Now for Jehoshaphat a godly man, in 2 Chron. 19.3. there you may see what the Lord saith of Jehoshaphat that was godly; Nevertheless, there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away ⟨p. 48⟩the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God. Jehoshaphat was found guilty in joining himself to wicked men too much, the Prophet comes and saith to him, Wouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Jehoshaphat here we see was very faulty in joining with those that were wicked, and is rebuked by the Prophet from the Lord; What wilt thou join with the wicked? the wrath of God is upon thee: Well, but for all that, (I beseech you observe it) That at that time when the Lord is most displeased against Jehoshaphat, and sends His Prophet in His Name to pronounce this, that the wrath of God is out against him: yet for all this, God cannot but take notice of this, that he had an upright heart, though he failed in that particular, yet there is some good found in thee, in that thou hast prepared thy heart to seek God. Indeed through some sudden temptations thou art drawn aside in this particular act; Yea, but it hath been thy care to prepare thy heart to seek me, and in that regard I do look upon thee as having an upright heart. And thus you see how much the Scripture puts upon the preparation of the heart to seek God. And so in 1 Sam. 7.3. you shall find that the Scripture makes the uprightness of the heart to consist in this, And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, (what then)? Then put away the strange gods, and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve Him only: As if Samuel should say, If you will return indeed to the Lord, if indeed your hearts be upright (according to what you seem to profess in turning to God,) Then prepare your hearts to seek the Lord. You do not in truth turn to God except you make conscience to prepare your hearts: Therefore you that yet never knew what it was to make conscience to prepare your hearts for holy duties, know that you have not turned with all your heart unto the Lord▪ there hath not been the true turning of your hearts unto the Lord. Thus you see there is much lies upon preparation to the duties of Gods Worship:
Now for Jehoshaphat a godly man, in 2 Chron. 19.3. there you may see what the Lord saith of Jehoshaphat that was godly; Nevertheless, there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away ⟨p. 48⟩the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God. Jehoshaphat was found guilty in joyning himself to wicked men too much, the Prophet comes and saith to him, Wouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Jehoshaphat here we see was very faulty in joyning with those that were wicked, and is rebuked by the Prophet from the Lord; What wilt thou joyne with the wicked? the wrath of God is upon thee: Well, but for all that, (I beseech you observe it) That at that time when the Lord is most displeased against Jehoshaphat, and sends His Prophet in His Name to pronounce this, that the wrath of God is out against him: yet for all this, God cannot but take notice of this, that he had an upright heart, though he failed in that particular, yet there is some good found in thee, in that thou hast prepared thy heart to seek God. Indeed through some sudden temptations thou art drawn aside in this particular act; Yea, but it hath been thy care to prepare thy heart to seek me, and in that regard I do look upon thee as having an upright heart. And thus you see how much the Scripture puts upon the preparation of the heart to seek God. And so in 1 Sam. 7.3. you shall find that the Scripture makes the uprightness of the heart to consist in this, And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel saying, If ye do returne unto the Lord with all your hearts, (what then)? Then put away the strange gods, and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve Him only: As if Samuel should say, If you will returne indeed to the Lord, if indeed your hearts be upright (according to what you seeme to professe in turning to God,) Then prepare your hearts to seek the Lord. You do not in truth turne to God except you make conscience to prepare your hearts: Therefore you that yet never knew what it was to make conscience to prepare your hearts for holy duties, know that you have not turned with all your heart unto the Lord▪ there hath not been the true turning of your hearts unto the Lord. Thus you see there is much lies upon preparation to the duties of Gods Worship:
