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
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
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
which is in Christ Jesus What shall I then say to these things The Lord hath both spoken unto me and himself hath done it Isaiah 38.15 I will go with him though I go but softly all my years even in the bitterness of my Soul So then the Thoughts of the Righteous pick up encouragement Numb 14.9 as the Good Spies from their very difficulties They are Bread for us I will go with this man saith Rebeckah I will go with this Jesus saith the fixed Thought of heart Though I go sadly yet I will go I will go though but softly in my souls bitterness all my years Isaiah 38.16 But yet O Lord by these things men live And in all these is the life of my spirit so wilt thou recover me and make me to live so saith the gracious Heart And thus is the soul fed with Manna aad led about many years it may be in the Wilderness of Anxiety Deut. 8.2 And all this to humble to prove to know what is in the heart and to do it good in the later end The end of the draught or scheme of Thoughts 1. Wrought in conversion And thus have I given you as briefly as I could though more largely then I thought a Scheme or draught of such Thoughts in man as do ordinarily flow from the Grace of God as I have received from that sure Word that is a discerner of the Thoughts and a discoverer as well as a discerner and as I have known and perhaps felt in some small experience And the Holy Ghost Prov. 27.19 that knows all hearts saith expresly As in water face answers to face so the heart of man to man Regenerate mans thoughts flowing from a new nature agree with other natural motions in three things Sect. XII NOw because as I have said The Regenerate mans thoughts are sparks from a new Fire fruits of a new heart stirrings of a new Nature Therefore it must needs be that they partake with all natural motions in these Three points I. Facility Natural Acts and Motions 1. Facility Good thoughts delightful if from a right principle Prov. 2.10 If Nature be not oppressed as sometimes the New nature seems to be are facile yea pleasing and delightful as to eat to drink to sleep c. So are right Thoughts to a Righteous person When wisdome entereth into thy heart and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul c. A naughty heart is like a vitious stomach those very thoughts that are as an hony Comb Prov. 27.7 or as pleasant bread to others do make it turn as it were at the very sight of them Go thy way Paul for this time I have no stomach to think of Righteousness or Judgment to come No no Acts 14.25 Felix his Thoughts were another way suitable to his Corruption He thought saith the Text there was no money coming Verse 26. and 't was the thought of money that made Musick in his Mind But saith David of his God not of his Mammon My meditation of HIM shall be SWEET Psal 124 34. I will be glad in the Lord. When the Miser receives his Mammon Oh how it glads him nay he loves the Thought of it when he cannot come at it Nay he can Think with delight of the Bills or Bonds he can lay them in his bosome that do but Name it Money is his God and Worldliness his Nature So doth a gracious heart with sweetness entertain the Thought of his God nay hide his word in his very Heart Psal 119.11 It goes down with him with delight as his food when he is most hungry Thy words were found and I did eat them Jer. 15.16 and they were to me the joy and rejoycing of mine Heart The Bar drinks in words but it is the heart that eats them by setting the Thoughts to chew upon them And as it is with a man that is in health if he want his set meals so is it with a good Heart kept in good order without many gripes and secret gnawings it cannot want its set MEDITATIONS And surely it would be better with most Christians then it is were they but careful with Isaac to set a part some little time of the day for Meditation who are so little able to say with David O how love I thy Law Psal â—19 67 It is my MEDITATION all the day And this leads me to the Sect. XIII Frequency Davids thoughts good all the day Psal 119 97. How to be understood II. ANd that is Frequency A good pulse strikes many a good stroke in a day and so doth a good heart as you may see in David when he was in a good state of soul health you cannot think that he thought of nothing but Gods Law in the whole day when he sayes It was his Meditation all the day his Crown was lined with Cares And his Head with Thoughts as other mens But he would allow no Thought in the day contrary to the Law He would order all his Thoughts in conformity and subordination thereto And his Thoughts thereof were better pleasing to him then all other Thoughts He was in his Element when in such Meditations and reckoned so much of the day lost as wherein he was hurryed by Temptations to any contrary cogitations If a Bird fall into the water 't is not her Element she neither useth nor delighteth to be there If a Mole get above ground he is not where he would be or is wont to be Tryal what Thoughts thy Element Psalm 77.5 Ask thine heart seriously what Element it is that thy thoughts most use and with most ease My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness when I think upon thee when I remember thee upon my bed and meditate upon thee c. And thereby discern whether it be a Bird of Paradise or a meer Mole for to be carrnally minded is death but to be Spiritually minded is life and peace Romans 8.6 A bad man may have a Thought of God now and then and a Thought for God or the most are very much mistaken But a David can say of his divine Thoughts how great is the sum of them Gods Thoughts of him and his Thoughts of God and the reflection of his Thoughts upon Gods Thoughts Psalm 137.17 for Sect. XIV III. 3. Perpetuity THere is Perpetuity as well as Facility and Frequency in Natural acts and motions The pulse beats not only all the day but all a mans dayes so do good thoughts in a Godly mind What a blessed frame was holy David in when he could never awake but he found his pulse beating Heaven-ward when I awake I am still with thee Psam 139.18 Psalm 1.12 The blessed mans delight is in the Law of the Lord and therein doth he meditate day and night O happy He whose Thoughts are holy day and night that is continually I know Grace is lyable to
