S" é c T. IX. ofConverfion, or Turning untoGod 49 werefo diligent in externalduties of Religion, and fo little careful about clean- fing andwathing the heart : Othat peoplecould once befit fubjertsto receive this truth. We fill cry, TheTemple of the Lord, Circumfioo, as the Jews did ; Our Báptifm, our Prayers ; but O where is theman that looks to any godly work upon his heart. Secondly,Therefore H the heart thusprizedabove allthings,becaufethat is thefoun- táin of dlfpiritual life: That is the good treafury, that is the fruitful tree; even as the heart in the bodydothgive life to all other parts of the whole man : ÁAy fon,,giveme thyheart, faith God,and,wirh all keeping!, keep thy heart,`Prova,q: This is the feat of all good, or ofall evil : This is the fouls Magazine, of fpiri- tual Store-houfe. Now its verygood to obferve the reafons why God doth thus preferá rent Why God pre and converted heart before all outward aéls of Religion for men'do not leis a rent an confider thefe things: They would think themfelves beats, and unworthy hoove ore the name of Chrillians, if they Ihouldnot pray, hear, and come to Church ; all os but then for thiscurious and neceffary workmanfhip upon the heart, they never cats ofReti- minde it at all : Think therefore All is but a tinkling Cymbal, till God bath turn- gion. ed thy heart thus in duties : For Firf, God never commanded limply and meerly any outward duty ofReligion, a, for its Pelf fake , But efpecially he required gracious qualificationsin the exer- cifeof them : He never commanded prayer, meerly for prayers fake; nor the keepingof the Sabbath, meerly for external obfervations fake; and in this fenfefome expound that, Sacrifice and burnt Offerings thou Wouldit not have: If therefore chele duties be not required, meerly and barely for themfejves, whydoef not thou attend to that which is the principal? Ohfay, Its not this duty, fo much as a converted heart in this duty; its not my coming to theAffemblies, its not my hearing Sermons this day, fo much as a changed turned heart thatGod looks at : This is the Benjamin God commands you to bring, elfenot to fee his face. Hence when the hearts of men do not fpiri- tualizethis duty; the Scripture calls it no more then. a Carnal Religion, or a Religion of the flefh, Phil. 3. and Y.eb.9. The Legal Rites, becaufe they did not reach to thepurifyingof the confcience, are called Carnal Ordinances See how defpicably the Scripture speaks of thefe things, when performed without fpiritual reference to Chrifl. Secondly, Its Rentyonr hearts, and notgarments; becaufe all outward duties of a Religion, are but the veffell orpipes Whichreceive filch liquour, good or bad, as are putintothem: 'A man may be ailing his fin, or his godlinefs, while he is,per- forming of them ; as the Phariiëeswere: Although a confiant, ordinary neg. left of Religious duties, be a lure fign of a prophane heart ; ¡Ter the confiant daily performing of them, is not a fure fign ofa gracious godlyheart; for they are fuch asis put into them : Even as thegood Angels, and the Devilsalfa have fometimes appeared inhumane bodies : And thus godlinefs or fin may,work in outward Religious duties ; fo that thofe external performancesand expreffions are not tobe made arguments of gracious men : Thefe leaveswill grow upon corrupt trees, as well as good trees. Thirdly, NoWonder if Godprefer a rent heart, before outward figes of humi- liation, becaufe thefe have been, andflill are confflent With the mofiE abominable Wickednefs : They wrought miracles, and cryed, Lord, Lord, who yet were found tobe workers of iniquity. The Jewshad their New-Moons, and their Oblations, and their daily Failings ; and at the fame time allo had Idolatries, Adulteries, and all manner of outward filthinefs: So that it is a great matter to know wherein true godlinefs Both confif what is the life and foul of pray- ing, hearing, and all Religious duties : One word fpoken from a converted rent heart, is more acceptable, thenmany thoufands expreffed in a meer cufo- miry and formal way. R 3 Oleo,
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