thy good who never mindst God nor good No no if God think upon thee it will be to destroy thee for not remembring him that made thee The wicked shall be turned into Hell And all the Nations that forget God Now consider this all ye that forget God lest he tear you in peices while there is none to deliver you Even such are the paths of all that forget God and the Hypocrites hope shall perish Job 8.13 In vain is hope in God harboured where thoughts of God cannot be Sect. X. Secondly GOd looks especially to mans thoughts Because if there be any Grace Grace first stirs in thoughts 1 John 3.9 1 Peter 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is called the seed of God in Man it first stirs there The new-born babe as the Apostles expression is it first breaths in Prayer but it first stirs in thought and its stirring as in Nature is before its breathing Nay even that privation which according to the Old Philosophy is as it were a kind of principle of this Spiritual Generation begins there This is called a Casting down Imaginations 2 Cor. 10.5 and a bringing of every thought of the heart into captivity to the obedience of Christ Grace I say Psal 119.59 first stirs in the Thought I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy test monies Luke 15.17 20. Deut. 30.1 1 King 8.46 47 48 49 50. The Prodigal came to himself before he came to his Father First thought of his Fathers house and then turned his feet thither-ward Solomon in his Prayer a Type of Jesus Christ our Lord in his Intercession speaks thus If they sin against thee c. Yet if they shall be think themselves c. and so return to thee c. Then bear thou their Prayer c. and forgive thy People c. First they bethink themselves and then return Thus the Accomplishment of the new Covenant in the work of Grace is called the putting of Gods Laws into mens minds and the writing them in or upon their hearts Hebr. 8.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 10.5 1 Pet. 1.23 Hebr. 4.12 The Greek word signifies I will give them into their Thoughts and write them upon their hearts Thoughts are the Gate and In-let to all the affections Grace first knocks at this door Therefore also the word of Grace which is the great Engine for the foresaid Privation and the very Seed of Regeneration is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a strict and curious observer of the thoughts and intentions of the Heart And if Gods Word be such sure God is so Sect. XI THirdly God principally requires the heart and therefore especially looks at the Thoughts Thoughts to the Heart are as motion to the Watch Therefore especially looks to the thoughts Prov. 23.28 Deut. 32.46 47. Psal 119.41 Sailing to the Ship and 't is those that render these valuable My Son give me thy heart We must give God our Hand too and our all but out heart in All and above All. Thus set your Hearts unto all thâ— words c. for is it not a vain thing for you because it is your life We must lift up our Hands too to Gods Commandments saith David but especially our Hearts and Thoughts and therefore he adds and I will meditate in thy Statutes Thoughts can reach farther than deeds can and God requires our most Psalm 137.1 5 6. Rom. 7.24 25. Our Thoughts can reach farther than our Deeds can and God requires and looks for our utmost The poor Captivated Souldier when he cannot get to his party he can think of his party As the Captives in Babylon could think of Sion nay could not but think of it the Apostle captivated to the Law of sin by the Law in his Members did yet with his MIND serve the Law of God And God minds carefully how your minds stand which way they serve to the World or Heaven Sin or Holiness Christ or Belial Sect. XII Thoughts the Hearts primary productions Exod. 13.1 First born Gods part Job 5.7 Fourthly THoughts are the primary productions of the Mind and Heart therefore God principally eyes these Of old times the first born were under Gods especial eye The Hebrews call sparks the Sons of the burning coal as you may see by comparing that Text in Job with the Margin The Thoughts are the sparklings of mans Mind the very Issue of it if it be enkindled with Heavenly Fire Mat. 3 11. that inward Baptisme what numberless numbers of these Divine sparks are there daily flying upward if with Fire of Hell as the Apostle James speaks of the Tongue James 3.6 thy very thoughts as it were stink of Brimstone and look like Hell in Gods eye they are earthly Ver. 14.15 16. sensual and Devilish there is confusion and every evil work Thoughts I say are the proper Issue nay the first born of the heart Mat. 15.19 for out of the heart proceed evil thoughts Murthers Adulteries Fornications Thefts Blasphemies Mark First Evil thoughts and then all the rest Evil Thoughts are the File-leaders these stand in principal view Evil Thoughts are the hearts first begotten which no sooner are they born but the heart incestuously begets on them again Murthers Adulteries Thefts Blasphemies what not Thoughts you see lie next to the heart and if we would judge of a Fountain we judge of it by the waters that flow next and immediately from the spring head going farther Fountain to be judg'd by what flows most Immediately from it they may come to be altered from their natural taste or look The waters of a salt spring by being distreined and percolated through the fresh earth may loose their brackishness So that which is hatred in heart and every Brine in the Thoughts may seem sweet in the mouth through the intermediation of the dissembling tongue of him whose hatred is covered by deceipt he that hateth dissembleth with his lipes maketh his voice gracious Prov. 16.24 Verse 26. so the Hebrew Hail Master may be in the mouth while Bloud and Treason are in the thoughts and the very Devil and All in the Heart Contrariwise the waters of a pure and wholsome Fountain may receive some other kind of tincture from the Channel they passe through and thus too often Holy thoughts springing from an Heavenly heart may seem lost as it were in the croud of wordly occasions temptations and perturbations Thus Isaac went to MEDITATE in the Field in the evening tide Gen. 24.63 and behold the Camels 'T is not said he went out to meet the Camels and some good thought dropt in as a good Thought may now and then fall in a wicked mans way as the Angel in Balaams But he went out to meditate and the Camels fell in Rebeckah Verse 65. God eyes â—he hearts first setting our Jerem. 2.2 she thought as she said he came to meet her but the Lord saith he
