to perform duty Pray Magus Let wicked men pray let them sing Psalmes let them hear I do not say let them be wicked It is their sin if they do not pray is not their sin to pray Say not my children shall not pray nor be taught to pray till they be holy and sanctified As some pray by the Eph. 6. 18. Jude 20. Luke 11. 13. spirit so others pray for the spirit first Refuse not to joyn with such who are no Saints in singing praying c. which are the proper works of Saints Let wicked ones pray I say but let them repent as well as pray Repent of this thy wickednesse and pray c. 8. Wicked and desperate sinners after conviction reproofe and plain admonition are to be given over and left to themselves and Gods Judgment with their blood running upon their own heads Let the dart be left sticking in their side Let them take Rev. 22. 11. their course and be filthy still and let the word take its course and become a favour of death to death to such Here is no place for foolish pitty and casting Gospel Pearls before such swine The Godly Minister is unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish 2 Cor. 2. 15. None of these observations do we intend to stand upon But the ninth and last which we shall fasten upon is this Doct. Sinfull thoughts got rooted and entertained in the heart put a man into a very sinfull and wofull condition Or thus If such sinfull thoughts be received and entertained in the heart without true and serious Repentance of them and Earnest prayers against them the man is in a hopelesse and desperate state CHAP. II. The point explained Prov'd and confirmed by sundry arguments in the text FIrst I say for the opening of the termes in the position Thoughts finfull fixed rooted entertained such was this in Magus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 machinatio Beza Cogitatio nimium dilute redditur Significatur his vafrum Simonis commentum Leigh It was in his heart and the two wordes used here signifie fixed and deliberate thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 20. which is more then a transient injected sudden thought or inconsiderate Imagination And the other word in this verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred thought signifies more properly machination project designe purpose of the heart Secondly Peter would never have begun with such an Execration of his motion or used such an Imprecation on his Person Thymony perish with thee or thy mony and thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 go into Perdition together for so is the Grammaticall reading nor would he have concluded with such a peremptory sentence of Condemnation nor would he have so Rattled and Terrified him if his sin and danger had not been very great nor lastly would he have doubled all his Arguments if it had not been to leave him sensible of so great a mischief and throughly to waken and warn others 1. He tells him twice of his thought v. 20. and 22. 2. He tells him twice or thrice of his state 1. Thy heart is not right in the sight of God 2. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter 3. Thou art in the gall of Bitternesse and bond of Iniquity Thirdly He calls upon him to a double duty Repent and pray Fourthly And to drive him out of all his security and to force him out of his sloth he makes him no absolute promise nor so much as conditionall neither but leaves him in doubt yea a double doubt 1. If 2. perhaps He saith not so much as Joel 2. 14. Who knows but the Lord may repent but all he saith is Perhaps and as if that were too much yet he puts in another If If perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee For the evill of thoughts consider these other Scriptures Pro. 6. 18. among those six things which God hateth The heart that deviseth wicked Imaginations is one Pro. 15. 26. The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. Esay 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his tboughts Jer. 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickcdness that thou mayst be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee When the Pharisees carped at some acts of our Saviour and reasoned in their hearts it is said Jesus knowing their thoughts rebuked them saying wherefore think you evill in your hearts Often it is said Mat. 9. 4. in the Gospel Jesus Christ took notice of their thoughts Luke 11. 19. and Luke 24. 38. Why do thoughts arise in your hearts By all which proofes it appears how much evil is in the evil thought Reasons There be many reasons at hand in the Text. 1. These Proclaim what we make of God of the Gospel and the wayes and servants of God Thy mony perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with mony q. d. What a thought hast thou conceived what dost thou think of God of the Holy Ghost the gift of God of the Gospel and of us Thou art all for mony thy selfe thou thinkest God is so at least we are so and that the Gospel and gift of God is but a devise to get more mony Thy mony and thy thoughts perish together 2. These thoughts lay open the heart and shew the temper of it more then any outward action or expression Phisiognomy doth not so declare the constitution of the mind not the Pulse of the heart nor the urine of the disease as the thoughts do the state and frame of the heart if thou wilt take the paines to observe them Vrina est meretrix and baptisme profession hearing wondering mony giving are no better shew not the Christian to himself so much as the thoughts Thy heart is not right saith Peter because thou hast harboured such a thought in the sight of God Jer. 4. 14. Wash thine heart how long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee Where vain thoughts are lodged the heart is not clean 3. These to a Judicious and discerning Eye leave in a most desperate state what ever Ignorant wicked or self-deceiving persons may dream to the contrary I perceive saith Peter I know thou thinkest not so ill of thy selfe or thy state I perceive that thou art in the very gall of bitternesse and in the bond of Iniquity That is thy heart and state is as bad can be as bitter as gall Thou art as fast in sin as if bound to it with chaines It is more saith Beza then to have Gall or bitternesse in him as it is more to be in wine or to be in the water or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Extra se erat v. 13. Idem verbum v. 9. non eodem sensu acceptum ibi Magus prestigiisf acinavit dement avil spectatores hic ipse quasi in Extasi positus totus obstupuit to be in
and set him at thy right hand 1 Chron. 28. 9. Psal 139. 2. The eye of the Master awes and reacheth the Scholar and the presence of the Commander keeps the souldier from routing and disorder 6. Plant the word of God as battering Engines against any evil thought approaching and take this enemy off before he come too near 2 Cor. 10. 4. Heb. 4. 12. Especially such Scriptures as do levell directly against thy thoughts If thy thoughts be vain discharge these Scriptures as Gods Ordinance against them Jer. 4. 14. Rom. 1. 21. Ephes 4. 17. If wanton Mat. 5. 28. If passionate Mat. 5. 22. If malicious apply that 1 Joh. 3. 15. If covetous apply Col. 3. 5. If carnall apply Rom. 8. 5. Keep this two edged sword ever turning at the door of thy heart that thou mayst secure the tree of life 7. Attend diligently thy honest calling Employment gives not a portion onely but protection and is as necessary for the soul as for the bodies health and subsistance Give not ear to every idle diverting thought stir not but follow thy businesse Say with Nehemiah I am about a better work I am Neh. 6. 3. not at leisure to parley with every one that envies my peace and would interrupt my proceedings Nothing keeps the knife or plow share so bright as continuall usage nothing causeth rust but want of use It is so with the mind The hour of Idlenesse is the hour of Temptation Satan tempts the Busie man the Idle man tempts Satan Get an honest calling first then walk painfully in it 8. Look well to thy outward senses those Cinque-Ports as one cals them When the Suburbs are fired the City will soon be taken if the Enemy be possest of the Out-works he will ere long make a breach into the Castle Sometimes the eye hath affected the heart but more often infected it Eve and David Lam. 3. 51. were betrayed by their sight and upright Noah by his tast and palate It is not enough that we may sleep securely that there be no thief within the house of our Domesticks but we must look to the doores and windowes that they be made fast 9. Make a Privy search ever and anon and keep a privy sessions often in thy own Jurisdiction and set up a Court Martiall that execution may be done upon mutinous rebellious and all disorderly thoughts and having in readinesse ever to revenge all disobedience It is a shame that we should cast up 2 Cor. 10. 6. our shop at least once the year and besides a many washings of linnen and scouring of vessels we should have some Solemnâ— scourings and some great and generall washing and whitening of all once or oftner in the year and it may be thy heart hath not had one day of examination and enquiry into it all thy life 10. Call in God to help thee in thy search Two eyes see more then one as holy David often when he was most buisie to look into himself yet being full of holy jealousie least he should overlook prayes Lord examine me and prove me try my reines and my heart for thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth Psal 26. 