The Remedy for a divided heart is, get sincerity ⟨p. 137⟩and seriousness. And indeed the soul that is sincere, is serious. The real Beggar begs in good earnest, he cries, he weeps, he heeds not the playing of the children, the barking of the dogs, not he; his wants pinch him, his stomach pulls and craves, nothing but meat will please him: There's music perhaps within, and company without, but all's one to him, he is not concerned therewith, he's hungry in good earnest, and therefore still he cries for bread: So it is with the upright and serious heart, he is really and deeply pressed down with sin, and needy of grace and comfort; he sees the reality of invisible things; he fears the anger of God, and feels his broken bones, & therefore let the Devil, or the world, distribute what they can, or suggest what they will, he plies this […] must have pardon and grace• and the light of the Lord's countenance: It is not the stirring of a feather can unhinge him, for he is in good earnest, Jer. 30 21. For who is this that hath engaged his heart, to draw, nigh to me, saith the Lord. Where sits that man, that gives a heart to God? the Lord cries, who? O let every one that hears or reads this, cry out, Lord, it is I; and when the heart, ⟨p. 138⟩the whole heart is engaged in a duty, then work goes on. There's a vast difference between the pleading of an Orator, and the pleading of a Malefactor: The former hath perhaps a more smooth, elegant and starched discourse, but he handles it with a light finger; a friend, a fee would take him off; but the Malefactor that pleads for his life, he sweats, he cries, he begs, the Judge interrupts him, but he goes on; the Jailer stops his mouth, but he will proceed; all the Court cannot distract his mind from his business, his heart is wholly in it. And so it is with a sincere and serious Saint: He can truly say, Lord, thou hast more of my heart, than ever any creature in the world had; my heart is fixed, I am set upon this affair*: The great matters I am about, I neither can live, nor dare die without them, and therefore blame me not to be busy. It is the dear prayer that prevails, the prayer that costs us dear.
The Remedy for a divided heart is, get sincerity ⟨p. 137⟩and seriousness. And indeed the soul that is sincere, is serious. The real Beggar begs in good earnest, he cries, he weeps, he heeds not the playing of the children, the barking of the doggs, not he; his wants pinch him, his stomach pulls and craves, nothing but meat will please him: There's musick perhaps within, and company without, but all's one to him, he is not concerned therewith, he's hungry in good earnest, and therefore still he cries for bread: So it is with the upright and serious heart, he is really and deeply prest down with sin, and needy of grace and comfort; he sees the reality of invisible things; he fears the anger of God, and feels his broken bones, & therefore let the Devil, or the world, distribute what they can, or suggest what they will, he plyes this 〈…〉 must have pa•don and grace• and the light of the Lord's countenance: It is not the stirring of a feather can unhinge him, for he is in good earnest, Ier. 30 21. For who is this that hath engaged his heart, to draw, nigh to me, saith the Lord. Where sits that man, that gives a heart to God? the Lord cryes, who? O let every one that hears or reads this, cry out, Lord, it is I; and when the heart, ⟨p. 138⟩the whole heart is engaged in a duty, then work goes on. There's a vast difference between the pleading of an Orator, and the pleading of a Malefactor: The former hath perhaps a more smooth, elegant and starcht discourse, but he handles it with a light finger; a friend, a fee would take him off; but the Malefactor that pleads for his life, he sweats, he cryes, he begs, the Judge interrupts him, but he goes on; the Jaylor stops his mouth, but he will proceed; all the Court cannot distract his mind from his business, his heart is wholly in it. And so it is with a sincere and serious Saint: He can truly say, Lord, thou hast more of my heart, than ever any creature in the world had; my heart is fixed, I am set upon this affair*: The great matters I am about, I neither can live, nor dare die without them, and therefore blame me not to be busie. It is the dear prayer that prevails, the prayer that costs us dear.
- *Gregor. Nazidnz. tells of his Sister Gorgonia, being sick of an incurable disease, prostrated her self at the Altar, minantem se non prius Altare dimissuram quam nacta esset sanitatem: And cries out, O honest•m impudentiam • And she went whole away.Gregor. Nazidnz. tells of his Sister Gorgonia, being sick of an incurable disease, prostrated her self at the Altar, minantem se non prius Altare dimissuram quam nacta esset sanitatem: And cryes out, O honest•m impudentiam • And she went whole away.
