How the Treasure of holy Thoughts thus laid in, is to be laid out.

Hitherto of the laying up of a Treasure of good Thoughts by the accession of Truths, Graces, Experiences and Comforts, the third head propounded, is how this Treasure is expended, brought forth, and improved, for that treasure is (in a sort) useless, that is not made use of. Now this Treasure is exerted four waies, viz. By the

1.Heart in Meditating.#

2.Lips Speaking.#

3.Hands Doing.#

4.Back Enduring.#

1.By the heart in Divine Soliloquies, and heavenly Meditations, in warming Notions and elevating Motions, these keep the Christian good company, so that hee is never less alone than when alone; As a very Heathen could say: [Note 1] Scripture-Truths are sweet and satisfying Companions in all conditions, places, stations; When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee, Prov 6:22. And what can we desire more than a Guide in our way, a Guard in our beds, and a sweet Companion in our solitudes, and serious retirements? Such are Divine Truths. A Christian may live upon this Treasure in a Wilderness, in Prison, [etiam in Inferne] even in Hell it self (saith Luther.) Gods Statutes were Davids Songs in the house of his Pilgrimage; [Note 2] Isaac went out into the fields for Recreation, and took his treasure along with him, getting a solitary and savoury repast, of Meditation, Gen 24:63. When a man is shut out from Ordinances, his soul may bee satisfied with Marrow and Fatness, [Note 3] when it meditates of God in the night-watches: Yea, when dull or discouraging thoughts discompose the spirit: This treasure helps to an holy spell to raise the spirit of the Believer, [Note 4] and drive away the evil spirit of deadness, and distraction. Meditation is a kinde of deliberate Extasie; The harmonious melody of the souls faculties within it self by a mutual and musical consort; it is the souls self-conference heard only by it self: It is a fetching up meat formerly taken down, and diffusing it into the several Veins and Arteries of the soul; Meditation (in a word) is an holy concoction and digestion of Divine Truths, which fattens and ripens the soul for Heaven. O the ravishing nature of a close and fixed Meditation. 'Tisa God-injoying, and self-profiting exercise; the devout soul, that's thus furnish'd with a Treasure, can expatiate upon all things, and like the laborious Bee, fetch the honey of some comfort out of every object and subject: When Grace is in the heart, knowledge in the head, and Truths in the memory; the Christian through Divine Assistance will make good work of every condition and dispensation: [Note 5] 'Tis both the character and the honour of a Christian to meditate of Gods Law day and night; he that talks much with his own heart by meditation, and takes frequent turns in Paradise by contemplation; doth far transcend the rate and pace of ordinary Christians: [Note 6] For (saith a great Divine) commonly we are transformed into the dispositions and manners of those, whose company we frequent. And if we keep company with an holy God, by-meditation, wee shall be more exactly holy in all manner of Conversation.#

2.This Treasure of the Heart vents it self by the Lips in heavenly Communications; and that two waies,#

1.Conferences, discoursing with Men.#

2.Performances, discoursing with God.#

1.A treasured soul doth discourse profitably with men: This, I think, is the chief design of this Text; a bringing forth good things in talking to mens Edification. A gracious heart freely pours out holy Expressions; Salomon saith, [Note 7] the Heart of the Wise teacheth his Mouth: That inward spring feeds these sweet streams; and tipps the tongue with Divine Rhetorick. So Song 4:11. Thy Lips, O my Spouse, drop as the Hony-comb, Hony and Milk are under thy Tongue; not like vain-glorious empty Scholars, or conceited formal Professors, that have got some scraps of confused Notions, then fet open the Pack, and expose all to open view, but are quickly drawn dry: No, no, these well-furnisht souls have an overflowing treasure of holy Matter, to produce upon occasion, and can speak a word in season upon any subject, to any soul. 'Tis said of Plato and Ambrose, that Bees swarmed in their Cradles, as presages of their future Eloquence: So the Honey-comb of Scripture-Truths drops at the Christians tongues end; his speech is seasoned with salt, [Note 8] because his heart is seasoned with Grace; his discourses (like Hony) at once both purge and please the Sanctified Auditor: [Note 9] When the well-guided tongue is an Interpreter of a cleansed heart, 'tis food and physick to him that improves it: For the tongue of the Wise is health, Prov 12:18. The same word in the Heb. [Note 10] that signifies tongue, is also used (joyned with another word) for a wedge of Gold: The truth is, a Treasured Heart findes a precious golden Tongue; and nothing more cordial to the fainting heart, than the fruit of those choice Lips.#