2 3. and Psal 139. throughout When he had been searching and scanning himself he calls in God to help him in his heart Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting v. 23 24. Oh it is a happy boldnesse that an upright heart mens sibi consciarecti hath before God if our heart condemne us not upon a through search then have we boldnesse before God 1 Jo. 3. 21. and can lay all before him as confidently as honest Jacob leads Laban into his tents and Judah and his brethren opened their sacks and say search all my stuffe and see what thou canst find Gen. 31. 32. How happy is he that can say with Peter Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Jo. 21. 17. 10. Holy humble and servent prayer is another excellent meanes to make and keep the heart clean from evil thoughts and at some times the onely way to rid the heart of these messengers of Satan sent to buffet us As the North wind drives away the raine and as Thunder purgerh the aire so doth fervent and frequent prayer purge the heart and drive away those soaking showers of evil thoughts and without prayer it is as impossible to keep the heart clean as it is to keep the house clean without washing or sweeping Pray with Solomon 1 King 8. 59. considering the untowardnesse of our hearts The Lord incline our hearts unto him to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandements and his statutes and his judgments And when thy heart is in a good and holy frame pray with David 1 Chron. 29. 18. O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare or stablish their heart unto thee 11. Holy and serious purposes of heart are an excellent underkeeper of the heart under God and after prayer Thus did Daniel keep himself from being defiled Daniel purposed in his heart Dan. 1. 8. And thus did Barnabas exhort the primitive Christians That with purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord Act. 11. 23. But they must be Serious purposes and resolutions de praesenti not de futuro joyned with present performance not put off by future promises as Pharoah Felix and that disciple did who said Lord I will follow thee but I must Lu. 9. 59. first see my father buried 12. Get and learn that excellent and heavenly art to extract some profitable morall or divine meditation out of every object and occurrent Solomon by this exercise raised himfelf to that high pitch of wisdome he could not see the Ant Spider and Conies he could not look upon the drunkards eyes the beggars rags and the sluggards hedge but he took out divine observations thence to adde to his own wisdome and to inform his reader so above all that greater then Solomon teacheth us this heavenly art who upon mention of Leaven mustard-seed fishers nets seed sowen and every thing raised up his own and his hearers mindes to heavenly contemplations 13. Art thou troubled with evil thoughts be not then too much alone if thy thoughts are sad and black hellish thoughts It was Gen. 2. 18. not good for man to be alone in his integrity much lesse now it is good yea necessary to be sometimes alone sometimes in a closet Mat. 14. 23. Mar. 1. 35. Lu. 6. 12. or solitary place by thy selfe as thy Saviour often was but it is dangerous for some to be too much alone such as are of a Melancholy disposition Satan will take advantage upon thy Solitude as he did upon Eve He set not upon Christ
done smoaking and sparkling when shall this filthy scum boile out when shall these wells Ezek. 24. 6. 2 King 3. 25. Ezek. 36. 25. be fild and stopped up Oh when shall this heart be made clean when when shall it once be and when shall the clean water promised be poured out Deep calleth loud unto Deep the deeps Psal 42. 7. Zech. 13. 1. of misery to greater deepes of mercy This secret fountain of sin to that open fountain of grace for sin and uncleannesse Lord search and cleanse this heart and Psal 139. 23. Psal 19. 12. Psal 51. 10. Psal 17. 8. cleanse me most from secret sins A new a right a stable sâ—irit create in me O God and keep thou this heart for me with all thy keeping as thou wouldest keep the apple of thine eye Woe is me that I must Psal 120. 5. still dwell in Mesech and my soul with them that hate peace Oh blessed thrice blessed Psal 23. 1 2. he whose sin is pardoned and most blessed he in whose spirit there is no guile Apply the Lev. 14. 6. 50. Lev. 14. 25. 28. warme blood of a dying Saviour to remove my guilt and the efficacy of a living spirit to purge out my guile as the blood of the dead and water with the living sparrow went both together to cleanse the Leprous house and as the blood of the lamb and the anointing oile together to cleanse the Leprous person Oh when shall I have done trifling dallying roving in my thoughts Oh when shall I have done doubting disputing distrusting Oh when shall I have done murmuring repining fretting Oh when shall I have done carking caring thought-taking Oh when shall my heart become composed fixed stablished Oh when shall my thoughts begin to be serious spirituall sanctified Oh when shall I begin to be considerate circumspect heavenly Oh when shall I begin to love chuse and obey thee When shall I follow on to know acknowledge and glorify thee as God! When shall I see that happy day to delight rejoyce and glory in thee When when shall it be my study to seek God contemplate God converse with God When when shall it be my practice to sleep and wake with God to talk and walk with God to injoy and joy in God! Let natures works lead me by the hand to seek thee let reason lift up my head to discern thee let thy word raise up my heart yet higher to admire thee and let thy spirit of grace elevate my soul yet higher to embrace thee till Grace and Glory meet to make thee and my soul meet and be united Onely deny me not two things before I dy Prov. 30. 7 8. Psal 120. 3. remove from me vanity and lyes deliver me O Lord from lying lips and from a vain deceitfull heart Lord is folly so fast bound up in the heart of a child that the rod must fetch it out and Prov. 22. 15. is it bound up so much faster in the heart of a man that neither rod nor word nor smiles nor blowes nor mercies nor judgements can fetch it out Thou hast brayed me in a morter yet doth not this folly depart from Prov. 27. 22. me Oh send out once thy light and truth thy grace and spirit and let them lead me Psal 43. 138. Oh when wilt thou prepare repair and renew this heart Oh that thou wouldest soften circumcise and subdue this heart Oh that thou wouldest purge sweep and cleanse this heart Oh that thou wouldest adorn enrich and furnish this heart Oh that thou wouldest enlighten enliven and enlarge this heart Oh that thou wouldest abide in inhabit and keep this heart Oh that thou wouldest watchover secure and guard this heart Oh that thou wouldest open shut and lock this heart shut out idle unclean and vain thoughts keep in holy pure and chast thoughts setting up the doors thereof the locks thereof and the bars thereof Neh. 3. 6. 2 King 2. 21. Oh season this spring then shall not the waters be barren nor dead Mend this treasure then shall communication be wholsom Mat. 12. 35. and conversation holy Give me Lord What wilt thou give me Give me the heart to ask give me the heart I ask for Give a soft a tender a sound heart Give a rent a broken a contrite heart Give a mourning a meltâ—ng a fleshy heart Give me Lord a believing a loving an obedient heart Give a humble a meek a contented heart Give a holy a high a heavenly heart Give Lord a faithfull a thankfull a chearfull heart Give a panting a praying a praising heart Give a free a firm a fixed heart Give a willing a wise an understanding heart Give a pure a perfect a sincere heart Give a new a true another heart yea Lord that heart that is according to thine own heart Lord take this heart for an Ark and a Temple and a sacrifice for God Lord make this heart the habitation the sanctuary the mercy-seat of God Let it be thy Shiloh thy Bethel thy Penuel Let it be my Jehovah-jâ—rith Jehovah Shammah Jehovah Shalom Let it be thy fountain sealed thy engraven signet thy garden enclosed But Alas Alas I must renew my griefes mine habitation is in the midst of deceit my dwelling among briers and thornes yea among scorpions is my abode serpents and Cookatrices that will not be charmed Were it an open enemy I had to do with I would bear it or seek to avoid him or were it a suspected friend I would be shy and wary of him and hide my self But it is thou my familiar my self where shall I go out to fly or go in to hide me I have long looked for peace but behold trouble Wâ—e is me my soul is wearied because of murderers Jer. 4. 13. And my life is a wearinesse to me because of these daughters of Heth to which I am married They who repaired the gate of the fountain in Nehemiahs time had a happy and honourable emploiment but how unhappy mine who am set to repaire this Dung-gate and to set up the doors thereof and the locks thereof and the bars thereof Neh. 3. 14 15. But is there no Balme in Gilead Is there no Physitian there Is there no Refiners fire nor fullers sope to be had or hoped for Must I sit down and say it is my burden and I must bear it The frogs Jer. 10. 19. were a sore plague to the Egyptians which came into their Chambers and were upon their Tables But these come into an Israelites heart into my oratory closet and bed Thou didst sever then between the Israelites and Egyptians sever now between the Israelites and these frogs They after two or three daies were removed and shall these never They had that plague of lice crawling on their bodies yet at length removed but I unhappy I have these on my spirit They had botches on their backs I a plague in my heart they the
