So much as I keep from God, so much I keep from heaven, and vvill not suffer him to glorify it, as I did wish one part to be saved, and another damned. He which would have his hart sanctified, and comforted, and enlightened, and vvil not give it to God, is like a woman which would have her dough leavened, and layeth her dough in one place, & the leaven in another, where one cannot touch the other: then cometh the tempter, and takes them asunder, and seizeth upon the heart, because he finds her alone. This is his seed time, now he enters into it, and fills it with his poison, till the temple of God be the sink of sin, and the hear which should be the seat of holiness, grace, and wisdom, a heart of pride, a heart of envy, a heart of lust more like a belly than a heart; ⟨image 20⟩how many things lodge in the hart when God is not there? It is a world to think, how the divine soul, which descended from heaven to bring forth fruit, is become a fit soil for every weed, whereby we may see what hearts we have before we give them to GOD Therefore now ask your hearts whose they are, and how they are moved with these words? how many here vvill give to this collection? whose heart is gone up unto him, since I began to speak? Here one, and there one runs up the ladder,1 like the angels that Jacob saw in his dream, and sing with David, 2My heart is prepared, my heart is prepared; and why not thou as well as he? Doeth not he send for all alike? wilt thou be the thorn, or the stone, or the high way,3 where the seed doeth lose his fruit? why, hadst thou rather be compelled then invited, since ⟨image 20⟩thou art called to a banquet?4 Howe many hearts moe might we draw to God, if all that be here would go to him this day? But thus it stands,5 God hath sent unto us for our hearts, and we answer him as the husbands of the vineyard, when he sent for fruits, or as Nabal answered David, 6when he sent for food, who is David? or, who is the Lord? That I should take my heart from pleasure and sin, and give it unto him? Thus we demur upon the cause, when we should give, whether we should give or no, and ask the flesh, and our lusts, and our pleasures, and if the devil will not give his assent: then we return to an excuse, it is not mine to give:
So much as I keep from God, so much I keepe from heauen, and vvill not suffer him to glorifie it, as I did vvishe one part to be saued, and another damned. He vvhich vvould haue his hart sanctified, and comforted, and enlightened, and vvil not geue it to God, is like a woman which would haue her dough leauened, and layeth her dough in one placee, & the leauen in another, vvhere one cannot touche the other: then commeth the tempter, and takes them asunder, and seaseth vpon the heart, because he findes her alone. This is his seede time, novv hee enters into it, and filles it vvith his poyson, till the temple of God be the sinke of sin, and the hearr vvhich shoulde bee the seate of holinesse, grace, and vvisedome, a heart of pride, a hearte of enuie, a hearte of luste more like a bellie than a hearte; ⟨image 20⟩hovv many things lodge in the hart vvhen God is not there? It is a vvorlde to think, hovv the diuine soule, vvhich descended from heauen to bring forth fruit, is become afit soyle for euery vveed, vvherby vve may see vvhat hearts vve haue before vvee geue them to GOD Therefore novv aske your heartes vvhose they are, and hovv they are mooued vvith these vvordes? hovve many here vvill geue to this collection? vvhose heart is gone vp vnto him, since I beeganne to speake? Here one, and there one runs vp the ladder,1 like the angels that Iacob savve in his dreame, and sing vvith Dauid, 2My heart is prepared, my heart is prepared; and why not thou as vvell as hee? Doeth not he sende for all alike? vvilt thou be the thorne, or the stone, or the high vvay,3 vvhere the seede doeth lose his fruite? vvhy, hadst thou rather be cōpelled then inuited, since ⟨image 20⟩thou art called to a banquet?4 Howe manie heartes moe might we draw to God, if all that be heere woulde goe to him this day? But thus it standes,5 God hath sent vnto vs for our heartes, and wee answere him as the husbandes of the vineyard, when he sent for fruites, or as Nabal aunswered Dauid, 6when hee sent for foode, who is Dauid? or, who is the Lord? That I shoulde take my heart from pleasure and sinne, and giue it vnto him? Thus we demurre vpon the cause, when we should giue, whether we should giue or no, and aske the fleshe, and our lusts, and our pleasures, and if the deuill will not giue his assent: thē we return to an excuse, it is not mine to giue:
- 1Gen. 28.12.
- 2Psal. 47 47
- 3Mat. 13
- 4Ma•. 22
- 5Mat. ••, 33
- 61, Sam, 25