went out to meet God God will take notice whether our hearts set rightly out with him though after in the journey we may for some season loose our way Thus saith the Lord I remember thee the kindness of thy youth the love of thine Espousals when thou â—entest after me Psalm 110.7 c. Christ hath a dew of youth in a gracious heart as well as Holy Church and this Divine and early dew of pretious thoughts is fairest when freshest Coin fairest out of the Mint-house as from the Womb of the morning Gods Coin is brightest when it first comes out of the Mint-house of mans heart for such is mans Mind a Mint-house for thoughts when it passeth farther it comes to be discoloured to contract blackness especially by lying for some time in the Earth and so sometimes to grow suspicable to others perhaps hardly discernable to our selves without much rubbing c. Repentance and Reformation yet if it were right for mettal and stamp at its first setting out when we our selves dare hardly trust it yet God that knows its Original will own it It is said of King Asa 2 Chro. 15.17 that his heart was perfect all his dayes perfect with the Lord yet the poor man took many a wrong and wretched step 1 King 15.14 for a man of a right heart yea how was Gods stamp sometimes as it were worne off little left of his Image or Superscription to be seen for besides that the high places were not remoâ—ed which was a blot upon his Government In the business of Baasha 2 Chron. 16. Verse 8.19 He relyed on the King of Syria and relyed not on the Lord his God And when he that had eminent experience of God in the business of the Ethiopians and Lubims had done thus foolishly and Hanani the Seer had reproved him faithfully Verse 10. he was wroth yea in a rage with him and put him in Prison and oppressed some of the people at the same time nay in the very evening of his dayes and towards his very Eâ—â—t 't is said that in his Disease he sought not to the Lord Verse 13. â— but to the Physitians yet there was something found at bottom notwithstanding all this Contrariwise 2 Chrâ— 25.2 Amazia did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but saith God not with a perfect heart Like some counteâ—se pieces now abroad that being â—ased or plated over with Silver are observed to have fewer cracks and flaws in the Edges perhaps than the Kings own Coin and yet they are but Copper-hearted The gratious soul is the Spouse of Christ Cant. 6.8 who as she is attended with a number of Holy and Royal affections as so many Queens so also with pure thoughts as with Virgin without number And our Heavenly Solomon eyes them most that wait next and immediately as it were upon his Queens person now our thoughts as you have heard they he next to our hearts Sect. XIII Fifthly IT cannot but be granted that God judgeth as man cannot We look at each others outsides God judges as man cannot therefore by the thoughts Luke 6.45 Prov. 26.23 1 Sam. 16.7 and oftentimes are not deceived for ordinarily the abundance of the heart will break out either some tiâ—e or other by the tongues clinking what the heart thinks as the Proverb hath it or some way or other so that the wary observer may come to discern the Potsheard notwithstanding the covering of Silver dross oft times I say but not alwayes That 's Gods Prerogative so the Lord seeth not as man seeth How then for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart We hear mens words He seeth their thoughts we weigh their Actions and Appearances Prov. 24.12 Chap. 16.2 the Lord ponders their hearts and weigheth their spirits as the wise man speaks In the Levitical Law the Swan was pronounced unclean a Bird whose Feathers are excceeding white Lev. 11.18 God judges most by what is in most 2. Cor. 11.14 Maâ— 23.27 Verse 28. Verse 25. but her Skin black God judgeth most by what is In-most God can easily discern the trans-formed Devil under the Angel of Light the rottenness within through the whited Tomb and painted Sepulchre Wee unto you Hypocrites saith Christ for ye make clean the outside of the Cup and of the Platter but within they are fâ—ll of Extortion and Excess Even so ye also appear outwardly righteous unto men but within ye are full of Hypocrisy and Iniquity Oh what horrid Spectacles were the most of men even of many that desire to make a fair shew in the flesh Gal. 6.12 as the Apostle speaks if their Insides were but turned out-side But alas They are all out-side to him that is All eye Sect. XIV Conscience Gods Deputy judgeth by our Thoughts Rom 2 13. Verse 16. LAstly That God sentenceth and Dooms us by our Thoughts is hereby evident in that Conscience that is Gods Vicegerent in mans brest doth so which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience bearing witness and their Thoughts the mean while accusing or excusing one another it follows In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel God and Christ and the Gospel they will judge men by their Consciences and their Consciences they will judge them by their Thoughts in the great day Judge we therefore our selves now as then we must be judged CHAP. V. Disc vers what those Right Thoughts are that are the Righteous mans Evidence and how to be known Sect. I. Objection Psal 64.6 Jer. 17.9 BUt alas may some one say Is not Mans heart a great deep and desperately wicked and deceiptful above all things I am afraid of Judging my self by my Thoughts of my self least I should Mis-judge of my self finding my self so apt to think amiss doth not the Apostle speak of some that measuring themselves by themselves are not wise 2 Cor. 10.12 Prov. 16 2. and 21. 2. There is so much Pride Partiality and Self-love that almost every way of man will seem clean and right in his own eye if his own Thoughts may but be his Judges Why all this is true Solution Not what Thoughts we have of our selves but in our selves Gal. 6.3 4. yet all that hath been said before true also We never said that every mans Case is as his thoughts are of himself but yet by his thoughts that are In himself he may come to discover his own state For if a man Think himself to be something saith the Apostle when he is nothing he deceiveth himself But yet let every man prove his own works and then he shall have rejoycing In himself alone and not in another This he speaks in respect of Sincerity not of Righteousness or Justification in the sight of God for of the later he saith we rejoyâ—e only in Jesus