RIHGT THOUGHTS The Righteous Mans EVIDENCE A DISCOURSE Proving Our state God-ward to be as Our Thoughts are Directing how to try them and Our Selves by them Propounding Schemes of Right Thoughts With Motives and Rules for keeping Thoughts Right In Two Parts By FAITHFUL TEAT For as a man THINKETH in his Heart So is He PROV XXIII VII Let the Unrighteous Man forsake his Thoughts ISAIAH LV. VII Doth not He that Pondereth the HEART Consider PROV XXIV XII London Printed for George Sawbridge dwelling on Clerkenwell Green 1669. The Preface Little Book I Am very sensible that thine Entertainment in the World is likely to be the same with His on whose Errand Thou art sent who is said to have endured Hebr. 12.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the contradiction of Sinners against Himself For to tell men of making Conscience of THOUGHTS for Setting and Keeping them RIGHT when the most do even hate to be reclaimed from the most Outward Enormities in Words and Actions Psal 50.17 Gen. 27.9 compared with Gal. 4.28 29 is likely but to tickle the Spleen of too many Ishmaels to an Impious scurrility and prophane Derision But whether they will hear Ezek. 2.4 5. or whether they will forbear Go Thou and tell the wicked WITS that thou dost meet with Dan. 5.3 That whilst they are Quaffing Themselves into a drunken merriment in the Vessels of the Temple Verse 25. Verse 27. Verse 26. making sport of things Spiritual there is a tremendous MENE TEKEL upon the Wall Their wit is weighed in the Ballances of the Sanctuary and found wanting Their Dayes are numbred and themselves shortly to give up the Ghost and a sad account therewith to God that gave them their active Phansies for better use And here I could tell thy Reader that I have been lately an Eye-witness of some taken for Wits of prime magnitude in the Orb of Prophaness who upon their Death-beds could allow no rest to themselves or those about them without procuring the Visits and Prayers of such as themselves had by a mimical way of Praying and Theatrical mock-Preaching been wont to expose to Derision among their Companions Unhappy Partners in their prophane LIFE and again unhappy in that they were not Spectators of their penitent DEATHS Exod. 10.16 Chap. 8.8 28. and 9.27 Hebr. 11.26 When Gods Plagues are upon Aegypt Oh then call for Moses and Aaron in hast O Pray pray pray sâ—r us Yet this Moses is the man that at other times must bear the Reproach of Christ in Aegypt as the Apostle to the Hebrews testifieth For though the Hearts of the Sons of men are fully set in them to do Evil and Madness is in their Hearts whilst they Live as Ecclesiastes observeth yet Eccles 9 3. Job 28.22 compared with Verse 28. saith the Holy Ghost Destruction and DEATH say We have heard the Fame of Wisdom with our Ears that is of the true fear of the Lord as the Text expounds it self Now Mr. Wâ—â—ler quoted by Mr. R. Bâ—yl 'T is not that which first we Love But what Dying We approve 2 Cor. 5.11 Go thou therefore and tell the World that thine Author knowing the Terrour of the Lord and in the many years leisure he hath had for Thinking finding no more Noble Theme than Thoughts hath sent thee forth to perswade Men to be so far from daring to adventure Their Souls in naked and open Prophaness as not to rest under the fairest Fig-leaves of superficials or the best of OUTSIDES whatsoever but to consider seriously That there is a Sanctifie the LORD GOD in your HEART 1 Pet. 3.15 Eccles 10.12 Hebr. 4.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a Curse not the KING no not in thy Thought That the word of God is quick and powerful a critical discerner of the Thoughts of the Heart And therefore thou canst be unfit for the Hands of none for that all have HEARTS Discourses of other sorts may more particularly concern some one sort of Readers Prov. 27 2â— and some another but that Counsel of Solomons Be thou diligent to know the state of thy FLOCKS concerns every one if that of Holy Herbert be true My Soul 's a Shepheard too a Flock it seeds Herbert in Temple Of THOUGHTS and Words and Deeds Let all sorts therefore be diligent to know the state of their Thoughts As for the Poor in this World they have the more need to be rich in that which our Saviour calls the good treasure of the Heart that is Mat. 12.33 amongst other things good THOUGHTS and as for the Greatest go thou and tell them that as the Bereans were the More Noble for wearing the precious Pearl of Gods Word at their Ear So Thoughts regulated by that Word Acts 17.10.11 are the best Jewel that can sparkle upon the most Honourable Brests Mal. 3.16 Verse 17. to make them orient in his Eye who hath said of those onely who so THINK upon his Name They shall be Mine in that day when I make up my JEWELS 1 King 8.38 But if the sick of the Plague of the Heart which Scripture speaks of as the worst of Plagues and whose Cure thou designest will not receive thee because the Divine patience doth as yet suffer them to walk abroad free from Outward and bodily Maladies Then go thou and visit my old Neighbours in Doleful Colchester and other such sad places where the Plague in their Houses hindring their freedome of converse with others doth the more oblige and may perhaps the more dispose them to turn in to Themselves Psalm 4.5 to stand in aw and not to sin but to commune with their Own HEARTS And the God of all Grace go along with thee and succeed thee for the effectual Turning of many Hearts from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God CONTENTS OF THE FIRST PART CHap. 1. Of Self-discovery its Nature and necessity Chap. 2. Dams this Principle That Thoughts are Free The less so in Gods Eye because free from Mans. Evil Thoughts sin to us Abomination to God Damn'd in the old World Exclude from Salvation like Devils and worse Chap. 3. Thoughts the Souls Pulse In Churlishness Liberality Envy Goodness Impatience Patience Uncleanness Chastity Covetousness Pride Humility Purity Judge we Our selves by what we would others if we could Chap. 4. God chiefly eyeth mens Thoughts they have Feet Tongues and Hands Thought-Adultery Prophaness Presumption c. Evil and Good Characterized from their Thoughts known to God afar off Our Possessions Companions c. 1. God made us for Thinking Gods Good will towards us and Ours to Him set out by Thoughts so Our Ill will by not thinking of Him c. 2. Grace first stirs in Thoughts 3. Thoughts can reach further then our Deeds can and God requires our utmost 4. Thoughts are the Hearts first-born Gods part Mans Heart a Fountain Mint-house God-eyes our hearts first setting out 5. God
