General Directions, to help Christians how to get a Treasure of holy Thoughts.

MY principal design is to lay down a Directorie for the people of God, and because this is a business of great moment, consequence, and concernment, to have, keep, use, improve, and encrease an Heart-treasure. I shall be the larger upon it, and rank what I have to say under these four Topicks or Heads, Viz.

1.How shall a soul be furnished with a Treasure of good thoughts.#

2.How shall a Christian lay up Truths, Graces, Comforts, and Experiences?#

3.How may a Christian preserve and increase this Treasure?#

4.How must a treasured Soul draw out, and make use of his Treasure.#

To begin with the first, which is this: What course shall a Christian take to hoard up a treasure of holy thoughts? This is the good treasure chiefly intended in the Text, and I shal be the larger upon this Head. To this end I shal propound these ten Directions:

1.Work upon your hearts the reality & rarity of the things of God: get throughly convinced that there are such things to be had, & that they are worth laying up; You must look upon Divine things as infallibly certain, and incomparably excellent: those were accounted sensual and bruitish Philosophers, that (following Epicurus) placed mans chief happiness in matters of sense, as profit, pleasure, honour—But those were the most sublime, and (in asort) Divine, that placed the (summum bonum, or) chief good, in what is above, or opposite to sense, as in the good things of the minde, and moral vertue; Can Heathens by the light of nature and reason see a reality & excellency in things invisible to sense, & shal not Christians much more? it is a shame for a Saint, inlightned by the Spirit, to be so blear-eyed, [Note 1] as not to see afar off, or view spiritual objects: [Note 2] 'tis the duty and property of a Christian to over-look things that are seen, and intently to behold things not seen, 2 Cor 4:18. O Sirs, could you as really see with a spiritual eye spiritual goods, as you can with your natural eyes behold corporal objects, what an advantage would it be to you? Could you make Gospel-mysteries, and mercies as sensual to your selves, as a rich mans Bags and Lands are to him, what an exceeding help would it be? This made Moses forsake the visible glory of Aegypt, and endure intollerable things in the Wildernesse, for he saw him that was invisible, Heb 11:27. Thus Christians are to realize Divine Things, and account highly of them, for no man will treasure up that which he accounts not as most excellent, the making light of Gospel-grace, is the great reason why so many go without it, so 'tis said in Matt 22:5. the bidden guests made light of it, [Note 3] or as the word signifies, they would not take it into their care and thoughts, they lookt upon it as not worth looking after: I am perswaded unbelief, or want of a through, setled and effectual perswasion of the truth of the Gospel, and reality of what good is contained in the promises, is the root of that gross Atheisme, and wilful neglect in the World; you are to give your ful assent to the things of God, to venture your souls upon Scripture-principles, Gods ipse dixit must be in stead of all the demonstrations in the World, you must center and anchor your selves upon that impregnable Rock (Scriptum est) It is written, and though you cannot finde a reason of the things believed, yet this is to be accounted a sufficient reason of your belief, viz. God hath spoken them, and you may safelie trust your souls upon his word, for he cannot lie, he is wiser than to be deceived, and he is more righteous than to deceive: you may safelie lay the stress of your souls upon his word: O that I could perswade you to this, do not put off these things with a slight notion and conjectural opinion, [Note 4] but advance to the riches of the full assurance of understanding, that's an high word, but you cannot be too sure about these things, your strongest confidence may be battered, your perswasion may stagger, and therefore get as well rooted as you can, for according to the degrees of your affiance, wil your graces and duties ebb and flow, rise or fall: And you must not only believe the truth of them, [Note 5] but urge them upon your own hearts, as Paul saith, so say you, What shall I say to these things? are they true, or are they not? are they worth thinking of, or are they not? have I an interest in them, or have I not? O my soul let me press thee to the serious view of heavenly objects, they are choice things, and deserve our study, rare wherein few have interest, yet absolutelie necessarie wherin all must have a share, or they are undone for ever: That's the first direction.#