2.This Treasure is exercised in Religious Dutys, and Holy Performances: The root of Grace in the heart, [Note 11] brings forth these Fruits of the Lips in Prayer and Praise. The spirit of Prayer fumes up to Heaven this Divine Incense: Such a soul needs not to be prompted by men, that hath this lively Liturgy in his heart; [Note 12] the Spirit can help both to affections and expressions. A treasured soul hath a stock of prayers, as an able Minister hath a stock for Sermons (though he may be without a stock of written notes;) I mean, the body of Divinity in his head; which makes a ready Scribe: The more treasure a soul hath within, the more ready will it bee to every good work; yea, and the more raised to God in the work: Such a one is help'd very much against Distractions, the great complaint of good souls. It is a notable expression of a good Authour; [Note 13] (saith he) He that hath store of Gold and Silver in his pocket, and but a few brasse Farthings, will more readily upon every draught, come out with Gold and Silver, than with brasse Farthings. So he whose heart is stocked with holy thoughts, will not finde carnal cogitations so rife and frequent. If the heart have indited a good matter, [Note 14] the tongue will be as the pen of a ready Writer; If the heart be filled with Grace, it will make melody to the Lord, and musick to Good men. A treasured Soul is ready to trade with God in Duty. Yet take this Caution: A true Christian having a large measure of habitual Grace, is not alwaies in an equal actual capacity for Duty: David's heart may need tuning as wel as his Harp. The key of this treasure may be lost or rusted: So that the treasure of that man after Gods own heart, was lock'd up in great measure, for the space of nine months, til God sent the key by Nathan to open the Sluce of Repentance, and draw out the Seeds of Grace.#

3.The Treasure in the heart is also drawn out with the hands, in the works of piety towards God, charity to men, and sobriety with respect to our selves: So the Apostle distributeth good works, Tit. 2.12. 'Tis not enough for the soul to have the Axe laid to the root of the tree, in sound Conviction and Gospel-Humiliation, [Note 15] but he is to bring forth Fruits meet for such Repentance, [Note 16] in a Gospel-Conversation; we must not onely believe with the heart, [Note 17] and confess with the mouth; but Faith must work by Love; upwards to God, by the Obedience of Faith; inwards to the Heart, by purifying it; and downwards to men, by doing good unto all: But especially to the houshold of Faith. Here is a large field of matter for my pen, and the Christians hand; but the furnished Christian is universal in Obedience, baulks not the hardest and most hazardous Duties; will not serve God with that which costs him nothing: And this is a grand discriminating note betwixt a treasured Saint, and a treasureless Hypocrite: The carnal person loves a cheap Religion, and is loath to bee at any cost or pains for God, in a way of commanded Duty; but to a Childe of God the more spiritual a Duty is, and the more opposite 'tis to carnal ease and profit, the more freely doth the soul close with it: He is willing to cut off a right hand of a beloved Lust, pray for enemies, forgive wrongs, give to the poor; as knowing that all these (yea, [Note 18] even the last) are essential parts of our religion; therefore when the heart is full of grace the hands Dorcas-like, [Note 19] wil be full of good works; which are called fruits of righteousness. [Note 20] 'Tis the Christians duty and dignity to be fruitful in every good work; which cannot proceed from any other root than this Hearttreasure. A willing heart wil finde a liberal hand to relieve the poor; the Merchandise of penitent-Tyre is treasured up in the bellys, [Note 21] and upon the backs of Gods holy ones: This liberal soul deviseth liberal things, and wil not make use of carnal reasonings; as danger of poverty unworthiness of the poor, hardness of the times, and the like, which the prophet calls the instruments of the churl, but the largeness of a saint’s inward treasure will make him carefully to seek, and thankfully to embrace, and objects and occasions of charity ; yea, in some cases, he stretcheth beyond his power, where by the freeness of his heart, enhanceth the Mite into a pound in true worth, [Note 22] and Gods account: Thus the readiness of the heart compensates the weakness of the hand.#

But I must fixe bounds to this discourse; Yet a treasured Saint hath no stint of desires and endeavours to be acting for God, and the good-will of his heart adds new vigour to his fainting hand. Naturalists observe, that when the heart more inclineth to the right side, the spirits are more lively and apt for Contemplation and Action; [Note 23] hence that of Salomons, A Wise-mans heart is at his right hand: I am sure when a Christians heart boweth Godwards, his hand is full of activity in the ways of God, and works of godliness; When the soul is filled with Grace, the hand is fitted for acts of Religion.