already if he look saith Christ to Lust after her If thou do but think profanely he notes it thou thoughtest I was altogether such an one as thy self But I will reprove thee I say he observes it and accordingly judgeth thee If presumptuously he dooms it and thee for it Presumption Deut. 29.19 20. If a man hearing the words of this curse bless himself in his heart that is in his own thoughts saying I shall have Peace though I walk in the Imagination of mine heart the Lord will not spare him c. If thy thought be vain and foolish Vanity wicked and worldly God will pronounce thee such as he finds that The grounds of a certain rich man brought forth plenteously Luke 12.16 17 19 20. and he thought within himself what shall I do c. I will say to my Soul Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry But God said unto him thou fool c. If thy thoughts be Viperous and Venomous Venome blasphemous and malitious against the Lord and His Christ He will damn thee for such as he finds them Mat. 12.25 compared with verse 34. Psal 2.4 5. Jesus knew their thoughts and said O Generation of Vipers c. Why do the Heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing they take Councel against the Lord and against his Anointed c. The Lord shall speak to them in his wrath c. The Consult He condemns they Think and He Speaks that is to say speaks in judgment Sect. IV. THis was the Condemnation of the old world as we have seen Evil men characterized by their thoughts Gen. 6.5 Gods proof of mans wickedness was from the Thoughts of his heart and the punishment thereof was proportioned thereunto an over flowing scourge upon them for that superfluity of naughtiness that was in them Yet were there many amongst these that because of their profession were called the sons of God Gen. 6.2 The sons of God saw the daughters of men c. 'T is not what our professions are or what our Names are but what our thoughts are that the Lord looks at and accounts of us by 'T is said of our Lord Jesus that though many believed on his Name when they saw the Miracles which he did Joh. 2.23 24 25. yet did not Jesus commit himself to them because he knew all men and needed not that any man should testifie of man for he knew what was in man The Text saith he judgeth of Man by what was In Man Our words proceed out of us our professions are on us but our thoughts are in us and these are they that the Lord Christ looks at Luke 2.3 35. and was himself set amongst other ends for the manifestation of That the thoughts of many hearts might be revealed Sect. V. ON the other hand So the Godly those blessed Souls whom the Lord Crowns with so high a testimony and so Honourable a Character of being his Mal. 3.16 17 whom he will spare his Jewels which he will make up for whom a Book of Remembrance was written before him they are briefly thus described such as feared the Lord and that Thought upon his Name 'T was not the Name of God upon them but the Name of God in them 't was not the bare speaking of his Name though no doubt they did that too for they speak often one to another but their thinking upon his Name that God Characterizeth them from whereas be the wicked grosly such Psal 9.17 Job 8.13 or Hypocrites they are stigmatized for such as forget God Sect. VI. THere are two things that God is said to know afar off God is said to know thoughts afar off Psal 13.8 6. aâ—d 139.2 Ezek. 38.10 The Pride of man and the Thoughts of man He hath it seems a severe eye upon each of these I know their Imaginations which they go about saith God of Israel even now before I have brought them into the Land which I sware and of Gog thus saith the Lord it shall also come to pass that at the same time shall things come into thy mind and thou shalt think an evil thought God minds our thoughts before they come into our minds and knows what we are about to think before we think it Then needs must he know what we think when we think and what to think of us too whilst we are a thinking before we speak or act Psal 94.11 The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity saith the Psalmist the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vain saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.20 The variation in the version speaks thus much Amongst all the vain Children of men there is not one wise enough to hide his thoughts from being known to God and himself by them The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. He cannot keep the noisom stench of them from the Almighties nostrils Prov. 15.26 Yet abhors evil thoughts though at a distance Prov. 11.20 nor can God endure them without declaring his abhorrence of them Who smells them at a distance afar off and abhors them so they that are of a froward heart are an abomination to the Lord If thy thoughts be froward though thy words through thy subtil or hypocritical restraint of them be not so as appears by the Antithesis but such as are upright in their way are his delight You see then how God reckons men by their Thoughts Sect. VII WE value men according to their Possessions and God according to their Thoughts We value men by their possessions Our thoughts are so A man of mean parts of low acquirements of mean Possessions we reckon a mean person A man of