shall say to his brother Raca shall be obnoxious to the Councel Raca is a Syriack word a word of Reproach it signifies a man that is empty of Judgement wit and reason Mat. 5. 22. By this Reproachfull speech men draw great guilt upon themselves before the judgement seat of God as any capitall crime did in the Sanhedrim or great Council of the Jews There were principally two kinds of Capital Judgements among the Jews the first was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judgement wherein 23 Judges did judge of the greater Capitall causes especially man slaughters 2. The other was the highest judgement of 71 Elders called the Sanhedrim Numb 11 16. who judged of the greatest causes onely and it was wont to inflict four kinds of punishments on men condemned Strangulation Sword Burning Stoning Maimony in Sanhedrim c. 1. s 3. 4. 5. explaineth it thus there was in Israel First a great Court or Judgement-Hall in the Sanctuary and that was The Hebrews in their common-wealth continued their chiefest Senate in Jerusalem of 71 Elders as Numb 11 16. there were 70 and Moses the Prince called the great Synedrion and their number was 71 as it is written Gather to me 70 men c. And Moses was chief over them as it is said and let them stand there with thee Numb 11. 16. Lo here are 71. the greatest in wisdome among them all they set him for head over them and he was called the Prince in every place and he stood in stead of Moses moreover they set two judgement Halls each of So they record in Talmud Bab. in sanhedrim ch 1. Maimony in sanhedrim c. 1. s 3 4 5. 23 Iudges the one at the door of the Court of the Sanctuary the other at the door of the mountain of the Temple and in every City of Israel wherein were 120 Fathers of Families or moe they set a lesser Synedrion which sate in the gate of the City as it is written and establish judgement in the gate Amos 5. 15. and their number was twenty three Iudges if it were a City which had not 120 men in it they set therein three Iudges for there is no judgement Hall of lesse than three c. By this Text thus opened it is evident that to think basely and reproachfully of our brethren is a great sinne which makes us liable to the dreadfull judgement of God men first speak this Raca of their brother in their thoughts before they speak it to their brother with their mouths 3. We are guilty of these dishonouring thoughts in relation to mens spirituall estates when we think thus I am more holy and righteous than others that these were the common thoughts of that Pharisee Luke 18. is evident by his speeches I am not as other Luke 18. 11. men are or as this Publican I exceed all others in righteousnesse and strict walking this Publican is a base fellow far below me he is a superlative sinner he is thus and thus this proud Pharisee thinks himself the chief Saint more righteous than any man living as his own words clearly import I am not as the rest of men be therefore Luke 18. 11. hee stands apart by himself praying yea every man by corrupt nature is apt to have low undervaluing Thoughts of others in comparison of themselves therefore it is Gods command that eve-man in humility should think others more Phl. 2. 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excellent than themselves hereby giving us to understand that we are apt through pride to think our selves more excellent than others 2. The hearts of men naturally are possessed with murdering thoughts against their Neighbours either directly or by way of tendency whereby they violate the sixth precept these are 1. Vnmercifull thoughts when the object of mercy is before them and a present opportunity of doing good and yet they think thus in their hearts I will not look upon this object I will not distribute to him I have many occasions of expences c. Deut. 15. 9. Beware that there be not a wicked thought in thine heart and thine eye be evil toward thy poor brother and thou givest not unto him c. What wicked murdering thought is this that is here condemned some such thought as this I will not pity the poor I will not give to him I must provide for mine own c. This unmercifull thought shows it self in these two effects 1. An evil eye when men turn away their face from their poor brethren and will not cast a compassionate look on them 2. A niggardly hand when they shut up their bounty not distributing according to ability and opportunity to such as are fit objects of mercy 2. Mens hearts are full of cruel oppressing thoughts against the poor which do produce oppressive over-reaching dealings and grinding the face of the poor c. the spoil of the poor is in their houses Isa 3. 14 15. 2. The second murdering thought which fills the hearts of sinners are spightfull hatefull thoughts against the Saints Carnal men being the seed of the old serpent are possessed with Cain-like Psal 74. thoughts of enmity against the holy seed of Christ 3. Men naturally are full of revengefull thoughts which make their hearts a very slaughter-house upon any reall or imaginary wrong done to them they are apt to think thus I will be even with such an one if ever occasion serve I will do to him as he hath done to me these thoughts of retaliation are expresly forbidden Prov. 24 28. 29. do not say in thine heart as he hath done unto me so will I do unto him I will return unto the man according to his work 3 The hearts of carnall men are full of adulerous thoughts whereby they transgresse the seventh Commandment The Law is spirituall and condemneth all thought-defilements the Pharisees Rom 7. 