(1.) Our perfonal care is required, Keep thy heart.

(2.) Our principal care, Keep it, with, or above all keeping.

As it is with the heart, naturally confidered, if that begin to tremble, or be in fear, or apprehenfion of danger: the blood and fpirits (as it is obferved) will forsake the outward parts, and run to that, to guard and fuccour it, the least wound therein being mortal, if it be but with the pricking of a Pin. Thus the heart is kept in its natural capacity; but the matter we are fpeaking of, is touching the keeping of the heart in its spiritual capacity; and keep it we ought with all diligence; watch it by night, and by day; at home, and abroad; when we are in company, and when we are alone, at all times, and in all places; yea, as the Apostle preffeth it on Timothy, Watch in all things, a Tim. 4. 5.

Now this keeping, this watching the heart, hath special reference to the inward workings, and stirrings of corruption.

(1.) To prevent (in the strength of Chrift) fo far as may be prevented, in this ftate of imperfection, the first rifings of them, of any one kind whatsoever; however to prevent, if poffible (and poffible it is) that the Corruption, and the Tempta tion, may be kept afunder, Matth. 26. 41, V 2

Watch

Watch, and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. Otherwise, there will be fad work; and the profperity of the Soul will begin to fade, and that upon the fudden. Though Hezekiah, as holy a Man as he was, and how much foever his Soul did profper, ( and profper it did exceedingly) yet he had always a root of pride in him which though it did not ftir him to fhew his Treasures to every body, yet when he fell into the temptation, by occafion of the vifit he had, from the King of Babylon, by his Ambassadours; then the Corruption, and the Temptation did meet, and ye may read, in the history, how much the well-fare of his Soul was prejudiced by it. So it was with David; he had, though a Man after God's own heart, the fame root of the fame corruption in him, yet it did not break forth, so as to abate any thing of his Souls profperity, till the temptation met with it, To have his fubjects numbred: neither had it then, if he had watched, as Peter did, to keep the temptation and the corruption afunder. See Act. 8. 20, Thy money perish with thee, faid Peter to Simon Magus. The temptation I was fuitable, for Peter was out of money. Alt. 3. 6, Silver and gold have I none. And -Peter was not fo perfect, as to be beyond the power of the temptation; but he kept the temptation from mingling with what

corrup

corruption foever was in his heart; and fo the 'gracious frame of his heart continued. untoucht by it. So David, 2 Sam. 16. 10, And the King faid, what have I to do with you, ye Sons of Zerviah fo let him curse, &c. He was fubject to the fame paffions with other Men, but by the affiftance (no doubt) of the Spirit of God, he kept the temptation, and the corruption afunder; and fo his Soul profpered the better for that tryal.

2. If there fhould be (as there is great danger there may be) a fad meeting (fo it is, and fo it will be found) betwixt the corruption, and the temptation, then endeavour, by the affiftance of the fpirit, that your own fpirits may immediately rife up in indignation, against it, and after fome hearty ejaculations for the prefent, with the first opportunity, with hearty loathing, and inward felf abhorrency, bring forth the temptation, and the corruption to the law of God, and fee them there condemned, and to the blood of Christ, and see them there pardoned; and to the spirit of Christ, that thereby all may be fubdued, and mortified. Really, a Soul that defires to profper, and to continue to profper, fhould as kindly work in a heart-melting, and a heart-humbling way, for these finful ftirrings of the heart, before God, as for finful words, and

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finful

finful actions before Men, Pfal. 73.22; So foolish was I, and ignorant, even as a beast before thee. It is, or fhould be with the Soul that profpers, as it is with the eye, if a fmall duft get into it, it will never leave twinkling, and watering till it be out, 2 Chron. 32. 26, Hezekiah bumbled himself greatly for the pride of his heart. Rom. 7. 24, O wretched man that I am, who fhall deliver me from the body of this death. He speaks of the law in his members, warring against the law of his mind. verf. 23. This is the way to prevent relapfes into fin, which is the Soul's fickness, and if not prevented, or timely healed, will overthrow the profperity of profpe ring Souls.

SER.

SERMON XIII.

2ly.

A

S Souls that begin to profper, and have any defire to continue fo, ought to keep themselves under the greatest obligations that are imaginable to beware of Relapfes: So they ought with as great care, and conftancy, to realize the presence of God with them, day by day. For it is, without all controverfie, true, that the exercife, and fo, by confequence, the growth, and increase of the principles of godliness, wherein Soul-profperity fpecially confifts, is founded upon, and preferved by the due confideration of God's prefence with us, and his all-feeing eye upon us. This is that which is fpecially comprehended in that expreffion of walking with God, and walking before God. And this is as fpecially to be obferved, That those that did so, whilst they did fo, their Souls profpered. We have it exemplified in Enoch, Gen. 5.22. And he had this teftimony, that he pleafed God, Heb. 11. 5. So Noah, Gen. 6.9, Noah was a just Man, and perfect in his generations,

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and