high Improvements of large Acquisitions of great Possessions we reckon a Great Man a substantial person now Mens thoughts aâ—e their Possessions and 't is observable that one word in the Hebrew expresseth both therefore when the Text in Job reads Job 17.11 My purposes are broken off even the Thoughts of my heart The Margin according to the Hebrew reads the possessions of my heart Luke 21.19 'T is by patient thoughts that we possess our Souls under Affliction By Chast and pure thoughts that every one should possess his vessel in Sanctification and Honour 'T is by believing thoughts 1 Thes 4.4 we possess the Lord Jesus put him on dwell in him Rom. 13.14 Col. 2.6 Job 7.3 4. walk in him having received him On the other part when Jobs thoughts were restlesse and unquiet tossing and tumbling from morning to evening from evening to morning from week to week from moneth to moneth then it is said God made him possesse moneths of vanity When God presented all his youth-sins as so many frightful Ghosts fresh to his Thoughts then it is said Job 23.26 God made him to possesse the iniquities of his
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
holds and this would have awakened thee sure to purpose and raised Commotions in thy Thoughts for the very First motions of Grace as I said before and stirs would have appeared there The casting down of some the bringing in others into captivity to the obedience of Christ Luke 2.24 who is set as for the rising and falling of many in Israel so in the soul the thoughts that thou wert best acquainted and pleased with must have come tumbling down and the thoughts whose faces thou never sawest before would have risen up in their room own thoughts must have been unthoughts Old thoughes amongst other things must have past away 2 Cor. 5.17 Isaiah 55.7 and all things must have become new Let the unrighteous forsake his thoughts His Thoughts that is Thoughts growing in corrupt natures Garden for Regeneration is especially called a Renewing in the spirit of the Mind Ephes 4.23 Search the Scriptures and if things be not thus then blame me and think as well as ever thou thou didst of thy self and as ill as ever thou canst of the Author for giving thy calm and quiet thoughts any needless trouble But alas Reader be not deceived Gal. 6.7 8. God is not mocked but if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing he deceives himself Let me tell thee thy thinking well of thy own thoughts will no more make them good than thy thinking thy self such will make God to think thee so And yet believe it I beseech thee O Reader that my end and design in all this is not to disturb but to direct thee The Apostle delighted not in making the Corinthians sorry but that they sorrowed after a godly sort 2 Cor. 7.9 It is no pleasure to me to think that thy thoughts are wrong but desirous I am to set them right and to help thee how to judge rightly of them and of thy self by them Sect. II. SEeing then Reader Seeing grace first stirs in thoughts that we are now at the very root of the matter and have told thee once again that the grace of God first stirs in the Thoughts Give me leave to lay before thee a plain Scheme and Map of such Thoughts as Divine Grace doth usually work in true Penitents of such Right Thoughts as it doth first give in to those whom it will accept and own as Righteous persons And herein that I may the more distinctly proceed I shall premise something First Concerning the Season and Occasion Premised two things occasion and method of Gods working them Gods usual season to bring sinners to right thoughts such as for mad men to right minds and the Method Secondly Of Gods working such Thoughts as these in the Heart and Mind of Man In all which if thou wilt go along with me I trust thou wilt find both Scripture Evidence and Christian Experience to bear thee Company Sect. IV. FOr the Season that God takes to bring Sinners to Right Thoughts 't is such as the Physitian takes to bring mad men to Right Minds for even this great and Inward Change in Scripture is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 3.31 Repentance a coming to Right minds a coming to our Right minds so the word signifies when they have them under Chains and in the dark If they be held in Cords of Affliction and bound in Fetters THEN he sheweth them their work c. He openeth their Ear to Discipline c. For God speaketh once Job 36.8 Verse 9.10 Job 33.14 15. Verse 19. Verse 16. yea twice yet man perceiveth it not But in a vision of the Night when he is chastened with pain upon his bed as it there follows c. then he openeth the Ears of men and sealeth their instruction In the day of Adversity saith God Consider when the Patriarchs were reduced to a sore strait then they are brought to think seriously of their Sin against their Brother Joseph And 't was he that brought them into it for that very end so doth our heavenly Joseph Jesus Christ Eccles 7.14 Gen. 41.21 often do for the very same purpose he sends troubles oft times on the outward for the reducing of the inner man and straitens the Garrison that he may take it in 1 King 8.47 Luke 15.17 The Israelites by their Captivity must be taught to Bethink themselves and so the Prodigal by his Famine Or however when the mighty God takes the weapons of the spiritual warfare into his own hand Hosea 6.5 and hews men by his Prophets and stays them by the words of his mouth and his Judgments are as the light that came upon Saul in his full caâ—â—ar and struck him to the ground Act. 9.3 and a â—oice from Heaven with it that strikes him to the heart Soul soul Verse 6. what dost thou mean by this hardening thy Heart againâ—t Heaven and setting thy self against God Are thy heels harder than his pricks canst thou dwell with everâ—asting burnings Verse 4.5 The Commandment comes Sin revives the false conceited Righteous person is struck dead I dyed saith Paul knows not what to think Rom. 7.9 wâ—o art thou Lord nor what to do Lord what wouldest thou have me to do such I say is the season and occasion that God takes for reducing sinners