122 SERMONS upon Serm. XVIII: Love of it, they do but increafe their puni(hment, Luke 12. 47. That femora that knew his matters will , and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will , he fha11 be beaten with many ftripes i all the Priviledge of their exaCt Knowledge (hall be but an hotter Hell. 3. I obferve , That it is Obedience from the Heart; and fo it mutt needs be, if we confider the contexture of the words, or the imprinting the Doârine of the Gofpel, it is firft upon our Hearts, and then upon our Lives, Ifa. 51. 7. The people in whole heart is my Law. So Deut. 6. 6. Theft words that I command thee this day, ¡hall be in tby heart; for by the love of it we are brought to the obedience of this holy Law : So Prov. 4.4. Let thy heart retain my words. Prov. 22.22. Lay up my wards in thy heart, there is the proper Repofitory of the Law of God , it cannot work any good effeû upon us till we get it there, there is its proper feat , thence its influence. I (hall urge butto Arguments : Firft, It is Terminus aeiiaeum ad intra, it is the end of all thofe a &ions that come inward. The heart is that which God looks after, Fray. 23. 26. My fon, give me thy heart. He commandeth the Ear, but (till his commands reach the Heart. It is the Heart wherein Chrift dwelleth , Eph. 3. 17. not in the Ear, Tongue, or Brain ; till he take poffef(ìon of the Heart , all is as nothing. The Bodies of Believers are Temples of the Holy Ghoft, but (till in relation to the Heart or Soul; nothing is prized by God but what cometh thence. Men care not for obfequious compliances without the heart, 2 Kings 10.15. Is thine heart right as my heart is with thy heart ?Some content themfelves with a bare profeffion of Religion, or Tome fuperficial Pra&ices; but all is nothing to God : though thou pray with the Pharifee ; pay thy Vows with the Harlot, Prov. 7. kits Chrift with fudas ; offer Sacrifice with Cain 5 fart with Jefabel 5 fell thine Inheri- tance for a publick good, as Ananias and Sapphira, yet all is nothing without the heart. Judas was a Difciple , yet Satan entred into his heart , Luke 22. 2. Ananias joyned himfelf to the People of God , but Satan filled his heart to lye unto the Holy Ghoft, Ails 5. 3. Simon Magus was baptized, but his heart was not right with God, Adis 8. 22: the great deft& is in the Heart. Secondly, It is Fons ailionum ad extra, the Well-fining of all thofe aûions which look outward , as Prov. 4.23. Keep thy heart with all diligence, for oat of it are the ifines of life. Mat. t 5. 19. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, falfe witnef, blafphemies. If the Heart be kept pure and loyal to God , the Life will riot be fo fpotted and blemi(hed 5 for Principiata refpondent fuis principiis, the aCti- ons fuit with the heart , and it is impoffjble for men fo to difguife their Converfations, but that their Principles and inclinations will appear ; they may difguife it in a particu- lar aítion, but not in their courfe and way 5 it will appear how their hearts are confti- tuted by the tenor of their a &ions. 3. Here is Thanks given to God for this Change, gss Oem. r. Thankfgiving to God is a great and neceffary Duty, the very Life and Soul of our Religion: r They 5. 18. In every thing give thanks , for this is the will of God in Chrift NM' concerning you. Heb. 13. 15. By him therefore let us offer the facrifice of praifè to God continually that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to bis name. Our great bufinefs is to give thanks to God for Jefus Chrift both in word and deed. 2. We are chiefly to give thanks for fpiritual Mercies. They much excel thofe which are temporal and tranfitory: there- fore if there be a ju[t efteem of the mercies we praife God for, we will biefs God for them, Eph. 1. 3. Bleed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeffs Chrifi, who hath bleed us with all fpiritual bleffings in heavenly places in Chrifi. Temporal favours we all under - fiand, but a renewed heart is molt taken up with fpiritual Bleffings. Ephraim laid, Hof. 12.8. Beffed be God 1 am become rich 5 but it is better to fay, BlefTed be God I was once a fervant of fin, but now I have obeyed God from my heart. r. Thefe are difcriminating Mercies, and come from Gods fpecial Love: Ecc /ef. 9. r, 2, 3. No man knows either love or hatred by all that is before them. All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous and to the wicke to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean, &c. And Pfeil. 17. 14. From men which are thy hand, 0 Lord, from men of the wòrld, which bave their portion in this life, and whale belly thou filleft with thy hid ore, etnre. But Pfal. 119. 132. Look upon me, and be merciful to me, as thouufefl to do unto thofe that love thy Name : and Pfeil. 106. 4. Remember me , 0 Lord, with the favour that thou bearell unto thy people, 0 vifit me with thyfalvation. 2. Thefe concern the better part , 2 Cor. 4. 16. Though our outward man per, yet the inward man is renewed day by day: the other concern the outward man, Pfd. i7.
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