shew forth all his praise Indeed Great iâ— the Lord and greatly to be feared but his greatness is unsearchable Go on O my Soul to admire what thou canst not utter and think this at least of what God is able to do Psal 145.3 Ephes 3.2 that he is able to do above what thou canst think Sect. XXV God Invisible TO think also but to think holily and with awful Impressions upon our Hearts of this INVISIBLE Lord God dwelling in light which no man can approach unto 1 Tim. 6.16 No Image to be made of God Deut. 1.12 15. and 24.24 whom no man hath seen nor can see of whom they saw no similitude in Horeb Therefore saith God take good heed to your selves least ye corrupt your selves and make you a graven Image or the similitude of any figure c. for the Lord thy God is a consuming Fire even a jealous God So that the making of any shape of God though men may pretend they do it to advance God in their thoughts Images no help in godly thoughts or to help them in their thoughts of God whether it be by Hand or Heart Work or Thought IMAGE or IMAGINATION doth nothing conduce to the making man Zealous but God jealous nor to the stirring of the Fire of mans affection to his Maker but of Gods Indignation against his Creature whom whilst vain man presumes to measure by his vain mind He denies him to be God for he is not God except he be greater then our hearts And thus the old Romans changing the glory of the incorruptible God into an Image are charged not to like to retain God in their Knowledge Rom. 1.23 A Text of Scripture that cuts off every Dagon by the very stumps for whilst this is pretended as the great use of Images Banish Gods knowledge Pictures Shapes and Figures to help the ignorant to keep God in their minds to be Lay-mens Books to help Devotion to heighten Holy Thoughts The Text saith expresly that as these come in God goes out Verse 21. because when they knew God they glorified him not as God but became vain in their IMAGINATIONS their foolish heart was darkened and that in this particular professing themselves to be wise they became fools Verse 22. so the Idolatrous Israelites make us Gods that may go before us These be thy Gods O Israel Say they to the Golden Calf and Aaron built an Altar before it Exo. 32.1 4 5. and made Proclamation and said to morrow is a Feast to Jehovah A Ghostly device to keep God in peoples minds those very Images that they made to be HELPS in Worship for we see there was an Eye Jehovah looked at through the Idol through the Image to Jehovah exclude God out of their knowledge and Conclude them to be such as liked not to retain God in It And seeing this comes in as a Charge upon Pagan Rome Pagan Rome excluded from the knowledge of God by Images when they wanted the discoveries of this invisible God and glorious Christ which they after received by this great Apostles Ministery and other blessed helps for even before this saith God you had better Books then Pictures or Images to have read me by for the invisible things of God from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made Verse 20. even his Eternal Power and Godhead so that they are without excuse I say After that Faith is come which is the Evidence of things not seen that spiritual Eye that sees him that is invisible for Rome called Christian Heb. 11.1 Verse 27. 2 Cor. 4.4 Rome Papall censured 1 Tim. 4.2 having received the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is THE IMAGE of God to return to dumb Pictures Images Doctrines of Damons c. may give us occasion sadly to think and say How is the faithful City become an harlot Isaiah 1.21 Rev. 18.24 Psalm 57.7 come out of her ye People that ye be not partakers of her Sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues for saith the Holy Ghost Confounded be all they that serve graven Images True Pictures of God what Living Pictures But may a man Think if I love my Friend I love his Picture yea love to have his Picture And shall I love the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and may I not have and love their Pictures Yea God forbid else But then canst thou Think if thou Think Rightly Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 Grace Rationally and Scripturally that the Living God will have any other but living Pictures Grace in the heart is a true not a lying because not a dead but a living Picture of the Living and true God which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness Christ Heb. 1.3 have that and keep it Jesus Christ himself is an express or a lively because he is a living Image of the Father have him and hold him and much good may it do your very Heart with him The Saints Saints Psalm 16.3 1 Cor. 15.44 50. 1 Cor. 14.25 the Excellent Ones in the Earth these also are Gods own Pictures They bear the image of the heavenly love them and like them and admire God in them for of these it may be said God is in you of a truth make much of them and learn as much as you can by them for these are good Books indeed as well as Living Pictures being but transcripts of Gods Book 2 Cor. 3.2 Living Eâ—â—stles as well as living Pictures known and read of all men But alas These true Pictures of the living and true God are as much befriended by the curious Pictures that blind Devotion and Superstition have drawn for God in all Ages as mans Native Fire is by the Feaver or the Natural heat of the Stomach by the praeternatural But may not Pictures be made of the Trinity Whether Images of God may be made for History or Ornament Bp. â—aylors Dâ—â—svasive from Popery Chap. 1. Sect. 8.9 See page 58. The Historical use of Images did quickly pass into Superstition The Father The Holy Ghost and of Christ especially seeing he took Flesh and was seen in humane shape for ORNAMENT and help in the History and such like ends though not for Worship What saith the Doctrine of the CHURCH of ENGLAND They be convict of foolishness and wickedness in making Images of God or the Trinity Homily against the peril of Idolatry 3d. part pag. 41. Edict Lond. 1640. Condemns all Pictures of God Trinity c. Refutes the great argument of descriptions in the Old Testament yea and once to desire an Image of God cometh of Infidelity thinking not God to be present except they might see some sign or Image of him as appeareth by the Hebrews in the Wilderness willing Aaron to make them gods whom they might see go before them c. Thus it goes