THE SINFULNESSE OF Evil Thoughts OR A DISCOURSE Wherein The Chambers of IMAGERY are Unlocked The Cabinet of the HEART Opened The Secrets of the INNER-MAN Disclosed IN The particular Discovery of the Numerous Evil Thoughts to be found in the most of Men with their various and severall Kinds sinful Causes sad Effects and proper Remedies or Cures Together with Directions how to observe and keep the HEART The highest hardest and most necessary work of him that would be a Real CHRISTIAN By JO. SHEFFEILD Pastor of SWITHINS London London Printed by J. H. for Samuel Gellibrand at the Golden Ball in Pauls Church-Yard 1659 To the Worshipfull THE MASTER WARDENS ASSISTANTS And the rest of THE Right Worshipfull Society OF SALTERS His Honoured PATRONS Much honoured Gentlemen THE many Favours I have received from you ever since my coming to this place and especially your bestowing so freely of late the first fruits of your Patronage a Presentation for my continuance upon the unanimous and concurrent desires of my loving Neighbours of Swithins after many years conversing together hath deeply engaged me in duty and thankfullnesse to you and them And having nothing else to return in way of requital besides my humble thanks and my hearty prayers whereof the one are fit to be proclaimed upon the house-top the other more fit to be in silence and secrecy presented unto God I was willing to give unto you and to the world a publick and solemn testimony of the honour and Christian respect which from my heart I bear to your whole Society in generall and to your selves in particular by presenting this ensuing Discourse into your hands It treateth of the Thoughts and inwards of the Heart the greatest businesse we have to look unto if we would be Christians indeed not in the Letter but inwardly in the Spirit and have our praise not of men but of God Many others I confesse have to their deserved praise and to the great benefit of the Church written of the same subject but none that I know so particularly as here you will find yet am I not commending my self or this Discourse while I say this being not so much a stranger to my own tenuity unlesse to your Candor and favourable acceptance If you shall please at your best leisure to peruse and read it I hope you will not altogether repent your time and paines bestowed But if your selves or any other any one soul shall reap any benefit hereby I shall rejoyce and blesse God for my poor paines and time so well bestowed Now that it may as the seed upon the ground or the rain from heaven upon the seed prosper to that which it is sent abroad I shall follow it with my prayers for a plentiful and effectual blessing upon you and it as being Yours ever engaged to serve You JO. SHEFFEILD THE EPISTLE TO THE READER READER MAny Learned in their several Professions have put forth profitable Discourses One De occulta Philosophia another De secretis naturae another De morbis secretis a fourth of Stratagems of War a fifth of Policies of State others of the Anatomy of mans body of the Circulating of the bloud c. Usefull and profitable all But the Proper subject of a Divine is to handle the Mysteries of Godlinesse and withall to detect the Mysteries of ungodlinesse Solomon in his great wisdom did not onely Contemplate the Excellency of Wisdomes pathes and precepts but gave his heart also to understand and find out the wayes of folly sin and madnesse Here have I undertaken as hard a task as any I would I could say I had as well performed it To will was present propounding to my self to write of this occult Mystery of iniquity the secret diseases of the soul the Stratagems Policies and depths of Satan the Anatomy of the heart and the Circulating of flesh and bloud in our hearts and thoughts I hope I have undertaken a task not more hard and painfull to me than profitable and usefull to thee Some have travelled far into unknown Lands to shew thee the fruits of their paines travel and expences I shew thee onely thy self Some have compassed Seas and Lands and given thee the Longitudes Latitudes the dangers of passages my designe is to bring home my travels to thy self and to shew thee the dangers of thy own heart that as in water face answers face so in my heart thou mayst see thy own the Methods of Satan the Gulphes of sin the Straits to heaven the various and uneven ebbings and flowings of this sea or lake in thy heart Some have told us in their Travels they have discovered strange Countries Creatures Fruits They relate of Terra del fogo Insulae Latronum they have seen Mountains flaming with Brimstone Dens of Lyons the Lake of Sodom Fountaines of pitch Dead Seas Scalding springs Frozen lakes Here is the Land of fire Island of Robbers Brimstone mountaines Sodoms Lake a Fountain of pitch in thy own heart Thou needst not go into far and remote Countries to see strange and fearfull sights In the Map and Microcosme of thy heart thou mayst see all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The 1 Joh. 5. 19. whole world lies in this wicked one Orbis in Urbe was said of Rome once Orbis in Corde may be said of this Mysticall Babylon A world of wickednesse lies in this narrow heart yet are there none that seek to make discoveries of this New unknown World Man is the silliest of all Creatures they all preserve themselves destroy their enemies Man destroyes himself and spares his enemies those of his own house Man though he pretend to all knowledge yet is of no understanding but bruitish in his knowledge knowing Jâ—â— 10. 14. nothing of what he ought to know in vain doth he professe all Arts when he knowes not his own heart Scire tuum nihil est nisi te scire hoc tibi scire est Et tua mens nequam si noverit omnia sequam In vain doth the Grammarian teach Congruity of speech while he corrects not the incongruities of his own heart The Logician studieth Syllogismes and the way of disputing subtilly and is not able to deal with the Sophistry and fallacies of his own heart The Astronomer casts his eye up to heaven as if he had perfectly passed all lower studies he numbers the Stars takes the height of heaven observes the motion of the severall Planets but knowes not the uncertaine motion of this one Planet this little lowest Planet The Geometrician measures both Seas and Lands and hath not yet the measure of his own heart The Mathematician by his instruments measures Circles Squares or Angular figures hath no measure for this Center cannot measure this Triangle much lesse bring it into Square The Traveller seeks to know all Kingdomes Cities Nations Languages habits manners customs Laws and knows none of these in his own heart Tecum habita nec te quaesiveris extra Man mind thy self there
passion then to say winâ— water passion is in a man he is overcome of wine drowned in the water full of passion as the like phrases To be in darknesse to be in the flesh signifie to be wholly so full of darknesse nothing but flesh c. 4. Baptisme hearing joyning and continuing in the best and purest Church Exstasies Raptures admirations greatest Expressions of affections nay faith yea the Holy Ghost too in many common giâ—ts and the greatest Liberality and contribution of the largest summe of mony put into the best handes nay the greedieâ—t desire and tâ—irst of the most eminent gifts and to be a Communicator of them profit nothing but are all in vain where wicked thoughts lodge and are harboured All those soremmed were in this soul Hypocite Magus yet was he in the gall of birternesse he was baptized beleeved and seemed to be so far affected and transported above the common sort that he was in an Extasie or Rapture so the word signifies He had also the Holy Ghost as it may seem for divers had who could say Lord have not we propl esied in thy name and in thy name cast out Devils and done many mighty workes yet will Christ professe to them I never kâ—ew â—ou Besides it is said when Mat. 7. 22. Heb. 6. 4. Peter and John came they bid their hands on them that they might receive the Holy Ghost and this Magus was one of that number And again Simon offered mony not that he might receive the Holy Ghost for that he had already but that he might have like power to give or confer the Holy Ghost Therefore look well to your selves you Professors and look well to your heâ—rts and to your thoughts 5. Nothing but deep Solemne and Particular Repentance Repent of this thy wickednesse and hard praying and beginning all anew will help where these evil thoughts have taken root in the heart All the prayers of the Church without thine own Pray ye unto the Lord for me said he all thy own prayers without Repentance all General reâ—entance without a particular bitter bewayling of this evil in the heart will leave thee but in a doubtfull and desperate state 6. Nay it is well if any prayer and all the repentance in the world will be accepted in such a case He gives no absolute promise nor yet so much as a conditionall But a bâ—re perhaps if perhaps thy sin may be forgiven thee q. d. I will not say what true Repentance â—ccompanyed with eâ—rnest prayers may do for they do much with God and have saved many a poor soul But in this case I say Look well to thy Repentance and how thou prayest that it be not common and slight prayer and overly Repentance for if thy after-Repentance be no better then thy former faith and thy future prayers no better then thy present profession all is desperate The man and his mony his faith and repentance his prayers and profession will all perish together 7. The malignity of evil thoughts is as witchcraft Rebellion is as bad as witchcraft 1 Sam. 15. 