14 restrained this precept to the outward act onely but the great Law-giver expounds it more spiritually and shows us that there is a mentall heart adulterie which men commit in their thoughts every unchast inordinate thinking of a Mat. 5. 27 28. woman makes men guilty of adultery therefore Job resolves that he would not Job 31. think of a maid men are apt to blesse themselves with the Pharisee that they Luke 18. are no adulterers in their bodies but they do not consider what a world of adultery 2 Cor. 7. 1. they commit in their thoughts This thought filthinesse doth exceedingly pollute mens spirits and provoke God against them Gen. 65 6. 2. These unclean thoughts are incendiaries and bellows of adulterous affections the begetters of unclean speeches and actions Davids eyes first filled his heart with adulterous thoughts 2 Sam. 13. 2. his thoughts fired his affections and brought forth the external act which cost him broken bones Psal 51 3. These wanton unclean thoughts being lodged do make the hearts of men a filthy Stews a very
THE GRAND TRIALL OF TRVE Conversion OR Sanctifying Grace appearing and acting first and chiefly in the THOUGHTS A TREATISE Wherein these two Mysteries are opened I. The Mystery of Iniquity Working in Mans Thoughts by corrupt Nature II. The Mystery of Holiness Working in the Thoughts of Sanctified persons Together with Precious Preservatives against Evill Thoughts By JOHN BISCO Minister of the Gospel in Thomas Southwarke LONDON Printed by M. S. for G. Eversden at the Maiden-head in Pauls Church yard 1655. THOUGHTS are the First-borne of the soule the Beginning of its strength for the bringing forth either of good or evil Our Thoughts are first made up into affections and purposes and then they are made out into works and actions The sinfullnesse of Nature appears most in the disorder of our Thoughts and the power of Grace in the due Government of them The Apostle James saith He that offendeth not inwâ—rd I may say much more He that offendeth not in Thought the same is a perfect man and able to rule the whole body He is a Saint indeed that is so in Thought The ensuing Discourse containes a learned clear and spirituall Revelation of the Mystery of mans Thoughts Shewing both how the Mystery of Iniquity worketh in the Naturall mans Thoughts as also how the Mystery of Holiness worketh in the Thoughts of men Regenerate And therefore having perused this Book I judge the Publishing of it in Print very profitable for the help of All who desire to study and know their owne hearts and there to Sanctifie God both in shutting them with a holy indignation against all evill Thoughts and in opening them with a holy delight for the entertaining and lodging of those that are Good JOSEPH CARYL July 7th 1655. To the Honourable THOMAS ANDREVVS Alderman of the City of LONDON and President of Thomas Hospitall An overflowing fullnesse of all heavenly Graces and all watchfull preparation for the Glory that shall be revealed Much Honoured Sir IT is the promise of the All-Glorious God to honour those that honour him We honour God when we confesse him to be as he is in himself and in his glorious actings to us All the glory that we are able to give to God stands in cordiall verball and reall acknowledgments The most High is infinitly above â—ur highest praises and perforâ—ances 2 There be 4 speciall wayes whereby God honours men 1 When he raiseth them out of nothing worse then nothing yea from the very depth of hell to a height of heavenly honour happiness and holines in Christ Jesus whereby he makes them more excellent then their neighbors Prov. 12. 26. for all true Christians are right honourable and truly royall they are loyall subjects and a Royall Priesthood they are really the 1 Peter 2. 9. Exod. 19. 6. Rev. 1. 6. 5. 10. lowest yet the highest people lowest in their own sense highest in Gods sight 2 God honours men when he gives them hearts to serve him in a faithfull and fruitfull subjection to his will The service of God is not only our duty but also our priviledge and preferment 3 When he raiseth men to places of eminency above others and makes them faithfull in employing their power for God and piously prudent in their publick deportment 4 But the highest honour shall be hereafter in heaven when all the Saints shall be filled brim full with grace and glory We cannot honour God untill he hath honoured us we cannot give glory to God until we have received glory from him We honour him because he first honours us grace is glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. Rom. 8. 30. Sir God hath honoured you with the truest honour in Christ and given you a heart to honour him again I cannot forget your holy zeale and Christian courage that you have openly manifested in standing up for Jesus Christ in owning and pleading his cause against such as endeavoured to pervert and subvert the purity of Gospel Ordinances and the power of Religion And I am confident that the righteous God will not forget your zeal for his cause and love to his servants God hath his Booke of remembrance Malachi 3. 16. and Hand of reward There shall not a good thought word or work in his people passe without secret record and open reward Mat. 6. Your speciall bounty and favour to my selfe ingageth me to apprehend any opportunity of due and deserved acknowledgement But that which is the strongest and most predominant Motive to quicken me to this Dedication is your constant holy affection to the Gospel of Jesus Christ his pure worship and most precious wayes Sir My hearts desire is that all the thoughts of God may be mercy and peace unto you that he would be pleased to add many happy years to your dayes and when you have served God your compleat time advance you to a Heaven of eternall glory a Haven of perfect rest a Paradise of all possible perfections through the free grace of God in Jesus Christ Which shall be the prayer of him who is Your Servant in the Worke of the Gospel JOHN BISCO The mystery of Mans thoughts opened 2. Cor. 10. 