save to the utmost That therefore there was hope in Israel concerning my soul a possibility nay a probability nay a Certainty that if I would agree quickly even while I am in the way Mat. 5.25 Job 22.25 acquaint now my self with God I should be at peace That thou art not only Reconcileable but in Christ reconciling the world to thy self 2 Cor 5.15 Vâ—rse 20. And therefore as though thou wert beseeching me by Him thine Ambassadour He did pray me in Christs stead that I would be reconciled to God And O my Soul was moved within me at that word shall the Judge though I as it were petition and not I the Offender entertain the motion 1 Kings 20 23. Lam. 3.29 nay catch at the words as Benhadads Servants and put my mouth in the dust if there may be hope But then withal he told me That Christ must be Lord as well as Jesus Zach. 6.13 Rom. 3.27 Mat. 13.45 and 46. and 19.21 chap. 19.24 Hebr. 3.15 and 10.30 Luke 17.32 a Priest indeed but a Priest upon his Throne That Faith was not Libertinisme but a Law That all must be sold and not a farthing would be abated if I would buy the Pearl of great price That there was a dear self to be denyed A da ly Cross to be taken up A crucified leader to be followed a severe example to be imitated No time to be delayed before I began to day if I would hear his Voice c. nor looking back with Lots Wife to be endured after I had once begun Wherefore he charged me in thy Name before I went farther to sit down Luke 19.28 and consider the Cost But O the consternation that this new Thought breeds in my perplexed Spirit I had almost said in my heart 1 Sam. 15.32 like Agag the bitterness of death is over Alas my Sea-sick Soul would fain have been at shore any way though she ventured a drowning for it But now I see there is no remedy but I must out again into the tempestuous Ocean But O the unexpressible torment of a divided distracted mind Alas the contrary struglings in my poor soul Gen. 25.22 as if there were two Nations there One throng of Thoughts breaks in Impetuously Isaiah 57.10 Luke 19.21 did not we tell thee from the very first silly soul that there is no hope in God for thee we knew that he was an austere Lord whatever others might tell thee that his sayings are hard so that none could bear them And shouldst thou set out thou couldst never hold out and so thy last end would be worse than thy beginning John 6.60 2 Pet. 2.20.21 Jerem. 2.25 Isa 22.23 And now thou mayest find our words true Come come there is no hope no but we will throw up all Let us eat and drink for to morrow we must die did not we tell that these Micajahs though at first they might seem to sooth thee in some flattering hopes yet would never prophesie good concerning thee But let not thy heart say so saith a contrary thought And so flies with indignation in the face of the former And behold a Troop cometh after it which when it hath forc't them to give some ground This new Troop seizeth upon mine heart and speaks thus to it Sect. VIII UNngrateful sinner Rom. 5.8 is this thy kindness to thy Friend that herein commendeth his love to thee in that whilst thou wort an enemy he dyed for thee that thou art still listening to the cursed Off-spring of that old and evil heart of unbelief that ever was Heb. 3.12 and ever will be for departing from the living God who had he had a mind to destroy thee might have done it and never have shewn thee such things as these Judg. 13.23 Phil. â— 7 Isaiah 30.18 He took upon himself the form of a servant And he still waiteth that he may be gracious He stretcht forth his arms to open thee a way to his Bosome love upon the Cross and he stretcâ—eth out his hands again to thee Isaiah 65.2 Mat 26.26 Rev. 3.20 in the Preaching of the word It hath been said Ask and have 't is now Take and have Take eat this is my body broken for thee Salvation knocks 't is but thy opening and the work is done A work indeed saith the drooping soul which before it be done I am like for all this to be undone 't is but taking but opening a sad BUT God knows for me who am weak and cannot Vile and dare not Alas what have Dogs to do with Childrens Bread should I presume thinking to believe and Blaspheme thinking to pray Mat. 15.26 call Christ my Saviour Rev. 2.9 and God my Father and be rejected of both O whither should I make my shame to go No no had I an Hand fit to receive such a Guest gladly would I go through Fire and Water to open the door to Jesus and take him with ten thousand welcomes into my Soul And is it such Presumption saith a thought on the other hand and such pride to be dutifull and obedient for this is Gods Commandment that thou believe on Jesus Christ what pride 1 John 4.13 what presumption then is it to be undutifull and disobedient He that believeth not the wrath of God abideth on him And wilt thou needs be damned that thou mayst have the credit of being modest and going mannerly to Hell Thou sayest Luke 5.8 Mat. 9.12 depart from me for I am a sinfull man Why he is the Physician what should he do with thee if thou wert not sick Chap. 8.8 Thou art not worthy Grace should come under thy Roof neither would it be Grace if thou wert worthy for if it were of works saith the Apostle it were no more grace But whilst thou speakest thy Fears and dismal dread of presumption Rom. 11.6 didst thou never hear of such a Sin as despair presumption indeed were it so might undo thee but bold and blasphemous despair which thou thinkest modest and humble laâ—ours to undo Jesus Christ Other sins make work for Christ who came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Math 9.13 Chap. 13.58 and 17.20 but black desperation shuts him out of work as 't is said he dâ—id not many works there that is in his own Country because of their unbelief And dost thou thus requite the Lord foolish sinner and unwise as to spill the Wine of his precious blood in thy proud humility and Impudent Modesty like water upon upon the ground and that for no other reason than this Isaiah 55.1 Job 15.11 that he offers it to thee that hast no Money nor price Must the consolations of God needs be small with thee that thy modesty may be great Thou hast no money but hast thou mind thou hast no desert but hast thou no desire Christ hath a healing hem in his garments for thee be thy