2.Reserve thy heart for, and resign up thy heart whollie to God: he calls for it, My Son give me thy heart, Prov 23:26. Let not thy dearest comforts, relations or companions have a share in thy soul, this is the chief tribute that's due to God, rob not God of any part of it, clip not the King of Heavens coin, but you may and must let out your hearts solelie and whollie to God, and things above, as the lines go to the center; [Note 6] David had set his affections to the house of his God, and therefore his thoughts were vehemently carried out after those things, that made him offer so much, and offer so willingly: the same man of God praies, [Note 7] Ps 86:11. Vnite my heart to fear thy Name, the word imports a making his heart one, he would not have an heart, and an heart; a divided heart is no God-fearing heart: He that would patch up a contentment both of God, and the Creature, shall go without a solid treasure, for the Creature cannot, and God will not fill such an heartless heart: Besides, love, saith one, is for one object, like a Piramid, it ends in a point, affection is weakened by dispersion, as a River by being turned into many Channels: You cannot serve two Masters, he that would have a treasure of any thing intends that onlie, he contracts his affaires into a narrow compass, and makes that his [τὸ ἔργον] his onlie work: So must you knit your thoughts together, and fix them upon this onlie object: 'tis a dangerous thing to divide the affections betwixt God and the World, like Iudah that sware by the Lord, [Note 8] and by Malcham, or their King: But God doth make account, that, that soul is not at all for him, that is not altogether for him, and not for another: those Nations feared not the Lord that joined their serving Idols, with fearing the true God, 2 Kings 17:33,#

34.There can no more be two chief delights in one heart, than two Suns in one Firmament; those spirits are winding and crooked, that are like that haven we read of Acts 27:12. [Note 9] Lying directlie towards two opposite points of Heaven: Cyrus took Babylon, by dividing the River, the Devil soon surprizeth us, if he can but divide out hearts: if our hearts be divided, we shall be found faultie: O lets take heed of being voluntarie Cripples, to halt between two opinions, let us not dismember our selves by being half, and hollow-hearted: God is infinite, Christ is compleat, [Note 10] spiritual things are most excellent, and these deserve the whole heart: therefore resign up your selves unto God resolvedlie, unreservedlie and universallie: [Note 11] fear not, as he findeth his life, that loseth it for God: so he onlie receiveth his heart as good, and worth having that giveth it to God: for he takes it to make it better, as even an Heathen could say to his Schollar, that had nothing to give him but himself: give God your hearts, and he wil furnish them with a treasure, commit your souls into his hands, and he wil both commit a treasure to you, and wil also keep that which you commit to him, [Note 12] til the great day of his illustrious appearing: he wil preserve both the case and the jewel, soul and bodie, the least attome of dust shal not be lost; how much more wil he graciouslie preserve that good work of grace, and fruits of the spirit, that he hath committed to you: therefore I beseech you take my councel in this, keep no corner of your heart for a stranger, [Note 13] but yield your selves to the Lord, deliver the keyes of your hearts into his hands, let the King of Glorie enter in, and his glorious train wil fil the Temple of your souls: he is a treasure where ever he comes; Christians are called Gods house, his Temple, its therefore gross sacriledge to rob him of his house, or to keep him out of doors; the soul of a believer, saith an ancient, is the true Temple of Christ, adorn and cloath that, offer gifts to that, receive Christ into it: herin consists the summe and marrow of our religion, viz. an heart totally dedicated unto God, and that's the second help to get a treasure in the heart.#