23. these worse it seemes These make the case of a professor worse then sorcery witchcraft or any other sin in time of our Ignorance Simon the Sorcerer may be pardoned and received into the Church when he beleeves Simon the Professor is cast out for his evil thoughts and left in a hopelesse condition without repentance Here I say again look to it Professors look more narrowly to your hearts and thoughts after conversion then on all your evil wayes before 8. From what he Replies Pray ye for me c. where evil thoughts are entertained they deaden prayer There is no prayer used where these are harboured nor can such in their greatest distresse when they are put upon it and pressed earnestly to it and when their life and salvation lies upon it know how to go about to pray But like an Image or stock he stands and all he saith for himself is Pray ye for me q. d. I can't pray if my life lay on it what ever comes on it if other good peoples prayers will not help me I am a damned person I have never been used to this duty of prayer that you so presse me to And here ye Prophane ones and Professors both look to it 1. Ye Prophane Job 15. 4. ones who cast off fear and restrain prayer before God you who will not use to pray in peace and do not ordinarily cannot pray in distresse nor when you should Extraordinarily But this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would-be this great one stands like a great block and saith Pray ye for me But it is our own meat which nourisheth our own faith that saveth our own prayers that are heard The child shall not dy for his fathers transgression nor shall he live for his fathers obedience and holinesse The child haply may be nourished by what the mother eates but nature inableth the little Infant to draw that nourishment from the mother and make it his owne But the child is not saved by the parents faith unlesse it joyn and make the parents faith and holinesse his own 2. Look to it ye Professors that ye begin not at the wrong end with common and General faith and baptisme resting there and neglect repentance and solemne prayer least ye find your own faith false faith and outward priviledges to deceive you and others prayers unable to help you 9. Lastly Consider how vain and foolish these evil thoughts received and harboured make and leave the heart to dream of separating sin and punishment as inseparable as night and darknesse as winter and cold he is only troubled at the punishment not at all sensible of his sin Pray ye for me saith he that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me But in vain it is to presume we may Eat the forbidden fruit and not dy and to pray that though we hold on in sin God should hold off the punishment Thus shall we leave Magus as we found him bound in the bond of iniquity and leave those reasons which we have from him and from the Text and call in some other from other Scriptures CHAP. III. Sundry other Reasons of the Point from other Scriptures Reas 1. THE evil thought is the Original sin or the original of sin They are Originale peccatum or at least Originale peccati They are the little sparkes of Hell by which the whole world is set on fire The spawn of which all sin is bred The seed of the Serpent The Egge of the Cockatrice or Crocodile Strange it is that so great a monster as the Crocodile whose body is sometimes Thirty foot long and his taile as long as his whole body whose Throat so wide that he can swallow an heifer whole should yet be bred of an Egge no Heylia bigger then a Turkies But more horrid it is that the worst monster sin is bred of a lesse egge an
hearts The peace of God and evidence of his love and assurance of salvation was never yet given nor shall be to an earth-worm whose heart is eaten up with worldly cares This hidden Manna is onely put into a golden not earthen pot 7. These ever unfit for death Luke 21. 34. Let not your hearts be overcharged with surfeting and drunkennesse and cares of this life least that day overtake you as a snare As one being drunken or one sick of a surfet is unfit for work or in an ill case to die such is the man of cares at all times Death comes to him as a snare Either he dies suddenly before he expects as Luke 12. That rich fool died suddenly or he ever dies unpreparedly which is worse Nabal died not 1 Sam. 25. 37 38. suddenly but though he lay ten dayes sick he died unpreparedly he lay like a block or stone and died miserably Before his death earth was turned into earth and before his buriall his heart was covered with a stone As Archimedes was busie in drawing his lines when the City was taken and he knockt down before he knew who hurt him So doth the Rich man fade away in his waies he Jam. 1. 11. Jer. 17. 11. dies in the midst of his dayes and in the midst of his buildings and businesses and in the end shall be a fool That is all his Monument Dives vixit stultus obiit He gathered wealth but died a fool But because we are all so subject to these thoughts and hardly perswaded out of them they have so much to say for themselves I shall 1. Remove the objections by which they are upheld 2. Prescribe certain remedies Obj. Oh but yet the world is hard and it is not Talk will pay Rent Taxes bring the Year about we must take care Ans Use a moderate providentiall carefulnesse in Gods name and spare not but then commit thy way to God 2. Is the world hard and is not thy heart harder in which all the world is crouded Eccl. 3. 11. It is this makes thee so full of cares 3. And is not heaven hard too why hast thou not some more such cares here quit thy self as a man offer violence As the worldling hath the world set in his heart so hath the godly heaven set in his heart therefore his cares thoughts and discourse are all of heaven Obj. But I am poor and this doctrine is for the Rich they need not I must care Ans Say with David Psal 40. 17. I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinketh on me The Lord provideth for the poor 2. The rich and poor meet together the Lord is the maker and careth for both Prov. 22. 2. Obj. A poor widow God help me and full of cares Ans The Lord cals himself The God of the Widow Psal 68. 5. hath an especiall care and gives speciall charge about them Exod. 22. 22 23 24. In the time of famine Elias the Prophet was sent onely to a Widow to relieve her Ob. But I have a many fatherlesse Children Ans Psal 68. 5. The Lord is the Father of the fatherlesse and Jer. 49. 11. he bids thee leave thy fatherlesse children with him and be they many of few cannot God provide for many as well as few Num. 11. Must it be marvelous in Gods eyes because it is marvelous in ours Ob. I have but a little left I have lived to make a hand of all R. Yet may the Lord give his blessing to that little in the Cruse that it may suffice to bring thee to thy journeyes end Ob. But which is worse I am in debt too Ans Yet distrust not but make thy case known to God by supplication and prayer and to the people of God as did that poor widow of the Godly Prophet 2 Kings 4. 1 2. Who was left in straites yet not left in her straites Distressed not forsaken Ob. I am a poor servant Ans So was Joseph formerly God setteth up the poor from the dunghill and maketh them Princes Better is the poor servant at the last then the Prince born and will not change states with him Out of poverty he comes to rise whereas he that is born to a Kingdom comes to poverty Eccles 4. 13 14. Ob. But I have nothing in the world to begin the world withall R. Yet a diligent hand and depending Prov. 10. 5. Gen. 32. 10. heart may make rich Jacob went out with his staffe in his hand and returned full of Cattel and stock and store of riches how many men at present and in former times have risen to the greatest States and highest Honours in the City that came hither in leathren breeches and clouted shoes like Gibeonites that have afterwards like Mordecai changed their sackcloth into blue and purple and scarlet and chaines of gold Ob. But if I had a little more I should then be content Ans Thou hast a deceitfull heart of thine own which will never be content 2. Didst thou never say so before when thou wast little in thine own eyes that if God would give so much as now thou hast thou wouldest aske no more 3. Crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia crescit He that loveth silver shall never be satisfied with silver Eccle. 5. 11 12. The desires are enlarged as hell Hab. 2. why was not he content of whom Solomon speakes Eccle. 4. 8. who had neither son nor brother no end of riches and yet no end of his labours Obj. The most plausible plea of all is had I more I might do more good Ans Thou mightest do more haply but wouldest do lesse The heart and the price never meet in a fooles hand will and power seldome in a wise mans What good did he Eccle. 4. 8. or he in Luk. 12. Few rich men rich in grace or good workes The lower vines give sweeter fruites then the higher cedars The lower vallies are alway more fruitfull then the loftier hills The lesser springs and brookes yeeld many a wholsomer draught then the swelling ocean Twelve pence comes more hardly out of the bag full cramd then five shillings out of a bag half empty The poor widow gave more then all the rich The rich have more the poor love more They spend more wastfully These give more cheerfully The 1 King 17. poor widow could find in her heart to give a bit of her last peece of bread to the Prophet in a time of extream famine and could spare it out of her own belly rather then he should want when that rich miser 1 Sam. 25. Nabal who knew no end of his riches could not part with bread or cheese to David in a time of plenty and in a day of feasting In our late collections for the distresâ—ed Protestants in Piedmont it was observed the rich Aldermens fellows came not off so liberally in their contributions as some meaner Godly persons 2. For remedies 1. Study beleeve and rely upon Gods