4.This inward Heart-Treasure helps the back and shoulders to bear the Christians burthens: The time of affliction is a spending time; [Note 24] if there be any Grace within, tribulation wil draw it out. Hence it is said to work patience; not that it creates what was not in the soul before; but educeth and evidenceth that which before lay hid in the heart: The fiery Furnace wil prove and improve the souls spiritual strength; for if it faint in the day of adversity, its strength is smal, and treasure poor. Now, shal it be clearly known, whether the Conscience be sound or foundred, if it wil pace wel in rough waies: Twice is it repeated in Revelations, [Note 25] when mention is made of Anti-christ's tyranny and ruine; Here is the patience, here is the patience, and faith of Saints: q. d. Here's the tryal of it, here's room for it, here's the root and fruit of it, even Antichrists desolation, which they have been so long waiting and praying for; surely a glorious sight worth beholding; Rome flaming, Saints triumphing, yet in the mean time, they have need of Faith and patience: For immediately before both these passages, wee have a description of Romes rage; the Devil wil come down with the greater wrath, [Note 26] when hee hath a shorter time, and the last bitings of this dying Beast, wil be the fiercest, which may bring forth all the Saints Graces, and all little enough in times of tryal; we have great need of patience after wee have done Gods wil, that we may also endure his wil, til promises be performed. We must buckle on the Armour of God, that we may be able to withstand in an evil day; and having done and endured all, to stand on the Field as Conquerors. In personal conflicts all our stock of suffering Graces may be put too't; Poverty wil try our Faith; disgrace our self-denial; sickness our patience; delay of return of prayers in a long expected Mercy, wil try our hope;—and all these Graces must have their perfect work, [Note 27] that the Christian also may be perfect and intire, wanting nothing, Jas 1:4. He should have the whole heritage of a Christian, the compleat accomplishment of a Saint; every Grace in its height and due proportion. Job, David, Eli, and Hezekiah had laid in a large stock of bearing Graces, and they found enough to do with them in affliction; they had no more than they needed. Love bears and breaks through all things; Faith holds up the head and heart above discouragements: Nature hath furnished the Camel with a bunched back, to bear huge burthens, and a tractable bowing of his knees to the ground, that he may be the better loaded: So wil the wel-taught and accomplish'd Saint meekly stoop to take up, and chearfully carry Christs Cross, during his pleasure. That's a sound-hearted Christian indeed, that like the Nightingale can sing most sweetly when the thorn is at his breast; that like Spices, the more they are bruised, the better is the savour of their Graces. But a carnal man wanting this treasure of Grace, kicks at, yea, kicks off his burthen; yet though it be possible that the Spirit of a man, (as a man of a masculine temper naturally, or by acquired magnanimity) may possibly sustain his infirmity, and not succumb under outward burthens of sorrow, yet there's a vast difference betwixt a gracious and graceless heart in enduring afflictions, both as to their carriage thereunder, and advantage thereby: Hear Austin elegantly discovering the difference; There is (saith he) a dissimilitude of Sufferers in a similitude of sufferings, and though they bee under the same torment, yet is there not the same virtue and vice, as under one fire, gold brightneth, chaffe smoaketh; and under the same Flail stubble is crushed, Corn purged; Hence also the Lees mingle not with the Oyl, though pressed together; so one and the same on-set proves, purifieth, and sweetly melteth the good, condemneth, wasteth, rooteth out the bad: Hence in the same affliction the wicked hate and blaspheme God, the Godly pray and praise: So great is the consequence, not what things a man suffereth, but of what a Spirit is the Sufferer? For with the same motion may the channel stink abominably, and the oyntment smell most [Note 28] sweetly: Thus he, with which I shal conclude this head: What are the ways of laying out this Treasure.#