4 5. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God or to God to the pulling down of strong holds Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ IN the spirituall appearing of the King of glory to the soule the mighty power and work of the Spirit of grace doth chiefly appeare in these two things 1. In discovering the defilement and disorder of mans naturall thoughts 2. In setting and setling the thoughts in a holy order and spirituall frame of obedience The thoughts of every man as they act in corrupt nature are the great enemies of King Jesus they do strongly oppose his Ruling in and over mans soul they sit in the throne commanding and carrying our affections and actions untill the thoughts be cast down changed and brought under the command of Christ there cannot be that constant conformity in our affections and wayes that the Royall Law requires In the second verse of this Chapter Vers 2 we find there were some that conceived unjust thoughts against the holy Apostle looking upon him as though hee walked according to the flesh The false Teachers charged this upon the Apostle that he preached in a low earnall way making use of fleshly fraile helps as humane learning Arts Tongues and enticing words of mans wisdome setting out himselfe more then Christ they cry downe the Apostle that themselves might appear to the Churches as the only Spirituall Preachers That this was their designe is evident by comparing Gal. 4. 17. They zealously affect you but not well yea they would exclude you that you might affect them Thus our last translation reads it Piscator and Paraeus read it us they would exclude us that is out of your
affections and esteems 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vt vos excludant nempe a me hoc est a doctrina mea avellant Paraeus metapbora a procis quibus comparat pseudo-Apostolos Piscator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 variant tamen codices in quibusdam est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza first read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us and yet himself confesseth that in all Books it is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you The old Latine hath it you and so the Syriack version and like wise the Arabick they would exclude you and then the meanning is this the false Apostles pretend very great love to you and zeal for your souls good but 't is that they may exclude you from us that is draw you from our doctrine and ministery But learned Erasmus saith that in the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Syriack thus reads it for it renders the words thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Tremelius translates very well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Includere concludere but they would include you these words then as I conceive are thus to be read They zealously affect you not well but they would include you that you might Buxt NunquaÌ„ aliud significat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quam includere concludere constringere sicut captivus Carceri includitur ut Gal. 3. 22. Syrus videâ—ur legâ—sse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est includere vel concludere vos Piscator Arabs eadem voce usus est qua Syrus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ligavit Constrinxit Raphelengius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chald. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arab. Ligavit alligavit Constrinxit inclusit conclusit Schindler 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conclusit incarceravit in vincula carceremve conjecit in us deâ—inuit Golii Lexicon zealously affect them The plain sense whereof is this they make shew of the highest affection to your souls but faignedly for self-ends for this they do that they may include and shut you up in themselves in their own doctrines and opinions as in a Prison they would loosen you from us sayes Paul that they might tie you fast to themselves Corrupt Teachers promise liberty but they imprison mens judgements in their own unsound Tenents And this the Arabick version also imports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They would imprison you or tye you to themselves in opinion and affection In the third verse Paul cleareth himselfe and his ministery from this imputation For though we walke in the flesh we do not war after the flesh that is though we be cloathed with a mortall body and do carry about us a body of death reliques of corruption from which we cannot bee freed untill this earthly body be filled with death We do not war after the flesh we do not exercise our Ministery in a carnal corrupt way though wee act in a fleshly feeble outside yet not in a fleshly feeble manner in the work of our Ministery We do not manage the war of the flesh as the Syriack reads it all our warring is against the flesh For the weapons of our warfare are not Vers 4 carnall but mighty through God or to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God to the pulling down of strong holds Now in the fourth verse he demonstrates the negation proposed in his defence 1. From the Instrumentall cause We do not war after the flesh sayes Paul for the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly Such as the weapons are such is the warfare the weapons that we use in our preaching are spirituall those spirituall Truths of Gods word inspired from the Spirit of Truth therefore our warfare is not carnall 2. Our weapons are not weak but mighty through God overthrowing all that is fleshly in men they are powerfull therefore spiritual the more spirituality the more strength 3. They are weapons of Gods power as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Syriack renders it weapons whereby God puts forth the highest greatness of his power 4. They are mighty through Gods might working with and by them their power in acting is wholly from God 5. They are mighty to God as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Potentia Deo vel secundum Deum vel ex Deo Calvin marginall Note hath it the weapons that we use in our Ministery do exalt God his glory as the first and last in all our preaching 3. He proves his Ministery to be spiritual and not carnal from the spirituall efficacy and effects thereof God makes it effectual for the pulling down of strong Ad subversionem munitionum holds conquering and casting down the imaginations and thoughts of mens spirits for the subduing of all that is carnal and corrupt in them for the framing their hearts and thoughts to a conformity unto Christ Carnal preaching can never make carnal hearts spiritual the spirits of darkness cannot be conquered but by spiritual weapons What are those spiritual weapons Quest That divine Doctrine discovered in Answ the Gospel quickened by the power and presence of Gods Spirit in the faithfull and fervent dispensation thereof To the pulling down of strong holds or fortifications rebellious strong holds as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Syriack reads it the divine weapons wherewith we fight do prevaile to the storming taking and overthrowing those strong holds in sinners which stand out rebelliously against King Jesus What are these strong holds Quest Some by these forts understand whatsoever Answ doth oppose it selfe to Christ and Metaphorice sic appellat quicquid Christo ejusque Evangelio sese opponit Dr. Sclater his Gospel but I conceive here is a further meaning according to the Metaphor Every wicked thought and worldly lust in sinners doth oppose Christ as enemies to his government but they cannot properly be called a strong hold A single man rising up is easier subdued and taken than a strong hold that may cost much time and bloud A strong hold is that speciall sin whereby the strong man Satan holds possession of mens fouls and that which mainly keeps them from giving up their hearts to the King of glory 1. 'T is evident Math. 12. 43 44. that the heart of every man naturally is the Devils house wherein he rules and keeps possession till he be dispossessed by a stronger power All unregenerate men and women are spiritually possest by the Divel Mat. 12. 44. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therfore when a temporary faith comes in the unclean spirit is said to go out and sinners are called his house 2. Satan hath his strong holds in sinners whereby he holds them with a strong hand and wherein his chiefest Trust is 3. These fortifications are 1. Mans mountainous thoughts and imaginations which I shall demonstrate in its proper place 2. That particular darling defilement which is predominant in the sinners affections that bosome Dalilah sin which of all
and his will Eccles 7. 30. Ipsos autem quaerere Cogitationes multas Thus Piscator But they both Adam and Eve and also their posterity have sought out of their Et ipsi inquisierunt cogitationes multas Thus the Interlin own accord many thoughts that is crooked and corrupt thoughts and devices whereby they are fearfully faln from the first righteousness wherein they were formed These crooked thoughts were cast into our first Parents by that crooked Serpent Satan and being by them entertained they were the bitter root of that dreadfull disobedience What were those thoughts out of Quest which that abominable apostacy did spring The first was a Thought of Pride a Answ conceit and apprehension of some God-like perfection and excellency that was to be attain'd by eating that forbidden fruit which they could not enjoy by their yielding obedience to Gods Commandement The Divel had injected this thought into the Woman that by eating of that prohibited Tree they should presently have their eyes opened which the Woman Gen. 3. 4. 5. did apprehend to be meant of a further degree of wisdom as the like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 phrase imports Act. 26. 18. Ephes 1. 18. and they should be as Gods this the Woman understood of the Father Son and Holy Spirit as appears by the words of God in vers 22. Thus through the Divels suggestion and seducements the Woman began to have such thoughts in her mind as these surely there is some great perfection in that fruit which is restrained from us and by eating thereof we shall attain to a God-like wisdom a kind of omniscience this great ambitious thought was the main root out of which that great transgression took its rise 2. A thought of Infidelity our first Parents did not really conceive and apprehend that there was an All-sufficiency in God injoyed to fill them with all desirable perfections and this was the ground of their aversion from God unto the Creature This vile thought of A thought of distrust made entrance unto the fall of our first Parents Perkins Distrust entred into the heart of Eve it may be that it is not true that God hath spoken to us concerning this fruit and it may be God