the worst I hate hypocrisy say they and shewes of Religion I would thou hatedst prophanenesse too and shewes of Impiety The Wolfe of old condemned the Lamb and the Camel-swallower condemns the Gnat-eater 7. But Malice is a mad Judge and without all reason He saith of Job he is an hypocrite and will stand to it though God himself be his Vindicator and Compurgator This said of Christ He is mad and hath a devil oh hear him not good people believe Joh. 10. 20. him not He is a glutton winebibber and seditious person too besides And John the Baptist he had a devil too We may add to these Judge Absalom Justice would be would to God I were made 2 Sam. 15. 4. Judge saith he would do every honestman right Judge Ambition or Calumny who when his own heart is full of pride malignity impiety and rebellion and his wayes known to be abominable like another Captain mend-all the head of an old rebellion takes upon him to censure the best and to asperse all in place of Government Magistrates Ministers all may come to him to learn their duty Now seeing some or other of these Judges are in every place no marvel that all places are full of Judgement and all Judgements full of perversnesse Judgement running down like a river but righteousnesse dried up as the Red Sea 2. Contemptuous disparaging undervaluing Contemptuous Thoughts and insulting thoughts whereas our duty is in point of honor to prefer others and take Ro. 12. 10. shame to our selves He that is void of understanding despiseth his neighbour Pro. 11. 12. A stinking weed this is which groweth onely in a dunghill Never found but in a base or ungracious heart The Sorry bondwoman when she saw she had conceived and her mistris barren was a better woman then her mistrisse and slights her Gen. 16. 4. Psal 10. 5. and 12. 5. as much as the dirt under her feet And the wicked man is oft described by his pussing at every one he is so puft up himself with Arrogance that he puffes at every other man with insolency and contempt 3. Again Overweening and Magnifying Overweening thoughts thoughts of some to the disparaging of others are as bad and making odious Comparisons and unbeseeming differences between man and man according as privat interest or affection swaies the judgment This began in the Apostles times and is Epidemicall and rife in our dayes To 1 Cor. 4. 6. think of men above what is written and to be puffed up for one against another I am for 1 Cor. 3. 4 5. 8. Paul saith one But Apollos for me saith another and Cephas is beyond them both saith a third But who is Paul and who Apollos Are they not one They are good men all and agree do you also agree Ingeniis non ille favet plauditque sepultis Nostra sed Impugnat nos nostraque lividus odit Horat. and rend not the Church by Divisions It were a fond thing if one should say this Moon is a rare moon The last was as good the next will be as good To say of this man dead He was a man none like him of that Minister to whom thou art a stranger him I like and to slight the present Ministers thy own especially if faithfull and godly shewes great precipitancy of judgment but little Sincerity The Jewes gloryed they were Moses disciples Jo. 9. 28. took it in scorn to be Christs disciples and to learn of him But Moses was bad Ex. 17. 4. enough while he lived much ado he had to escape Stoning once The dead Prophets Extinctus amabitur Idem tombes must be Garnisht and names must be Kalendered while the living must be persecuted and their names buried in Infamy If Paul and Peter or Austin and Jerom were alive they would wonder how they came to be called Saints when others that preach the same doctrins are Anathematized or reproched 4. Cunning craftinesse whereby men lie in Craftinesse Act. 13. 10. wait to deceive This turnes men into Serpents and makes men the children of the devil who is full of subtilty and mischief Though this be cryed up as the Art of Arts and the highest wisdome Qui nescit dissimulare nescit vivere Wee say He that cant dissemble must look to live despised and dye a begger Jonadab the son of Shimeah such a subtle Sycophant and sly 2 Sam. 13. 3. companion that he could tell Amnon how to defloure Tamar and shee should neither be aware nor could avoid it Absalom was so perfect in this Art that he courted and gained all the people to depose his father and set up himself that judgment 2 Sam. 15. 6. might run down as a River and Justice as a stream Jacob a plain man himself had sons too nimble at this who first over-reached Gen. 34. 13. then Massacred the men of Shechem Into their secret let not my soule come say thou with Jacob Cursed be this wrath Cursed this Gen. 49. 6 7. pollicy the one is cruell the other hellish The Godly mans rejoycing is that in simplicity and Godly sincerity not fleshly wisdome he hath his conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1. 12. and 4. 2. And accounts it his glory to say I have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftinesse And while the wicked projects how to lay snares privily and to swallow up others alive as the grave and to Pro. 1. 11. Neh. 4. 11. come over them so as they shall not see nor know who hurts them The Godly man saith let integrity and uprightnesse preserve me or let Micah 7. 2. me perish 5. Treacherous and mischievous thoughts Treacherous thoughts when greatest good-will pretended this is to be superlatively wicked a devil incarnate as Judas was who betraies his Master with a kisse words smoother then oyle yet war in his heart Absalom intertaines Amnon with good cheer and a sword is 2 Sam. 13. 28. presented for the second course Jael-like Jud. 4. 19 20. begin with butter and milk and end with hammers and nailes Thus those Sycophants and arch dissemblers who came to Christ with Master we know thou art true and able to resolve us we have a case of conscience which troubles us tell us what Mat. 22. 16. we shall do all the while insidiating and laying wait for him 6. Revengfull and malicious thoughts are Revengfull thoughts worst of all such as Cains against Abell and Esaus against Jacob who resolved to be revenged though he defer'd it till his father was dead Absaloms to Amnon who concealed his intended murther for two whole 2 Sam. 13. years yet at last it brake forth against all humanity and Hamans to Mordecai who Est 3. 7. for a twelvemonth together was casting lots and meditating revenge to the purpose Such the men of Anathoth Jeremies next Jer. 11. and 20. 10. neighbours against
health thereby 3. Dividing between the body and his convenient rest he is working or watching or plodding when it is more then time he were in his bed 4. Between rest and sleep by night his body is laid down to rest but his sleep departs from him or when he begins to sleep his cares make him turn himselfe upon his bed and raise him up before his time Eccle. 2. 23. 5. Between the mind and Cheerfullnesse Pro. 17. 22. or contentednesse the cheerfull mind is as good as a medicine the carefull mind is as a consumption in the bones 6. Between labour and delight the Lord Deut. 12. 18. would have his people to rejoyce in all the workes of their hands and to joyne labour and delight together as those who serve a gracious master these bereave themselves of allowed outward comfort disquieting themselves in vain and onely eat the bread Psal 127. 2. of carefullnesse and drink the water of affliction Now though there be no comparison between worldly joy and Godly sorrow the least drop of Godly sorrow is more worth then the whole sea of worldly joyes yet between even naturall and worldly joyes and sorrowes there is a great difference joy and delight as much exceeding naturall or worldly sadnesse as the light doth darknesse or health doth sicknesse an ounce of Godly sorrow is more worth then a pound of carnall and sinfull joy but an ounce of naturall and honest joyfullnesse in thy labours is more worth then a pound of affected sadnesse and heart pinching carefullnesse 7. Between industry and piety God would have us both industrious and religious not slothfull in businesse fervent in spirit Ro. 12. 10. serving the Lord The worldling thinks businesse goes not forward if Religion and piety be not laid aside The Christian goes to schoole to the Ant and to the spider too The one labours for her food The other seeketh to get into the Kings houses The good houswife described Pro. 31. as shee eateth not the bread of idlenesse so she is Pro. 31. 20. 27. full of good workes of piety and charity 8. Between diligence and dependance The Codly Christian hath learned to joyn diligence and dependance together because he reades in one chapter these two Proverbes set near together The hand of the diligent maketh rich Pro. 10. 4. and v. 22. The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich The worldling saith away dependance sancta diligentia ora pro nobis and help me saint diligence he throwes away the keyes of heaven with Julius the second and trusts onely in his arme of flesh and as Esau lives by his sword not his faith Gen. 27. 40. 9. Between providence and providence divine and humane as if I could not shew my self provident unlesse I destroy and distrusted Gods providence or could not be Curatus unlesse Episcopus also or nisi sublato Episcopatu a Curate unlesse Gods Episcopacy and oversight be removed I must take care for my self faith the worldling whom have I to take care for me besides my self Beast who takes care of the fowles of the heaven and beasts of the earth and shall he not as much care for thee oh Maâ— 6. 