Thirdly from Satan Fourthly from a mans own sluggishnesse For the first The best children of God have corrupt natures and when they have done what they can distractions will fasten on them They would perform good duties better if they were able saying with Paul The good which I would I do not c. Secondly from nature as it is curbed The more grace binds nature to its good behaviovr the more rustling it keeps Even a Bird being at liberty keps no stir but being in a cage it flutters about because it is abridged of its libertie so when thou hast curbed thy corrupt flesh it will be skittish in every good dutie thou goest about and hence it is that the Apostle useth this phrase viz. I find another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind c. When grace curbs the law of sin then nature rebels Thirdly from Satan as in Job Satan stands at his right hand as a Plantiffe as Aegidius compares it which puts in all Cases to hinder the Defendant Even so the Devil puts in all bie-thoughts that he can devise to hinder a mans suit for going on before the throne of grace But thou must do as Abraham did when he was sacrificing when the birds came he drave them away so must thou do by thy bie-thoughts if thou wilt have fruit of thy supplications before God Fourthly they come from spiritual sluggishness that creeps on the best if they take not heed And this was the reason the Apostle cryed O wretched man that I am c. I speak not now to the children of God who are troubled with bie-thoughts in their praiers For they the more bie-thoughts they have the more earnest they are in prayer they mourn with David in their prayer Consider O Lord saith he how I mourn Psal 55. There was something in the Prophets prayer that did vex him and that made him so much the more to mourn before God But as for you that can have bie-thoughts in prayer and let them abide with you your praiers are not importunate the Heathen shall rise up against you and condemn you I remember a storie of a certain Youth who being in the temple with Alexander when he was to offer incense to his god and the Youth holding the golden Censer with the fire in it a coal fell on the Youths hand and burnt his wrist but the Youth considering what a sacred thing he was about for all he felt his wrist to be burnt yet he would not stir but continued still to the end This I speak to shame those that can let any thing though never so small to disturb them yea if it were possible lesser things then nothing for if nothing come to draw their hearts away they themselves will employ their hearts Baals Priests shall condemn these who did cut themselves with knives and all to make them pray so much the more stronglie What a shame is it then that we should come on life and death to pray for our souls and yet come with such loose and lazie praiers Think you that a male factor when he is crying at the Bar for his life will be thinking on his Pots and Whores c Was it ever heard of that a man at deaths-door should be thinking on his Dogs can he then think on them Do you think that Jonah prayed on this fashion when he was in the Whales belly or the Thief on the crosse or Daniel in the Lions den or the three Children in the fierie furnace or Paul in Prison Do ye think that these prayed thus What shall I be at praier and my mind in the fields No no if I will pray I must melt before God and bewail my sins and be heartily affected in prayer But as long as I pray thus I pray not at all And as God said to Adam where art thou so may he say to thee Man where art thou art thou at prayer and thy mind at mill is thy mind on thy Oxen and art thou at prayer before me what an indignitie is this Should a man come to sue to the King and not mind his suit will not the King say Do you mock me know you to whom ye speak The Lord takes this as a haynous sin when men come into his presence with such loose hearts Now seeing these things are thus take a word of exhortation to labour for importunate Prayer Prayer is the art of all arts it enables a man to all other duties it is the art of Repentance c. Samuel confessed if he had not had the 〈…〉 Prayer he could not have had the art of preaching 2 San. 12. 2â— See the antithesis between these two words God forbid as if he should say God forbid that I should cease to pray for you for then I should not teach you the right way A Minister can never preach to his people that prayes not for his people It is the art of Thanksgiving a man cannot be thankful if he cannot pray Psal 116. 12. It was the means whereby the Prophet David would be thankful to God he would take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. A man hath not a good servant unlesse he can pray for his master see the story of Abrahams servant Gen 24. Prayer helps to perform all other good duties How dost thou think to have benefit by the Word unlâ—sse thou be fervent in prayer with God to get a blessing upon it We can do nothing but by begging Secondly as Prayer is the art of all arts so it is the Compendium of all divinitie Therefore to call zealously on the name of the Lord is to be a Christian Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord c. It includes repentance humiliation sorrow for sin joy in Gods goodnesse thanksgiving for mercies obedience to his commandements yea the whole dutie man therefore we must labour to be importunate in prayer A Reasonable soul is eminently all souls so Prayer is eminently all good duties Psal 72. The prayer of David the son Jesse that is all his repentance in all passages he did humble himself before God all Davids duties are included by the name of the prayer of David the son of Jesse And therefore thou hadst need to make much of Prayer for thou canst never repent unlesse thou pray well Thirdly Prayer is a mans utmost refuge a man cannot have Christ but only by Prayer 'T is bad enough for a man to be a Drunkard or to live in any other sin but yet after all this if a man have the spirit of prayer there is hope of this man if after all his sinnes committed he can pray to God there is hope But for a man to sinne and not to be importunate in prayer is dangerous What saith the Psalmist They are corrupt and become abominable they have not called on the name of the Lord Psalm 14. 4. Oh fearfull condition Fourthly Prayer is that which Gods
duty 407. Three divine truths in the Text and context 1. Hypocrisie in a day of fasting and prayer takes away the life of the duty 408. 2. False and slight Hypocrites will be frequent in fasting and prayer 409. 3. Fasting rightly performed will put an edge upon every duty especially upo prayer ibid. Doctr. 1. Hypocrisie in any duty takes away the life of the duty ibid. Arguments to prove that it is so 1. Because all falsenesse and hypocrisie is directly against the nature of God 410. 2. Hypocrisie gives a blow to the ordinances of God 111. 3. Hypocrites do pervert the ordinance ibid. Use 1. For reproofe of those aery and outside duties that we performe ibid. Use 2. For information to teach us how to fast aright 412. Motives to fast in sincerity 1. Consider your selves as upon your death-beds when duties hypocritically performed will be corrosives in stead of cordials ibid. 2. Because if you bring any duty to God without sincerity it is nothing 413. Three Rules tending to this 1. Consider whether the work you this day come about do spring from living principles ibid. 2. Whether your opposition to sin be carried on strongly and unchangeably 414. 3. Whether you more mind how God accepts you then what he gives you ibid. The Contents of the nine and twentieth SERMON upon Iob 30. 31. 32. Doctr. REsolution to reforme should be upon the hearts of them that smart under the rod of the Lord. 417. In the prosecution of this doctrine three things are treated of 1. What kind of reformation it must be that we are to resolve of under the rodde 418. 2. What arguments should prevail with us to bring us to this resolution ibid. 3. What course we should take in reforming ibid. For the first we are to consider those six particulars 1. That our reformation must have reference to God who useth the rod ibid 2. Our work in reforming must be guided by God himself 419 3. We must reforme in one particular as well as in another ibid. 4. We are not only to reforme what we our selves know to be amisse but to inquire and be willing to be informed by others ibid. 5. We should so resolve to reforme as to binde our selves by solemn covenant for the future ibid. 6. We are not only to do it joyntly with a Family a Town a City but severally every one by himself alone 420. For the Second take these Arguments or Reason to perswade you to reforme and they are of two kinds Some in relation to God 1. Because God calls for Reformation under Correction ibid. 2. Because it is for our sins that God corrects us 421. 3. God is just and gratious in every stroke that he layes upon us ibid. 4. He knows our frame and how much we can beare ibid. 5. God is no respecter of persons 422. 6. Our reformation is the end that God aymes at in correcting us ibid. 7. God counts himself honoured in his peoples reformation ibid. Others in relation to our selves and they are either driving 1. Because not to reforme under the rod is a signe of unspeakable foolishnesse 423 2. It is a signe of extraordinary brutishnesse ibid. Or drawing arguments 2. Because to reforme is the way to gaine the comfort of the Lord 425. 3. If we reforme our sufferings will turne to our joy and everlasting comfort 425. For the third the course we are to take in reforming 1. We are to informe our selves from Scripture concerning the sinfulnesse and uglinesse of that from which we are to reforme 426. 2. We are to be deeply humbled for what ever we can discover to be out of order in our minds or actions ibid. 3. We must enter into a Covenant with God that having reformed we will sin no more 427. The Titles and Texts of the several SERMONS contained in this Volume THe Use and Benefit of Divine Meditation HAGGAI 1. 5. Now therefore saith the Lord of Hosts consider your wayes page 1. Another sermon upon the same Text HAGGAI 1. 5. The Danger of deferring Repentance PROVERBS 1 28. Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me p. 29. Vain Thoughts Arraigned at the Barre of Gods Justice PHIL. 3. 18. 19. For many walke of whom I have told you often and now tell you weeping that they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ whose end is destruction whose belly is their God whose glory is their shame who mind earthly things p. 43. The Judgement of the World by the Saints at the last day 1 COR. 6. 2. Know ye not that the Saints shal Judge the world p. 67. The Punishment of unworthy Communicants 1 COR. 11. 30. For this cause many are weake and sick among you and many sleep p. 83. The Duty of Communicants COR. 11. 28. But let a man examine himself and so let him eate of that Bread and drink of that Cup. p. 101. The Duty of Reprovers and Persons Reproved PROV 19. 1. He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy p. 121. The Misery of Earthly Thoughts ISAIAH 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord c. p. 139. The Necessity of Self-denial LUKE 9. 23. And he said unto them all If any man will come after me let him deny himself c. p. 151. The Efficacy of importunate Prayer LUKE 11. 9. Ask and it shall be given unto you seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you p. 163. Another Sermon on the same Text. LUKE 11. 9. The Necessity of Gospel-obedience COLOS. 1. 10. That you might walke worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull unto every good work p. 187. Another Sermon on the same Text. COLOS. 1. 10. A Caveat against late repentance Lu 23. 42. And he said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom p. 209. The Soveraigne Vertue of the Gospel PSAL. 147. 3. He healeth them that are broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds p. 223. A Funerall Sermon ISAIAH 57. 1. The Righteous perish and no man layeth it to heart and mercifull men are taken away none considering that the Righteous are taken from the evill to come p. 241. The Signes of Gods forsaking a People JEREM. 14. 1 And we are called by thy Name leave us not p. 251. The Sacrifice of the Faithful LAMENT 3. 57. Thou drewest nigh in the day that I called upon thee thou saidst Fear not p. 265. The Misery of the Creatures by the sin of man ROM 8. 22. For we know that every Creature groaneth with us also and travelleth in paine together unto this present p. 295. The Christian his Imitation of CHRIST 1 JOHN 2. 6. He that saith he remaineth in him ought even so to walk as he hath walked p. 313. The Enmity of the wicked to the
good word and work If these Rules be not observed the Rules of Gods blessed word the actions themselves are altered though the things be commanded of God yea they are cursed and abominable things when the true form and fashion of them is not regarded though they be never so godly A garment though it be never so good if the Taylor handle it not well it is marred in the making if he bring it not to a right form and make it in a right manner the man that is to have the garment is disappointed So Timber though it be never so excellent though it be all Oak or Elm or whatsoever tree though it be never so fit for building if the Artificer deal not well in handling it the inhabitant that comes there may curse the day that ever he came there if it be not well built it may fall on his head and kill him and all that belong to him So it is in all the Ordinances of God and the matters of Religion we must not only do them for matter but for manner too for that either makes or marrs them Thirdly another Reason is because only the right manner of doing duties gets the blessing A man may pray a thousand times and never be heard he may hear a million of Sermons and never be converted a man may come to all the Sacraments in the year all his life long and never be sealed against the day of redemption A man may do the things and never get the blessing all the blessing lies in the right manner of doing Blessed is that servant whom when his master comes he shall find so doing Matth. 24. 48. He saith not Whom when his master cometh he shall find doing Christ when he cometh to judgement shall find many doing it may be he will come in prayer time it may be he will come in the morning when many thousands shall be at their prayers in their families it may be he 'l come at night when all are at prayers in their houses it may be he will come on the Sabath when all the country is at Church hearing of Sermons he shall finde many thousands doing and praying But blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he comes shall find so praying so hearing so receiving the Sacrament He shall find many believing but so beleeving gets the blessing many professing but it is so professing that gets the comfort I say all the blessings of God are promised to the right manner of doing Now what is it when we do duties what do we look for Is it not for a blessing Why do we do the duties if we doe not do them so as we may get the blessing Now except we observe the right manner of doing them all is to no purpose Fourthly another Reason is the example of Jesus Christ Christ hath given us an example that we should do as he did Now he did not onely do that which his Father bid him do for matter but for manner both in all the words he spake and in all the deeds that he performed For the words he spake As the Father hath said unto me even so speak I John 12. And in John 14. 31. As the Father hath given me commandement even so do I. Mark he did not only obey his Father in the matter of his command but in the manner of it And as Christ hath done thus so all that are Christs all the servants of God in all ages they have been very carefull especially of the right manner of obeying God As it is said of Noah Gen. 6. 22. As the Lord commanded Noah even so did he just as the Lord commanded him he did not only make an Ark but so he made all the rooms so he made it in the same form and figure and in the same similitude just as the Lord set him down in the pattern even so did he So the Lord sets down the pattern of every good word and work of all our prayers and Sermons and hearing and conference and keeping the Sabath and speaking holily all our actions have their pattern set down in the word of God Now as we are to do the things so we are to do them in the same manner as the Lord commands even so must we do Fifthly and lastly except we do it in a right manner except as we come to the duty so we come to the right manner we can never glorifie God The glory of God lies in the manner of doing of things So let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven Matthew 5. 16. Mark the light must not shine only in our lives and conversations but so that the duty must be a means to the glorifying of God Now the means must have i'ts proportion and likenesse and nature and mold and frame from the nature of the end Look how the end is that the dutie looks unto so must the frame and fashion of the duty be Now if the end of all our actions be that God may be glorified that must put a form and fashion upon every duty that it may be so that he may have glory Suppose a man pray every day in his family and call all his housbold his servants and wife and children and all under his roof about him every morning and evening he may dishonour God by prayer every day on this fashion if a man pray coldly and carelesly for form and fashion without saith and life he makes all the ordinances of God vile and all the works of God contemptible his houshold sleeps one snorts it may be another is infinitely prophane it may be and though there be divers that would fain be quickned and wakened yet his prayer is so cold there is no life or heat nor warmth in it that God is exceedingly dishonoured and all are thereby rather worse than better So for a mans preaching though it be never so good a duty yet he must labour to preach so as the Apostle speaks of his preaching and labour in the work of his Ministery how he may edifie others and save his own soul So fight I not as one that beats the ayr but so as I may get the mastery We must so preach that we may attain the conversion of the people or else we may rather do as Hophni and Phineas the sonnes of Eli that made the table of the Lord contemptible and the Sacrifice of the Lord loathsome in the eyes of the people So may we do with the ordinances of God Take any duty of religion if it be not done aright God hath no glory by it Suppose thou wouldest reprove thy brother and tell him of his fault and check him for his back wardness or omission of some duty and for the commission of some sin if thou do it do it with a spirit of compassion and bowels of Jesus Christ with an humble heart with a feeling
it there are two things mainely considerable First a discovery of their sinnes Secondly A rule for reformation set down 6. 7. verses The discovery of their sins is to the latter end of the 5. verse Now in the discovery we find these sins very remarkable First their falsenesse they were a company of stately Hypocrites a company of brave people that could pray as well as any in the world keep a fast from morning till night I say they were people of a stately carriage but of a false spirit The second was their confidence upon their duty as they were stately for their parts and policy so they are as confident as stately when they did pray and fast they could rest upon their duty as in the third verse Wherefore have we fasted and thou seest it not We have punished our selves and thou regardest it not God gives them an account for that and discovers their sins which are the causes of it and they are two First he shews the unprofitablenesse of such kind of services they bring no soule-profit with them Secondly such services are unacceptable to God for saith God in the beginning of this verse all the fasts doe but end in strife and debate Consider the work we are in hand withall and let us apply this to our selves this day saith God by the Prophet in the Text You shall not fast as ye do to day to make the voice to be heard above as if God had said this is not the businesse that I have chosen as in the next verse it follows to hang down his head for a day to droop in his affections to be seemingly humbled and afterward to sprout up again as peart and ready to sin as ever it is not squaling and crying a little while will serve the turne performe the duties of a fast if you will keep a fast aright In the Text are three divine truths partly in it self and partly in what is before and after it they are these three I shal only touch upon the former though I name all The first is this That Hypocrisy or falsenesse in a day of fasting and prayer takes away the life of the duty this shall be confirmed by and by The second is this That false and slight Hypocrites they will be content to be frequent in fasting and prayer The third is this That fasting rightly improved will put an edge upon our prayer I shall only speak a word of each of these for the first and I name it againe I say Hypocrisy in duties of this nature does take away the life of the duty It riseth plainly out of the Text Hypocrisy in duty takes away the life of the duty saith the Lord I have not chose this fast but this is the fast that I have chosen to loose the bonds of wickednesse to take off the heavy burden and to let the oppressed goe free to deale thy bread to the hungry to bring the poor unto thine house this is the fast that I look at I doe not looke that a Sonne of God should come to guild over a day of fasting to weep and houle it out but the thing the Lord requires is to ease the burden of the afflicted to help the poor and oppressed ones this day of fasting and prayer will be the saddest that ever England had if it doe not end in the reformation of the Nation An hypocrite will performe as glorious duties it may be better then you but there he rests and spares all cost he joynes not charity with his pretended sanctity Secondly False and slight Hypocrites will be frequently in fasting and prayer This ariseth from the other part Hypocrites will be very forward they can say we have fasted and prayed we have done this they can take delight in approching to God they will come nere the business and say When will there be a reforming of what is amisse both in Church and state they make a great stirre and in meane time suffer manie poor servants of God to perish for want of sustenance about them In this I doe not meane mistake me not that the servants of God should not doe these duties but all that I say is to prove that an Hypocrite may doe these duties and this considered you will finde that there are not a few such amongst us because all we doe if rightly done must spring from other principles if you should fast every day in the weeke it would not doe unlesse the other duties before named be performed I say not this to discourage any of you from the duty for I set a high esteem upon the duties of this day It is like great Ordnance which will make a breach in a Castle when musket-shot will doe noe good Through Gods blessing this hath done more then all other duties cast out such subtile divels that nothing else could doe Thirdly Fasting rightly improved wil put an edge upon duty especially upon prayer The scripture provs this that fasting and prayer together a fast cannot be kept without prayer Now I returne to the first Doctrine which is the main thing I doe intend which is this namely That Hypocrisy in duty will take away the life of the duty I say falsenesse and hypocrisy in the duty will spoyle that duty Ye shall not fast as ye doe to day to make your voyce to be heard above here you make a great noyse but all the while ye are not heard ye doe not reach the mark and so you lose the game A Cannon may make a great noyse and yet come a mile short of the mark for hypocricie takes away the life of the duty your Cannon Bore is warped so your bullet goes beside the mark it must be a prayer rightly and understandingly made that the Lord will heare There is a phrase to this purpose Deut. 5. 28. and the Lord said I have heard the voyce of the words of this people which they have spoken unto me they have well said all that they have spoken There is a passage about this 2 Chron. 3. Then the Priests and Levites arose and blessed the people and their voice was heard and their prayer came up to his dwelling place even to heaven their voyce was heard because their praier was made in sincerity Your praiers doe not come high enough you doe not speak home enough if you did you should certainly be heard if it be in sincerity Now a Hypocrite may lift up his voice strongly and yet never be heard never come up to Gods dwelling place their prayers many times fall back upon their own faces like spittle against the wind and never come to Gods presence mark I say hypocricle takes away the vigor and life of the duty saith the Lord This is not the fast that I have chosen not the prayer that I would have made these prayers are but Arrows shot out of a weak Bow that come not half way to the mark Now we proceed to open it in the
particulars I will bring two or three arguments to prove it that it is so 1. You shall find that Hypocrisie in these Ordinances doth spoile all upon these two or three grounds The first is this Because all this falsenesse and hypocrisie is directly against the nature of God you have a strange passage to this purpose Mat. 6. 5. And when thou prayest be not as the Hypocrites for they love to stand and pray in the Sinagoues c. verily I say they have their reward what is that what is the reward of a false hypocritical praier he hath his praier that is all his work for his work a day of fasting for a day of fasting that is all a poor reward It too often falls out that amongst your children you have one that is a spend-all a riotous person Now when the father comes to make his will he gives to each of his obedient children such a portion as he is able but when this his leud sonne comes to be named what saith he to him I have given thee so much and so much time after time thou hast spent all I have now only a shilling for thee and that not out of any love neither but to stop thy mouth from troubling thy brethren for any more so we come to fasting and praier well saith God you shall have your reward I will give you twelve pence you have bin false and vile with that mercy that you have had therefore look for no more And thus when the Hypocrite comes to see what he hath got by all his duties it will be just nothing this is the point that I meane I will prove it in three perticulers that falseness and hypocrisie in duty takes away the life of the duty First because hypocrisy here is directly in opposition to the nature of God and therefore the Lord cannot possibly accept of it I doe not care for them saith the Lord I will none of their services they are directly against my Name Jehovah is Gods nature which hath a being hypocrisie hath no being nothing in it therefore no being In your praier you tell God you sin you meane not to leave it and what tell you me of such a kinde of prayer it is a picture of a prayer and no prayer a picture of a man as we say and no man I beseech you to consider it all praiers that are made in this way they are nothing see a passage Mat. 15. 8. saith God this people draw neere to me with their lips but their heart is far from me therefore he saith 9. verse But in vaine they worship me it is all to no purpose there is an emptinesse in all this a poor ignorant creature may run to Church with the Pharisee and fall down upon his knees and babble over his prayers and all this coms to nothing for I say all traditionall worship is against the nature of God hence nothing so all Idoll worship is nothing God is a being Jehovah Idoll worship hath no being therefore nothing you shall not see more cost and bodily labour more ceremonies and specious shew in any religion under the sun then in Rome yet all this nothing because outside seruice a little fire wil quickly consume all this Now if you come before God this day and doe not bring your heart in a fit temper according to the rule of Gods word if you mean not to be in earnest with the Minister in sealing up your soules in the Covenant of grace all will prove to be nothing you shall have breath for breath you will doe no good to distressed England reformation shall not be one inch furthered by this dayes work of your fastings and prayer Secondly Hypocrisy takes away the life of the duty upon a second ground because from hence the Ordinance of God this very Ordinance we are now about gaines an heavy blow therefore certainly it will lose the life and comfort of it by hypocrisie as thus First from hence it comes to passe that Ordinances used or rather abused give occasion to the enemies of God to open their mouthes and speake basely of these Ordinances as if they had nothing in them the Ordinances themselves suffer much in this they can say they are frequent in these duties such and such keep whole dayes of fasting and prayer day after day and yet returne again to their sinfull courses as bad drunkards and thiefes the next day as ever hence say the Papists and prophane persons these are the fasters what amendment see you in them and hence they conclude what should weeping fasting and prayer doe God regards them not they have nothing in them noe benefit comes by them people are not converted that use them they are as ignorant as they were no change wrought upon their spirits Thus the Ordinance is sleighted Secondly Hypocrites doe pervert the Ordinance for they use it to a wrong end They take up fasting and prayer to get further leave to sin to grow stronger in their corruptions to morrow hypocrites are strengthened in sin by the Ordinances Thirdly because the heart of a man in the duty is the heart of the duty your hearts are the heart of the duty therefore the Lord requires such a kinde of heart of his servants at the time of duty as is agreeable to the duty now hypocrisy takes the heart off from the duty therefore the duty cannot be accepted Now I doubt there is many a poor unprepared heart before God this day you doe not mean to bring your sinne to the duty but the duty to your sinne you doe not meane to leave your uncle an practises and evill courses if it be so marke what I say the duty is gone the day is lost for the very heart and spirit of the duty lyeth here the Minister he labours prayes and preaches you may weepe mourne and lament yet if the heart be not in the duty all is nothing but as a dead carkasse without a Spirit The Use will be a word of reproofe for I say falsenesse and hypocricy takes away the life of the duty 3. Arguments you have had to prove it Now for reprehension it wil reprove us for all those ayrie duties and outside services we doe performe many come to a duty and leave their hearts in their Chests amongst their Treasure many come in discontent and strife they resolve for all this I will when conveniently I may give my brother a private wound This now lets out the very heart bloud of the duty I doe confidently beleeve if all the people of the Nation could but keep this day of fasting and praier sincerely from the heart you should quickly see the Angel stopped the sword sheathed and the Nation healed Now to reprove you of your hypocrisie I wil shew you the saplessenesse of such duties in these particulars First remember this and consider in the name of God in what a lamentable case that man will be that looseth all the
reason is because they are in every action he doth thoughts run on all mens actions if thoughts were alone men might mend them but they busie themselves about all actions if a man pray thoughts run along with him in prayer nay men pray with twisted thoughts so that before he comes to an end of his prayer he shall have abundance of glancings on other things See it in old Eli 1 Sam. 1. Hanna was praying Old Eli saith the Text thought she had been drunken Either he was or should have been praying also yet you see he had wandring thoughts ê™ mark the lips of his neighhours So as John was preaching Mat. 3. there came a thought into his hearers hearts that they were the seed of Abraham What did make them think so John spake of no such matter but he said Every tree that brings not forth good fruit c. They had it seems by thoughts in the duty of hearing therefore seeing thoughts do thus twist themselves about mens actions hence it is that they are so hard to be rooted out 3. It is hard for men to forsake their own thoughts because they are in mens hearts Their inward thoughts Psal 49. 11. Every man hath two kind of thoughts inward and outward explicite and implicite implicite thoughts are those that never shew themselves in the heart but at some desperate attempt Explicite are those which are in the heart every day as in Psal 49. 11. They think their houses shall continue for ever Would you think that men should have such thoughts their outward thoughts were they were mortall Wee see saith the Text that men die c. and yet they they think inwardly that they shall live for ever Now according to these inward thoughts men act and hence it is that men neglect repentance and other holy duties as if God would never call them to an account they have not these thoughts above-board but they are inward and these spoile the heart and these are the cause why men cannot forsake their own thoughts Ephiphanius speaks of a fig-tree which grew in a wall c. Bad thoughts will be alwayes seizing on a 〈…〉 he dies and then all his thoughts perish But so long as a man is alive in old Adam these thoughts are rooted in the bottom of the 〈…〉 which hinder good duties aud this is the cause why vanity of mind sprouts up Examine your selves then for it is one of the best wayes for a man to try his estate by even to examine his thoughts If a man would see whether the sea be salt he need not drink all the water that is in it one drop will serve his turn So a man may see whether he be a child of God or of the Devil even by his thoughts I will make it appear by these Reasons First because mens thoughts are the free acts of their hearts Many times you speak not as you would you do not as you would but a man thinks alwayes as he will Favour of great men and desire to please them makes men do many times what they would not but thoughts are free I may say so and so but I will think what I list Ergo if thou wilt judge a man judge him by that he does freely and not by that which he does by compulsion But now thy thoughts are free they are thine own act nothing can force thy thoughts but thy self ergo in them thy heart shews it self whether it be carnal or spirituall When Peter denied his Master could a man have judged him by that then he might have judged him in Apostate but that was his passion he discovered what his fear was not what his heart was For if a man might have but looked into Peters heart though it was a fearfull sin and without Gods mercy might have damned him Yet there you might have heard him say Oh it is my Master Oh that I had never come hither It is my Master and Saviour I have none but he It was for fear of his life that he denied him For Prov. 23. 7. As a man thinketh in his heart so is he A covetous Usurer may make a rich feast and say with his tongue Sir you are welcome he must give good words the shame of the world and speech of people will make him do it yet his thoughts it may be are not towards thee So try thy selfe how go thy thoughts at home or abroad Are thy thoughts on heaven or heavenly things or are they below Sure I am if a mans thoughts were on heavenly things then his heart would be there also for as a man thinks so is he Prov. 23. 7. 2. As they are the freest acts so they are the immediate acts of the heart Can a man judge of the fountain by the water that runs seven miles off as well as by that which runs immediately from it The water seven miles off may have tincture from the soyle and so it may be bad there though good at the fountains head ergo judge of the fountain by the water which comes immediately from it Now thoughts come immediately from the heart nothing is between them and the heart and out of the heart saith our Saviour proceed evill thoughts c. Mark 7. 21. Other sinnes come from the heart too but it is at the second third or fourth hand abundance of circumstances come between them and the act as in the act of murder it may be there were base words offered yea and blows too c. but thoughts come immediately from the heart Ergo if thy thoughts be proud carnall c. so act thou if thy thoughts carry thee away in the cares of this life so is thy heart c. 3. Thoughts they are the continued acts of the heart a man is alwayes doing them Can a man judge of an Usurer and say he is liberall because he makes one great feast unto his neighbours No but he may say it is a Usurers feast a great feast By what a man doth alwayes by that judge him Thou art not alwayes praying c. or in good company but thou art alwayes thinking good or evill thoughts thy thoughts are continued acts of thy heart Can a man judg a horse for stumbling once in a long journey At such a place he went well and at such a time and alwayes yet perhaps once in a year he may stumble Can you or will you judge him by that No rather judge him by that which hee is alwayes doing Thou art alwayes thinking now that is thy God which thou art alwayes thinking on If on riches then that is thy god or whatsoever it be then that is thy god Examine then thy heart by thy thoughts for out of the abundance of thy heart thy mouth speaketh yea for one word there is abundance of thoughts for one good duty there is abundance of thoughts ergo if thou wilt examine thy heart examine thy thoughts 4. Thoughts are the Univocall acts
of the heart such as wherein the heart shews its own nature As for example the Univocal act of Light is to lighten the room but now you cannot judge of the Light by the heat so well as you may by the shining So an ill savour must be judged of by the stinking which is the univocal act of it It causeth abundance of other effects but this is the proper act whereby it shews it self So the thoughts of men are the univocal acts of their hearts therefore in Scripture called the way of the heart just as the heart is so are the thoughts if the heart be proud so are the thoughts just according to the nature of the heart so are the thoughts 5. They are the swiftest acts of the heart If I judge of a Scholar I will judge him by that which he doth extempore if a fool study he may speak to purpose but look what a man doth by his own inclination that a man discovers himself to be Thoughts are the extempore acts of the heart if thy heart be heavenly it will scatter out heavenly meditations if carnal then thy thoughts are carnall thoughts are as the visions in the night ergo we use this proverb his thoughts are gone a sutering If then they be the swiftest acts of mens hearts then are they most â—it to expresse the nature of the heart 6. Thoughts are the peculiar acts of the heart peculiar to God only the world may see what thy outward life is but thy thoughts God only sees neither Angel Devil nor Man can see them and as they are peculiar to Gods eye so he most regards what mens thoughts are and therefore the best way for a man to judge himself is to judge himself that way which God doth even by his thoughts The The Lord knows the thoughts of man Psal 94. 11. Examine your selves in this then concerning your thoughts whether they be metamorphosed or no a man may say he hath good thoughts of God but let him examine himself whether it be so or no. 7. Thoughts are the conscionable acts of the heart they are the greatest accusers or excusers of the heart they are Consciences Nose as we may so speak True it is the words of the tongue and the actions of the hands are all in the light and â—ight of the conscience but the neerer a thing is unto the conscience the more able it is to judge of the conscience And therefore St. Paul puts the accusing or excusing especially on the thoughts Rom. 2. 15. We grant a wicked man may have good thoughts but they are thoughts descending not ascending they are cast into the heart by God not raised out of the hear Moses thought in his heart to visit his brethren Acts 7. verse 23. Good thoughts grow out of the heart of the godly they come from the bottom of it a wicked man may have good thoughts cast into his minde but he will fling them out again Secondly we grant wicked men may have good thoughts but examine whether they close with the heart or no all the proper thoughts of a man are the possessions of the heart Job 17. 11. They take hold of the heart and they are at home in the heart Here then examine thy heart whether the thoughts of God close with thy heart Doth repentance close with thy heart dost thou think of death and do the thoughts thereof make thee die daily Or dost thou think of death and dost thou not love to be holden with that thought Dost thou think of hel and wilt thou not be holden with that thought of hell but thy thoughts are on thy pleasures So then if thy thoughts close not with thy heart it is nothing to the purpose Thirdly there may be good thoughts in thy heart but t is questionable whether good thoughts or no if they come out of due season it is nothing to the purpose If a Printer print never so well and make never so good letter yet if he place one word where another should stand he marrs all So good thoughts if they be seasonable and in their proper place they are the effects of the Spirit but if out of season they may be the thoughts of reprobates As if thou be at at Prayer and then to be thinking of a Sermon is nothing to the purpose They must be seasonable and bring forth fruit in due season Psal 1. 3. When thou art at prayer thou must have thy thoughts suteable to thy prayer for if thy thoughts be never so good yet if they be not seasonable and sutable to the action thou hast in hand they are not actions of grace grace cannot away with them Fourthly thou hast good thoughts in thy heart but the question is whether they be counselled thoughts such as thou hast determined to think on Thoughts are called the counsels of a mans heart 1 Cor. 4. 5. it may be thou maiest stumble on a good thought now and then it may be when thou art swearing thou wâ—lt say God forgive me when thou hast been drinking all the day it may be a good thought steps in and cries God mercy but thou goest not to schoole to learn the art of meditation or the science of holy thinking or to say with David O God my heart is fixed Now if that sin in thought be so great a sin this should teach us what a horrible sin it is to sin indeed therefore thoughts are the smallest sins in respect of scandal and the Psalmist makes it an argument of Gods quick-sighted power to see thoughts thou seest my thoughts afar off you will say that man is quick-sighted that can see a pins head a 100 myles off even so God sees thoughts if a pins point can stab a man then a sword can much more Now if thoughts be so haynous and capitall a sin how fearfull a sin is it to commit sinne in deed for thee to swear to lye to commit adultery to keep wicked company to mock at Gods people to live in coveteousnesse c. this is to commit in deed if small sins be so damnable what then are the greatest If the chockatrice in the egge be such poyson what will it be when it is hatcht thought sins are imperfect compared with words or acts following them yet are they perfect in their kinds T is a wicked distinction to say that some sins are Contra legem or Praeter legem for all sins are against the Law as St. James saith when lust is conceived it bringeth forth sin and â—in when it is finished it bringeth forth death thou that art a drunkard thy sin is finished thou art a true sinner in deed if thou livest in the execution of any sin Again sins in thought are simple sins but sins in deed are compounded if after thoughts follow sutable act but when it is in deed it may be the cause of a 1000 sins for a man to think too much of his bellie is a sin but for