regards us not as we think he doth in that he denieth us this pleasant fruit hereupon her will and affections were drawn out to actual disobedience and departure from God 3. The opinion of a conceived excellency The Woman was possest with a strong conceit and opinion of the great wisdom and sagacity of the Tempter when she saw the spirit that talked with her to have taken upon him the shape of the most sagacious beast of the field she began to think thus with her self that though he were one of the abased spirits yet by the shape he had taken resembling his nature he must needs be most crafty and sagacious and so might pry further into Gods meaning then he was aware of and for this end the Divel of all other beasts of the field took the shape of a Serpent thereby to gain this conceit and opinion of sagacity and subtilty with the Woman and this conceit occasioned Eves fall 4. Our first Parents were possest with a thought of iniquity against their gracious God They did wickedly think and imagine that there was not the reality of love in God that he pretended to them but that he rather envied their perfection according to that calumniating thought which the Divel had cast into their minds that of ill will he had forbidden them this Tree for God knoweth that in the day ye eat thereof ye shall Gen. 3. 5. be as Gods 5. A thought of impunity that they should not surely dye though they did transgress that command of God who Gen. 2. 17. had threatned assured death the Divel had fild their hearts with this presumptuous thought ye shall not dying dye that is not dye the death as the Greek Gen. 3. 4. Translates Oh what infinite cause have we to hate evil thoughts even for this in that they were the root of that first Apostacy whereby we were all undone in Adam 2. Evill thoughts are the root of all the evill which is in our judgements and affections words and works 1. Our thoughts do corrupt our judgements James 2. 4. men are said to becom Judges of evill thoughts For the clear understanding of this mysterious Text it must be considered in its aspect and connexion with the two former verses wherin the Apostle declares how guilty the Hebrews to whom he writeth were of that great great evill from whence he disswades them namely an extra judiciall acception of persons by an usuall practice of theirs in their Church-assemblies he convinceth them by a notorious example that they gave speciall reverence and honour to rich men though wicked and unworthy meerly for their worldly wealth and splendor but they disrespected and despised the poor brethren though rich in faith because of their poverty this is a vile prosopolepsia condemned by the Royall Law and inconsistent with Christian faith and charity in that they scorned a godly man because poor in comparison of a wicked man that was rich In the fourth verse the Apostle declares the true root and rise of this perverse judgement in respect of persons they became Judges of evill thoughts that Jam. 2. 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is they did judge perversly according to the crooked Rule of their own corrupt thoughts ye are become discerners or distinguishers of evill thoughts thus the Syriack reads it that is they made an unjust difference and distinction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between the rich and the poor by their crooked thoughts they judged between them by evill opinions or imaginations as the Arabick version doth clearly and rightly express it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Genitivus hic non objecti sed attributi Grot. They judged between the Rich and the poor by evill thoughts they were possest with such evill thoughts as these that gold is to be preferred before grace outward pomp and glory before spirituall excellencies and these wicked thoughts were the root of their From the thoughts of men proceed all bad desires corrupt affections evil words and actions the mind must first conceive before the will can desire or the affections be delighted or the members of the body practise any thing Mr. Perkins unjust judging they valued and esteemed men according to their earthly excellencies and externall apearances The pollution which is in our affections coms originally from our thoughts inordinate affections are begotten by exorbitant thoughts 1. Affections are properly the motions and actings of mans will 2. All the affections are stird up and raised by the thoughts they are bred and fed by them no one thought passeth frō the mind but it stirs some affection of desire delight fear sorrow joy c. 3. Therefore it follows that such as our thoughts are such must
Judges in the Land they would do this or that they would surpass others in prudent righteous administrations self deniall c. like children or frantick persons they imagin themselves Princes Nobles States-men Rulers Rich men c. They think if they had as great Estates as some have in what a height of pomp and pleasure they would live for gorgeous apparrell delicate diet c. men fancy to themselves high places and possessions and in the thoughts therof they pride and felicitate themselves almost as much as those that really enjoy the things themselves 5. The fifth and highest degree of Fifth degree Pride is when men imagine a kind of Deity in themselves now there be two selfe Deifying Thoughts whereby they are guilty of devilish Pride 1. When men think themselves equal with God 2. When they conceive themselves to be as gods 1. This is the most abominable height of pride when men think themselves equal with the most high yet some have risen up to this height of arrogancy as the King of Babel when he said in his heart I will ascend above the height of the Isa 14. 