3.Live by Faith upon Jesus Christ: the lively acting of Faith upon the Mediatour of the Covenant wil fill your soules with saving and savoury Incomes: God hath appointed Christ to be the Store-house of his Church; now Faith is the hand to fetch supplies from Christ to the heart, by Faith is the soul ingrafted into this true Olive, [Note 14] and sucks fatnesse from it; Christ dwels in the heart by Faith, and stil more of Christ is fetched in by Faith: all the means of a Christians life is by the exercise of Faith: therefore is the righteous said to live by his faith, because it lives, and feeds the soul upon Christ: Faith empties the heart, and so makes room for Jesus Christ, and then layes hold of him, and compels him to turn into the heart. And our dear Saviour is willingly conquered with the strength of Faith; Faith is the key that opens the Chest where treasures lie, and the hand that brings them into the heart: Faith opens the heart to receive riches of grace, [Note 15] and that man hath a shut heart that hath not the Key of Faith: O get a great measure of Faith, for the more faith you have the richer you are, for Faith it self is a precious Treasure: and it doth all for enriching the soul; Truths cannot be a treasure in our minds to profit our hearts, [Note 16] except mixed with this precious ingredient, faith; all graces of the Spirit attend this Queen and Captain grace of Faith; Experiences cannot be gathered or improved without Faith: and that comfort is but a fancy that's not ushered in by the assurance of Faith: Faith is the great Bucket to draw water out of the wells of Salvation, [Note 17] and the more faith you bring, the more fulness you receive. Well then, would you have your hearts stored with a treasure, strive to encrease your faith, and let the Lord Jesus be the direct object of your faith; 'Tis he alone that hath the key of David, that doth both open heaven to us, and an heavenly treasure for us: Since the fall wee have no converse with God, or communication from him, but through a Mediatour; It is a terrible thing, saith Luther, even to think of God out of Christ; You must honour the Son as you honour the Father, and as you believe in God, so must you also act faith upon Christ God-man; that as our nature in Christs Person is filled with all that poor souls can want, so from that fulness we may receive all things needful for our being and well-being in grace. O stir up and awake your faith, come poor soul, reach hither thy hand of faith, [Note 18] and thrust it into thy Saviours pierced side, and there thou maist feel, and thence fetch abundant fruits of love: be not faithless but believing: do not dam up the channels of grace by unbelief, do not forsake thy own mercies, by being shy and fearfull to venture at it, thou canst lose nothing, thou maist get much by one single act of faith. O Sirs, one pure act of a lively faith will bring you in more treasure, then many hours tugging and strugling in duties, and performances: Nothing in the world doth [ponere obicem] shoot a bar, and bolt the door betwixt Christ and the heart, but unbelief: if thou canst believe all things are possible, but unbelief hinders the working of Myracles and operations of grace. Away with all distrust, [Note 19] set afoot the precious grace of Faith, break through the quarrellings of thy unbelieving heart, lye low under the sad sense of thine insufficiency, and sweet apprehension of Christs Al-sufficiency: humbly stretch forth the trembling hand of thy weak faith, though thou hast many mis-givings of spirit, yet say with teares, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief: I am no more able of my self to put forth one saving act of justifying faith, then I am to fulfil all righteousness, and keep the whole Law: but the grace of the Gospel hath undertaken to do that which it requireth to bee done: Lord, I roul my self upon thee, I come to thee by faith, do not cast me off, do not cast me out as a broken Vessel wherein there is no pleasure, but fill this empty Vessel of my broken heart with abundant incomes, which will redound unto thy glory, and my soules abundant comfort: this do and prosper, thus believe and be thou filled, poor wanting soul, for whatsoever you ask believing, you shall receive, Matt 21:22.#