that presseth forward toward the Lord Jesus Christ sticks fast and remains unremoveable while the hinder part is broken with the violence of waves O blessed Hâ—art-breaking O blessed storm that drives the tumbling Thoughts upon this shore Psalm 107.30 well mayst thou be glad because thou art quiet for God hath brought thee to thy desired Haven 1 Pet. 1.8 Phil. 4.7 O sweet serenity Joy unspeakable peace passing all understanding that now keeps the heart and mind yea the heart by the MIND flowing down like the pretious Oyntmeâ—t from the head of Aaron to the skirts of his garment Luke 2.29 36. perfuming and embalming by the thoughts of the mind all the inferior powers of the Soul and affections of the heart That the former can now present unto the later even a deaths head without horrour nay with amiableness in its Aspect whilst the Soul can think with Simeon Psalm 133 2. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation So that hardly could the Convert now be kept from impatient desiring to be disso ved and to be with Christ but that he THINKS withal of something to be done for Christ before â—e die Psalm 51.13 Luke 22 3â— 2 Câ—r 1 Phil. 1.23 of teaching transgressors Gods wayes that sinners may be â—â—verted of strengthening Brethren of comforting others with the same consolations and so be hasteneth to be doing that he may also hasten to be dying Sect. XI BUt Alas These Thoughts cannot alwayes hold without interruption This brood of Travailers dig up Wells as they go Psal 84.5 Gen. 2.5 and the Philistines follow after as fast as they can to stop them up with earth and stones worldliness and earthliness deadness and dulness return and repossesses the Mind and Thoughts of the eager Convert and threaten to undo whatever Grace hath been a doing So that the confident young Christian who thought that if he had but once gotten the Red Sea on his back his Saviours blood betwixt him and his soul oppressors there would be but a few dayes direct and easy journey through the Wilderness of the World to the Land of Canaan Deut. 8.15 falling amongst many fiery Serpents violent and virulent temptations and lusts not thought of at his first setting out and being bitten by them he proceeds as more heavily so more humbly And his After-thoughts are such as these Now woe is me that I should ever put my hand unto Gods Plough Luke 9.62 and thus look back O why was I not contented to have dwelt on the other side of Jordan Nay to have stayed by the Flesh-Pots of Aegypt Joshua 7 7. Exod 16.3 rather than to die in this Wilderness It had been better sure for me not to have known the way of Righteousness 2 Pet. 2.2 Gal. 4 15. then after I have known it thus to turn from the holy Commanâ—ment Where is then the blessedness that I spake of The Scripture saith indeed Job 17.9 Gal. 3.3 4. that the Righteous shall hold on in his way But alas I have begun in the spirit And after all must I foolishly end in the flesh Have I suffered so many things in vain if so be that it be yet in vain Have I sustained such corrections and received such convictions and brought forth such Purposes and Resolutions with so great Pain and Difficuâ—ty and to so little purpose Hos 10.12 Isaiah 28.14 I cannot deny that the fallow ground of my heart hath been indeed broken up and Gods Ploâ—â—â—â—s have plowed all day to sow and 't was good seed at the Sâ—â—ers did sow when they sowed the Woâ—d Mark 4.14 But alas I now find to my Woe that it was not sown in a good and honest heart for no sooner was the blade spring up Luke 8.15 Mat. 13.16 21. Luke 8.14 Mark 4.19 but early temptation made it â—ither away so that it brought no fruit to â—erfection the cares of the World the decoiptfulness of Riches and the lusts of other things these coming in have choaked the word and it â—â—th become unprofitable Job 4.6 And is this thy confidence O my soul the uprightness of thy wayes and thy hope O think then that the word will prove true to thee though thou hast not been so to it for it told thee that the back-slider in heart should be filled with his own wayes and I am sure thou hast found it so Prov. 14.14 Heb. 6.7 Thou art the ground that hast drunk in the rain that came oft upon it and hast brought forth Thorns and what can now be thy doom but to be rejected of God to be nigh unto cursing and thine end but to be burned Thou art the House out of which the unclean Spirit went Math. 12.33 44 45. and into which He returned taking others with him which though he found empty swept garnished yet leaveth the last state worse than the first Thou hast wearyed thy self with lies Ezek. 24.12 13. and thy great scum went not forth of thee what remains but that thy scum shall be in the fire In thy filthiness is lewdness because God hath purged thee and thou wast not purged therefore how canst thou hope to be purged from thy filthyness any more till he have caused his Fury to rest upon thee 2 Peter 2.20 for if after Men have escaped the pollutions of the World through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again entangled therein and overcome the later end is worse with them than the beginning Thou art that girdle marred by lying in the Babilonish waters of worldly Lusts Jer. 13.7 11. and now profitable for nothing who didst sometime seem to cleave so closely to the Lord Jesus Christ as the girdle cleaveth to the loines of a man Jer. 6.28 29 30. Ah! grievous Revolter Reprobate sinner the Bellows are burnt the Lead is consumed in the Fire the Founder hath melted thee in vain for the wicked are not plucked away thy wicked pride and worldliness and wantonness c. and now what canst thou think O my Soul but that the Lord hath rejected thee Jerem. 2.5 But what Iniquity hast thou found in thy God that thou art gone far from Him and that thou hast walked after vanity and art become vain Micha 6.3 Ah my Soul What hath he done unto thee or wherein hath he wearyed thee testifie against him No no I am sure thou canst not thou darest not reprove him Jerem. 2.19 But thine own wickedness shall correct thee and thy Back-slidings shall reprove thee know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and a bitter that thou haâ—t forsaken the Lord thy God and therefore surely his fear is not in thee What fruit haâ—t thou then of this foul Apostacy whereof thou hâ—st so great reason to be now ashamed Thou didst run well Rom. 6.21 Gal. 5.7 Jerem. 2.11 12
Psal 73.12 Psal 4.9 6. Verse 18. The dispised excellent 1 Cor. 4.13 Psal 16.3 Heb. 11.38 Acts 20.24 Persecution not enough without love 1 Cor. 13 3. as part of a Christians Patrimony Ye shall receive an hundred fold in this life with Persecutions An Honour to be counted worthy to suffer a Gift to be able to suffer as well as to believe to you it is given And therefore he is so far from thinking that he merits by it as that he is but so much the more beholding to God and to Christ for it He thinks losses for Christ and the Gospel to be gain the spoiling of his Goods to be joyfully taken As knowing in himself that he hath in Heaven a better and more induring substance He esteems disgrace for Christ the highest Honour in the World and the Reproach of Christ greater Riches then the Treasures of Aegypt He refuseth to dwell in the Tents of Wickedness to have his portion in this life He chooseth rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God then to enjoy the Pleasures of â—in for a season Those whom men think to be the happy men who call the proud happy having ONLY their portion in this life Those that prosper in the World that increase in Riches that boast of their Wealth that say they are rich and possessed with goods c. Such He thinks Poor and Wretched and Miserable and Blind and Naked And those whom such men think the off-scouring of the World He thinks the Excellent of the Earth And whom they think unworthy to live in the World He thinks that the World is not worthy of them He thinks his Life not too much nor too dear for Christ nay not enough if it want the sincerity of his Love and therefore labours as much that his heart and love be found staming towards him as if he call for it to give his body to be burnt for him Sect. XI Right thoughts of the outward condition of life Prov. 13.8 As fittest for us 2 Sam. 15.4 Hebr. 13.5 Contentment without covetousness Thinking of the promise Psal 23.5 For supply Psal 17.3 IN thinking of his present CONDITION of Life that his lines are fallen in the best place for him that his own food is most convenient for him That Sauls Armour would not suit him That anothers Condition would not fit him not as Absolom O that I were Judge in the Land He thinks it is his duty to be contented with such things as he hath without coveting anothers And thinks it his Relief that the lesse money he hath he may go the more upon trust The less he finds in his purse seek the more in the promise of him that hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee The Lord is his Shepheard and he thinks he shall not want And therefore he will trust in the Lord and do good And he thinks verily he shall be fed or Truth shall be his feeding as some read so that he thinks no man can take away his livelihood unless he can first take away Gods truth Sect. XII Right thoughts of the present time of life 1 Pet. 1.17 Heb. 4.1 To be past in fear that work may be done Phil. 1.12 Jude 23. 1 Cor. 9.24 Luke 16.2 Before time done Time for work Therefore be up and doing 1 Chro. 22.16 A time for every Work Eccles 9.4 Therefore hope while time no room for dispair Eccles 3.1 Time for best purposes Rom. 13.11 Hos 10.12 2 Pet. 1.10 But a time therefore no place for presumption Time pretious measured by moments Ephes 5.16 Right thoughts of death Job 18.14 Chap. 11.20 Eccles 11.3 Luke 16.26 IN thinking of his present TIME of life as the time of his sojourning here and therefore to be passed in fear in fear least he should come short nay or seem to come short at his going out of the World of that which he came into it for the working out of his own Salvation and the saving of others pulling them out of the Fire and both with fear with fear least his day be done before his work be done least his Glass be run before his Race be run least his accounts be required before they be stated with fear and yet in hope that though his time be little and his work great yet if he be up and doing the Lord will be with him And therefore as he that plows plows in hope so he when he prayes prayes in hope and repents in hope c. For to him that is joyned to all the living there is hope So that his fear is a spur to his hope and his hope a bridle to his fear That despair do not run away with him and Cast him quite down for want of hope Nor presumption make him loiter and loose both his time and his soul for want of Fear He thinks there is a time for every purpose under Heaven And therefore thinks he can I find a time for Eating and Drinking and Sleeping Buying and Selling Building and Planting Marrying and giving in Marriage and is there not a time nay a high time to awake out of sleep A time to seek the Lord to make my calling and election sure c. surely there is a time therefore there is hope And no room for desperation And but a time therefore no place for Presumption But a time and therefore that time is most pretious God measuring it to us only by moments as we do pretious Liquors by drops and therefore to be redeemed and so imployed in looking out for a pretious Christ and in looking after the pretious Soul Sect. XIII IN thinking of DEATH to the Unbelievers and Hypocrites as a King of Terrors a grave of their hopes which will then be as the giving up of the Ghost as the falling of the Tree that must lie till judgment as then it falls No work there nor devise no wisdom no calling upon God with hope of help or promise of pardon As the fixing of the gulf no passing no returning from a state of torment no means of Grace no hope of Glory any more as a cruel Jaylor haling the Soul to the dreadful Tribunal of God and then to the Tormenter and Executioner even to him that hath the Power of Death the Devil Hebr. 2.14 And alas how many thousands of black yea bloody self-murthering mouths shall then come to have their woful wishes before they thought of it when God shall damn them and the Devil take them But to the Righteous that hath hope in his death â— King of Terrors too Prov. 14.32 To the godly what but with a broken Scepter A Serpent but without a sting A ghastly countenance with an open mouth but without teeth A sturdy Porter yet standing only to open them their Fathers door The Saints Bed-maker Isa 52.10 Hos 13.4 Col. 3.41 hard-handed yet that makes their Beds soft and easy An Enemy frighted into a Friend by him that is the
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
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
of God is not meat and drink but Righteousness and Peace Rom. 14.17 1 Cor. 2.11 and Joy in the Holy Ghoâ—t and truly to be desired to make one Wise for the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Verse 12.13 now we have received not the Spirit of this World but the Spirit which is of God that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God which things also we speak not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual and therefore He is called the spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Eph. 1.17 18. that We might know the hope of his Calling and the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints The Fruit forementioned was of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil Gen. 2.19 Eph. 5.7 In all goodness and truth but the Fruit of the Spirit is in all GOODNESS Righteousness and TRUTH Here is ALL Good and No Guile So then if Goodness it self be Good if Righteousness be Desirable for We through the Spirit wait for the hope of Righteousness by Faith if Truth be amiable Gal. 5.5 for He is also called the Spirit of Truth John 15.26 and 16.13 Eph. 3.16 2 Cor. 3.18 Phil. 2.1 and said to guide into All Truth In a word if according to the Riches of