little worth.'
Doct. That an unsanctified heart is a drossy heart, of no value and use as to heavenly things.
1 . Let me explain this aphorism.
2. Confirm it by reason.
3. Apply it.
I. To open it — (1.) What is meant by the 'wicked' man? (2.) What by his ' heart ' ? (3.) In what sense it is ' littlq worth ' ?
1. What is meant by the wicked man ? Ans. One that is not regenerate or renewed by the Holy Spirit. They are of several sorts ; some are more gross in the outbreakings of sin, others please the flesh in a more plausible and cleanly manner; the one are usually called wicked and profane persons, but others are comprised also: Ps. xiv. 3, * They are all gone aside ; they are altogether become filthy ; there is none that doeth good, no not one.' They are all in the state of nature, and their corrupt hearts are vile and loathsome in God's sight.
396 SERMONS UPON PROVERBS X. 20.
[1.] Some have great natural abilities and gifts; as Achitophelr 2 Sam. xvi, 23, ' And the counsel of Achitophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God ; ' yet his heart was nothing worth as to God's acceptance and his own salvation, as the issue declared.
[2.] Some have plausible shows of piety and external worship ; yet while the heart is unrenewed, that will not help the matter : Mat. xxiii. 27, 28, our Lord compareth them to ' whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness ; even so ye also appear outwardly righteous to men, but within are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.'
[3.] Not only the gross dissemblers, but those that are brought so- far as to a partial obedience ; yet this availeth not if the heart be not cleansed and renewed ; as it is said of Amaziah, 2 Chron. xxv. 2, * He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a per- fect heart.' It was right in the matter, and he did many things right, but his heart was nothing worth.
[4.] Though men act like themselves, and have no ' condemning, disallowing thoughts' within themselves, as conscious to any partiality and defect in their obedience, yet God still looketh to the heart, to see whether it be drossy or pure gold : Prov. xvi. 2, ' All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes, but God weigheth the spirits.' He puts the heart into the balance of the sanctuary. Men blinded with self-love are partial in their own cause, and, when the action is fair, overlook an unsanctified heart ; but the Lord considereth it exactly, quo animo, with what spirit everything is done.
2. What is meant by the heart ? Not that fleshy part which is in the midst of the breast, but the soul with all its faculties, understanding, will, and affections ; and this considered not as to its natural capacities and properties, but as corrupted by sin. Now great is the pravity and deep is the corruption of man's heart by nature, and that not only as to the disorder and disobedience of the inferior faculties, but as to he leading part of the soul — (1.) In order to God ; (2.) As to inferior things.
[1.] In order to God. (1.) In the understanding, there is not only ignorance, but indisposedness to know the truth, set forth by the notions of darkness and blindness: Eph. v. 8, 'Ye were sometimes darkness ;■" 2 Peter i. 9, 'He that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off.' He hath no spiritual discerning. This is worse than bodily blindness, because men are not sensible of it: Eev. iii. 18, * And knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor^ and blind, and naked ; ' and because they seek not fit guides to lead them : Acts xiii. 11, ' And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for many days : and immediately there fell on him a mist and darkness, and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.' But these cannot endure them. (2.) Vanity, and slightness, and folly : Mat. xxii. 5, ' They made light of it ; ' Heb. ii. 3, ' How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation ? ' Jer. iv. 14, * 0 Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be clean : how long shall vain