The Deceitfulness of the Heart by Anthony Burgess

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick;
who can understand it?” – Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV)

That the heart of every man naturally is full of deceit and guile, and therefore desperately wicked. Solomon spoke of four things hard to be found out, the going of a ship on the sea, a snake upon the rock, etc (Proverbs 30:19), because these leave no steps to trace them by; but you see an harder thing than all these to find out. The heart of a man, and that not only in respect of others, others cannot know what is in a man’s heart; but of our own selves, we are not able to dive into those depths: there is an abyss, a deep within every man’s heart, whereby he knows not the bottom of his ways: Who thinks not but that he repents, he believes, he loves God, when his heart deceives him all the while: So that as this is a large subject to preach upon, so it’s a very profitable and necessary point. Indeed this is the beginning of our conversion, when a man comes to be undeceived: Till his deceitfulness of the heart be in part removed, there is a great gulf between you and true repentance.

~ Anthony Burgess, A Treatise of Sin: The Deceitfulness of the Heart Unmasked

Use and Application of Scripture by William Perkins

Application is the skill by which the doctrine which has been properly drawn from Scripture is handled in ways which are appropriate to the circumstances of the place and time and to the people in the congregation. This is the biblical approach to exposition:

“I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.” – Ezekiel. 34:15, 16

“And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” – Jude 22, 23

The basic principle in application is to know whether the passage is a statement of the law or of the gospel. For when the Word is preached, the law and the gospel operate differently:

1. The law exposes the disease of sin, and as a side-effect stimulates and stirs it up. But it provides no remedy for it.
2. However the gospel not only teaches us what is to be done, it also has the power of the Holy Spirit joined to it.

When we are regenerated by him we receive the strength we need both to believe the gospel and to do what it commands. The law is, therefore, first in the order of teaching; then comes the gospel.

For this reason many statements which seem to belong to the law are, in the light of Christ, to be understood not legally but as qualified by the gospel:

“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” – Luke 11:28

“For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you,
neither is it far off…But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in
your heart, so that you can do it.” – Deuteronomy. 30:11, 14

“Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him…If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” – John 14:21,23

~ William Perkins, The Art of Prophesying, Chapter 7

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Practical Exercises for the Improvement of Knowing God

From Richard Baxter’s A Christian Directory:

 

For the right improvement of the knowledge of God and His attributes, here are some exercises:

 

1. The clearest knowledge you can attain to.

2. The firmest belief.

3. The highest estimation.

4. The greatest admiration.

5. The heartiest and sweetest complacency or love.

6. The strongest desire.

7. A filial awfulness, reverence, and fear.

8. The boldest quieting trust and confidence in him.

9. The most fixed waiting, dependence, hope, and expectation.

10. The most absolute self-resignation to him.

11. The fullest and quietest submission to his disposals.

12. The humblest and most absolute subjection to his governing authority and will, and the exactest obedience to his laws.

13. The boldest courage and fortitude in his cause, and owning him before the world in the greatest sufferings.

14. The greatest thankfulness for his mercies.

15. The most faithful improvement of his talents, and use of his means, and performance of our trust.

16. A reverent and holy use of his name and word: with a reverence of his secrets; forbearing to intrude or meddle with them.

17. A wise and cautelous observance of his providences, public and private; neither neglecting them, nor misinterpreting them; neither running before them, nor striving discontentedly against them.

18. A discerning, loving, and honouring his image in his children , notwithstanding their infirmities and faults; without any friendship to their faults , or over-magnifying or imitating them in any evil.

19. A reverent, serious, spiritual adoration and worshipping him, in public and private , with soul and body, in the use of all his holy ordinances; but especially in the joyful celebration of his praise, for all his perfections and his mercies.

20. The highest delight and fullest content and comfort in God that we can attain: especially a delight in knowing him, and obeying and pleasing him, worshipping and praising him; loving him, and being beloved of him, through Jesus Christ; and in the hopes of the perfecting of all these in our everlasting fruition of him in heavenly glory.

 

All these are the acts of piety towards God.