4.Warm in your hearts the grace of love, that noble grace is of an expatiating and extensive nature; Heaven is the fittest room for its motion, and eternity for its duration; he that loves much will not be content with a little, and God will not put him off with a scantling: the more the soul is filled with love, [Note 20] the more it is filled with God, for God is love; and can a man have a better Treasure than God himself? Now if you love God, he will come in unto you, and make his abode with you, John 14:23. and can you wish a better treasure? Love makes room in the heart for more grace, he that loveth much, because much is forgiven him, shal have more given in: indeed that expression in 2 Cor 5:14. seems to denote the contracting nature of Love, the love of God constraineth us [συνέχει] straiteneth, [Note 21] keeps us in, but that is from other things, that the soul may have freer scope for God; this Love diverts the affections from running in any other channel, but towards Iesus Christ; it captivates the soul for Christ, and forceth it to do, and endure any thing for him whom the soul loveth. The grace of Love widens the arms to embrace Iesus Christ, inlargeth the heart to entertain him, and spiriteth the hands to act for him: Christ Iesus rides in a glorious triumphant Chariot, whether it mean his personal, [Note 22] or mystical Body, his flesh and humane nature, or his Church, which he fils with his Presence, I dispute not; but sure I am, the midst thereof is paved with Love, Song 3:10. Certainly, a soul beset with the sparkling gems of love is the fittest receptacle for Iesus Christ: He that is Love it self doth most freely commit the largest treasure to a loving Disciple, as he bequeathed his dear Mother to John, [Note 23] when we was breathing out his last upon the bitter Cross, [Note 24] and after his death entrusted him with the Revelation, yea, him only with a description of the state of the Church to the end of the World: O how freely do a loving Saviour, and loving soul open their hearts to each other! like intire an ancient Friends meeting that let out themselves in ample evidences, and reciprocal acts of Love: So here, the pure flame of a Saints love mounts up to Christ, and there meeting with that heavenly Element of perfect Love, brings more down into the Soul, and still these continued sallies of love to God, bring in successive incomes and encreases of grace: every act of Love exhales some corrupt vapours, and dilates the soules faculties, that it may be fit for the reception of more grace; Yea, Love sets the soul on edge for more, and makes it as unsatiable as it is unwearied in painful endeavours: Faith worketh by love, i.e. as by its hand to act for God, and indeed love, in a sort, worketh by faith, as its hand to fetch all from God, Faith sets Love on to crave, and Love ingageth Faith to derive more grace from God: Love is Faiths Stomach, and Faith is Loves purveyer: And as Love helps the Soul to a treasure of graces, so of truths; Love to Truths makes the soul look upon them as a precious Depositum, to think much of them, and so rivet them and clench them fast in the heart by meditation; Love makes a man contend for the faith by disputing and dying, if God call him to it. Hence it is, that Love is one of those hands that hold fast the form of sound words, 2 Tim 1:13. But he that receives not the truth in love, [Note 25] will never make it a Treasure, but wil sell it for a lust, and embrace a lie: [Note 26] therefore sirs, I entreat you work up this grace, stir up your hearts to think of the love of Christ, blow up this spark to a flame, content not your selves with a low degree of love to God, love him with an intensive, extensive, appreciative love, let your measure of love to him be beyond measure, let your hearts ascend to him in this holie flame of intire love, love him more than your enjoyments, more than your relations, more than your selves: I shall say no more of this ordinary, yet very necessarie subject, because many have done so worthilie herein: read them.#