to Right Thoughts Act. 9.5 I know indeed that Grace is a Soveraign agent Grace not to be limited Acts 16.15 Sometimes slips the lock of the heart with little noise and works as it will sometimes It slips the Lock of the hear as Lydia's with little noise and so makes â—oom for Right Thoughts there It may possibly steal into the heart if I may say so like Josephs cup into Benjamins sack And he that hath it wonders when or how It first came thither All women that do well too have not the same troubles and pains in Child-bearing that the most have And so it is also in the new birth And if thou be one that canst say indeed that there is a Change in thee from what thou wast by Nature one thing thou knowest that whereas thou wast born blind now thou seâ—st John 9.25 as the man in the Gospel The grace of God hath brought tâ—ee to thy right sight a Right mind Right Thoughts Canst thou say I was born blind but God has brought me to Right sight mind and thoughts with lesse do Blesse God for the thing Repine not at the manner Gen. 44.13 but by what Sickness Sermon Affliction Conviction it began with thee thou canst not say which is the case of some especially some such that have been all their lives much under the power of the restraining Grace of God and of a strict and holy education let me exhort thee rather to magnifie that Grace that hath appeared to thee and taught thee to deny ungodliness c. then to repine because thou dost not know or by what means and gradations the work of
God hath grown up in thy heart or to deny what God hath done for thy Soul But yet withall this I must add that as it is observed that the coming of the Cup into the Sack in an unknown way left them in the more trouble and perturbations afterwards though it came from a friendly hand And those women that have less fore-pains then others have many times greater After-pains as they call them So they that have less signal Spiritual troubles preceding their conversion and have known least of the terrours of the Lord are by so much the more full of Anxiety many times almost all their dayes 2 Cor. 5.11 full of doubtful thoughts whether they were ever savingly wrought upon because not wrought upon as such and such Haunted many times with Hideous thoughts and Temptations to Atheism Blasphemy c. which make them even weary of life and afraid of death and yet may be very pretious in the sight of God and dear to Jesus Christ Sect. V. ANd as Gods usual Season is the time of trouble of spiritual trouble to bring men to Right Thoughts Psal 77.2.3 Verse 16. To remember God to Consider the dayes of old to commune with their own hearts to make diligent search into their own spirits to take notice of their Infirmities Verse 10. Verse 11. to Remember the years of the right hand of the most High to Remember the works of the Lord and to meditate of his doings c. All which is Right-Thought-work and which the Psalmist was set upon in the day of his Trouble Psal 77.2 Gods ordinary method to bring to right thoughts by setting home some particular sin So the Method that God ordinarily useth Is to bring to their thoughts some one particular Sin and to present it to their Souls view in all its ugly shape and monstrous deformity with its heightening circumstances and hellish horrour that like the tail of a Prâ—digious Comet it draws after it now as Ghosts are most terrible and confounding when they appear in the Dark so is Sin when it stares a man in the face in his time of trouble Thus the Patriarchs were struck with the appaling thought of their savage cruelty to their innocent Brother when themselves were in Distress Gen. 42.21 no doubt they had other Sins to trouble them but this first flew in their face Saul with the thought of his furious persecuting of Jesus Thus some for telling a known Lie Acts 9.4 others for some Theft or known Fraud others for prophaning the Lords-Day others for some prophane Oath others for Disobedience to Parents And some though few like Mary Magdalene for the foul sin that brings a wound and a dishonour and a repâ—oach that is hardly wiped away Prov. 6.33 So that as men ordinarily single out some one special Sin to set their heart upon though they entertain and practice all the rest Rom. 7.8 with 24. so God singles out some special Sin to fix their thoughts upon and thereby to bring them in due time to sight and sense of the whole Body of Death nay sometimes when men by a blameless appearance and moral conversation have got the good thoughts of other men their own much more Heb. 3.1 Luke 18.6 God sometimes suffers civil men to fall into some foul act to discover tâ—â—hem the plague of the heart 1 Kings 8 38. Sometimes thoughts are in an uproar troubled and distinct cares not known Acts 19.32 Verse 40. Yet God sometimes out of this Chaos draws a new Creation As in Genesis Reduceth thoughts to proper places and things to order Rev. 3.20 Prov. 18.14 Acts 2.57 Prov. 38.4 trusting as Christ speaks in themselves that they are righteous God suffers them to fall into some gross act of Sin perhaps Drunkenness perhaps making a mock at Godliness to please vile company perhaps Perjury or some other palpable act of wickedness that by such a rising in the flesh he may bring them to know and to bethink themselves of the Plague of the heart that Scripture speaks of Indeed I have sometimes observed some persons troubled with a strange unusual throng and croud of Thoughts Sermons trouâ—led them and Sins troubled them but their Thoughts wâ—re like that confused concourse in the Acts of which no distinct account could be given and the Assembly knew not why they were come together And as such a croud of thoughts have been thus in an uproar for some space of time and they knew not distinctly why so a little time hath brought it to they know not what nothing for good hath come of it And yet sometimes the All-wise and powerful grace of God even out of such a Chaos of confusion is pleased to draw a New-Creation reducing things to their proper places and thoughts to their right order Sect. VI. BUt generally when