the Glory of God We are strengthened with might in the inner man by the Spirit changed into the same Image from glory to glory by the same Spirit If there be any Consolation in Christ or comfort of Love joyned with the fellowship of the Spirit If God be a good Guest for Ye are the Temple of God if the Spirit of God dwell in you 1 Cor. 3.16 Or if Heaven be worth having or that it be good for us that dwell in this Tabernacle to be clothed upon 2 Cor. 5.4 that Mortality might be swallowed up of Life the Earnest whereof is the Spirit Verse 5. Surely well may the Fruit of the Spirit be said to be in All Goodness As Mony answers All things in temporal Respects Eccles 11.19 Spirit answerâ— all good things so where one Evangelist saith how much more shall your Father give good Things c. The other reads How much more shall he give the holy Spirit to them that ask him so that the Holy Spirit answers All good Things Drunkards quench this Spirit Isaâ—ah 28.1 2 Thes 5.19 Hosea 4.11 Eph. 5.18 Luke 21.38 And here I cannot but lament the Drunkenness of our Ephraim who by abusing good things sin away the Best Thing quenching the Spirit with strong Drink which as it takes away mans heart so it keeps away Gods Spirit as Scripture saith be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess but be filled with the Spirit for that clean Spirit can not dwell in an Heart especially overcharged with Surfeiting Drunkenness and odious excess Sect. XLV Pray for the Spirit Psal 143.10 51.11 12. Acts 1.4 Survey his Workings Rom. 8.20 WHerefore good Reader say as David Thy Spirit is good and Pray as David O take not thy holy Spirit from me but uphold me with thy free Spirit Pray and wait for the Spirit having put the Promises in suit by Prayer Survey his daily workings and work thou with him for the Word himself useth as to his helping our Infirmities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Metaphor taken from two that lift together one over against another at the same stone or piece of Timber to lay it in the Building Prize his Witnessings Verse 16.17 Acts 9.31 Moreover prize his Evidence for as he worketh so he witnesseth with our Spirit that We are the Children of God and if children then Hens c. walk in the comfort of the Holy Ghost as Scripture speaks even of his Evidence who is both Earnest Seal and Witnesse Listens to his motions Revel 22.10 Listen to the Spirit who never bids us to our hurt the spirit saith come take of the water of Life freely His Charmings are Wise his Reproofs an excellent Oyl his Convictions Kindness and all his motions James 3.17 Rev. 2.7.10 29 Chap. 1.6 13 22. Dictates and Counsels are first pure and then peaceable He that hath an Ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches 't is six times over in two Chapters it seems We are dull of hearing when Our best friend is speaking We could hear the Serpents first hissing listen to Satan when he doth but whisper to us but when the Spirit speaks so loud that All should hear even to the churches He finds deaf ears growing upon our Hearts and when he comes unto us by his sweet insinuations we treat this Heavenly Messenger as Hanun did King Davids 2 Sam. 10.4 cutting off his motions in the middle and so we send him grieved back to the high provocation of God that sends him But the Spirit is as his Fruit is Long-suffering or else He would not so long strive with Man with froward and stubborn man but yet think He will not alwayes do it as God roundly told the Old World But Wo Wo unto thee if thou Sin away the Spirit Psal 51.11 for casting away from Gods presence is inseperably annexed to the taking away his holy Spirit as it is in the Psalmist and those Spirits are sad proofs of it 1 Pet. 3.18.19.20 to whom God went and Preached by this Spirit in the dayes of Noah for being then disobedient they are now in Prison And sure We cannot but think it just and reasonable that we carefully hearken to him when ever he comes on Gods Errand to us Who if ever we would speed must go on Our Errand to God and make Intercession for us Rom. 8.26 Grieve not the Spirit Eph. 4.21 to 25.26 How that may be By Commissions And oh how disingenuous and injurious must we needs think it on the other hand to grieve him that Comforts us which the Apostle saith we do when we put not off concerning the former Conversation the Old Man which is corrupt according to deceiptful Lusts and put not on the new Man c. when we put not away lying corrupt Communication undue courses for a Livelihood instead of diligence in our lawful Calling anger Bitterness Evil-speaking and all Malice even by All such undue Affections Words and Actions Nay that We should Vex yea Resist him Isai h 63.10 Acts 7.51 as the uncircumcised in Heart and Ears nay quench the Spirit with excess of Wine c. as is said before put him quite out as Saul said God is departed from me 1 Sam. 28.15 and answereth me no more now Fire is put out as effectually by not putting on of Fuel as by putting on of Water and the holy Spirit quenched by Sins of Omission as of Commission Omission by Contempt and wilful neglecting of holy Duties Means and Ordinances
saith the Text they thought upon his Name And as for Love And Love Levit. 2.7 Cacabus ◠Rad. Hebr. ebullivit Psalm 45.1 as the Holy Fire under the Frying-pan made the Oyl of the Oblation to bubble and boyl up which is the Psalmists very word Holy Love is this Fire that makes Thoughts boil up for the very first word of that Psalm which is entituled a Song of Love is this My heart boileth up with a good matter Experience tells us Animus est non ubi animat sed ubi amat that the affectionate and tender Mother can leave her thoughts behind her at home with her sucking Child when she goes abroad Thus worldly Love will have worldly Thoughts and Gracious Love will have Gracious Thoughts O how I love thy Law it is my Meditation all the day Psalm 19.97 And 't is a sign Holy Love is but weak and feeble when holy thoughts are but faint and few Deut. 6.5 And here let the Reader most carefully observe that where Moses layes down the First and great Commandment thou shalt Love the Lord thy God only in three words with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy Might or strength Mat. 22.37 Mark 17.30 Luke 10.27 Our Saviour repeating the Law adds a Fourth viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex omni Cogitatione so Bez. vulg c. with all thy Thought or Mind plainly enough suggesting unto us that the Strength of the Heart cannot be reckoned as engaged to the Love of God where the Thoughts of the Heart are not drawn Out by it And therefore