5.Walk humblie with your God: that's another direction: walk close with God, a hint of that, but I shal speak most of that soul-inriching grace of humilitie: O Christians, the best means of edification is an holie conversation, God communicates secrets, and solace to them that walk with him, a soul of a wel-ordered conversation shal-see God's salvation; [Note 27] a Master wil betrust a faithful, careful, [Note 28] painful servant, with a larger Talent; for such an one credits his Master, and promotes his designes: bringing forth much fruit glorifies God and edifies men, and surelie the Lord wil dignifie such fruitful Vines with more care in dressing, [Note 29] and yet more of his blessing to help their abundant fruit-bearing: such shal have more clear discoveries of God's wil, [Note 30] as carefullie do it: and such as do his Commandements have right to the tree of life, [Note 31] that they may come to it when they please and eat abundantly, and live for ever: there's an incomparable advantage in close-walking: in keeping the Commandements there's this reward, [Note 32] that everie act of obedience doth increase abilitie to obey; everie step reneweth strength: Saints go from strength to strength, [Note 33] for the way of the Lord is strength to the upright: [Note 34] nothing evidenceth and increaseth grace so much as holiness, therefore as he that hath called you is holie, so be you holie; in all manner of conversation; And let me perswade you to be very humble, God gives more grace to the humble, [Note 35] humilitie is not onlie a grace, but a Vessel to receive more; the high and holy God fills the humble and lowlie heart; [Note 36] the King of Heaven loves to walk upon this blessed pavement. Blessed are the poor in spirit, [Note 37] for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven: and such a soul is the fittest receptacle for the precious riches of this Heavenly Kingdome: Much of the Ancients riches consisted in their Garments, and a Christians treasure lies much in his vesture, [Note 38] some whereof is his larger upper Coat that's Christ's righteousness imputed, which covers all defects and imperfections, some are closer Garments, girded to the soul by the girdle of truth and sinceritie, these are the Garments of sanctification, one choice part whereof is humilitie, 1 Pet 5:5. Be cloathed with humility: Some think the word imports that string or ribband that ties together those precious pearles of divine graces, these adorn the soul, and if this spring break they are all scattered: humilitie is the knot of everie vertue, the ornament of every grace: hence I read a quotation out of Basil, who cals humility [θησαυροφυλάκιον παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ] the store-house or magazin of all good: would to God we were all humble & holy walkers, & we should quickly have our hearts furnish'd with a treasure. Consecration in the time of the Law was by filling the hand, and he that is consecrated to the Lord shall have his heart filled, especially they that are emptied of all self-conceit, shal be filled with much of Gods fulness: Vally-Soules are usually covered over with a rich harvest of precious fruits: [Note 39] Humility is likewise a fit disposition for entertaining divine Truths, these choice grafts will like best in a low ground: a meek soul will bid truths welcome: for an humble heart looks upon every truth of God as infinitely above it self, and therefore falls down under it, and saith, speak Lord, for thy servant heareth; an humble soul ownes the authority of God in his word, wherever it finds it, whoever brings it, so that even a little childe may lead him any whither with a twine-thred of Scripture discoveries: [Note 40] But proud men and truth can never hit it, for they think scorn to put their necks under the girdle of Truth, and it will have the victory where it lodgeth; Those were proud men that would not obey truth in Jeremiahs mouth, [Note 41] and therefore must that Prophet take down their crests before they could be right Disciples of Truth, Jer 13:15. Hear ye, give ear, be not proud; And observe this, a proud man is alwaies of the losing hand, both in the account of God and man, and in his natural or acquired accomplishments: the more a man conceits to himself some imaginary attainments, the more he loseth: the stomach may be stuffed with noxious humours, that a man cannot eat, but that's not right fulness but a fulsome distemper, and proves dangerous, the bellie may be raised with a timpanie of wind, but that's not solid fatness, but a pernicious disease, and both these prejudice health: just thus is it with mens souls, the swelling disease hinders health by either truths or graces: O therefore be you humble, self-denying souls, sensible of your own defects, be nothing in your own eies, and you shall be the Temple, for the God of all grace to lodge in, and to walk constantlie in, yea he wil fil you with abundance of grace here and glorie hereafter.#

6.Be much in secret prayer: pray much and pray in secret, a word of both. [Note 42] O pray without ceasing, i.e. keep a continual praying disposition, and lay hold on every fit season for that duty: while prayer standeth stil, the trade of religion standeth stil, and there's nothing got: all comes into the soul by this door, 'tis good for a Christian to keep up, set and stated times of prayer: Daniel and David prayed three times a day, [Note 43] in extraordinary cases seven times a day, 'tis not lost labour to be much on our knees, we cannot go to God too often, I am surer not oftner than we shall be welcome, if we pray aright, for the holie of holies is ever open, our high Priest ever lives to make intercession for us, prayer was made morning and evening, and we must be constant and instant in prayer: [Note 44] as the hunting Dog that wil not cease following the game, til he have got it; so must we pursue the Lord, and persevere with strength, til we have obtained what we want: there is a kinde of omnipotencie in prayer, as it was said of Luther, he could do with God, even what he would: At present I would advise all Christians to keep up a constant set time of prayer: what if thou gettest little thereby? yet wait on God stil: Trades-men wil go to Markets and Fairs, and set open their Shop-doors, and Windows, though there be little to be done or gotten many times: so let the Christian keep this market of holie duties, and go upon the Exchange to spie what good bargain he can meet with for his soul; learn to maintain commerce with heaven stil, lest you lose your custome: keep canonical hours, (as it were) of prayer, though your hearts be often out of frame, venture upon duty, and trie what the Lord wil do with you: 'tis the folly of our trifling spirits to put off duty, when our hearts are not in tune, with expectation that they wil be in a better frame another time, but do we think that one sin wil excuse another? or that we shal be better fitted by a present neglect? no certainly we ought to stir up our selves to take hold on God, for why should Satan be gratified by a total forbearance? wil not disuse make us loather to go to God another time? yea have we not found it in Scripture and experience that a dead and discouraged entrance upon duty hath increased to sweet inlargements, and ravishments of spirit? search and see, usually an heart ingagement hath ended in an heart-enlargement, and God-enjoyment: God wil bring an engaged heart neer himself, Jer 30:21. None ever lost their labour in strugling with their untoward hearts: Oh Christians, be sure you be found in prayer though you come hardly to it; and have muh ado to keep at it, and have more hazard to get something by it: though with Jonathan and his armour bearer you clamber up the Hil on your hands and knees, and fight when you mount the top; yet you shal get the victory, and the spoils of such a conflict wil be the most inriching: one Pisgah-sight of Christ in a promise wil quit the cost, and hazard a thousand-fold: the evidence and advantage of such a performance wil be the best, and worth all the rest; yea for ought I know though you meet not with God as you desire at that time, yet God may own and crown that undertaking as much as the most heart-melting exercise, because there is most of obedience in that, and conscience of duty is as acceptable a motive to duty as sense of present recompence.#