30. thou of little faith 10. More and worse divisions yet They divide between the Christian and his duty Be carefull for nothing but in all things by prayer supplication intercession and giving Phil. 4. 5. thankes let your request be known to God Cares and Prayers dwel not together Though Melancton said once Si non curarem non orarem If I had not many cares I should have made but a few prayers yet commonly the Christian saith otherwise Si non orarem magis curarem If I had prayed lesse I must have cared more Prayer either weakens cares or cares drive out prayers So he that hath most cares of the world hath as we say no care in the world of spirituall duties hearing reading meditation The Epicure makes short graces we say and long meales The worldling short graces and meales too and onely long daies workes He feares undoing no way but by serving and trusting God And gives more credit to the worlds Cursed proverb then to all Solomons divine proverbs viz. He that is religious shall dye a begger 11. Worse divisions yet between the duty and the heart in duty The duty is slubberd over but the heart hath been otherwise employed he is like a child who asketh blessing and lookes another way He heares without attention he prayes without affection his heart goes after his covetuousnesse all sermon time and when will the Sabbath be gone is his constant Sabbath meditation He likes Amen better then all the prayer and the grace of our Lord Jesus above the whole sermon 12. Between a spirituall seed time and harvest The thorny ground had a most lovely and hopefull seed time better by far then the high way ground yea then the stony that heard with joy and beleeved Mat. 13. 20. 22. early These go very far yet come to no maturity and perfection These never persevere up spring the thornes of worldly cares and all is choaked he is a knowing man he was a great hearer he continues a civil man but the world comes in upon him and his heart is set upon it he never holds out but the great husband hath spoiled the good Christian The Asses are cared 1 Sam. 10. 2. 1 King 2. 40. 46. for till the Son is lost with Kish The servants are sought for till thy self art lost with Shimei more ado for a lost groat Lu. 15. then a lost soul 13. Yea not to multiply particulars they divide between many things that are of affinity and should joyn to help each other 1. They divide between cares and cares 1 Cor. 7. 34. 2 Cor. 7. 11. 1. Cares of the world lawfull and moderate cares which are allowed and commended and carefullnesse for the soul and for the things of the Lord which are more commended 2. Between Gods cares and our cares 1 Pet. 5. 7. There is both Gods care and ours Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you The world casts in care upon you you are to cast it out It is Gods worke to care for you this burden will break your back if you cast it not upon the Lord. 3. Between Calling and calling Thy generall calling and thy particular which are made to be mututall helpers of each other but here the general calling of Christianity is neglected that the other may be more attended Hag. 1. 9. 4. Between Labour and labour that for bread which perisheth is preferd before that for bread which endureth to eternall life Jo. 6. 27. when as both are in their place and measure to be laboured for 5. Between Rest and rest he either takes away the sabbath out of the decalogue and resteth not or he separates spirituall rest from bodily his body rests it may be a Church time
but his thoughts as busie and working as all the week besides as the Miller can set his mill a going and himself stand still and the horseman sets his horse a going when he sits all the while so is the mind grinding and travelling when the man sits still 6. Between provision for life and provision for death A surfeit of cares taken by overheating our selves in seeking the things of this life makes a sad and untimely death and is as bad as a surfeit of eating and drinking Lu. 21. 34. therefore joyned by our Saviour Take heed least at any time your hearts be surcharged with surfeiting or drunkennesse and cares of this world least that day overtake you as a snare 7. Between getting and giving The Godly houswife Pro. 31. hath two handes one to get another to give she stretcheth out her hand to the poor and reckons what is well laid out is better then ill laid up 14. These alway divide between the soul and grace for if they divide between the body and health rest and sleep the mind and content between labour and delight between the man and his duty industry and piety diâ—igence and dependance c. then sure between the soul and grace Ever those grounds are barren where are the mines of gold silver and other mettalls those hearts to be sure are most barren of grace where is most of worldly mindednesse It is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdome of God it is impossible for such as trust in riches as our Saviour expounds himself Grace and poverty usually go together grace and riches rarely grace and carefullnesse never God and mammon cannot be served The one is despised where the other is cleaved to whether of the two soever it is The God the world is as great an enemy to grace and groweth in it as the God of the world Pius Quintus said when he was first a Priest Cum essem religiosus sperabam de salute Cardinalis factus extimâ—i Pontisex creatus pene dâ—speâ—o he had good hopes of salvation when a Cardinall he much feared but when he came to be Pope he then despaired 15. If they divide the soul and grace then they must needs divide between the soul and communion with God how can these rejoyce in God How can the hypocrite hope when God taketh away his soul though he hath gained can he delight himself in the Almighty He never could in all his life He cannot joy in God who is joyned Job 27. 8 9. to mammon 16. Then of necessity they must divide between the soul and salvation Their end is destruction who mind earthly things Phil. 3. 19. as Shimei lost his life by seeking his servants while he went beyond the bounds of his confinement 17. Lastly which is his greatest affliction but the righteous and most just judgment of God these cares are a meanes not onely to divide between us and joy and us and God but between us and enjoying between endeavours and successe God would give more and sooner if we were lesse eager If the child aske mannerly and fairly the father gives if eagerly then you shall stay a while we tell him The Lord giveth rest to his beloved when Psal 127. 2. others rise up early and sit up late and eat the bread of sorrowes Care will saith God Care shall self do self have self serve self save The race is not to the swift Is it Eccle. 9. 11. Hab. 2. 13. Hos 8. 7. Malach. 1. 4. Hagge 1. 7. 8. 9. Pro. 11. 24. not of the Lord of hosts that men labour as in the fire yet weary themselves for very vanity They sow the wind and reap the blasting east wind They build God pulls down They sow much reap little gather much and it is put into a bag of holes Covetousnesse brings home nothing but poverty alwayes spare and alwayes bare Besides that God bloweth upon his soul it prospers not he blasteth his labours that he comes not on God pulls down such as he did Nebuchadnezzar till he come to know that the heavens do rule In returning and rest shall ye be safe saith the Lord in quietnesse confidence and dependence ye shall have rest no saith unbelief we will shift for our selves no we will flie upon horses from poverty therefore Es 30. 16. 17. shall ye flie and we will ride after the world upon the swift therefore they that pursue you shall be swift cares torments and wants shall pursue and overtake you How much happier is the beleever who hath the promises of this life as well at that to come therefore doth his soul dwell at ease 1 Tim. 4. 8. Psal 25. 13. casting his cares on his heavenly father and he sits still as Ruth and goes about her own businesse while Boaz is taking thought for Ruth 3. 18. her The righteous is recompensed upon earth he cleaves to the Lord without separation Pro. 11. 31. and attends upon him without distraction Oh how admirable are the effects and how sweet the fruit of faith that uniting grace Which not onely unites the soul to God the heart and love to Christ the desires and hopes to heaven but sweetly joynes and reconciles those which this carefullnesse separates It gives to every one his due children family friendes poor to the body rest to the eyes sleep to the mind content sweetly joynes labour and delight diligence and dependance industry and piety providence and providence soul carefullnesse with moderate worldly carefullnesse It joynes duties holy duties with endeavors the heart with duties It makes the Generall and particular calling go hand in hand together and makes provision for life give way to preparation makeing for death and by the blessing of God hath his successe and expectation joyned to his endeavors and undertakings Lastly to make an end for I am weary and weary at my heart of all these evill thoughts and would fain come to see an end of them Yea I may say as Rebekah weary of my self because of these daughters of Heth Gen. 27. 46. There is a company of vain thoughts which we are to beware of I hate vain thoughts said holy David And Psal 119. 119. the Lords command is to wash the heart so clean that a vain thought may not lodge in Jer. 4. 14. it The vain thought is a sad but common disease morbus naturae morbus gratiae the disease of nature and the disease of grace too The vain thought is a fit bait for Satan to nibble at as a whale or Shoale of Herrings make sport with an empty vessel so Satan to with a light futilous frivolous and empty mind Vain thoughts make the mind as the ship without Ballast ankers and Pilot to be tost upon the waves and driven without stay before the windes as children play with a feather or run after an empty hoop loosed from the vessel and drive it before them till they