14. Clouds and will be like the most high such also was the pride of Ninive who Zeph 2. 15. speaks thus in her heart I am and there is none beside me Men are guilty of these self Deifying-thoughts two wayes 1. When they imagine a power in and of themselves equal with Gods power this was the pride of Nebuchadnezzar when he said Who is that God that can deliver you out of my hand 2. When men do arrogate and assume to themselves that honour and power that is proper to God alone this was the cursed pride of Herod when he assented to that blasphemous speech of the people and spake that in his thoughts which they spake with their tongues crying the voice of God and not of man this is that abominable arrogancy Acts 12. 21 22 of Antichrist who sitting in the Temple of God exalts himself above 2. Thes 2 4. Dan. 11. 36. all that is called God or worshipped That man of sinne is evidently the Pope of Rome as appears by his self goddifying Acts and Attributes for though under a politick pretence of self abasing he calls himself the servant of servants yet in the height of his arrogant thoughts he sitteth as God for he takes to himself that honour and power that is Gods Royal Prerogative 1. He claimeth a power to forgive sinnes past present and to come 2. To prescribe new Rules of worship 3. To make lawes to bind the Conscience properly 4. To open and shut heaven 5. To dispose of earthly Kingdomes at his pleasure 6. To dispense with the Moral Law and with Apostolical Constitutions 2. Men are guilty of these self goddifying thoughts when they think themselves to be as gods The Devil in the beginning made an impression of this Gen. 3. 4 5. 1 John 9. 7. proud thought upon our first Parents ye shall be as gods and we being in their loins when they sinned and descending from them by ordinary generation do receive that corruption from them whereby we are inclined to think thus proudly of our selves that we have a kind of Deity in our selves This I take to be the meaning of that place The Lord God said behold man is become as one of us three the Father 1 John 5. 7. the Son and the holy spirit Man is not become as God really and indeed for we are by our fall come to be as the Devil but men are as gods in their own proud imaginations hereby Jehovah would discover to Adam and all his posterity what thoughts of devilish pride are now rooted and revealed in their depraved natures by believing the Serpents deceitfull promises 8. This Pride of Thoughts is predominant in all unregenerate men predominant sinnes are of two sorts particular or universal 1. Every man in his carnal estate hath his particular master sinne which is predominant in his affections and whereunto he is most strongly carried this we call the sinners bosome-beloved-sinne in some 't is avarice in others ambition c but Pride is an universall predominant sinne which raigns and revels in all unsanctified men as their great Goliah Ob. Some will say we find not this pride of thoughts working in our hearts Answ 1. They that are most fill'd with this pride do least feel it in themselves the lesse we discern it in our selves the more it domineers in us 2. The deeper sight and sense we have of this sinne the more we are delivered from it 9. This pride of thoughts is a Capital and Radical sinne it produceth many damnable evils and dangerous Superbia est caput atque causa omnium delictorum scriptum est enim initium peccati omnis superbia Augustinus prior est in vitus superbia non enim invidia parit superbiam sed superbia parit invidiam Aug. fruits as 1. Discontent with our present condition pride makes men think themselves greater than the greatest outward mercy 2. Ambition whereby men seek great things for themselves Jer. 45. 4 5. 3. Vain boasting whereby they speak of themselves their gifts and eminencies more than is comely 4. Hypocrisy whereby men make profession of those gifts and graces that really they have not or of a higher measure than indeed they have 5. Obstinacy and persisting in error against clear light when men are ingaged in a corrupt opinion they will not be convinced their error may daily be overthrown but their pride will not yield to the truth Quest How shall we know whether our differing in opinion from brethren proceed from pride or from conscience and want of convincing light Answer When men behave themselves humbly and meekly when they cannot see what their brethren do this argues it is from conscience not from Pride and Obstinacy but when they appear haughty lofty and censorious and think that those that dissent from them are wilfull and will not see the truth or els do act against their light this shows that such are acted by a spirit of pride and not by Conscience humility thinketh no evil 6. Pride of Thoughts is the cause of Division Contention and striving one against another in word or deed Prov. 13. 10. onely by pride cometh contention all contention is imputed to pride that is indi ed for the common disturber of peace 1. Pride makes men prove to be injurious to others 2. Out of these injuries arise strifes and brawlings 3. Out of contentions murder often breaks forth Hamans pride filled his heart with an insatiable thirst after the blood of the Jews The wicked Hest 3. Psal 10. 2. Micah 18. 1 2 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judg. 8. 1. c. 12 1 2. 3. mans persecuting the afflicted proceeds from his pride this was the cause of those contentions among the Apostles we may judge of the cause by the cure It is an elegant speech