§. 63 Of drawing neere with the heart.
THere are sundry requisites here set down by the Apostle concerning the manner of our drawing neere.
The first is that it be with a a 1.1 true heart.
Of the heart and the divers acceptions thereof, See Chap. 3. v. 8. §. 79.
Here it is put for the innermost part of man: even for the whole soul, yet the body is not excluded, for we must glorifie God in our body as well as in our spirit, 1 Cor. 7. 20. But it is that which must principally be done. Without the heart there can be no drawing neare to God. It is not sufficient to draw neare in body:* 1.2 nor with lips, and tongue, unlesse it be with heart also. Give me thine heart, saith the Lord, Prov. 23. 26. Whatsoever you do, do it heartily: or b 1.3 from the soul, Col. 3. 23. This is Gods desire, Deut. 5. 29.
The heart is as a Queene that hath the command over all the other parts. It is a a spring, and as Gods secret close, Hereof see more Chap. 3. v. 12. §. 126.
Hereby is discovered the folly of superstitious persons, and of meere civill men.
Superstitious persons place all their piety in externall duties.
They seeme to draw neare to God, but not with the heart.
Of these there are two sorts.
- 1. Such as performe duties which God hath enjoyned: but formally, and with the outward man only: as the Jews, Isa. 1. 11, &c.
- 2. Such as worship God by humane inventions, Matth. 15. 9. Both these are abomination to the Lord: who doth as little regard externall ordinances instituted by himself, performed without the heart, as he doth humane in∣ventions, Isai. 66. 3. The Pharisees, against whom Christ denounced many woe•…•…, failed in both these. So do Papists in and by their latine service, and formall Protestants, who are like those that came and sat before the Prophet, Ezek. 33. 31.
Meere civill men are such as suppose all religion to consist in the externall du•…•…s of the second Table: If they be just in their dealing, true in their words, bountifull in their works: they think that they have done all that is required: Yet the very Heathen have herein gone beyond many of them. What reward can such look for of God? Even Publicans may do the same, Matth. 5. 45, 46.