Grace first knocks at the door of the heart and finds the Sinner in distress wounded in Spirit that he cannot bear it prickt at the very heart the pressing sense of Sin lies upon him and goes over him as a burthen too heavy for him It brings him to speak within himself Or which is all one to think thus The Scheme of a Converts first thought Lament 3.1 or to this effect I am the man that have seen Affliction by the Rod of his anger and now I stand here a miserable Malefactour before the Lord who perfectly knows all my secrets and infinitely hates all my Sins My Conscience hales me to his Bar for my sin hath found me out Num. 32.23 Gen. 42.21 Prov. 28.13 Job 9.4 And I am verily guilty concerning this thing should I then either hide my sin or harden my self against God who ever did either of these and prospered This then is my proper station though my feet be hurt with setters and the Iron enters into my very Soul though the Chain of Gods Indignation be heavy upon me Micah 7.9 yet I must bear it because it is my own Chain I have sinned against him Excuse my sin Alas I cannot I knew my Masters will Luke 12.57 Rom. 7.12 Malac. 1.6 and knew it to be Holy just and Good and did it not I call'd him Lord yet fear'd him not I knew he forbad the thing I did yet I did it I knew he looked on me and yet I did it I knew he would call me to an account for it and yet I did it Accuse my Master Alas I dare not No no Jam. 1.13 14. He tempted me not but I was drawn away of my own lust and enticed my own lust I may call it so as much as I may call my Heart my own an Heart so vile but yet my own such a Fountain of Poyson such a Cage of every unclean and hateful Bird an Heart nay an Hell yea and worse to me then all the Devils there I should bely them as bad as they be should I say otherwise an heart so desperately
wicked Jorem 17.9 that if all the men of the world had told me that I had such a heart or should have done such a thing 2 King 8.13 I should with disdain have replyed with Hazael am I a Dog or a Devil that I should do such a thing Nay when Gods own word told me till this cursed Sin told it me I could not have thought that I carryed such a heart about me Is this the Heart I so long trusted that I so often excused that I so much applauded Is this the honest the good heart the heart full of good meanings the heart that thought no harm O mistery of Iniquity O Hell of Hypocrisy and unsearchable depth of deceipt Well deep as thou art God hath now searched out thy deep things O my soul and now my Sin is ever before me Psalm 51.3 Gen. 4.7 Job 14.5 and my punishment is following hard after me Sin lies at my door My fatal moment is set that I cannot pass it and yet secret that I cannot know it Mat. 24.42 Mat. 13.35 Heb. 9.27 whether in the evening or at midnight or at cock-crowing only this I know that after death come it when it will comes Judgment Judgment unavoidable before a Judge impartial and unexorable The Crime naked The Prisoner speechless Heb. 4.13 Mat. 22.12 The Sentence speedy The Execution certain The Torment intolerable yet must be born without any ease yet without all end Mat. 18.13 through millions of millions of Ages nay without help or hope of help to all Eternity And this not a Phantasie but a greater reality then what I see with my outward eyes nor a forrain concernment but thy own case O my own Soul Sect. VII UNder such doleful thoughts as these the pensive Sinners Life for some part of it more or lesse even as it pleaseth God is spent with Grief Psalm 31.10 as Davids yea sometimes whole years with sighing so that his very strength faileth because of his Iniquity and his very bones are consumed But then the working thoughts do not thus leave the spiritual mourner But in such like sort as this they do proceed Alas then what shall I do Shall I think of giving my overwhelmed Spirit my aking Heart some present ease by breaking away from Gods Bar But whither O whither shall I go shall I fly out again to my cursed courses and riotous Company Oh these have been my Bane already and methinks I still see upon the wall over against the place where I too lately sate amongst them Daniel 5 5. the Fingers of a mans hand writing and drawing up a bloody Indictment against me Iam. 3.19 Prov. 7.23 I remember the Wormwood and the Gall the Dart that then and there struck through my Liver and the wound that hath been festring ever since because of my foolishness Psal 38 5. Shall I turn me then to the harmless creatures and beg of them some relief Alas my Sins have engraven vanity there with a pen of Iron Eccles 2.11 yea Vexation of Spirit with the very point of a Diamond Shall they ease my Servitude and cruel Bondage who have wearyed them with mine Iniquities Isaiah 43.24 and made them serve with my Sins and God in them shall they help my groaning who have made them all groan under the bondage of my corruption Rom. 8.21 and 2â— Job 7.13 14. Psal 102.4 No no If I say my bed shall comfort me or my Couch ease my complaint then am I sca ed with Visions and terrified through Dreams Sometimes I forget sometimes I fear to eat my Bread least the Morsel should prove a Messenger of Death to me and hasten me away to the place from whence I shall not return Sometimes God holdeth my eyes waking that I cannot sleep Psalm 77.4 and sometimes I dare not least I should awake no more till Fire and Brimstone are about mine ears In vain then do I think of running away from God for whither shall I fly from his presence Psal 139.7 Shall I think then of fleeing to him and of bâ—wing the knee before him Alas He is a consuming Fire and the Mountains smoak Heb. 12.29 Isaiah 63.3 1 King 20.31 and the Hills flow down at his presence Yet have I heard that the God of Israel is a merciful God I will put a Rope upon my head and make my Supplication to my Judge But Alas wherewithal shall I come before him Job 9.15 Mich. 6.6 7. and bow my knee to the most High Shall I think of Pilgrimages or Penances of coming before him with burnt Offerings to give him If I had them thousands of Rams or ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl or my first born for my transgression or the fruit of my Body for the sin of my Soul Will he take any Bullock out of my House Psal 9.50 Deut. 4.24 Prov. 6.35 Exod. 34.5 or He-Goats out of my Fold No no He is a Iealous God and Iealously regards not any Ransom or many Gifts He will by no means clear him that is guilty and I dare not plead Not Guilty though I die for it Shall I think then of stretching out my hand in the way of some Legal Righteousness and self-wrought Reformation to take hold of the Tree of L fe now that I have eaten of the forbidden Tree Alas Gen. 3.22 and 24. behold Cherubims with a Flaming Sword blocking up the way of the Covenant of Works so that by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Alas Gal. 2.16 my Sights for Sin are an Impure vapour and my Tears for Sin need washing my Righteousness are filthy rags Isaiah 64 6. and like the cloths of a removed Woman If I should justify my self my own mouth would condemn me Job 9.20 and prove me perverse And I have too long already added this sin of perverss R bellion to my other wretchedness that I have gone about to establish my own Righteousness Rom. 10.3 and have not submitted to the Righteousness of God But yet O thou pure God hast not thou said that there is Forgiveness with thee Psal 130.4 Jer. 8.22 John 4.29 that thou mayest be feared Is there no Balm in thy Gilead is there no Physitian there But this very day there was a Messenger of thine with me of a truth he was none but thine for he told all that was in my heart is not this the Interpreter the one of a thousand Job 33.23 He told me withall from thy own mouth that though I could not yet thou hast found a Ransome and given a Name Job 33.24 Acts 4.12 Mat. 9.13 and 18 11. though but One under Heaven whereby men might be saved Who came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance to seek and to save that which was lost That help was laid upon him Psal 89.19 Hebr. 7.25 and that he it mighty even able to
13. who did hinder thee Hath a Nation changed their Gods whi h yet are no Gods but thou hast changed thy glory for that which doth not profit Be astonyed at this and be horribly afraid yea be very desolate O my heart For thou hast committed two Evils Thou hast forsaken the Fountain of living waters and hewed thee broken Cisterns that can hold no water O prophane Heart Heb. 12.16 17. that for a morsel of meat hast sold thy Birth-right How sain wouldest thou now inherit the blessing couldst thou but find a place for repentance Ezek. 37.11 Lam. 3.18 Job 19.10 chap. 8.13 though thou shouldst seek it never so carefully with tears But alas for thy part thine hope is cut off thine hope hath God removed like a tree and indeed what else can be expected but that the Hypocrites hope should pe ish O false heart and flattering hope Exod. 14.13 must I be thus deceived by you both which I so much trusted I said with Moses of my strong corruptions when I thought I saw them drowned in the Red Sea of my Saviours Blood I shall see them again no more for ever and with David in his prosperity I shall never be moved Psalm 30.6 Luke 10.15 and must I now like Capernaum after I have been thus lifted up to Heaven be thrown down to Hell and so everlastingly seperated from the blessed presence of the dear Jesus whom I fondly thought I had loved better then my life but now find I did love him less than my laziness and my lusts and indeed I am convinced that if any man loves any thing more than Christ He is not worthy of him Mat. 10 37. But ah my dear and blessed Jesus must thou and I thus part part Eternally Oh no! not for a World no not for a World of Worlds Why then Psal 88 14. O Lord castest thou off my soul why hidest thou thy face from me Yea rather O Lord why hast thou made me to erre from thy wayes Psal 63.14 Job 10.1 and hardened my heart from thy fear yet will I leave my complaint upon my self and I will speak in the bitterness of my soul I know indeed that God cannot be tempted with evil Jâ—m 1.13 14. neither tempteth he any man But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Therefore Psal 42.6 7. O my God my Soul is cast down within me and deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy water spouts Verse 4. thy waves and thy billows are gone over me When I remember these things I powre out my soul in me For I had gone with the multitude I went with them to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise I call also to remembrance my song in the night Psal 77.6 and commune with mine own heart and my spirit makes diligent search Job 16.12 I was at ease but God hath brokâ—n me asunder He hath also taken me by the neck and shaken me in pieces and set me up for his mark Job 29.3 4 5. Oh that I were as in moneths past as in the daâ—es when God preserved me when his Candle shined upon my head and when by his light I walked through darkness when the secret of God was upon my Tabernacle and when the Almighty was yet with me Psal 42.3 But now alas my tears are my meat day and night while my returning Corruptions and prevailing Lusts say to me continually where is thy God As with a Sword in my bones do they reproach me Verse 9. while they say daily to me where is thy God But wâ—ll the Lord cast off for ever will he be favourable no more Is his mercy clean gone for ever and doth his Promise fail for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious hath â—e in anger shut up his tender mercies 2 Sam 23.5 Surely this is my infirmity but I will remember the â—ears of the right hand of the most High Although my heart be not so with God yet hath he made with me a Covenant an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure I will therefore say unto God Psal 42.8 9. my rock why hast thou forgotten me why go I mourning because of the oppression of the Enemy Yet the Lord will command his loving kindness in the day-time and in the night his song shall be with mo Verse 11. and my Prayer unto the God of my Life Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet Praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God O Lord though mine iniquities testifie against me do thou for thy Name sake for my back-slidings are many Jerem. 