206 ^ A Box of precious Ointment : Or, Man malt labour after a clean infide, as well as a clean orit- fide ; the converfation muff not be only unfpotted before the world, but the heart alfo mutt be unlpotted before God; the heart is as capable of inward defilements as thebody is of outward defilements. 0 Sirs1 though heart -defilement is kalt taken notice of, yet heart-defilement is the worst` de- filement, and the molt dangerous defilement in the world ; heart-defilement is fpirituddefilement, end fpiritual defile- ment is the defilement of divels, which of all defilement is the molt hateful, odious and pernicious defilement. The hy- pocrites only care is to keep his life from defilement, but the fincere Chriflians 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 eke keep his life clean; if the fountain be kept pure, the ftreams will run pure : The heart is the fprina * of all ations, and therefore every aftion is as the fpring is from whence it flows;if the fpring be good, the a &ion is good that flows from it ; if the fpring be evil, the ation is evil that flows from it. eft good man out of the good treajure of his heart, bringeth forth good things ; and an evil man out of evil the treaftire of his heart, bringeth forth evil things. Certainly, the great work of a Chriffian lieth with his heart; the reformation of the heart is the highelt and choiceft part of reformation, becaufe it is the reformation of the nob_ leil part of man, and is that which God looks molt after-: The reformation of the heart, is indeed the heart of reformati- on ; there is nothing reformed to purpofo, till the heart be reformed ; if the heart be naught, all is naught ; if that be very naught, all is very naught ; if that he flark naught, all is flark 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 fpirit within .me ; Unite my heart to fear thy- name. Incline my heart unto-thy tellamonies. Let my heart be flund in thy fiatutes,- that I be not afhamed. Then thott faideft feek my face, my heart anfvtered, Thy face L'rd will 1 feek. Pfal. 9. IC). With my whole heart have fought thee. Ver. Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not fin againfl thee. Incline my heart iota thy teflimonies, and not unto covet- ,2, Cor. 7. Eph. 6. 12. vlaeee Prot/ 23. 26. Pfal.fi. Pfal. 86.11. Pfal. 119. ;6. Pfal. 119 80. Pfal. 27.8. See Pia]. 119. 2. Mrs 8 37. Heb. Jer. 3133'.
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