labour to ascertain and to clear up thine Interest in God and Christ Mark 12.30 and Heavenly things daily more and more for Christ saith not where Anothers but where your treasure is Luke 10.27 there will your heart be also for as Interest raiseth Love Love hath power to levy Thoughts and to keep them in readiness for its use and service so that if thy Treasure be in Heaven there will thine heart be also Luke 12.34 IV. Last Practical Rule 4. Practical Rule Begin thy Days and thy Weeks with Right thoughts Exod. 12.1 John 20.2 Coloss 3.1 Revel 1.10 LAstly As the Israelites were to reckon their Beginning of Moneths from the time of their Deliverance so let the Thoughts of thy DELIVERER still begin both thy Weeks and thy Dayes for it was both upon the First of the Week and of the Day that our Blessed Lord Rose again from the Dead and We must imp our Thoughts if we would help their flight upon the wing of Our Saviours Resurrection S. John was in the Spirit on the LORDS-DAY that is on the First of the Week for it is generally confest that the First day of the Week was as well known by the Primitive Christians in the Apostolical Age by the Name of the Lords-day as any other day was or is by Jews or Gentiles known and distinguished by any other Name Thus did the dear Disciple begin the Week and thus did Holy David still begin the day whose constant course was to take his slight for Heaven on the wings of the Morning Psal 139.18 when I was awake saith he to God I am still with thee And thus should the First-lings of the flock of our Thoughts be for God still Gen 4.4 Matth. 6.33 still First seek the Kingdom of God that is not onely above All but also every Week and every Day first of All. Of all the Ten there is but One Commandment that begins with a REMEMBER O forget not that Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy This is the standing Law commanding one Day or Seventh part of the Week blessed of God above all the rest to be set apart for God for so also the Commandment ends Verse 11. Hookers Ecclesiastical Policy the Lord Blessed the Sabbath Day and hallowed it The Perpetual obligatoriness of which Law is strongly asserted by the Learned Hooker and declaredly owned by the Church of England there being subjoyned to the publick reading of this fourth Commandment as well as of the rest a Lord have mercy upon us See also the Hom. of the Place and Time c. Titus 1.16 John 1.3 and encline our Hearts to keep this Law And if in Words we confess this Law O let not our Works deny it Now as the SON of God being Maker both of the First Creation and Sabbath for by Him were All things made and without Him was nothing made that was made as we have already seen First blessed that Day wherein He first Rested for the Commemoration of that First and Glorious work of his So after that He became the SON MAN Mark 2.28 being still LORD of the SABBATH He hath dignified the First Day of the Week with the glorious Title of the LORDS-DAY having Rested therein from a greater Work viz. the Suffering and state of Death which was the last and Finishing Work of his state of Humiliation and therein blessed and hallowed it for our Commemoration of the more glorious work of Redemption For as the glory of the later Temple Hag. 2.9 was greater then that of the former because Christ was more manifestly to appear in it it may be as truly and for the same reason said of Gods Workmanship Eph. 2.10 created in CHRIST JESUS unto good works that the glory of the New Creature excels that of the Old for the more manifestation of Christ still the more Glory till at last He shall come to be perfectly glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe 2 Thes 1.10 For herein hath he obsignated and given an undubitable pledge of that REST or SABBATISM that remains for the People of God Hebr. 4.9 when upon the general Resurrection of their Bodies they shall Eternally rest from Sin and Death 1 Cor. 15.20 for Christ is risen as the First Fruits of them that sleep and therefore saith He thy Dead Men shall live Isaiah 26.19 John 14.19 together with my Dead Body shall they arise for because I LIVE Ye shall live also To allude then to that Word of our Saviour John 12.31 When I am lifted up I will draw all men to me and indeed when the King is up and gone 't is not for the Courtiers to loyter and lag behind O me-thinks this Resurrection of Christ should DRAW All our Hearts and Thoughts to him Colos 3.1 If we then be Risen with Christ saith the Apostle Let us seek those things that are above Psalm 24.7 Psalm 110.7 and then especially when He arose Then Lift up your heads O ye Gates and be ye lift up ye Everlasting Doors for this Day did your dearest Lord lift up that head from the Conquered Grave John 19.30 which He bowed before upon that bitter Cross that as his Death was the Death of our Sins so his Resurrection might be the life of our Souls Psal 118 24. This this is the day that Our Lord hath made We will Rejoyce and be glad in it Every other Sun-Rising can make another Day Mal. 4.1 but it is onely the Rising of the Sun of Righteousness with healing in his wings that made the Day we stile the LORDS-DAY and therefore when the Burthen of the Week for sufficient to every day is the Evil thereof hath made our Shoulders shrink Mat. 6.34 and gall'd our back this blessed Day takes off the Burthen and layes on the Balm heals the aking Heart Relieves the weary Thoughts and in a word it brings Heaven half down to us and takes us half up to Heaven Wherefore good Reader let thine Early Thoughts and Spicie Meditations begin every morning of this blessed Day as the good Women in the Gospel with a gracious and holy visit of thy Saviours Sepulchre Luke 24.1 6. till the Heavenly Ordinances of that Day proclaim to thee as the Angels to them He is not here but is risen John 14.2 3. and is gone before thee to prepare a place for thee that he may come again and receive thee that where He is there mayest thou be also And as the First day of each Week thus employed will sanctifie unto thee the rest of the Week so will the First of each Day the rest of the Day when by a Sun-beam thou canst climb to God Herber◠in Temple Close thy dayes with good thoughts as Divine Herbert most sweetly expresseth it And now having found thee with Him and Holy David in the Morning I would chuse to leave thee with Isaac in the Evening who was wont at that time to go out to MEDITATE That as God is Alpha and Omega of all things He may be the Beginning and the End of thy Thoughts for with Him it is that this little Book both designs and desires to leave Thee Amen Amen FINIS