be even weary so Satan makes sport with a vain mind as much as he desireth of these vain thoughts we have a world when at home when a broad in the shop in the Church in the closet hearing reading praying praising these come about us humming like Bees buzzing like flies such a carrion is the heart that is never without these flies and vermin such were the Gentiles thoughts They became Ro. 1. 21. vain in their imagination and their foolish heart was darkned such the worldlings Psal 4. who seekes after vanity such the wisemans 1 Cor. 3. 20. The Lord knowes the thoughts of the wise that they are vain such the best mans every man in his best state is altogether vanity Psal 94. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of every man that they are vain Cor meum Cor pravum vanum vagum omni volubilitate volubilius de uno in aliud vano incessu transit quaerens requiem ubi non est smile folio quod a vento movetur circumfertur Bernard bewayling his own vain thoughts cryed out My heart is an evil vain and vagabond heart nothing is so moveable unconstant and uncertain now it goes to one thing now to another now this way anon that seeking rest where none is to be had and is like the leafe shaken and driven up and down with the wind And in another place he bewayles the common condition of all the Godly themselves in this respect There Otiosae Onerosae cogitationes in anima justi quibus resistere vult non potest sed velit nolet irruit in oculos ment is muscarum Egypti pestilentia perstrepunt ranae in penetraliâ—us cordis â—jus Mat. 12. 36. Col. 4. 6. Ro. 1. 21. are idle and troublesome thoughts in the just mans soule which he would resist but cannot but will be nill he this Egyptian plague of flies is dashing into his eyes and these Egyptian frogs are croaking in the bed-chambers of his heart Ob. But what are those you call vain thoughts Ans 1. They are vain thoughts which are foolish dark idle unsavoury no spirit grace holinesse in them nothing of heaven God Christ in them as those are vain idle wordes which are without salt wisdome gravity Such were the heathens thoughts of God they became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened 2. They are vain thoughts which are empty addle rotten when you have examined them and pursued them home there is no Pith or solidity in them They have sowen the wind and reap the whirlwind It Hos 8. 7. hath no stalk the bud yeeldeth no meale or as Ephraim who feedeth on the wind and followeth Hos 12. 〈◊〉 after the East wind As that is cald vain glory which is but a bubble fancy Phil. 2. 3. Vain Religion which is seeming flashy empty so the Hebrew Greek and Latine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 G◠〈◊〉 Lat. word which signifie vain signifies also empty 3. That is cal'd vain which will deceive expectation and cannot profit nor help in time of need Turn not aside from the 1 Sam. 12. 21. Lord for then ye turn after vain things that cannot profit nor deliver for they are vain 4. Those are cal'd vain thoughts that Jud. 9. 4. and 11. 3. 2 Chr. 13. 7. Pro. 12. 11. and 28. 19. are leud light wandering as those are often in scripture cal'd vain men who walk without calling dwelling employment fit for any idle company or enterprize 5. That serve to no good end but leave the spirit in a worse frame then they found it as the vain Jangling which the Apostle speakes of 1 Tim. 1. 6. Vain bablings 1 Tim. 6. 20. and 2 Tim. 2. 16. vain bablings shun which increase to more ungodlinesse So Tit. 3. 9. unprofitable and vain are joyned Now what cause have we all to be humbled for our vain thoughts and sadly to cry out vanity of vanities vanity of vanities all is Vanitas vanissima Junius vanity such are our employments such our enjoyments and such above all are our thoughts Vanity in the abstract and vanities plurall and both reiterated vanity vanities vanity vanities q. d. lighter then vanity extream vanity beyond all imagination CHAP. XXVIII The first use of confutation of that common error that thoughts are free IN the first place to come to the Application see the vanity and falshood of that common assertion That thought is free To men and humane judicatories they are to God they are not 1. God passeth his judgment on the thoughts 1 Cor. 4. 5. 2. The word of God is a judge of the thoughts Heb. 4. 12. 3. The Ministers work is to encounter and demolish the evil thought 2 Cor. 10. 4. 4. Conscience's busiest work is to overlook the thought Ro. 2. 15. Lastly The true converts humiliation begins at his thoughts 1 Cor. 14. 25. Is Thought nothing Did God condemne the old world for nothing Is Magus sentenced to be in the Gall of bitternesse for nothing Was it sin in the Gentiles to be vain in their imaginations and is it no sin in thee They were impious Atheists who said our tongues are our own who is Lord over us And is it lesse impiety to say our hearts are our owne who shall hinder us from paying it with thinking This is the shop and warehouse of all evil the devils strong hold the imagery chambers wherein the foulest abominations are pourtrayed into these the Lord lookes most narrowly We are as those tradesmen for the most of us who furnish their shops and lay out their best wares as Pedlars when the inner roomes and upper Garrets have little in them as the Goldsmith whose shop is full of plate Jewels Rings when he hath little within doores for his own use Their inward part is very wickednesse Psal 5. The Lords eye is upon the heart and thoughts Jer. 6. 19. The evil of thoughts how little soever they be thought are the greatest evils Satans sins are onely spirituall wickednesses not carnall or bodily pollutions nihil fecit nihil operatus est Satanas solummodo cogitavit saith Bernard The devil wrought not evil onely thought evil Look how much Principalities and powers are above flesh and blood so much do spirituall wickednesses exceed any carnall These make us more like beasts but those like Satan And if we shall divide all the sins of the world into three parts Thought word deed more are the sins of the thoughts for number and worse for nature then both the other and all the sins in the world besides Instance in the worst of sins we shall find them here 1. Is ignorance a great sin The Lord shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance to them who know not God This is as bad as drunkennesse whordom c. yet is this onely in the thoughts and in the heart 2. Is Error any sin It is counted little in these daies yet
are good desires but if they be solitary desires and appear alone as Castor or Pollux single were acccounted ominous if together prosperous they are killing and sluggish desires CHAP. XXXV Containing directions what meanes to use to prevent evil thoughts and to purge them out AND that thy heart may be rid of these evil guests of sinfull thoughts and kept from them observe these directions and conscientiously use these meanes here prescribed 1. Above all getting to get thee a right and new heart thy heart is not right said Peter to Magus here therefore thy thoughts so cursed Pray with David Create in me O Psal 51. 10 Lord a new heart and renew a right spirit within me The heart is the spring and treasure such as the heart such the thought must needs be Get the spring healed or the waters must needs be unsavoury 2 King 2. 22. Get the heart well washed or unclean thoughts will not out Jer. 4. 14. If the Lungs be putrid and rotten the breath will smell powders and perfumes on thy apparell sweeten not thy breath If the garment be spotted it is not a new lace or trimming but washing or brushing that cleanseth it if the hand be foul it is not a faire glove or Gold ring but washing that mends it So it is nothing will cure the evil thought without washing purging and mending the heart 2. Above all keeping keep thyheart Pro. 4. 23. This is the first and great commandment yea the first and second too on which hang all the law and the Prophets the old and new Testament keep thy heart and thou dost love the Lord with all thy heart and keep thy heart and thou dost love thy neighbour as thy selfe this is Custos utriusque tabule keep it and thou dost keep all the ten Commandments Therefore is it charged upon all in such peremptory and undispensable termes 1. Keep there is thy duty 2. Keep with keeping there must be thy care not a single but double care a double diligence must be used here 3. Keep with All keeping not a single or double care sufficient but all care little enough 4. Keep the heart above all keeping saith the text q. d. Here must be the chief care above all other things The mouth must be kept too v. 24. The eye must be kept v. 25. The feet kept v. 26. All the wayes of God to be kept v. 27. That thou turn not to the right hand or the left But here is an Attamen imprimis above all keep thy heart not above all keeping thy mouth thy eye thy foot or path but above all keeping keep thy heart 5. It is made every mans particular and personall duty keep thy heart thy selfe another may be thy Parke-keeper Thy cash-keeper thy â—â—rse-keeper or thy house-keeper but thou must be thy own heart keeper yea if you be Lords or Ladies you must be a Lord keeper and Lady keeper The greatest office in the State is to be Lord keeper of the great seale or Treasurer in the Church is to be keeper of the Seal or Treasure of the heart 2. He backeth this charge with two reasons 1. Out of the heart well kept are the Issues or revenues of life keep this and thou keepest the tree of life life and death are in the power of the heart as he saith of the tongue in another place and he thâ—â— Pro. 18. 