An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

even as the ship may be anchored fast to the earth, yet the waves and winds may move it up and down, but they cannot remove it. Thus the heart which hath godly simplicity, is fundamentally fastened upon Christ, although many temptations intruding may sometimes cause it to shake and totter.

Fourthly, Simplicity of heart is consistent in the uncompounded frame thereof. ¹It is not made up of several heterogeneals, as if there were metal of silver and lead, or gold and copper, and so is the same with purity. Every hypocrite hath a mixed heart, it is compounded of several ingredients; for being it is glued to the creatures, and to several lusts, because these are many; therefore he hath not a simplicity, but multiplicity in his heart. Divines do usually make simplicity to be one of Gods Attributes, because he is a most pure act compounded of no parts: Therefore he hath the highest simplicity in his Essence. And the Angels, they are also called simple substances, because they are next unto God. Yea the Philosophers call the Heavens, though a body, yet simple, because not compounded of elements, as sublunary things are. The notion then of the simplicity of the heart is seen in this, when it is not compounded, it hath not the mixture of other things with spiritual: and hence it doth appear, that no man in this life hath perfect and absolute simplicity; none hath his graces wholly pure, because some corruption is mingled with our duties. There is a composition of wine and water, of flesh and Spirit, of Grace and Nature in the best, but yet it is not predominant in the godly. The tares do not choke the wheat. The Jebusite doth not drive out the Israelite. Only this may serve to keep the godly humble and low in their own eyes; they have not that purity and singleness of heart they ought to have, yea and earnestly desire. Doest thou ever go about any holy duty, wherein thou doest not find corruption presently intermingling it self? Doth pure grace work always? How much of flesh and self doth interpose? But yet for the main thy heart hath simplicity.

Fourthly, Simplicity of heart is consistent in the uncompounded frame thereof.