But withal, keep up a course of secret prayer, with-draw your selves into a corner according to the Rule, Matt 6:6. God is wont to dispense his choicest blessings to solitary souls; when Iacob was left alone, [Note 45] he wrestled with the Angel of the Covenant & prevailed: Iohn and Ezekiel had their visions and revelations, when with-drawn from the World: Salomon saith, Wo to him that is alone, but blessed is he that being alone hath God to bear him company: [Note 46] Our dear Saviour tels his Disples, you leave me alone, yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me; and when no creature is with us, we have converse most with God; for observe it, when persons are most secluded from other Society, they are aptest to be subject to divine impressions, or to Sathanical suggestions: Therefore Christians, learn to get alone, improve solitary houres, pour out your soules in your Closets, and he will pour in grace; think not to seek and finde Christ in a crowd: the Lord Jesus and his Spouse are modest, and have the sweetest embraces when they are retired: You must invite him into the field—and there give him your loves, [Note 47] and he also will give you his love-tokens, and fill your hearts with a treasure: an honest intent for retirement to enjoy Christ did occasion a Monastick life: but certainly there is much sweetness in secret prayer, when the soul can freely open its bosome to God, and expostulate boldly, yet humbly with him; there the Christian may use such postures, pauses, pleadings, as would not be convenient before others: You may tell him your whole heart, and he wil deal with you as with Friends, and open his breast to you. Observe it Sirs, A Christian hath some secret errand to God, that the dearest Friend and nearest Relation must not know of, Cases that are not to be entrusted with any but God alone; here then comes in the necessity, and excellency of secret prayer; therefore again, let me earnestly request you to go alone (as you know Christ did often) and tell God your whole neare, hide nothing from him, plead no excuse from worldly businesse: Satan and your corrupt hearts will finde many occasions for diversion: but say to them as Abraham to his Servants, stay you here whiles I go and worship the Lord yonder: steal time from the world, and thy work, occasional Duties are like accidental Bargains, that make the careful Tradesmen rich: Bread eaten in secret is sweet, and such morsels make the soul well liking: Consult with such Christians as converse much with God in a corner, and you shal see their faces to shine as Moses's did after his retired conversings with God in the Mount; [Note 48] When Elijah to raise the Womans dead Son, he took him into the loft, and there prayed; When thou wouldest quicken up thy dead heart, take it alone, go into a loft, and fall on thy face or knees and pray, and see the blessed effects thereof: [Note 49] Cyprian notably describes his sweet and solitary Recesses into a place where no hearer can hinder his Discourse, or intemperate noise of the busie family can obstruct: there he perceived, and received what he felt, before he learned it, not by a long Series of study, but by a compendious act of divine Grace: