at top nay flow from a man but what the SPRINGINGS UP are that are IN A MAN And so the Apostle James also puts the Tryal upon what the FOUNTAIN yields James 3.11 Verse 14. whether it be sweet water or bitter salt water or fresh which expression he doth enough explain when he saith Verse 12. If you have bitter envying or strife in your hearts glory not and lie not against the truth Mark that IN YOUR HEARTS that is when these bitter waters are the springings up of the inward Fountain glory not and lie not sweet words and pleasing professions shews and appearances will be no good Testimony for you when these BITTER springings up within you bear witness against you In Nature there are Springs or Wells of diverse sorts the diligent observation of which will much clear the scope of these Texts of Scripture and the thing in hand I shall only instance in such as I have seen There is the salt spring at Nantwich where the springings up are naturally salt Now let never so much fresh water be poured into it though it may for the present abate its saltness and make its present waters the less brinish yet that which springs up will in some time work out all the fresh water and will continue as before perfectly salt Again there is the generous and famous Spring called the HOLY WELL in Wales that is perpetually boiling up with an admirable activity so that if never so much salt water should be poured into it though all the waters for the present would tast salt or brackish yet give it time and it would certainly work out all that Heterogeneous mixture and retain its sweetness and as I may say its Native excellency and purity This then is a grand Rule for the tryal of Right Thoughts if thy good thoughts be such as continually springing up do work out evil thoughts which sometimes do seem to defile and deprave thee 't is a good Scripture-Evidence both of thy thoughts and state for this is that which the Apostle calls a clearing of our selves which he saith expresly that Godly sorrow worketh where it worketh Repentance to salvation 1 Cor. 7.10 11. this self same thing saith be that ye sorrowed after a Godly sort Behold what carefulness it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves c. Now this Godly sorrow haâ—h its spring in the Thoughts as the Evangelist saith of Peter when he thought thereon he wept Mark 14.7 As the Jews in their Captivity wept when they remember Zion so Peter in his spiritual Captivity Ps l. 137.1 wept when he remembred Sin But a little before the stoods of the ungodly had overwhelmed the good man and the waters of bitterness had come into his soul And had we but tasted of his spirit by what came from him in the High Priests Hall we should have been apt to have concluded him in the gall of bitterness when with swearing and cursing he denied that ever he knew Jesus and all this issuing from the Thoughts and apprehensions of his imaginary danger that his sorry sinful slavish fear suggested to him in case He had held fast the profession of his Faith without wavering these were the Thoughts that were uppermost and so nearest his tongues end to influence that under this surprise of Temptation and little doubt but at that very time his deep and bottome Thoughts were full of real kindness to his Lord and Master which shortly after by their springing up discover themselves For these Thoughts work him to Godly sorrow as the Text affirmeth and godly sorrow to a clearing of himself of that which had now so sadly stained the Glory of his Profession so that we read after of his dying for Christ but never more word of his denying him Sect. II. Instances of good thoughts deepest Gen. 25.25 AS this therefore is the grand trouble of many gracious Persons that they find many strong and boisterous and evil Thoughts like rugged Esau that present themselves first to view and seem to be strongest and most impetuous yet this may be a comfort if they can find good Thoughts like another Jacob taking those other thoughts as it were by the heel Verse 26. and continually labouring to supplant them for instance If you look on David a Gracious man and one of a very tender spirit as He first appears under Nabals provocation David 1 Sam. 25.21 22. you find all the waters as it were turned into blood and nothing meditated but Cruelty and Revenge But when Davids deep and bottom Thoughts are set on work How quickly do they work out all that Cruelty The waters return to their proper nature and right colour and now all becomes goodness meekness gentleness And David said to Abigail Verse 32.33 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who sent thee this day to me and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood and from avenging my self with my own hand So that whereas there was a Root of bitterness springing up which would have brought trouble enough upon himself and others there is also a deeper root of sweetness supplanting the former and yielding the peaceable fruit of righteousness And by the way the Reader may remark that they whose Thoughts are right and good Note well are very apt to Think well of those that set them right as any prudent serious Travailer that hath been out of his way will be O blessed Sermon Sickness Person Providence will such a one say that hath been an occasion or means to set me clear of such a Temptation or from such or such wicked proud or passionate or unclean or worldly Thoughts that have so disturbed and distempered me Take another instance in good King Hezekiah Hezekiah whom when God had raised up the Text saith presently his Heart was lifted up 2 Chro. 32.25 so that there was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem His heart swells with proud and haughty thoughts Notwithstanding saith the next Verse Verse 24. Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the dayes of Hezekiah Here was Humility at the bottom His lowly Thoughts were his lowest Thoughts and his deepest Thoughts which did wear and work out the former Thus holy Asaph Asaph Psal 73.16 17. what dark and discontentful Thoughts had he concerning the prosperity of the wicked in this world and the equitableness of divine providence therein When I thought to know this Verse 21. saith he it was too painful for me But when he comes into the Sanctuary Verse 23. and applyes himself to the due use and help of Holy means and Ordinances how plenteously do better thoughts then the former spring up and work out the former and how doth his Heart presently flow not only with truly penitent Thoughts like
God hath grown up in thy heart or to deny what God hath done for thy Soul But yet withall this I must add that as it is observed that the coming of the Cup into the Sack in an unknown way left them in the more trouble and perturbations afterwards though it came from a friendly hand And those women that have less fore-pains then others have many times greater After-pains as they call them So they that have less signal Spiritual troubles preceding their conversion and have known least of the terrours of the Lord are by so much the more full of Anxiety many times almost all their dayes 2 Cor. 5.11 full of doubtful thoughts whether they were ever savingly wrought upon because not wrought upon as such and such Haunted many times with Hideous thoughts and Temptations to Atheism Blasphemy c. which make them even weary of life and afraid of death and yet may be very pretious in the sight of God and dear to Jesus Christ Sect. V. ANd as Gods usual Season is the time of trouble of spiritual trouble to bring men to Right Thoughts Psal 77.2.3 Verse 16. To remember God to Consider the dayes of old to commune with their own hearts to make diligent search into their own spirits to take notice of their Infirmities Verse 10. Verse 11. to Remember the years of the right hand of the most High to Remember the works of the Lord and to meditate of his doings c. All which is Right-Thought-work and which the Psalmist was set upon in the day of his Trouble Psal 77.2 Gods ordinary method to bring to right thoughts by setting home some particular sin So the Method that God ordinarily useth Is to bring to their thoughts some one particular Sin and to present it to their Souls view in all its ugly shape and monstrous deformity with its heightening circumstances and hellish horrour that like the tail of a Prâ—digious Comet it draws after it now as Ghosts are most terrible and confounding when they appear in the Dark so is Sin when it stares a man in the face in his time of trouble Thus the Patriarchs were struck with the appaling thought of their savage cruelty to their innocent Brother when themselves were in Distress Gen. 42.21 no doubt they had other Sins to trouble them but this first flew in their face Saul with the thought of his furious persecuting of Jesus Thus some for telling a known Lie Acts 9.4 others for some Theft or known Fraud others for prophaning the Lords-Day others for some prophane Oath others for Disobedience to Parents And some though few like Mary Magdalene for the foul sin that brings a wound and a dishonour and a repâ—oach that is hardly wiped away Prov. 6.33 So that as men ordinarily single out some one special Sin to set their heart upon though they entertain and practice all the rest Rom. 7.8 with 24. so God singles out some special Sin to fix their thoughts upon and thereby to bring them in due time to sight and sense of the whole Body of Death nay sometimes when men by a blameless appearance and moral conversation have got the good thoughts of other men their own much more Heb. 3.1 Luke 18.6 God sometimes suffers civil men to fall into some foul act to discover tâ—â—hem the plague of the heart 1 Kings 8 38. Sometimes thoughts are in an uproar troubled and distinct cares not known Acts 19.32 Verse 40. Yet God sometimes out of this Chaos draws a new Creation As in Genesis Reduceth thoughts to proper places and things to order Rev. 3.20 Prov. 18.14 Acts 2.57 Prov. 38.4 trusting as Christ speaks in themselves that they are righteous God suffers them to fall into some gross act of Sin perhaps Drunkenness perhaps making a mock at Godliness to please vile company perhaps Perjury or some other palpable act of wickedness that by such a rising in the flesh he may bring them to know and to bethink themselves of the Plague of the heart that Scripture speaks of Indeed I have sometimes observed some persons troubled with a strange unusual throng and croud of Thoughts Sermons trouâ—led them and Sins troubled them but their Thoughts wâ—re like that confused concourse in the Acts of which no distinct account could be given and the Assembly knew not why they were come together And as such a croud of thoughts have been thus in an uproar for some space of time and they knew not distinctly why so a little time hath brought it to they know not what nothing for good hath come of it And yet sometimes the All-wise and powerful grace of God even out of such a Chaos of confusion is pleased to draw a New-Creation reducing things to their proper places and thoughts to their right order Sect. VI. BUt generally when Grace first knocks at the door of the heart and finds the Sinner in distress wounded in Spirit that he cannot bear it prickt at the very heart the pressing sense of Sin lies upon him and goes over him as a burthen too heavy for him It brings him to speak within himself Or which is all one to think thus The Scheme of a Converts first thought Lament 3.1 or to this effect I am the man that have seen Affliction by the Rod of his anger and now I stand here a miserable Malefactour before the Lord who perfectly knows all my secrets and infinitely hates all my Sins My Conscience hales me to his Bar for my sin hath found me out Num. 32.23 Gen. 42.21 Prov. 28.13 Job 9.4 And I am verily guilty concerning this thing should I then either hide my sin or harden my self against God who ever did either of these and prospered This then is my proper station though my feet be hurt with setters and the Iron enters into my very Soul though the Chain of Gods Indignation be heavy upon me Micah 7.9 yet I must bear it because it is my own Chain I have sinned against him Excuse my sin Alas I cannot I knew my Masters will Luke 12.57 Rom. 7.12 Malac. 1.6 and knew it to be Holy just and Good and did it not I call'd him Lord yet fear'd him not I knew he forbad the thing I did yet I did it I knew he looked on me and yet I did it I knew he would call me to an account for it and yet I did it Accuse my Master Alas I dare not No no Jam. 1.13 14. He tempted me not but I was drawn away of my own lust and enticed my own lust I may call it so as much as I may call my Heart my own an Heart so vile but yet my own such a Fountain of Poyson such a Cage of every unclean and hateful Bird an Heart nay an Hell yea and worse to me then all the Devils there I should bely them as bad as they be should I say otherwise an heart so desperately
Predictions from the most acurately erected Schemes and of the most confident Practitioners and Masters in these curious Arts Admit I say Pernitiousness Curiosity of forbidden knowledge Out first Ruine Gen. 3.6 that some gratification might indeed be expected to the curiosity and pride of Knowing more then others or then otherwise we could possibly arrive unto say the Tree were to be desired to make one WISE yet methinks the Burnt Children of EVE should Dread that Fire that God will certainly make even of a Tree of KNOWLEDGE if a Forbidden Tree Verse 17. and certainly were the BOOK of GOD admitted in its power into the hearts and minds of Men it would bring such BOOKS OF CURIOUS ARTS Acts 19.19 as the prevailing Gospel sometimes did to be burned in the Fire instead of the Authors and such as trust to them who are except they repent doom'd to the same Condemnation by the same Book of God Isaiah 47.13 14. for of Astrologers Star-gazers and monethly Prognosticators saith God by the Prophet BEHOLD they shall he as Stubble the Fire shall burn them c. read also Deut. 8. to 16. Sect. XXIV Omnipotent Job 42.2 TO have High Holy and Reverend Thoughts of Gods OMNIPOTENCE as well as Omnipresence and Omniscience He fills all things and knows all things and saith Job â— know O Lord that thou canst do every thing and that no thought can be with-holden from thee or as it is read in the Margin no thought of thine can be hindred mine cannot be hid thine cannot be hindred Seeing now saith God that I even I am he and there is no God with me Deut. 32.39 I kill and I make alive I wound and I heal neither is there any that can deliver out of mine hand and thinks the Believing Soul further neither is there any that can hinder thy hand from delivering Isaiah 43.10 11 13. Ye are my Witnesses I even I am the Lord and besides me there is no Saviour Yea before the day was I am be and there is none that can deliver out of my hand I will work and who shall let it He and He only hath power after the body is killed to cast the Body and Soul into hell therefore we should fear him Num. 14.17 He also He onely speaks in Righteousness mighty to save and therefore we should trust in him Sin would hinder the great guilt of Sin but saith Faith let the power of my Lord be great in pardoning sin Sin would hinder the Dominion and prevailing power of sin and O thinks the Soul 't is impossible I should ever be rid of such strong Lusts that my proud heart should be made humble my froward heart be made patient and meek my filthy heart made clean my worldly heart made heavenly but thinks Faith what things are impossible with Men Mat. 12.26 Rom. 6.14 Micah 7.19 Jer. 32.14 Amoâ— 5.12 are possible with God who hath said that Sin shall not have Dominion over us and that He subdueth our Sins under us who hath great power and a stretched out Arm and there is nothing too hard for him no not an hard heart In one word it thinks Sin Mighty but God Almighty Genesis 17.1 Satan a Principality and a Power but the God of Peace able to bruise Satan under the weak feet of the Saints Ephes 6.22 Rom. 16.20 Revel 13.3 And 17.6 and to do it shortly Antichrist Rampant The Woman upon the scarlet Beast Triumphant especially when All the World is wondering after the Beast yea the Saints wondring though with abhorrency and yet even then He thinks that in one hour he shall utterly fall Revel 18.8 and be destroyed Everlastingly because strong is the Lord GOD that judgeth her 1 Cor. 1.26 He hath chosen the weak things of the World to confound the Mighty He calleth the things that are not as though they were can make a Worm to thrash the Mountains Isaiah 41.14 Mat. 15.39 Ezek. 37.3 Revel 11.11 1 Cor. 2.9 Isaiah 38.16 1 Cor. 1.25 2 King 19.7 Psal 107.20 â—oh 24 12. 1 Kin. 17.4 6. 1 Cor 10.1 4. 2 Pet. 2.16 1 Cor. 1.21 is able of stones to raise up Children to Abraham to make dry bones live dead witnesses revive yea for this cause usually suffers a sentence of Death and so will he recover and make alive for as the foolishness of God is wiser then men so the weakness of God stronger then Men. He can do what he will do and by what means he will do He can send a noise and trouble and a word and heal Stars in their courses to fight against Sisera and the dust of the Earth to Plague Pharaoh The Hornet to chase the Amorite and Raven to feed the Prophet can dry up the Sea and make a path for his people and strike the Rock into a River and make it both slow for them and follow after them He can reprove a Prophets madness by an Asses mouth and by the foolishness of Preaching convert a Sinner and save a Soul He can silence the Oracles Cessant Oracula Delphis Psalm 8.2 Heb. 11.34 Isaiah 40.29 by the crying of an Hebrew Child in a Manger and out of the mouthes of Babes and Sucklings ordain strength to still the Enemy and Avenger out of weakness he makes strong yea to them that have no might he renews strength He makes the little one like David and David as the Angel of the Lord. Then lift up thine eyes on high O my Soul Isaiah 40.26 and behold who hath created all these that bringeth out their host by number He calleth them all by their names by the greatness of his might Psalm 145.11.12 for that he is strong in power not one faileth Speak thou also O my Soul of the glory of his Kingdom Psalm 29.1 and talk thou of his Power to make the Sons of Men to know his mighty Acts and the glorious Majesty of his Kingdom And Give unto the Lord ye mighty give unto the Lord Glory and strength Be wise by the Worms that told him to his face Acts 12.23 that he was but their Brother and should instantly die like Man whom the shout of the people cryed up for a God and learn O thou Man of Sin who opposest and exaltest thy self above all that it called God 2 Thes 2.3 4. or that is worshiped so that thou sittest in the Temple of God shewing thy self that thou art God Even learn in him that was once in the Chair that there needs but Gods hissing for a flie to stop thy mouth of Blasphemies Isaiah 7.18 Job 9.4 Behold he takes away who can hinder him who will say unto him what dost thou He is wise in heart and mighty in strength And if God will not withdraw his anger the proud helpers do stoop under him But alas Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord Verse 12.13 Psal 106.2 who can
they are not upright Their thoughts are froward and so are they for as a man thinketh in his Heart so is he Prov. 19.3 The foolishness of man perverteth his way and his Heart fretteth against the Lord. He frets in Heart and thought though not in word Patience On the other hand you have heard of the Patience of upright Job yet how often did His Impatience like some Mens sickness break out at his lips when the distemper had made no mortal seisure upon his heart for search but his Heart and his History to the bottom and you shall find it full fraight with thoughts of Penitence of Patience of Piety of Humility full of God-exalting self-abasing thoughts thoughts of calmness and sweetness towards God and onely of bitterness and Indignation against sinful self Job 40.4 and 42 2 3 6. Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee and again I know that no thought can be with-holden from thee who is be that hideth Councel without knowledge I have uttered that I understood not wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Sect. V. Uncleanness Prov. 30.20 Prov. 7.14 Verse 18. SOlomons strange woman keeps a stir about wiping of her mouth whilst she never regardeth the cleansing of her thoughts She can talk of Pe ce-Offe ings and of Her paying her Vows in the day and think the same moment of pleasing her bruitâ—sh Lust all the night Come let us take our fill of loves till the morning Her thoughts were unclean and so was she Whatever mens garbes and pretensions are how demure soever their deportments Rom. 13.14 and 8.5 Chastity Job 31.1 how mortified soever their appearances they whose profoundest thoughts are how to make provision for the Lusts of the Flesh are fleshly and they that do mind the things of the Flesh are after the Flesh On the contrary Chast Job will not only make a Covenant with his Eyes but will not allow himself so much as to think upon a Maid His thoughts were Chast and clean and so was He. Sect. VI. Covetousness THe Covetous walk not alwayes in open and naked view for every one to see perhaps not for themselves but often wear a Cloak as the Apostle calls it a Cloak of zeal and seeming sanctity as Iehu 1 Thes 2.5 John 12.10 and others Their thoughts boil but the fervour of their spirit is for the serving of themselves not the Lord Jesus Christ Judas talks of the Poo but he thinkâ— of the Purse 2 Pet. 2.1 and of his Prey yet he carryed it so plausibly that the Eleven suspected themselves more than Him Mens Hearts may be exercised with covetous practices Jer. 23.31 Jer. 22.17 whilst their hands seem not so They come and sit before the Lord as his People but their hearts run after their covetousness nay their hearts are not but for their covetousness as the Prophet smartly expresseth it They may talk of better things but their thoughts are for no other their tongues may run of heavenly things but their thoughts still run after their eâ—vetousness Their thoughts are for to morrow Mat. 6.31 Psal 49.11 what they shall eat and what they shall drink and wherewith they shall be cloathed Their Inward thoughts are that their Houses and Inheritances are to them and their Heirs for ever Such are the thoughts that they drown their Souls in and bury themselves in alive working like Moles under-ground Phil. 3.19 and if they sometimes app ar above ground they are not in their Element till rooting in the earth again Mat. 10.17 they mind earthly things The young man in the Gospel His tongue ran of Heaven What must I do that I may inherit Eternal life but his thoughts ran after Earth if I go with this Christ I must forgo my Estate if I cleave to Him I must leave that Deut. 15.7 He went away sorrowful for he had large Possessions But saith God to his People Beware there be not in thy wicked heart a thought c. which he there cautions in this case of Covetousness A Covetous thought reigning in the heart Allowed Loved Liked Maintained customarily entertained there is the Evidence of a wicked heart of a bad man for as a man thinketh in his Heart so is He. Sect. VII THe Proud person may be tryed by his Thoughts Pride be he never so much in the disguise of his voluntary humility Isaiah 58.53 His thoughts do swell and rise high whilst He cringeth low like those in Isaiah who hung down their heads like Bulrushes yet their Hearts were lifted up in proud thoughts against God as if He were in their Debts for their formal devotions wherefore have we fasted say they Luke 18.11 and thou takest no notice The Pharisee was the worse for his good thoughts of himself God I thank thee that I am not as other men Yea and thousands in the world have cause enough to think ill of themselves if they had no more then their thinking too well of themselves God will punish the fruit of mens stout hearts Isaiah 10.18 compared with the 12. now the fruit of the stout heart is in the same place explained to be the proud Thought The Psalmist complains the wiâ—ked through the pride of their countenances will not seek after God Psal 18.4 Ezek. 28.16 God is not in all their thoughts He fetcheth proof of their wicked pride from their Godless thoughts The proud Prince of Tyrus did set his heart as the heart of God in high thoughts of Himself as the Sequel there shews Humility But the best Men on the contrary are least and lowest in their own thoughts Thus Abraham Gen. 18 27. and 23.10 Psal 22.6 Psal 73.22 Prov. 30.2 Isaiah 6.5 1 Cor 15.9 Col. 3.12 Mat. 11.29 but dust and ashes Jacob less than the least of Gods mercies David a worm and no man Asaph a beast before thee Agar more bruitish then man Isaiah a man of unclean lips Paul the very least of the Apostles but the chiefest of Sinners Put on humbleness of mind saith the Apostle The Humble man is humble in mind and lowly in heart and thought as Christ was for as a man thinketh in his heart so is He. Sect. VIII Purity Matth. 5.3 BLessed are the pure in heart saith our Saviour they shall see God Are thy thoughts holy then thou art happy In a good mans heart there is a good treasure Mat. 12.35 Psal 139.17 and 10.4 Prov. 10.20 and the Psalmist tells you what it is How pretious are thy thoughts O God unto me But for the wicked God is not in all his thoughts therefore the heart of the wicked is little worth and he whose Heart is little worth is wicked Sect. IX To draw this head towards a conclusion let me perswade thee O man but to judge of thy self which thou canst by the same way that thou wouldst judge thy
Neighbor if thou couldst If anothers thoughts lay as fair to thine eye as his words do sound to thine ears thou wouldest try his thoughts towards thee before thou wouldst too much trust his words for the wise man observes these too may be very wide each from other Eat and drink saith he to thee and yet his heart is not with thee But God hath purposely lockt up thy Neighbours thoughts from thee Prov. 23.7 to correct thy curiosity and over eager propension to Censoriousness abroad and hath said Iudg not that ye be not Iudged Math. 7.1 1 Cor. 11.32 but hath made thee Turâ—-kâ—y to thy own because its best for the to turn often in at thine own door for if we woâ—â—â— judge our selves we should not be judged Mans Law doth what it can in the triall of those that are under Inquest for discovery not onely nor chiefly of the Act but the Mens â—â—a the Intent and thought of the Heart in the Act whether a Traiterors Malitious Feloâ—ious Intent and of Mâ—lice fore-thought or no When smooth-tongued Simon Magus came with Honey in his mouth and his well-tuned tongue had a fair freedom to make a plausible profession he was received and Baptized Acts 8.12 Verse 22. but as soon as the Apostle Peter came to discern his thought Repent and pray God saith he if perhaps this thought of thine may be forgiven thee he presently perceives that his heart was not right and that his state was nought for he saith not I perceive that the â—aâ—â— of bitterness is in thee only but that thou art in it aâ—d in thâ— bond of Iniquity Verse 23. Sect. X. IN one word as the Pulse so the Thoughts derive immedia eâ—y from the heart both as to Temper and Distemper the one in a Physiâ—al the other in a moral notion respect and wert thou but as careful and Sâ—iâ—fu to observe thy flowing thoughts as thy Physitian is to examine thy gliding pulse thy Thouâ—hs would â—sâ—â—steâ— deceive thee then thy Pulse him and thou needest not be so much at a loss as the most are for the knowledg of thy spiritual and everlasting state haveing so fair as Index to Eternity so near at hand Commune then with thine own heaâ—t upon thy b d and be still Psalm 4.4 'T is Scripture Councel and it will never hurt thee to take it Thy thoughts may talk with thee when none else will when none else can when there is none but God and thou and they together Thy faculty will be true to thee if thou be so to it thy Thought will not flatter thee if thou do not daub with them but and if thou dost God will not And so I pass to the next CHAP. IV. Proves that the Judgment that God passeth upon Men is by their Thoughts Sect. I. WOuldst thou then O Man Try thy self by the same M asures that God will try thee and judge of the state as He judgeth of thee who judgeth not according to the appra aâ—â—â— but judgeth righteous judgment Let me trie thy thoughts and thee together again For the Lord search th thâ— hâ—a t and tâ—yâ—th the reins Jer. 17.10 and 11.20 Psal 16.7 those reins the Psamist speakes of My reinâ—s iest uct me in the night season His solemn thoughts and setious self-reflections Those are they that God tryed and thee by them Psal 139.1.2 O Lord thou hast searched me and known me thou understandest my thoughts afar of As Christ said to Nathaniel John 1.48 I may say to others in other cases before that Philip called thâ—e I saw thâ—e when thou wast under the Fig-tree so before others called thee to the Ale-Bench or into the â—hore-hoâ—se he saw thee he knew the prâ—pâ—â—sions of thy Thoughts the motions in thy mind the tendency of thine heart He understaâ—deth the thoughts afaâ— off and by these He dooms sentenceth and judgeth thee though to speak strictly God judgeth of us or knows us by pure and simple intuitionâ— abstractly as well from thought as from words and actions that is He needs no more any thought or thing then he doth any man to testify of man for He knows John 2.25 as what is in man so what man is by a more perfect way then discursive inference or argumentation He knows all things in their prinâ—iples before they operate For known unto the Lord are all his workes fâ—oâ— the beginning Acts 15.18 Sect. II. THoughts have feet they have a tendency be they good or evil Thoughts have feet Prov. 21.5 can go Eph. 4.17 Jer. 7.24 Tongues Math. 3.9 Lam. 3 60. The thoughts of the diligent tend to plenteousness the Lord takes notice of the tendency of thy thoughts and counts thee goâ—e the same way that they go The Gentiles are said to walk not onely after but in the vanity of their mind And the wicked Jewes not onely after but in the imaginations of their evil Hearts Thoughts can speak as well as go Think not to say within your selves c. and God hears them thou hast heard all their imaginations against me saith the Church when the voice is not hard Hannah prayed in her heart and her lipes moved Can pray 1 Sam. 1.13 Verse 14. But her voice was not heard Old Eli that measured her by the bare moving of her lipes misjudged her but God had an eye to the Motion of her Heaâ—t Thoughts can Curse too Curse not the King no not in thy thought And curse Eccl. 10.20 19 Prov. 23 33. And lie Acts 5.3 4. The Heart of the wicked is said to utter perverse things The Holy Ghost heard Anâ—â—â—as thoughts tell the he before Peter and the rest heard his tongue do so Why hath Satan filled thine Heaâ—t to lie unto the Holy Ghost thou hast not lyed unto men but unto God Thoughts have Haâ—â—s too as well as Tongues and Feet in Gods account And hands The heaâ—t of the vile peâ—son is said to work Iniquity Isa 22.6 can work and to praâ—tice hypoâ—risy Therefore saith God of the false witness thou shalt do to him as he thought to do to his Brother David thought to build God at House and thus God reckons Deut. 19.19 1 Kings 2.26 thou didst well in that it was in thine heart When Esau thought to slay his Brother if his Father were but once dead Esau said in his heart Gen. 27.41 the dayes of mourning for my Father are at hand then will I slay my Brother Jacob God Books it down though he never did it How are the things of Esau searched out Obadiah 6. how are his hid things sought up and so shall all mens be 1 Chro. 28.9 for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts Sect. III. Thought Adultery Mat. 5.28 Prophaness Psal 50.21 IF a man looking on a woman do but send after her an Impure thought God writes down Adultery committed
already if he look saith Christ to Lust after her If thou do but think profanely he notes it thou thoughtest I was altogether such an one as thy self But I will reprove thee I say he observes it and accordingly judgeth thee If presumptuously he dooms it and thee for it Presumption Deut. 29.19 20. If a man hearing the words of this curse bless himself in his heart that is in his own thoughts saying I shall have Peace though I walk in the Imagination of mine heart the Lord will not spare him c. If thy thought be vain and foolish Vanity wicked and worldly God will pronounce thee such as he finds that The grounds of a certain rich man brought forth plenteously Luke 12.16 17 19 20. and he thought within himself what shall I do c. I will say to my Soul Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry But God said unto him thou fool c. If thy thoughts be Viperous and Venomous Venome blasphemous and malitious against the Lord and His Christ He will damn thee for such as he finds them Mat. 12.25 compared with verse 34. Psal 2.4 5. Jesus knew their thoughts and said O Generation of Vipers c. Why do the Heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing they take Councel against the Lord and against his Anointed c. The Lord shall speak to them in his wrath c. The Consult He condemns they Think and He Speaks that is to say speaks in judgment Sect. IV. THis was the Condemnation of the old world as we have seen Evil men characterized by their thoughts Gen. 6.5 Gods proof of mans wickedness was from the Thoughts of his heart and the punishment thereof was proportioned thereunto an over flowing scourge upon them for that superfluity of naughtiness that was in them Yet were there many amongst these that because of their profession were called the sons of God Gen. 6.2 The sons of God saw the daughters of men c. 'T is not what our professions are or what our Names are but what our thoughts are that the Lord looks at and accounts of us by 'T is said of our Lord Jesus that though many believed on his Name when they saw the Miracles which he did Joh. 2.23 24 25. yet did not Jesus commit himself to them because he knew all men and needed not that any man should testifie of man for he knew what was in man The Text saith he judgeth of Man by what was In Man Our words proceed out of us our professions are on us but our thoughts are in us and these are they that the Lord Christ looks at Luke 2.3 35. and was himself set amongst other ends for the manifestation of That the thoughts of many hearts might be revealed Sect. V. ON the other hand So the Godly those blessed Souls whom the Lord Crowns with so high a testimony and so Honourable a Character of being his Mal. 3.16 17 whom he will spare his Jewels which he will make up for whom a Book of Remembrance was written before him they are briefly thus described such as feared the Lord and that Thought upon his Name 'T was not the Name of God upon them but the Name of God in them 't was not the bare speaking of his Name though no doubt they did that too for they speak often one to another but their thinking upon his Name that God Characterizeth them from whereas be the wicked grosly such Psal 9.17 Job 8.13 or Hypocrites they are stigmatized for such as forget God Sect. VI. THere are two things that God is said to know afar off God is said to know thoughts afar off Psal 13.8 6. aâ—d 139.2 Ezek. 38.10 The Pride of man and the Thoughts of man He hath it seems a severe eye upon each of these I know their Imaginations which they go about saith God of Israel even now before I have brought them into the Land which I sware and of Gog thus saith the Lord it shall also come to pass that at the same time shall things come into thy mind and thou shalt think an evil thought God minds our thoughts before they come into our minds and knows what we are about to think before we think it Then needs must he know what we think when we think and what to think of us too whilst we are a thinking before we speak or act Psal 94.11 The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity saith the Psalmist the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vain saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.20 The variation in the version speaks thus much Amongst all the vain Children of men there is not one wise enough to hide his thoughts from being known to God and himself by them The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. He cannot keep the noisom stench of them from the Almighties nostrils Prov. 15.26 Yet abhors evil thoughts though at a distance Prov. 11.20 nor can God endure them without declaring his abhorrence of them Who smells them at a distance afar off and abhors them so they that are of a froward heart are an abomination to the Lord If thy thoughts be froward though thy words through thy subtil or hypocritical restraint of them be not so as appears by the Antithesis but such as are upright in their way are his delight You see then how God reckons men by their Thoughts Sect. VII WE value men according to their Possessions and God according to their Thoughts We value men by their possessions Our thoughts are so A man of mean parts of low acquirements of mean Possessions we reckon a mean person A man of high Improvements of large Acquisitions of great Possessions we reckon a Great Man a substantial person now Mens thoughts aâ—e their Possessions and 't is observable that one word in the Hebrew expresseth both therefore when the Text in Job reads Job 17.11 My purposes are broken off even the Thoughts of my heart The Margin according to the Hebrew reads the possessions of my heart Luke 21.19 'T is by patient thoughts that we possess our Souls under Affliction By Chast and pure thoughts that every one should possess his vessel in Sanctification and Honour 'T is by believing thoughts 1 Thes 4.4 we possess the Lord Jesus put him on dwell in him Rom. 13.14 Col. 2.6 Job 7.3 4. walk in him having received him On the other part when Jobs thoughts were restlesse and unquiet tossing and tumbling from morning to evening from evening to morning from week to week from moneth to moneth then it is said God made him possesse moneths of vanity When God presented all his youth-sins as so many frightful Ghosts fresh to his Thoughts then it is said Job 23.26 God made him to possesse the iniquities of his
Issue never so foul Mat 9.20 and 14.36 Mat. 5.25 Verse 17. Zach. 9 1â— Mar. 9.27 so shameful so inveterate If thy desires be creeping towards him while that Issue of thine continues Running Break then O prisoner of hope through the throng of all thy contradicting Thoughts and steal 〈◊〉 â—he least one blessed touch till thou find virtue going one of him Come Come Chap. 9.30 The Spirit saith Come and the Bride saith Come and lâ—t him that heareth say Come And let him that is athiâ—st come and whosoever will let him take of the water of Life freely Rev. 22.17 Heb. 12.27 Now see that thou refuse not him that speaks from Heaven But alas thinks my Soul after all this I sadly fear that if Christ would indeed accept me I should never be able to accept Christ I find now 't is a hard thing to be a Christian Acts 26.38 Numb 13 28 31 33. I thought I had been almost perswaded but O the sons of Anak The walled Towns in the way the Cross the Yoke not a Lust not a Thought not a Word not a Look in all the remainder of my life but by Law Alas who can beaâ— it I dread to begin to draw least I should draw back and better then I had never known the way of truth Heb 10.38 Isaiah 38.14 I know thy Soul hath no pleasure in such O Lord I am now oppressed undertake for one I would believe my God but cannot help thou my unbelief I would take thy yoke upon me Mark 9.24 but I dare not for I have been a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoke But turn thou me and I shall be turned Jer. 31.18 and thou shalt be the Lord my God I see O Lord I must have my yoke which way soever I turn my self Sins and Satans I have too long born And should I die under thine I cannot bear the thought of going back to theirs For I am sure to die under theirs I am indeed in a great straight 2 Sam. 24.14 let me now fall into the hand of the Lord for with the Lord there are mercies but as for Satan and Sin the mercies of these are cruel Prov. 12.10 Sect. IX CAst out then the Shete Anchor of thy hope O thou afflicted Isaiah 54.11 tossed with tempest and not comforted and cast it O my soul as near as thou canst into that within the Vail Heb. 11.19 If thou venture not on Jesus Christ thou perishest And if thou dost thou canst but perish 2 King 7 4. If he save thee alive thou shalt live And if he kill thee thou canst but die There hath been high and hainous and in their own eyes the very chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 1 Cor. 6.11 washed â—ustified sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of God yea that hath been set forth even for a PATTERN to all that should afterward believe of him 1 Tim. 1.16 Isaiah 26.12 who not onely ORDAINETH peace for us but also worketh all our Works in us Wherefore O thou blessed Jesus with fear and with trembling I cast and â—oul my self upon thee Hester 4.16 And if I perish I will perish at those feet that were therefore pâ—â—â—ced that whilst I put my fingers into the print of the Nailes John 20.27 the weak hand of my Faith may have the better hold Sect. X. LO here the Restless Mind of Man toucht with the Load-stone of Divine Grace tremblingly wavering Numb 24.17 seeking rest but finding none till the thoughts fix upon the Star out of Jacob the Lord Jesus Christ Lo here the Heavenly conduct of Divine light newly arisen in the mind of man bringing his Thoughts from a far Country Matthew 2. Verse 5. and never leaving them till it leave them in the very place where the Holy Child lies The sweet bosom of the Fathers love Lo here the Celestial Call Isaiah 41.2 raising up the Righteous man from the East his Native Countrey or if you will natural condition Acts 11.23 Heb. 11.15 And bringing him to Gods foot with full purpose and fixed Thought of Heart should opportunity of returning into the old Countrey The old state The other Gods on the other side of the Flood serve never so fair yet never by the Grace of God to return unto them more cleaving to Christ for fear of leaving of him or being left by him Leaning on its beloved that it may not be lost any more in the old Wilderness Cant. 8.5 the perplexing maze of its old unbelieving thoughts fastening it self upon him that it may by no means be shaken off by him with such mental speakings as these Intreat me not to leave thee Ruth 2.14 or to return from following after thee neither say thou to me let me go Ah my Jesus I will let all go rather then let thee go for I should let infinitely more than the Worlds All go in letting thee go I should loose my self in loosing thee and be cast away Luke 9.25 and that too in the very sight of Harbour No mo my heart is fixed O Christ my heart is fixed whither thou goest I will go be it to thy Crown or to thy Cross and where thou lodgest I will lodge Ruth 2.16 17. be it a Paradise or a Prison Thy people shall be my people though the world hate them And thy God shall be my God notwithstanding all the ungodliness that is in the world and the world of ungodliness that is in my heart where thou dyest I will die Rom. 6.4 Verse 6. and there will I be buryed thy death shall mortifie my members that are upon earth My Lusts shall thy Cross kill and thy Grave bury Nay God forbid that death should part Col. 3.3 but more closely yea unseperably eternally unite thee and me And so shall I ever be with the Lord. And thus have you seen the returning Shulamite Cant. 6.16 and what will you see in the Shulamite but as it were the company of two Armies On the one hand the struglings of unbelief on the other the work of Faith with power till at length the house of Dav d grows stronger and stronger 2 Thes 1.1 Isaiah 23.33 Gen. 32.25 28. Isaiah 40.1 2. and the house of Saul grows weaker and weaker Old thoughts pass away and new prevail the lame divides the spoil the halting Jacob becomes a Prince with God the mourner is comforted the warfare accomplished the sin pardoned the bruised Reed lifts up its hanging head Chapter 42.3 the smoaking slax breaks out into a flame In one word â—n the multitude of the thoughts within Psalm 94.19 Gods comforts they delight the Soul And thus the soul falling into a place where all this while Acts 27.41 Psalm 143.10 two contrary Seas have met runs at length a ground on the and of uprightness where the sore-part the Thought
set their Hearts aright have a marvailous advantage in point of consistency and as to the stability of their good thoughts even from their Natural temper whereas some others in Constitution sanguine and more symbolizing with the Air their minds seem commonly volatile and so their thoughts more fluid and less fixed be the habit of their Minds Difference of natural constitution may appear as in conversion or Objects of their Thoughts good or evil Now this difference of Natural constitution occasions many mistakes in the spiritual judging of Mens Estates A man may be very serious yet not Religious though John Baptist was naturally 't is probable very austere John came saith Christ neither eating nor drinking Mar. 11.28 and another man may be very pleasant and yet not vain and it would seem our Saviours Natural bodily temper was differing from the Baptists and disposed him to a complaisant conversation Verse 29. The Son of Man came eating and drinking for even in that sence his delights were with the Sons of Men Rejoycing in the habitable parts of the Earth The Hebrew word signifies sporting Prov. 8.5 and so the Margin reads it and yet he was the pattern of all Perfection And as in Conversation So in thoughts so in thoughts the Natural temper may if not attended occasion dangerous mistakes in judging the spiritual state Take an instance in two whom I take to be Eminent Saints King Solomon and the Apostle Paul Instance in King Solomon and St. Paul concerning the later none doubt nor dare I of the former who was Gods Iedidiah from whom God saith he will never take his mercy A Pen-man of Holy Writ and so numbred by the Apostle among the Holy men of God a grand Type of Christ and one of those Prophets of whom Christ saith expresly that all the Prophets are in the Kingdom of God Luke 15 2â— yet I suppose a vast difference in the Natural temper of these two excellent men Paul no doubt was of great natural resolution Acts 26 9â— and fixation I verily thought saith he of himself before his Conversion that I ought to do many things against the Name of Jesus Verse 10 11. which thing also I did in every Synagogue He never alters his mind as we say never changeth his thoughts never turns nor ever would had not God overturned him but then when God called him by his Grace and set the Watch right Oh! this Natural temper of His was an Excellent Ballance and kept the motion admirably What do you mean saith he to weep and break mine heart Acts 21.17 I am ready not onely to be bound but to Die for the Name of Jesus And when he would not be perswaded say they we ceased c. You see He was fixed before Conversion and fixed after for Grace rather useth then altereth Nature though it cures its corruption But now Solomon He was naturally I question not of a more Airy Constitution and so of a more doubtful mind as our Saviours Phrase is which He borrowes from the Aiery Meteors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 12.30 which are now here and now there and you can hardly find them fixed any where and so His thoughts more fluid and volatile flying up and down from one thing to a contrary thing from Wisdom Eccles 2.2 to Wine to Women to Madness to Folly yea from one thing to a thousand things Even from the Cedar of Lebanon to the Hyssop upon the Wall and being naturally like Reuben unstable as water his Wives turned away his heart 1 Kings 11.4 and the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the Lord God of Israel which had appeared unto him twice and yet there was a well of Water after all this springing up in Him to Everlasting Life for you may see what was in the bottom of his heart what his deepest thoughts were by what you find in the bottom of his Book of Penitence and Recantation Let us hear saith He the CONCLUSION of the matter FEAR GOD Eccles 12.15 and keep his Commandments c. Now All is well We say that ends well Sect. IV. THis then to shut up this scrutiny is that which we are most accurately to observe amongst all that variety not only of Temptations Conclusion of the Rule but of Tempers and consequently of Thoughts Purposes and Resolutions Psal 94.14 Several instances of good thoughts at bottom working out evil thoughts Isaiah 8.13 if as David saith in another respect In the multitude of our thoughts within us We can find Divine and gracious Thoughts to be deepest in our Soul As to add to the instance forementioned when our slight Thoughts of God and slavish fear of Man and thoughts of sinful security as to our selves are wrought out by our sanctifying the Lord God in our hearts and making him our FEAR as the Prophet speaks When ones high thoughts of himself who is ready to say in his heart Deut. 8.17 My power and the might of my hand hath â—otten me this wealth are removed by remembrance of the Lord God Verse 18. and that it is he that gives power to get wealth When our self-justifying self-exalting thoughts are taken down and let fall as Job's plumes were by his thoughts of his black feet behold I am vile Job 40.4 what shall I answer thee c. When over-eager thoughts of the world are worn out by thinking on what He saith who hath charged us to take no thought for to morrow Luke 12.22 Matth. 6.34 Prov. 11.4 and over-valuing thoughts of the World by thinking that the world was not Crucified for Us cannot deliver or profit in the day of wrath that labouring for the World is but labouring for the Wind Eccles 5.16 whereof the more a man gâ—asps for the most part the greater are the gripes that their end is Destruction that mind earthly things but especially by Thinking that the Lord hath said Love not the World nor the things of the World for if any man love the World 1 John 2.15 the love of the Father is not in him When Flesh-pleasing thoughts are supplanted by thinking that to be carnally minded is death Romans 8. â— James 5.5 that living in pleasures upon the Earth and being wanton is but the nourishing of the heart as in the day of slaughter that a St. Paul himself must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 9.27 beat down his body and bring it in subjection least he himself should be cast away Phil. 3.8 or when thoughts of the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ come to make a man think other things to be but dogs meat or dung that he may win Christ when the thoughts of the Rivers of pleasures that are at Gods Right hand for evermore do challenge the Heart Jerm 2.18 What hast thou to do in the way of Aegypt to drink
very Death of Death but the believers Life So that their dying is but an entring into peace Isa 57.2 a resting in their beds and from their labours of Sins Sorrows Cares Fears Temptations Afflictions Persecutions Sicknesses Pains Wants Weaknesses Wearinesses Doubts Difficulties nay of Duties of Fastings Watchings Tears which shall then be wiped away and done away Revel 14.13 as to the Labour not the Reward for so their Works follow them Sect. XIV Of judgment Psal 49.14 Mat. 25.19 IN thinking of JUDGMENT As that glorious morning wherein the upright shall have Dominion shall sit with Christ on Thrones judging the World being openly justified themselves and set as Sheep on the right hand of God 1 Cor. 6.2 and Proclaimed by Christ the Blessed of his Father As that glorious meeting of that spiritualized body with its blessed Soul and so with Christ Mat. 25.34 To the sheep and with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Saints to be dissolved divorced divided dissipated dispersed no more 1 Cor. 15.44 Math. 8.11 Mat. 25.33 and 41. To the Goats Psal 1.5 Mean while those Goats on the left hand that burned with Lust shall burn with horrour inwardly shall be accused accursed sentenced and condemned openly And as they would not indure the Sheep to live by them in the World they shall go by themselves shall not come into the Congregation of the just and as they loved Cursing It shall now come into their Souls and like Oyl in their Bones And so their miserable bodies made vessels of wrath fitted to Destruction â—ide to receive it without spilling Rom. 9.22 strong to hold it without breaking being re-united to their tormented Souls shall together be partakers of Misery as they formerly had been of Sin unto all Eternity Sect. XV. IN thinking of ETERNITY Of Eternity Right thoughts of it as that which is so shortly approaching and nearly concerning every one that he thinks it strange that any one should almost think of any thing else for thinking of Eternity But that he thinks again of that World of Atheisme that is in the World never fully to be confuted But by Death and Judgment and oh thinks he Atheists in this world what a sad thing it is that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we read without God in the World but the word is Atheists in the World Eph. 2.12 No Atheists to Eternity yea but as soon as ever they go out of the World they continue Atheists no longer Those that would not believe that there was a God and a Christ by his patience and providence by his preserving them and proffering to save them Shall see there is a God and Christ Rev. 1.7 Mal. 3.19 shall then see that there is a God and a Christ too every Eye shall see him and feel that there is a God by his terrours taking hold upon them Then shall they return and discern though they would not see the Lord when his hand was lifted up in his Word and Works in the World they shall see God and be ashamed Isa 26.11 Psal 58.11 So that a man shall say verily there is a GOD. And those that would not believe that there was a Devil by their daily conversing with him and his influencing them by his filling their hearts because they say they never saw him Feel there iâ— a Devil shall then certainly know they are with him as he knows now that he is with them for as he shares stakes with them in sin they have their part and he hath his part In Hell share stakes with him so shall they be forc't to share stakes with them in Hell for they shall have their portion with the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 As he with them here in sin And Oh thinks he how will the dainty Dives and the careless and delicate Daughters do to spend that Eternity That must have so many devices and divertisements Misery of the wicked Playes and Pastimes Ah! wretched word that thinks he and all to wear out the tediousness of a little time To spend that Eternity when the smoak of that bottomless pit Rev. 14.10 11. must be their only Air to breath in Fire their Food Brimstone their Perfume full Viols of Divine wrath their Drink Astonishment their Wine Bitter weeping and flowing Fountains Mat. 22.13 and ever Running Rivers of Tears in stead of their Rich Baths and pleasant Springs Luke 16.28 and artificial Fountains And wailing yelling and howling their only Musick And so other mens torments an accession to their pains As they had taken pleasure in other mens sins which made Dives so loath of his Brethrens Company Rom. 1.32 as we may well think The Books must be opened in stead of their pleasing Play-Books and Romances Gods Book and the Book of their Consciences Rev. 20.12 that they never could endure in all their lives to look into must now be pored upon by them by the Fire of Hell without intermission recreation or other diversion and the wanton Eye that busie and unsatisfied Gazer upon every thing but the Bible must be otherwise imprisoned in utter darkness for ever Mat. 25.30 Psalm 12.4 And the Lordly tongue that must needs be their own shall be their own to torment them as formerly set on Fire of Hell with a world of wickedness James 3.6 so now of woes Red hot then with Rage against God and revilings of his Saints now burning with flames and not receiving so much as one single drop of cold water Luke 16.24 that was wont to swim in Wine and for that bewitching sence of touch its dalliances and delights there shall only succeed those hideous gnashings of teeth and gnawings at Heart in the woe that never ceaseth and by the worm that never dies Josh 8.7 16. And thus Ah thinks he as Joshua taught the men of Succoth with the Thornes and Bryars in the wilderness The Hebrew is He made them to know to know who he was and to know what they had done jn despising his Messengers in rejecting his motions c. so will Jesus teach the Atheistical world with tortures to Eternity 2 Chro. 36.16 Psal 50.17 Prov. 1.3 and make them to know who He is whose Messengers they mocked whose Laws they cast behind their backs whose Councels they hated and would none of his Reproofs But thinks He on the other hand Eternal happiness of the Saints of those in whose Hearts are the wayes of them that are holy Pilgrims the true Travailers that declare plainly that they seek a Countrey viz. an Heavenly that can say of a good Sermon John 6.34 Lord evermore give us of this Bread of a lively stirring Sacrament a Soul-humbling Confession and Prayer an Heart-raising Meditation 't is good to be here that think the present time too short and their Hearts too narrow to hold enough of
yet but One Sun or to come nearer both to the Thing and Himself He thinks perhaps of the Soul in his Body where he finds an Understanding Will and Memory yet but One Soul But alas thinks he these are short shadows and dark resemblances of so great and high a Mystery for that light is not the Sun though it be Sun-light c. and that Understanding is not the Soul but the Souls understanding power or faculty But Jesus Christ is the LORD and the holy Spirit is GOD and yet to us there is but One God and One Lord. But this He thinks 1 Cor. 8.6 All in God GOD. That All that is IN God Eternally Imminently Unchangeably must needs be God As verily He thinks that GOD IS And that God the Father hath a perfect KNOWLEDGE of himself in himself God knowâ— himself This also He cannot but Think and that this Knowledge WISDOM Wisdom Prov. 8.22 23 25. John 1.1 Word Ver. 30. Image of God Hebr. 1.3 Loves Himself Fathers love to the Son declared by the Holy Ghost Verse 16. or WORD is God because it is IN the Father who is God And further that He cannot but LOVE himself whom He thus Knows and seeth in that express Image of Himself begotten in Himself and this Image or begotten WORD being in God and therefore being God cannot love God again And this Infinite Mutable liking Loving and good will Proceeding from Both and being in Both cannot but be what Both are viz. GOD. Thus We see when there was a visible manifestation of the Divine complacency with a loud voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased The Word being now made Flesh It was made by the Descending of the Holy Ghost like a Dove from the Father and resting on the Son But Alas after all thinks He of Himself who is he that hideth Counsel without knowledge Mystery exceeding thought Yet is to be thought for God is able to do above thought Eph. 3.26 Therefore is above thought Trinity one in working yet each his peculiar work John 5.17 19 20 21. Phil. 1.19 compared with 4.19 God onely properly Eâ—câ—â—â—â— Psal 106 48. Therefore have I thought that I understood not things too wonderful for me which I knew not God hath indeed told me that THESE THREE are ONE And if I cannot tell how to think it yet I will think it For seeing Scripture teacheth me to Think that he is able to Do exceeding abundantly above all that I can think well may I Think that He Is above All that I can Think And therefore though it be above my thought 't is the fitter seeing He saith it to be thought of him that is so much above me These three thus gloriously but mysteriously coequally coessentially and coeternally One must be thought also to be One in Working as well as Being and yet each one to have his own peculiar work Thus Gods supplying by Jesus Christ is called the supply of the Spirit Sect. XXI THis God We must think an ETERNAL Being and nothing properly Eternal but God Created Spirits Angels and Souls of men and the bodies of these raised Spiritual bodies at the last day being Onely Eâ—erlasting But from Everlasting to Everlasting thou are God Art not thou from Everlasting Psalm 90.2 Hab. 1.12 Isaiah 48.12 O Lord my God And as if God were making answer to this Question saith He Hearken O Jacob and Israel my Called I am he I am the First I also am the Last Chap. 44.6 Verse 8. Jerem. 2.32 I am the First I am the Last and besides Me there is no God and after saith he Is there any I know not any There is no Eternal no First and Last but God onely Hebr. 7.3 And therefore Our First Thoughts and Our Last Thoughts yea and all our Thoughts should be of him and for him Thoughts should be Lasting where the Theme is Everlasting But O burning shame that We should forget him dayes without number who hath neither Beginning of Dayes nor end of Life but is Eternal Sect. XXII THoughts also must be holy and Reverend of the Infinite Immensity Gods Immensâ— omnipresence filling all things Psalm 33.5 as well as Eternity of this one true God His OMNIPRESENCE filling all things Hell with his glorious Justice and Severity Heaven with the glory of his Grace Earth with his Goodness Patience and Providence If I ascend up into heaven thou art there Psal 139.8 9. If I make my Bed in hell behold thou art there If I dwell in the utmost parts of the Sea even there shall thy hand lead me Jer. 23.23 24. Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not a God afar off Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord do I not fill heaven and earth saith the Lord. And 't is repeated so that the Lord saith this because vain men do so little think of this Thus doth he fill all things but is contained of none Contained of none 2 Chron. 6.18 But will in very deed dwell with men on earth behold heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee Alas How should it Can a Man be contained in his own span My right hand hath spanned the heavens Isaiah 48.13 saith God Alas how little can Our very hearts hold or Our Thoughts contain of this Great God! now the less we can comprehend the more and the greater should our Admiring Thoughts be Sect. XXIII God All-wise omniscient HE is also to be Holily and Reverently remembred in the Immensity of his Wisdome and OMNISCIENCE as well Omni-presence That He is All Wise Knows Us. 1 John 3.20 as well as Onely-Wise that knows us better then we know our own Hearts who is greater then our hearts and KNOWS all things He knows whereof we are made Our frame Psal 103.14 Psal 139.16 Our Sins Job 13 27. Chap. 14.16 17. his eyes did see our substance being yet imperfect He books our members He knows wherein we have sinned he looks narrowly to all our paths and sets a print upon the heels or as the Hebrew upon the Roots of our feet And as he books our Members so he bags â—our Sins Thou numbrest my steps dost thou not watch over my sin my transgression is sealed up in a bag and thou sowest up mine Iniquity But then he knows our Sorrows too as well as our Sins Our sorrows Psal 56.8 thou tellest my wandrings put thou my tears into thy Bottle Thou seest how I have Sinned observe how I mourn and indeed he doth so I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself Jer. 31.18 I saw him sinning and I hear him groaning He that hath a Book for our Members a Bag for our Sins hath a Bottle also for our tears He knows our Soul in Sin and he hath saith David known my Soul in adversity Psal 31.7 Our need Matth. 6.8
man that through terrours of Conscience starved himself to death being otherwise prevented in destroying himself by Hanging and Drowning which he attempted and in accusing himself that he might have been dispatcht out of the way by the hand of publick Justice for an old Murther which he pretended but intended it as a plot upon his own Life which not taking he never would admit any sustenance down his throat though forced into his mouth till utterly famished both recent instances and within little more then twenty Miles each of other and of both which I have been an eye-witness and other like might be added And now ask such as these if it be not a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10.31 Terrible in praises Exod. 15.11 Goodness Hosea 3.5 Forgiveness Psal 130.4 Spar'd not Angels 2 Cor. 2.4 Old World Verse 5. Sodom Ver. 6. Natural branches Rom. 11.21 His own Son He indeed is fearful in his very Praises and his Goodness to be feared His Grace by no means to be turned into wantonness but the forgiveness that is with him is that he may be feared He that spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down into hell that spared not the old World bringing in the Floud upon the World of the ungodly and turning the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into Ashes condemning them with an overthrow making them an Example unto those that should live ungodly that spared not the Natural Branches O take heed least he also spare not thee If by terrible things in Righteousness God will answer them to whom be is a God of Salvation Surely his Justice will be very terrible to the Sons of Perdition If God spared no his own Son but it pleased the Lord to bruise him Isaiah 53.10 Rejoycing in the destruction of the wicked Isaiah 1.24 Deut. 38.63 Jer. 1.26 27. and to put him to grief who knew no sin but had sin onely imputed to him O how terrible thinks the Soul is God when he cryes out Ah I will case me of mine Adversaries and avenge me of miâ—â— Enemies I will rejoyce over you to destroy you and to bring you to naught I will laugh at your Calamity and mock when your fear cometh when your fear cometh as desolation and your Destruction cometh as a Whirlwind when distress and anguish cometh upon you Thus shall mine anger be accomplished and I will cause my fury to rest upon them Ezek. 5.13 and I will be comforted And oh how awful a thought it is that it should be both casing and pleasing to God to destroy sinners 〈◊〉 1.3 That the God of all comforts as Scripture calls him should be Comforted in the Perdition of ungodly Men and laugh at their fear 〈◊〉 6.14 who forsake the fear of the Almighty And Oh how fearful is He in his punishments who is so in his praises How terrible in his Righteousness who is to be feared for his Goodness 1 Pet. 1.17 If they that Call on the Father must pass their time in fear because without respect of persons Isaiah 33.14 he judgeth every one according to his works O how may the Sinners in Zion be affraid what fearfulness may surprize the Hypocrites If they be unable to Contend with his burning Agues God terrible in present punishment Jerem. 12.5 Isaiah 30.33 Chap. 66. â—4 Nahum 1.2 Plagues and Feavers How will they dwell with Everlasting burnings Oh what will they do in the swellings of Jordan when the breath oâ— the Lord as a River of Brimstone shall kindle upon them those Eternal flames that none shall be able to quench for the Lord is jealous and Revengeth The Lord Revengeth and is furious The Lord will take vengeance on his Adversaries and he Reserveth wrath for his Enemies Reserves of wrath terrible O those RESERVES of Wrath how dreadful are they That when Millions of Ages are expired they remain unexhausted There is still a certain fearful expectation and looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation still Heb. 10.27 Psalm 90.11 God corrects whom he loves still Ah Lord who knows the power of thine Anger according to thy fear so is thy wrath Thou Correctest whom thou lovest what wilt thou do wiâ—h them thou hatest If Judgment must begin at the House of God what Heb. 12.6 1 Peter 17.18 What then shall be the end of the wicked Zech. 13.7 Heb. 5.8 Luke 23.31 O what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God and If the Righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinner appear thou gatherest a Rod for every Son thou receivest nay the Holy Child Jesus was not excepted nor exempted who though he were a Son thine Equal a Man thy fellow yet did thy Sword awake against him and He learnt obedience by the things that he suffered And if these things were done in the Green Tree O what shall become of the Dry What Scorpions are prepared to be scourges for the wicked Psalm 9.13 surely God hath prepared for him the instruments of death and ordained his Arrows against the Persecutors Upon the Wicked he shall Rain snares Fire and Brimstone Psalm 11.6 and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup. Psal 119. â—â— Wherefore O God My Flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am affraid of thy Judgments Deut. 32.4 for all the wayes of the Lord are Judgment a God of Truth and without iniquity Just and Right is he with him is terrible Majesty Job 37.22 23 24. Prov. 23.14 Neh. 5.15 He is excellent in Power and in Judgment Men do therefore fear him and well they may Be thou therefore in the fear of the Lord O my Soul all the day long and however others may dare to presume upon him yet so do not thou because of the fear of the Lord. Sect. XXVII THe Lord thou hearest O my Soul God of truth is a God of TRUTH is as well as Righteousness Isaiah 66.5 O Tremble at his word as well as works and be thou affraid of the Judgments of his mouth as well as of his hands For the Lord confirmeth the word of his Servants Isaiah 64.26 Math. 5.28 and performeth the Counsels of his Messengers neither is there any Iota of his Threatenings any more then of his Promises that shall pass away untill all be fulfilled for the strength of Israel will not he nor Repent 1 Sam. 15.29 Isaiah 11.5 for he is not as Man that he should Repent The truth is Gods TRUTH is as the Girdle of his Loins What ever God is He is in TRUTH As God is TRUE In all He is 1 Tim. 1.18 Jerem. 10.10 saith the Apostle Our word towards you was not yea and nay The Lord is the true God saith Jeremiah the God of TRUTH saith the Margin with the Hebrew at his Wrath shall the Earth tremble c. Whatever God
saith In all he saith Psal 119.160 He saith in Truth Thy Word is true saith David from the beginning and every one of thy Righteous Judgments endureth for ever Psalm 19.9 Revel 19.9 In all he doth Psalm 33.4 Psal 111.7 8. Psal 80.7 8. The Judgments of the Lord are truth saith the Hebrew These are the true sayings of God Whatever God doth He doth it in Truth All his works are done in Truth The works of his hands are verity and Judgment they stand fast for ever and ever and are done in truth and uprightness Therefore God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints and to be had in Reverence of all them that are about him It follows O Lord God of Hosts who is like unto thee or to thy FAITHFULNESS round about thee So that as the Girdle goes round about All and encompasseth and encloseth All so Gods Truth and Faithfulness doth surround all the rest of his Excellencies and therefore if our Thoughts of God be Right We shall have most awful and Reverend Impressions on our Hearts not onely from the SEVERITY but from the VERITY of God not onely from his Justice and Righteousness but also from his TRUTH and Faithfulness Sect. XXVIII Thoughts of God must be Right Psalm 2.11 BUt then again if our THOUGHTS of GOD be Right and Scriptural they must be CHEARFUL as well as FEARFUL There must be a Rejoycing with our Trembling Divine Thoughts must be awful but delightful as a Son thinks of his Father not as a Slave thinks of his Taskmaster Chearful as well as fearful or a Condemned Prisoner of his Executioner for God is LOVE and how can LOVE be Rightly thought of unless it be thought LOVELY 1 Joh. 4.8.16 Rom. 5.5 or how can this precious box or rich perfume the love of God be shed abroad in the heart and the thoughts thereof not be sweet-sented and indeed the sweeter as perfumes are for being held to the Fire of holy Fear Our fear not a fear of torment 1 John 4.18 There is a Fear that hath TORMENT which Love labours to cast out but again there is a Fear that gives temper to true LOVE of God and strips it self of its All as it were to the service of it as Jonathan did by David even to its Sword and to its Girdle and to its Bow 1 Sam. 18.4 Our God is a CONSUMING FIRE Here is Trembling Heb. 12.29 and good cause why but this God is OUR GOD as the Psalmist speaks for ever and ever Psal 48.14 He will be OUR GUIDE even unto death here is rejoycing with our trembling And O how amiable is this Chequer-work of Mans thoughts in the sight of God surely things are not as they should be with us when we Remember God and are troubled what Psalm 77.3 Harbour hard thoughts of the Father of Mercies Think evil of the Fountain of all Goodness 2 Cor. 1.3 Good thoughts of God Ezek. 18.32 and 33.11 ah wherein hath God deserved this at mans hands Is it because he swears as he lives that he hath no pleasure in the death of him that dies But that the wicked turn from his way and live that is but rather that sinners should Repent and live Is it because he cryes out to you turn ye Chap. 33.11 turn ye from your evil wayes for why will ye die or because he cryes out of you John 5.40 ye will not come to me that ye might have life or because he cryes out over you how shall I give up how shall I make thee as Admah Hosea 11.8 Chap. 6.4 Psal 81.13 Isaiah 48.18 Luke 19.42 and set thee as Zeâ—â—im O sinners what shall I do unto you or because he cryes out for you when it is too late O that ye had harkened unto my voice that thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes Wretched Miscreant Wilt thou go on to hate Wisdome and to love Death Prov. 8.35 as indeed thou dost and then think that God is an Enemy to Mankind and takes delight in making Creatures meerly to destroy them O spit out thy Gall and Venom and clear thy Thoughts of prejudice against thy faithful Creatour and most merciful Preserver and account his long-suffering to be Salvation that he 2 Pet. 3.15 that reprieves thee would pardon thee didst thou sue for his pardon as thou wouldst beg for thy Life for he is so Gracious that he waits that he may be gracious Isaiah 30.18 Hosea 12.6 Gods thoughts not to be measured by ours Prov. 12.10 Therefore turn thou to thy God and wait on thy God continually And think not to measure his pardoning Mercies by thine which are cruelties nor by thy frowardness and passions nor by thy hard Thoughts and evil surmises as if God was altogether such a one as thy self till thou canst measure the space betwixt the Heavens and the Earth for so high are his thoughts above thy thoughts or till thou canst find in thy heart to follow thine Enemy Isa 55.7 8 9. moment by moment all the dayes of his life with thine unwearied care for his safety and providence for his supply and by that time that thou hast done for thine Enemy as God hath taught thee by what he hath done for thee Gods challenge to Man 't is like that thou wilt have better thoughts of thy God or if thou have not come and testifie against him If thou darest or if thou canst for 't is a challenge of Gods own making Micah 6.3 O my people what have I done to thee testifie against me and I as his Herauld proclaim this his challenge to thee But if thou keep silence let me speak and tell thee plainly what he hath done unto thee He made thee a Man that might have made thee a Brute and gave thee a Soul endued with Reason Jer. 38.16 Psalm 139.14.15 Improveable by Grace and so capable of Salvation He gave thee thy shape that might have made thee a Monster and made thee desirable to others who might have made thee a burthen to thy self The Hand of his Providence took thee out of thy Mothers womb and hath ever since suffered thee to hang upon it though thou Psalm 22.9 like a Viper hast fastened thy teeth so deep in it that thy venomous biting hath often gone as it were to his very heart and he with more ease might have shaken thee off into the Fire of his wrath Acts 28.5 Psalm 71.6 He kept thee from ten thousand Deaths and Dangers in thy fearless Infancy careless Childhood hardy and adventrous youth and troublesome Manhood to the very moment that thou art reading this He made thy Bed in thy last sickness Psalm 41.3 Psalm 36.6 Psalm 107.30 bare thee up in his everlasting Arms the last time that thou fellest
from thy Horse and saved both man and beast brought thee safe to shore the last time that thou gavest thy self for lost at Sea He gave thee thy Possessions Thy Promotions Thy comfortable Relations thy loving Wife thy lovely Children thy health strength limbs liberty credit Comforts of all sorts even every good gift James 1.17 2 Sam. 12.8 And if these had been too little as was said to David he would have given thee more and greater things then these hadst thou not been wanting to thy self Mat. 23.37 How often would he have gathered thee as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings How often would he have convinced converted humbled thee healed thee given thee his Son and given thee his Spirit And now judge I pray thee between God and thy own Soul Isaiah 5.3 what could he have done for thee more then that which he hath done Thou needest a Christ and all the day long Isaiah 65.2 he stretcheth out his hand to tender his Christ unto thee and why did he give thee thy Reason but to lead thee to close with his goodness for thy good But besides the Lord is GREAT as well as GOOD God great as well as good Mat. 21.34 37. else he were not GOD And hath done more then he owes thee in spreading a Table without compelling thy appetite that is more then thou expectest from thy best friend thou hast that is but thine equal 2 Pet. 3.19 Matth. 22.4 He hath sent forth his Servants and with them his Son and in them his Spirit And all these say to thee come All things are ready O tast then Psalm 34.8 and see how GOOD the LORD is Away then for shame with all thy sour and harsh thoughts of God Gen. 3.4 5. and purge out thy old Leaven whereby the old Serpent first soured the whole lump of mankind with a hard opinion of God as if he were not enough enclined to mans good Right thoughts of God must be sweet thoughts Our thoughts of God if they be Right thoughts must be SWEET Thoughts as Davids were Bones of marrow and not bags of gall our Souls must be satisfied with them as his was as with marrow and with fatness Yea even for them that were never yet brought into his Psal 104.34 banqueting house to tast of those dainties Psal 65.5 6. Cantic 2.4 Psal 106.5 Revel 2.17 God good to all Psal 83.3 Rom. 2.4 Acts 14.17 which Scriptures call the good of his chosen that hidden Manna the meat and drink which the World knows not of the sweet repast of the hidden ones there is a Goodness yea Riches of goodness to be thought of by them and not to be despised but Improved by affectionate meditation till it lead them to Repentance For he leaves not himself without witnesse even as to these in that he doth good and gives them Rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons filling their hearts with food and gladness And if he leave not himself without witness take heed he leave not thee without excuse Think with thy self therefore a little seriously O man of this Riches both of the goodness and long-suffering and forbearance of God Sparing mercies an evidence thereof Prov. 12.10 Hast thou not found that there are sparing Mercies and canst thou not think that there are pardoning mercies with the Lord He that hath laid it upon thee to Regard the life of thy Beast and hath himself had so continual a regard to the life of thy body which indeed is as thy Beast or bruitish part but stiles himself the Father of our Spirits Heb. 12.9 whilest he calls others the Fathers of our Flesh canst thou find in thy heart to think that he hath no regard for the life of thy Soul Jer. 2.31 Hath God indeed been a Barren Wilderness to thee that hath given thee so many fruitful seasons or hath he been only so to thy Soul surely what ever he is to other Nations he hath not been so to us means of Grace have not been wanting to thee So the means of Grace not would his Grace have been wanting to thee in the humble and diligent use of those means Thou hast not been straitned in the Lord surely 2 Cor. 6.12 whatever thou hast been in thy own bowels Hath He been a Land of darkness to thee who hath caused his Sun to arise upon thee Matth. 5.44 though thou art Evil Or hath he been onely so to thy Soul Hast thou not also heard of a Sun of Righteousness that he maketh to arise with healing in his wings upon those that believe in him that justifieth the ungodly Mal. 2.4 Romans 4.9 And if all other thy ungodliness be no bar O why should thy unbelief or hard thoughts of this good God be so But some one may think Objection Micah 3.6 is there any evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it nay doth he not own it where is then the Goodness you spake of Out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not evil and good is not He said to frame Evil to devise evil God the Author or evil Lam. 3.38 Jerem. 18.11 Micah 2.3 Isaiah 45.7 Answer Joh 37.23 Lam. 2.33 God good in correcting Micah 6.8 Chap. 7.18 Isaiah 28.21 Mal. 1.8 Rom. 9.20 And punishing Punishment of the wicked good to the good to create Evil And can this consist with so great Goodness But think again O Man that the Scripture saith the Almighty will not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of Men. As a good Parent doth not correct willingly yet he were not a good Parent should he not correct He hath shewed thee O man what is good to do Justice and to love Mercy And cannot God be good though he do Justice whilest he love Mercy for Mercy pleaseth him or he delighteth in Mercy but Judgment he calleth his strange work But go thou and first offer this to thy Governour before thou presumest to reply against God and tell thy Prince if thou darest that His Government is not good because He hath Bethlehems for Mad-Folks and Houses of Correction for Rogues and Vagabonds and places of Execution and instruments of Death for Traytors and Capital Malefactors But how should the Government be good to the Good if it should not restrain and punish the Evil Nay surely the Lords goodness is never more orient in the eyes of his people then when he takes vengeance not onely of their Enemies but of their inventions and yet pardons their sins So of their own sins Psal 991.18 and saves their Souls And oh how shall he come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in them that believe 2 Thes 1.10 Verse 8. Even when the Lord Jesus shall shew himself from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire rendring vengeance to them that know not God and obey not his Gospel So that the Goodness of
so much the more on the New Covenant and surely thou canst not but cry Heb. 8.8 Of GRACE Zech. 4.7 Math. 22.8 Chap. 11.28 1 King 21.16 Verse 6. grace grace unto it O this is that where none are excluded but self-excluders nor counted unworthy but those that are unwilling where the worst are invited and the most heavy laden best welcomed where Sinks of Sin as Manasseth an Idolater and a Conjurer who filled Jerusalem with blood are made vessels of mercy prepared unto glory where Mansion-Houses of Devils as Mary Magdalen become Temples of the Holy Ghost Mark 16.9 Acts 9.15 Isaiah 11.6 Habitations of God through the Spirit where Persecutors as Saul become Preachers of Righteousness and the Wolf dwells with the Lamb and the Leopard lies down with the Kid and the Calâ— with the Lyon and the little Child doth lead them c. Acts 2.23 Where cruel Jewes are saved by the Blood that they shed and by putting forth an hand of Faith to take hold on him whom themselves had taken before 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. and by wicked hands had Crucified and slain And where Sinners of the Gentiles Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers Effeminate persons Abusers of themselves with Mankind Theeves Covetous Drunkards Raylers Extortioners are washed are sanctified are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Where blemishes are no bar to admission to the Marriage-Supper of the King but the Poor and the Maimed Luke 14.11 Verse 23. and the Halt and the Blind are entertained yea the very Hedge-rows are searched and the very Vagabonds and High-way-men are compelled to come in Isa 35.5 6 8. Where the eyes of the Blind see out of obscurity and the ears of the Deaf are opened and the Lame Man leaps as an Hart and the Tongue of the Dumb doth sing Where the way-faring Man though a fool doth not err and they that erred in spirit come to understanding Isaiah 29 24. Job 33.27 28. and they that murmureâ— to learn Doctrine Where God looketh upon men and if any say I have sinned and perverted that which was Right and it profited me not He will deliver him from going down into the pit and his Life shall see the light Where Light is given to them that sit in Darkness Luke 1.79 and in the shadow of Death and where Iniquity is forgiven and Sin is Remembred no more Heb. 8.12 Free Grace In the First Covenant God was good to Mans Righteousness in this New Covenant He is merciful to his unrighteousness In that He was Preserver of the Innocent Hâ—sea 14.5 Rom. 5.8 in this a Restorer of Revolters an Healer of Back-sliders a Lover of Enemies a well-willer to Evil-doers O this is Mercy tender mercy of our God whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us Luke 2.14 Luke 1.78 79. Rom. 3.12 16 17. Verse 24. Verse 25. to guide our feet into the way of peace who were all gone out of the way and were altogether become unprofitable but destruction and misery were in our wayes and the way of Peace we knew not O this is Grace Free Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation c. willing it seems to gain all sorts of Buyers though without money and without price Isaiah 55.1 as the Salesman is who sets forth his Wares to invite Customers whom He hopes most to get by whereas all that He expects from us is but our taking what he tenders and receiving what he gives O this is Mercy and rich Mercy Eph. 2.4 R câ— Grace Verse 7. and Love and great love whereby he loved us O this is Grace and Riches of Grace and exceeding riches of Grace in his kindness towards us The Apostle speaks of it as if he could never speak enough of it or high enough of it and it was not his study alone but that about which he declares that all Saints are thoughtful how they may be able to comprehend what is the breadth Chap. 3.18 19. and length and depth and height and to know this love that passeth knowledge Bredth of Love covering the multitude of sins as it must needs be a broad Plaister indeed that must cover all our Sores Isaiah 1.6 Psalm 130.1 who from the sole of the foot to the head are nothing but wounds and swellings and putrifying sores Depth of love reaching us in the Deeps of sin and misery And 40.2 the horrible pit and miry clay Length of Love stretching its wings from Eternity to Eternity Eph. 3 11. 1 Cor. 15.45 47. and Height of Love beating sinners up from Hell to Heaven and to a more blessed and glorious state in the second Adam than they fell from in the first And O what a Theme for Thoughts is here Here is Height for the Highest Covenant of GRACE the â—â—mplest Theme 〈◊〉 thoughâ— Depth for the Profoundest Bredth for the largest Length for the longest Thoughts Man can possibly have and indeed Thoughts are the largest things in the World Sect. XXX THis this was that Ephes 1 9. With 3.11 that took up Gods own Thoughts from all Eternity this good pleasure of his goodness which He purposed in Himself The Lord possessed me saith Christ in the beginning of his way CHRIST before his works of old or ever the Depths or the Fountains or the Mountains or Hills were settled or the Earth made Prov. 8.22 The object of Gods Eternal Thoughts Verse 30.31 or the Clouds confirmed or the Heavens prepared Then was He with God as one brought up with him rejoycing alwayes before him and was daily his Delight even he whose Rejoycing is in the habitable parts of the Earth and his delights are with the Children of Men that is to say with Fallen Man or as it is expressed in the Psalmist even the Rebellious Psal 68.18 that God might dwell among them The Lord possessed me saith Christ Now the Thoughts as we have formerly said are the possessions of the heart This was that And of all good men in the first Ages of the World Of Adam Gen. 3.15 that took up the Thoughts of all the best in the first Ages of the World when they had but a little hole to see day at when this Infant Covenant of Grace was wrapt in the Swadling-band of that short and single Promise the Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head Wherefore when that Son was born of whom Christ was to come Gen. 4.25 Eve calls him Seth a FOUNDATION and how glad were they when God did but never so little further open it and make a way for their further Thoughts about it 'T was a little plainer to Abraham Abraham Gen. 12.3 Job 8 56. Job 10.25 26 27. In thy sâ—ed shall all the Nations of the World be blessed And saith Christ of Abraham He saw my
day and was glad How busie was Holy Job about the Thoughts of his Redeemer of his standing upon the Earth and his seeing of him with those very eyes of his at the last day And gracious Elihu about the way of Gods dealing with penitent Sinners on the account of a Saviour Deliver him from going down into the Pit Job 23.24 â—gur I have found a RANSOM When Agur was discoursing with Ithiel and Ucal you may see where his Thoughts were by his Question Prov. 30.4 What is his Name and what is his SONS Name if thou canst tell Of David especially Psalms a little New Testament And as for David to whom as to a special Favorite so large and glorious discoveries were made O how enlarged and affectionate were his Meditations So that David and the Book of the Psalms is quoted by Christ himself as most clear and copious concerning Him Luke 24.44 Acts 1.16 and 20.25.29.34 4.25 c. and 13 33. All things saith he must be fulfilled that were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the PSALMS concerning ME And so in the Acts and elsewhere as if the PSALMS were a little New Testament in the middle of the Old Davids thoughts busied about Christs Name Psal 110. compared with Math. 22.43 Psalm 2.2 Psalm 45.7 John 4.29 2 Sâ—m 22.3 Psal 118.14 and 21. Luke 1.47 Phil. 3 3. Psalm 3.5 9. How full were Davids Thoughts of this great and glorious Name the LORD JESUS CHRIST He calls him LORD in spirit when he saith The Lord said unto my LORD sit thou on my right hand c. He calls him Gods Anointed which in the Greek Tongue is CHRIST Yea the Anointed of God above his Fellows which is as much as THE CHRIST as she asked Is not this THE CHRIST that is Christ above all Christs for though there were many Christs they were taught to expect ONE Christ above All And he calls him his Saviour and his Salvation most frequently which in the Hebrew Tongue is JESUS So that that saying of the Blessed Virgin My Spirit rejoyceth in God MY SAVIOUR and that of the Apostle We rejoyce in JESUS seem clearly to be taken from that of David My Soul shall be joyful in the Lord it shall Rejoyce in his Salvation or as it may be read to the letter in the Hebrew Text My Soul shall Rejoyce in his JESUS Person Psalm 2.12 Verse 7. Concerning his Person his Thoughts were clear He exhorts the Kings of the Earth to kiss the SON and tells you plainly that he means the only BEGOTTEN of God when he saith the LORD hath said thou are MY SON Psal 89.26 compared with Heb. 1.5 this day have I BEGOTTEN Thee and again I will be to him a Father and He shall be to me a Son So also concerning his distinct Natures Natures in one Subsistence He calls him LORD in Spirit because he knew him to be GOD who he knew was to be his SON after the Flesh as MAN Psalm 45.67 yet saith expresly to him Thy Throne O GOD is for ever and ever c. Thou lovest Righteousnesse c. therefore GOD thy GOD hath Anointed Thee c. He knew that Christ the anointed of God was GOD Hebr. 1.8 for saith the Apostle It is unto the SON that he saith thy Throne O GOD is for ever and ever c. Yet He also distinctly and certainly knew that God had sworn that of the fruit of his Loins He would raise up Christ as concerning the Flesh to sit upon his Throne as the Apostle speaks Acts 2.30 So that he may be thought to mean this when he saith Truth shall spring out of the Earth and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven Psal 85.11 He might well call him TRUTH as he was the Promised Messiah for in this respect he was to spring out of the Earth to be born of a Woman in the City of David And he might call him RIGHTEOUSNESS who is called elsewhere Jehovah Tzidkenu Jer. 33.16 Mal. 4.2 The LORD Our Righteousness and the SUN of Righteousness as another Prophet calls him now 't is proper for the SUN to look down from Heaven Concerning his Incarnation and Birth Incarnation Psal 142.17 Luke 1.69 which he calls the budding of the Horn of David or which is all one the raising up a mighty Salvation or a Horn of Salvation for his people in the house of his Servant David he brings in Christ plainly thus speaking Sacrifice and Offering and burnt Offerings thou wouldest not Psal 20.6 7 8. Hebr. 10.5 but a Body hast thou prepared me So the Holy Ghost in the Hebrews renders that of the Psalmist Mine ears hast thou opened or pierced through and applies it to Christs Coming into the World in the Flesh Then said I Lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of Me I delight to do thy will O my God c. He had also most clear conceptions concerning Christs bitter Sufferings Passion 〈…〉 Psal 2.1 2. Acts 4.26 In the Raging Combination of the Heathen that is the Gentiles and the People that is the Jews and Consultation of the Kings of the Earth and the Rulers that is Herod and Pontius Pilate against the Lord and his CHRIST as it is expounded in the Acts. Psal 118.22 1 Pet. 2.7 By the Malice of the Priests and Elders that should have been Builders of the People in the Faith and acceptation of this Promised Messiah Refusing that stone which God hath designed to be the Head of the Corner By the Treason of Judas that did eat of his Bread yet lifted up his heel against him Psalm 41.9 Job 13.18 21. Psâ—â— 22.7 8. Mat. 27.43 By the scoffs of Spectators and cruel mocking of passers by wagging their heads at him and saying He trusted in the Lord let him deliver him if he will have him and let him save him seeing he delighted in him Psal 31.11 Mat. 26.56 By the faintheartedness of his Followers and Cowardise of his Friends I was a Reproach among mine Enemies and a fear to mine Acquaintance they that saw me without sled from me All this was done saith the Evangelist that the Scriptures might be fulfilled then all his Disciples forsook him and sled Psal 69.21 Mat. 27.48 By the cruelty of his Inhumane Persecutors that in his thirst gave him Vinegar to drink and Gall in his Meat Psal 22.16 17 18. Mat. 27.35 By the Savage Souldiers that parted his Garments and cast lots upon his Vesture and Bloody Executioners that pierced his Hands and â—his Feet and so distended his Body upon the cruel Cross that one might tell all his Bones Psal 22.1 Mat. 27.46 And most of all by Divine Dereliction which made him to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And yet in all this not casting away his Confidence Psalm 31.5 Luke 23.46 or loosing
himself by Impatience but committing himself and his Cause to God and crying out with a loud voice into thy hands I commit my Spirit and when he had so said saith the Evangelist He gave up the Ghost And as David was thus copions in the Thoughts of Christs Passion he leaves him not there Resurrection but pursues him with lively and comfortable Meditations of his Resurrection Psal 16.10 Thou wilt not suffer thine holy one to see Corruption from which the Apostle undeniably concludes the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead Acts 2.26 nay even from those words in the Second Psalm Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Psalm 2.7 Acts 13.33 Psal 110.7 This God hath fulfilled saith the Apostle Paul in that he raised up Jesus c He shall drink of the Brook in the way may be meant of his Passion for Christ calls it a Drinking the Cup which my Father hath put into mine hand saith he shall I not drink John 18.11 and therefore shall be lift up the head in his Resurrection And as his Thoughts ran of his Resurrection so also of his Ascention When he Ascended up on high Ascention Psal 68.18 Eph. 4.8 and led Captivity Captive he received gifts for men yea even the Rebellious that God might dwell amongst them expounded by the Apostle as meant of Christ by the Psalmist Session and Intercession Psal 110.1 4. Heb. 7.21 So also of Christs Session at the Right hand of God and Intercession as an High Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedeck All expounded of in Christ in the Hebrews Of his Kindome Throne and Scepter Kingdom Psalm 45.6 Thy THRONE O God is for ever and ever the Scepter of thy KINGDOM is a right SCEPTER Of his Prophetical Office in Declaring the Decree Prophetical Office Psalm 2.7 and 45.10 Success of his Ministry Psalm 110.5 Psalm 18.49 Rom. 15 9. Psal 117.1 2. Rom. 15.11 in Instructing the Church Hearken O Daughter and consider and encline thine ear c. And the wonderful glorious success of his Gospel Ministers Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power c. and that not only as to the Election among the Jews but also the fulness of the Gentiles the Calling and Conversion of them by the Grace of the Gospel I will confess thee among the Gentiles And again he saith Praise the Lord all ye Gentiles and laud him all ye People c. for great is his loving-kindness towards us us Jews and you Gentiles therefore praise ye the Lord. Second coming to Judgment And finally his Powerful and certain second coming to Judgment for the compleating of the work of his Grace in bringing many Sons unto Glory and in gathering his people together his Saints and his Covenanted ones Psalm 50.1 5. even from the rising of the Sun unto the going down thereof And O how he triumpheth and brings in other Creatures exulting as it were at the thought of this his coming Psalm 96. for he cometh for he cometh to judge the Earth with Righteousness will he judge the World and the People in his truth Ver. 11 12 13. for in all this it is evident that his thoughts ran of Christ when he saith He hath remembred his Mercy and his Truth towards the house of Israel and all the ends of the Earth have seen the Salvation of our God and then it follows Let the Floods clap their hands Verse 8 9. and the Mountains rejoyce together before the Lord for he cometh to judge the Earth with Righteousness shall he judge the World and the people with Equity In a word as blessed Maryes Soul did magnifie the Lord though she were his Mother so Davids Spirit did rejoyce in God his Saviour though as to the Flesh he were his Father and O how precious was that thought unto David which is as it were the sum and quintessence of all the rest Thou spakest in a vision to thy holy One Psalm 89.19 thou saidst I have laid help upon one that is mighty that is to say in the New Testament-Language He is able to save to the uttermost Hebr. 7.28 all that come unto God by him 'T is proved that David understood and thought of Christ in all this Acts 2.30 31. But some one may say was David indeed so well studied in a Covenant of Grace and did he think of a Christ in all this The Apostle Peter saith he did because he was a Prophet and knew what God had sworn that of the fruit of his loins he would raise up Christ concerning the Flesh to sit upon his Throne and that knowing this before he spake of his Resurrection c. So that David did not Prophesy like wicked Caiaphas the High Priest of he knew not what Joh. 11 50 51. but understood what he Prophesied and thought of what he Prophesied and was in this respect a man after Gods own heart 1 Sam. 13.14 because his heart was so much upon what Gods heart was upon Prov. 8.30 the Mystery of Grace in the Lord Jesus Christ so that as Christ saith that he was alwayes before God so David saith of Christ I foresaw the Lord alwayes before my face Acts 2.25 Christ was ever in his eye But O how great is the advantage that our Thoughts may have of his His was but a foreseeing and a fore-knowing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore but a fore-thinking of a Christ that was to come Verse 31. but ours is a seeing before whose eyes Jesus Christ is evidently set forth Gal. 3.1 even as if he were Crucified amongst us and a knowing and a thinking of that which is already and fulfilled to a tittle in all that he fore-spake and fore-thought even eight and twenty Generations before it was accomplished for from David Mat. 1.27 untill they were carryed away into Babylon was fourteen Generations and from the Captivity to Christ were fourteen Generations What shall I say now Heb. 11.3 the time would be too short as the Apostle speaks to tell you of Moses and all the rest of the Prophets of the Apostles and particularly of S. Paul whose heart was so full of a Christ and his thoughts so big of him that they deliver themselves almost in every other Verse of his very Name and croud it in many times as if it were an ease to that Abundance that was in his heart to have his mouth speaking or his pen dropping that sweet smelling Name of THE LORD JESUS CHRIST Sect. XXXI THis this is also that 1 Pet. 1.12 Christ the Theme of Angelical Thoughts Luke 1.13 14. which the Angels desire to pry into for you may know what all their Thoughts run on by what their Tongues run of when they take to them Tongues saith the Evangelist there was with the Angels a multitude of the Heavenly Host Praising
never pay the uttermost farthing We must not pretend high Thoughts of Christ to harbour hard thoughts of God 1 Pet. 1.18 Verse 19. But still We must take heed while We pretend high Thoughts of Christ that we harbour not hard thoughts of God as if he would exact of Our Surety more than was due or were indeed profuse or prodigal of the Blood of his Son No no God counted it as precious sure as thou canst do for thine heart and if Men be loath to be lavish of corruptible things such as Silver and Gold sure God would never have been so of the precious blood of Christ as aâ— Lamb without spot for if a drop would have done it Circumcision might have excused the Passion and the Propathia or Bloody Sweat in the Garden the Bloody Death upon the CROSS Gal. 2.21 and so Christ have dyed in vain a thought which the Apostle so much abhors for as he there reasons concerning the Law I may argue in this present case if Righteousness could have been by a drop of his Blood then â—hriâ— dyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one would say Gratis in a complement and for a meer flourish of his kindness which the Apostle will by no means admit Joh 2.19 21. No no The Temple of his Body must be deâ—troyed which the loss of a Drop of his blood would not do Rom. 6.23 He must be made SIN for Us now the wages of Sin for he knew no sin as to the work of Sin but he must be made Sin as to the wages of Sin which is Death Cor. 5.21 That we might be made the righteousness of God in him And that he might Redeem us from the Curse of the Law he must be made a Curse for Us that is He must hang upon the Tree till he be dead Deut. 21 22 23. Scripture-thoughts of Christ our onely right and high Thoughts Luke 24.25 26. for in that sence it is that the Apostle quotes that in the Law of Moses where it is written Cursed is he that hangeth upon a Tree And the truth is as our Scriptural Thoughts of Christ are our onely Right Thoughts O fools and slow of heart ought not Christ to have suffered these things c. so are they also our high Thoughts for herein God commeâ—ded his Love to us not that Christ was Circumcised for us though that were Love Rom. 5.8 Not Christ bleeding but his dying the grand commendation of his Love to loose a few drops of his precious Blood for Us but this is the high commendation of his Love that he dyed for 〈◊〉 for many there are that would willingly enough â—â—ose a little Blood for a Friend that would not die for their Friend but this was Love that though We were Enemies He not onely Bled for Us but Dyed for Us. For suppose you had been ear-witnesses 〈◊〉 the great Councel of Peace between the Father and the Son Heb. 10.3 4 5. whereof we have such plain Intimations in Scripture saith God Lo yonder are a multitude of Sinneâ—â— and a multitude of Sacrifices but I have no pleasure in the One or the Other but if Thou my Son wilt but come in the Room of both I shall be satisfied in whom Mat. 3.17 as well as with whom I shall be well pleased But know then that there must be Dying or there can be no Doing Hebr. 9.12 for the Sinners should Die and the Sacrifices they do Die and thou must Die or else my Wrath can not be appeased the Sinner can not be acquitted and then that you had heard Christ thus making answer If it must be so Lo I come Lord Hebr. 10.9.7 Verse 5. Isaiah 50.5 6. in the Volume of thy Book it is written of me even to do this thy Will O God if this be the way Let it be so a Body hast thou prepared me and mine Ears haâ—t thou opened and I was not Rebellious neither turned I away back Lo here is my Back to the Smiters and my Cheeks for them that pull off the hair and my Face for shame and spitting And if all this be not sufficient here is my Soul too for a Sacrifice for an Offering for Sin Isaâ—ah 53 1â— and if Thou be but satisfied I am Satisfied for as never had Mother sorrow in her Birth-pains for a Son like my Sorrow so never was Mother satisfied in a Son as I am in my Seed Isaiah 53.10 When thou shalt make his Soul an Offering for Sin He shall see his Seed and the Pleasure of the Lord prosper in his hand Verse 11. He shall see of the Travail of his Soul and be Satisfied And therefore well mayest Thou be satisfied O my Soul as with Marrow and with Fatness to think of all this Verse 1â— If it pleased the Lord to bruise him that He might spare thee and if the Son were satisfied to be so served to justify thee Verse 11. and to bear thine Iniquities shall this Thought not be pleasing to thee That He should not onely be Cut as in his Circumcision but Cut off out of the Land of the Living as in his Passion even Messiah the Prince Verse 8. Dan. 5.24 25. be cut off for thee to finish thy Transgression to make an end of Sin to make Reconciliation for the Transgression and to bring in Everlasting Righteousness That He should be delivered for thine Offences Rom. 4.25 and raised again for thy Justification without thy desert or desire or thy care or thy Thought before all this was done for thee doth it not deserve now thy Love Jer. 23.6 and thy Joy and thy Care and thy Thoughts to be laid out upon it nay to be taken up with it That The Lord should be Thy Righteousness Isaiah 32.2 and this Man thine hiding place and thy Peace and that by Blood onely Eph. 2.13 15. Eph. 1.6 7. so making Peace That thine Acceptation should be in Him and thy Redemption through his Blood and neither the One nor the other by Doing nor by thy Dying Rom. 5.10 but thy Recâ—nciliation by His Death and thy Salvation by His Life Oh how dear should the Thought of this Dying-Rising Lord be to thee 1 Pet. 3 1â— who once suffered for Sins the JUST for the Unjust that he might bring us to God put to Death in the Flesh or Manhood but quickened in or through the Spirit that is the Godhead Sect. XXXVI High thoughts of Imputed Righteousness Rom. 4 24. Phil. 3.8 6. ANd how Highly Reported should that Imputed Righteousness be by Thee which the Apostle counts a Gain for which He willingly Suffered the loss of All nay for the working out of which Christ Himself became poor that We by his poverty might be made â—â—ch 'T was this Righteousness that was look'd at in the Sacrifices 〈◊〉 8.9 Heâ— â— 14 15. and through the Sprinklings of the Law for
which All other Thoughts can be but a mear Chaos of Confusion and will prove in the Issue a very Hell of Horrour and a Thought with which the thought of Death is without a Sting 1 Cor. 15.55 Luke 21.28 1 Pet. 1.8 and the very Thought of Judgment doth lift up the heal and fill the heart with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory In a word a Thought that by mutual entercourses between Love on Gods part and Faith on Mans part doth bring Heaven down to Us and will if We follow it home raise Us up to Heaven 2 Cor. 3.18 for whilst we with open face behold as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord we are changed into the same Image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of Lord For as Gods wayes are above our wayes as high as his Thoughts are above our Thoughts Isaiah 55.8 so our wayes will be above other mens wayes above the Corrupt way of Nature the bruitish way of sense and Carnal Reason as high as our thoughts are above their thoughts for whilst their God is their belly Phil. 3.19 20. and they glory in their shame who mind Earthly things Our Conversation shall bâ— in Heaven from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ O welcome then the dear and precious Thoughts oâ— the blessed Jesus who thought of thee O my Soul Christ deserves Psalm 136.23 in thy low estate and therefore deserves thy Thoughts and puts himself purposely in thy way which way sâ—ever thou turnest thy self And desires our thoughts Luke 22.44 Knocks at the door of every sence and therefore sure desires thy thoughts for as there was never a pore in his Body but He did sweat out his Blood at it for thee and thy Good so is there never a door even of thine Exterior sences but He knocks at it to be let in to thy thoughts Canst thou hear or see or feel why that which we have seen and heard saith the Apostle 1 John 1.1 And ver 3. 1 Pet. 2.3 Cantic 2.1 Chap. 1.13 Verse 14. declare â—e unto you and our hands have handled the word of life Or canst thou tast and hast thou not tasted that the Lord is gracious or is the Rose of Sharon the onely Flower that can â—â—t please thy smell The bundle of Myrrhe the Cluster of Camphire c. are there no sweets in All these Methinks my Saviour does even court my Thoughts And puts himself in the way of our thoughts by every good thing about us Isaiah 11.10 Eccles 7.11 Rev. 12.16 Mal. 4.3 Rom. 13 14. John 14.6 Chapter 10.9 meeting them and me at every turn in every thing that is excellent and obvious If I shut my eyes He is my Rest and this Rest is glorious If I open them He is my Light and truly this Light is pleasant If Night fall he is the bright and fixed Star If Day dawn 't is writ with a Sun-beam upon my wall that he is my Sun of Righteousness when I get up can I forget my Cloths to put on the Lord Jesus Can I go forth and not think of him that is the way or come in again and not think of him that is the Door Can I sit down to Eat and forget him that is the Bread of Life and take a turn in my Garden among all my pleasant Plants Revel 22.2 and forget the Tree of Life or refresh my sweating brow amongst Rivers Verse 1. Isaiah 32.2 Zachar. 13.1 Shades and Fountains and not mind him that is the River of Life the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land the Fountain set open for Sin and for uncleanness Can I gaze upon Gold or Silver the Mammon of Unrighteousness and forget him whose very Reproach is greater riches then the Treasures of Aegypt or please mine Eye with the Brisk and sprightly Diamond or beautiful Emerauld and not call to mind that Pearl of great Price Mat. 13.42 for the sake of which the wise Merchant sells all he hath to buy the Field in which He finds it Do I see the welcome Officer bringing a discharge to his weary Prisoner and forget him that hath the Key of David who openeth Revel 3 7. and no man can shut and shutteth and none can open Do I see the Mariner drop his Anchor and forget him in whom alone is Hope which is the Anchor of the Soul is sure and steadfast Heb. 6.18 19. Do I see the Souldier run to his Colours and forget the Captain of my Salvation Chap. 2.10 Gen. 31.40 Do I see the watchful Shepheard expose himself as Jacob to Sun and Showre to Wind and Weather and forget him that laid down his Life for his Sheep John 10.11 Matth. 9.33 Or the painful Harvest-Man and forget him that is the Lord of the Harvest Or the careful Father setling his Estate by Will and leaving it to his little ones that he leaves behind him and can I forbear to call to mind my Saviours Testament confirmed by the Death of the Testator Hebrews 9.16 Do I see the Virgins preparing to receive the Bridegroom Mat. 25.31 or the Countrey going out to meet the Judge of Assize and not my Thoughts run out to meet my Saviour 1 Thes 4.17 In a word can I think of any thing and not think of Christ who is every good thing If I be well Psalm 42.11 Matthew 9.12 Philip. 1.21 John 11.25 't is He that is the health of my countenance and if I be sick he is my Physitian and if I live Christ is my Life and if I die he is the Resurrection as well as Life So that as there is a strange disease that takes some in their Heads who live many years but so strangely loose their Memory that they forget their own Name it is much more a monstrous disease that takes Us in our Hearts that makes us forget the Name of Christ that We should be so strange and so sottish and so stupid to the thoughts of Christ which of all the things in the World ought in duty and might in Reason be most ready frequent and familiar to Us since God hath made every good thing about us a plain prompter to our weak memories in spelling out the Name of his Son and our Saviour Jesus Christ We need no sorry Crucifixes dumb Pictures or dead Images to be our Remembrancers blessed be our God to put us in mind of him Especially by the Lords Supper instituted for his Remembrance 1 Cor. 11.26 who hath drunk to us in his own Blood and commanded us to pledge him at his Table and as often as we do it to do it in Remembrance of him O there do thou muse O my Soul till the Fire burn O there let thine Eye and thy Touch and thy Tast affect thy Thoughts and let thy Thoughts inflame thy Affections that the more thou think of Christ thou mayest love