Ofkeeping theHeart. 331 ofall,when God maketh menprofit, and they grow into fouiepra6life ofthemeànes, and theycanmike asgadlily, asiftheywere perfeéi : and after all this they become fecure, their prepuceorforeskin growetli againe,and this ismoil dangerous. 4 /Wafts inExod. confeffethofhimfelfe that heeis a man of vncircumcifed lips: fo it xomwemujl feemeth there isan vncircumcifiicnoftheforeskinne of thelips. And Aa.7.Steuen talleth circumcife the them menof vncircuneifed cares : there is then alto an vncircumtifionof the cares. lef resicinofour rem.4.they arecommanded cocircumcife the foreskinoftheir hearts : fo thereis anvncir- heart,. cumcllïonofdie heart. By the foreskinne it is the manner ofthc Scripturecovndcrffand whatfoeuergroceeth within vs, which is an impediment tovs indoing good.. A Learned writer faith, there is a forcskinne in ourBares, which the diuell fhutteth whenwe fhould heareanygood thing,and openeth whenany will fpecch is offered; that weemay becor- rupted thereby : fo inour lips lie draweth togetherthe foreskin, whenwee fhould fpeake anygood,andopenethit whenwelpeake any euill. Suchaforeskin is there inour hearts, which beevfeth at his owne pleafure. In our confeffion wee fay, that therefore wee doe the thingsweought nottodoe,and doe notthe thingswee oughtto doe,becaufewee fol- low thedeuifes and delires ofour ownehearts. And there is an vniuerfall leproue which baths fo. ouer-growne vs, that there is no one found part in vs. Isis ahard matter toa worldly,orfiefldyminded man to be perlwaded of this : for euerymanthinketh well of his owne waies, but the Lord pondereth theheart, Prou.14. AndEfay faith,chap.gg. Our malesarenot the Lordrwaies, and therefore they ¡hall neuer bring vs to theLord. And le- rem. i o.theProphet makes a proclamation on theLords behalfe, If any manwill befaced, let himleaue his ownewaies,trc. If wee will fee this moreplainly,let vsfee Genef.6.how the Lord looked on theheart oftnan,and he faw it fet on euill,andthat euen that thoughtthat was fartheft offwas feton euill,and not only let oneuill,butwholyeuill,and euill allthe day long,aud ail thenight long too ifye will. Micah.z.and Ierem.17. nothing is foeuill as Verf9. the heart : for theheart of man is will aboue allthings. Thereforeneedful!, it is that this foreskin betakenaway : not theheart it felfeas God createdit, but theforeskinne of the heart, which is a fruit oldie firft rebellion. For furelyvnleffethis heart be alrered,let the wordbe preached,and fay the Preacherswhat they can,all is invaine. Andallureily this error is inall herecikesin theworld, that they areperfwadedof fome purenaturalities in them fti11. And therefore if menwill be fruitful! to heareand receiueGods word, wemutt labourto circumcife theforeskinof oúrhearts. Now the fists way to takeaway this fore- rhoeghtt riot skinne is to reftraine our thoughts, andnot tobedeluded with thedoting opinionof the free. world,to thinke that thoughts are free. y Ifthe heart be fet on athing,no reafon can bemade but we haue a fetchbeyond it, and no perfwalon fo ftrongbutwee haue crinkesto goe betide them. The Lord iswell pleafed with theirintcnts,which preparetheir hearts to feeke him. 6 Whenthe heart isvpright,though therebe flamefault: yet theLord relpctlethmore . the faith and vprightnes of thelicartto crowneit,than liedoth thefault to curie it : is ap- peareth in Rebeccaand Jacob when they (tole thebleffing,&c. 7 Paul faithof himfelfe, that till bee knew themeaning of the laft comtnaundement, The tentfi tafh Thom/baitnot lufl,he thought well ofhimfelfe : and furely weeMall neuer knowthelawof manÁement. God aright,exceptwe knowtheheart iswholy euill. And wemuttknowwichall that the tongue is a world ofwickednes. And ifthe tongue,which is but an inftrument of the hart, be a worldofwickednes,what is the hartwhereofall proceedeth that thetongue fpeaketis Albeittherewere no diuellin theworld to tempt vs to euill,nor any. euillwrought to take a Baroneof exampleby,yet there abidethenough in the heart to corrupt thewholeman. Forthere is 'hegasecs no mill in the wickedeht man of theworld but it is in me,and would appeare,vnleffe the ilenum Lord did fuppreffeit. 8 Hewas defirousftill tokeepehimfelfe from deadnes,andtried his heart with thank- fulnes,by fpeakingfomewhat (aftermeate receiued) tothe glorieofGod,ifGodgaue any goodmatter into his muscle fo to take it,,if euery one wereGleist,then to rails vp lone good occalionof (peaking by reading, or tinging, which were fo vied, chat whenother things came in place tothe aforefaid end, theywere furceafedfrom, becaufecuftomable Ff 4 flicking
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=