21 keepeth this keepeth his life Pro. 13. 3. 2. The second reason is keep thy heart and thou keepest all as I said thy mouth thy eye thy foot thy path v. 24 25 26 27. As great men have a Porter stand at the great gate and all men have stronger outward doors locks bats and bolts there to keep the entrance safe then are the inner roomes all secured so keep thy heart well and the whole house the whole man is safe The heart must have a watch or sentinell continually set before it and is never to be trusted without a keeper Therefore is this set as the porch or porter before all these other duties following And here I might speak a little more particularly of this heart keeping work but I shall hasten to an end I might tell you what it is to keep the heart and how it must be kept To keep the heart implies two things 1. To observe 2. To preserve it 1. If it be an evil heart it would be observed not kept it is better to change then keep an evil heart no breed so bad to keep as the evil heart The heart of the wicked is little worth Out of it are the Issues Pro. 10. 20. of death yet observed it would be what the temper of it is what the haunt what the diseases of it are and kept the evil heart had need be 1. Kept close prisioner give it not too much liberty keep it from evil companions from sinfull objects 2. Do with an untoward heart as we do with a stubborn child put him to a Master that will keep him in awe we put our horse to break to a skillfull rider chuse to put thy heart into the hands of a Minister skilfull in that excellent art of heart-breaking and heart-taming 3. Keep an evil heart with hard fare with the bread of affliction and water of affliction let it have nothing set before it but the terrors of the Lord the wrath of God the sentence of the Law the day of judgement the torments of hell A bad heart can't be kept too hard as a good heart too well 4. Trust not a bad heart at any time without a keeper a double keeper Thy own resolution is not able to keep it desire God to assist thy resolution that it may neither be enticed nor baffled by his prisoner 5. But as soon as thou canst rid thy hands of this evil heart or get it changed men care not for keeping a dead commodity by them in which there is losse The bad heart is the worst dead commodity we can keep by us part with it 2. But the good heart is to be preserved and kept in good plight well lookt to and duely ordered nothing needs it more nothing deserves it more no garden needs so much looking to that it may be well kept nothing will so recompence thee We say Keep thy shop and it will keep thee but keep thy heart well and it will surely keep thee 1. Keep it in tendernesse be more choice of this then of the apple of thine eye You may keep your child too tenderly cannot keep your heart too renderly The tender hearted person howsoever he lives wheresoever he dyes ever dies in peace as was promised to Jostah 2 Chron. 34. 27. Four Notes of a tender heart 1. It flies the first motions unto sin How can I do this wickednesse said Joseph and sin against God q. d. shall I take fire into my bosom poyson in my mouth This were worse 2. It oft reflects on self and the heart smites for
the least sins when matters are small or doubtfull 1 Sam. 24. 5. much more for foul and manifest sins 2 Sam. 24. 10. Thus it was with David in both those places 3. It feares to partake of other mens sins Num. 16. 4. 4. Flies appearances and shewes of evil 1 Thes 5. 22. Num. 32. 6. Et sequ Josh 22. 16. 2. The heart must be keep in humility Wines are kept best in lowest Cellars the heart in lowest temper An horse may be kept too low but all the danger of the heart is keeping it too high Esa 57. 15. The lowest heart is the fittest habitation for the most High God God is called Deus optimus maximus but Jesus Christ in respect of his humility was Optimus minimus Three things should keep our hearts humble 1. Gods Excellency Esa 6. 2 3 5. Job 42. 6. 2. His many and undeserved mercies Gen. 32. 10. 2 Sam. 7. 18. Nothing doth so kindly humble a gracious heart as Mercies nothing so unkindly puffs up an ungracious heart 3. Thy own great sins Thus it was with Paul 1 Cor. 15. 9. 1 Tim. 1. 13. Never was there a viler sinner then I never more grace shewed from God 3. The heart must be kept up also in due height 2 Chron. 17. 6. Jehoshaphats heart was lifted up in the wayes of God Three things help to lift up the heart and shew it well lifted up 1. When we strive to walk worthy of God Cal. 1. 10. 2. To walk worthy of the Gospel Phil. 1. 27. 3. To walk worthy of heaven and the expectation of it 1 Thes 2. 12. 4. The heart must be kept clean and pure Psal 24. 4. and 73. 1. Mat. 5. 8. We may be too choice of our clothes and houses to keep them clean but cannot be of the heart Three things help to keep the heart clean 1. Oft washing some say Caput nunquam pedes raro manus saepe but Cor saepius saepissinie Jer. 4. 14. Wash thy heart that vain thoughts lodge not Say to them as we say to nasty and slovenly beggers here is no lodging for you 2. Often searching 2 Cor. 13. 5. 3. Frequent and fervent prayer Jam. 4. 7 8. Cleanse your hearts and draw nigh to God joyned Prayer is as Thunder and Wind they purge the ayre this the heart 5. The heart is to be kept in Faith Heb. 10. 22. Habak 2. 4. Three things help to keep the heart in Faith 1. To eye Gods promise this Faiths food and the life of the life of Faith 2. To eye and remember Gods past providences and our Experiences 2 Cor. 1. 10. He hath delivered and doth and will deliver 3. To study Gods alsufficiency Rom. 4. 21. What he promiseth he is able to perform 6. The heart is also to be kept in due fear The Child is well kept when kept in awe so is the heart This is the great heart-keeper and Covenant keeping grace Jer. 32. 40. Three things help to keep the heart in holy fear 1. A due sense of Gods dreadfull Name and Majesty Deut. 28. 48. 2. A due sense of Gods goodness Hosea 3. 5. 3. A continuall sense of our own weaknesse Prov. 28. 14. The child that fears a fall escapes a fall Vis in timore esse securus in securitate time as Bern. Fear in time of security makes secure in time of fear 7. In readinesse and willingnesse 1 Chron. 28. 9. Exod. 35. 2. Gods people are a ready and willing people And as it is a commendation to a man or woman to be handy and ready to be able to take our work and leave it so it is here Three things help to make us more ready and willing 1. Frequency and familiarity with duties Use makes perfectnesse By praying thou wilt learn to pray An instrument daily used is soon fit to play upon long disused asks much time to tune it How unfit must they needs be for prayer that pray not from sabbath to sabbath 2. To consider that God accepts a willing mind for the best deed 2 Cor. 8. 12. 3. All other service is unacceptable to God 1 Chron. 28. 9 10. Unprofitable for us 1 Cor. 9. 17. 8. In steadinesse Psal 108. 1. Act. 11. 23. Cleave to God with full purpose of heart Three times when we should look to keep the heart steady 1. In state of fullnesse The full vessel evenly carried tries the steady hand and head Phil. 4. 12. I can abound and not be proud be lifted up yet not be lifted up A hard lesson 2. In time of straits Psal 112. 8. His heart is established and doth not shrink and warp as unseasoned timber Job said I will not curse God is where he was I am where I was my faith where it was and my integrity I will not let go This another hard lesson 3. In earthly businesse to have the heart steady eying God I am in my calling God sees me This a high lesson The wicked his heart is steady and fixed on the world when at prayer he cant get the world out of his mind the godly have heavenly minds in earthly businesses 3. Wouldst thou be free from evil thoughts then get thy mind filled he which hath his chests his shop and his house filled but his mind empty is a poor man We must not do with our hearts as with our houses have the lower rooms furnisht and have nothing in the upper garrets but trash but have our upper roomes especially furnished Satan comes into the house that is empty swept and garnished But Jesus Christ chuseth to keep his feast in an upper room that is furnished Luke 22. 12. Take some good meditation promise Scripture read next thy heart to keep out wind every morning An empty addle heart is a fit bayt for Satan 4. Get a heart fixed as well as filled that thy spirit sit not loose about thee Keep thy loynes girt this bow continually bent arcum intentio frangit animum remissio It is too much looseness or unbending that breaks the mind as too much bending breaks the bow We love not a garment too big or shoes to slop about our feet We get our armes fixt get thy mind so and be ever and anon saying sursum corda The way of life is above to the wise that he may depart from hell beneath Prov. 15. 24. How safe was David when he could say O God my heart is fixed my heart is fixed Psal 108. 1. And the stable Psal 51. 12. spirit is that he prayes for as well as the right or new spirit The devil makes as good sport with an unfixt spirit as children do with light airy toyes the squibs bubbles and empty hoops which they drive before them or the paper Kite driven with the wind which though never so high mounted they can pull to them when they will these are taken captive by Satan at his will as the Apostle saith 2 Tim. 2. 26. 5. See the Lords eye still upon thee