14.7 Verse 20. and 21. Psal 42.2 Psalm 63.2 I have sinned against thee But I acknowledge O Lord my wickedness Do not abl or me for thy names sake Remember break not thy Covenant with me For truly my Soul thirsteth for God for the living God to see his Power and his Glory so as I have seen him in the Sanctuary Be watchful therefore O mine heart Rev. 3.2 and strengthen the things that remain and are ready to die for here is yet a Pillar of Fire before thee Neh. 9.12 19. Jer. 3.24 the token of a Divine presence with thee Hath not God said Return ye back-sliding Children and I will heal your back-sliding Behold I come unto thee for thou art the Lord my God But surely if God will allow me to set my hope on high He will yet have me to keep mine Heart low for though he be still saying Hâ—sea 14.4 Jerem. 3.14 I will heal thy back-sliding and love thee freely and again Turn O back-sliding Child for I am married unto thee yet he still feeds me like the Israelites in the Wilderness as it were from hand to mouth The water of his Rock not my Cistern must supply me and I be undone if it do not follow me 1 Cor. 10.4 I must fetch my food by daily Faith my Manna out of the Heaven of his Promises not by Plowing for it is in the earth of my sâ—lf-Righteoâ—sness and legal performances and my Medicine too for all venomous bitings by all sorts of fiery temptations from him only who for that end was lifted up upon the Cross Johâ— 3.14 and still is on the pole of the Gospel and still must be in the THOUGHTS of my heart as my only strength my health my life my All And if at any time he allow me but a touch or taste of the hoped for Clusters Numb 13.23 't is to feed not my high but my diligent Thoughts Phil. 3.12 13. and to mind me that I have not already attained either am already perfect but that I press forward forgetting the things that are behind towards the mark for the price of the high Calling of God
its languishings Grace may languish soul pulse intermit as the natural But good Thoughts never quite die as well as Nature and the souls pulse to its Intermissions as the bodies is whereof more hereafter only the Pulse of Nature may cease totally nay it must because Nature it self must expire But Grace is a Caelestial an Heaven-born principle an Immortal Fire which can never be extinguished but burns brightest when Nature goeth out Psal 146.4 as in Jacob and Joseph when they lay a dying so good thoughts do usually most flourish in that very day when other Thoughts perish Heb. 11.21 22. the day of Death and after Death especially And thus much for the first Tryal of Thoughts whether Right or no from their Original II. Tryal Sect. I. Secondly THoughts are to be known to be right by their ROOT as Plants are 2. Tryal Thoughts are to be known or no by their root especially in Winter-season now this is as it were the Winter-state of Grace We have seen in the first Tryal that Right Thoughts are to be discerned by their Soil They grown not in the Wild or common Field of corrupt Nature but in the Garden of Grace so now in the second Tryal by the occult and inward manner of their growth which I call their Radication This I say then If good thoughts be our deep thoughts if good Thoughts be thy DEEP Thoughts if as we say the best be at bottom thy thoughts are then Right and thou art Righteous for as the deep thoughts of Worldlings are worldly thoughts and the deep Thoughts of wicked men are wicked thoughts so the deep thoughts of good men are good Thoughts 'T is a notable observation of the Holy Ghosts concerning worldly men That their INWARD THOUGHT is Psal 49.11 that their Houses shall continue for ever c. Why is there any Thought that is not an Inward Thought No But the meaning is that though they have some floating Thoughts of their mortality and the vanity and transitoriness of all worldly things swiming as it were on the top yet they do not suffer such Thoughts to sink into their Hearts or to go to the bottom But the Thoughts that lodge there are such as His who is said by our Saviour to have thought within himself Luke 12.17 Verse 19. Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years Take thine ease eat drink and be merry Note the phrase he thought within himself There are other kind of thoughts that sometimes knock at the door of the worldings Heart Nay sometimes look in at his windows as Pauls Sermon began to press in upon Felix his Heart Acts 24.25 and to set him a Trembling but there are other Thoughts within which if they cannot keep good Thoughts quite out they will keep them off from making any due or deep impression upon the Heart Now these Thoughts that nestle themselves as it were at the very Heart-roots to keep others out from reaching thither these deep thoughts are they which the Scriptures call the inward thoughts Psalm 64.6 according to that of the Psalmist the inward thoughts of every one of them and the heart is deep And so if thy inward Thoughts and deep Thoughts be good thoughts Rom. 2.19 't is a good signe Thus He is a Jew that is one inwardly When God has put wisdom in the inward parts as it is in Jeremiah Jer 21.33 Psalm 5 9. Luke 11.39 Jerem. 9.8 as 't is said of the wicked that their inward part is very wickedness and that their inward part is full of Ravening and wickedness even when he speaketh peaceably with his mouth yet in Heart he layes his wait Now the Reason of this Rule is this Reason of the Rule because as corruption like the Worm at Jona's Gourd loves to lie at the Root to wither all so Grace to work out Corruption loves to lie at the very Hearts root as it were and the work of Grace being to fix the Heart aright as David saith My Heart is fixed O God my Heart is fixed like a wise Master Builder Psalm 108.1 Grace goes to the bottom and looks especially to that the Foundation being that that fixeth all the building The Latines do very elegantly express heighth and depth by the same word thus altas radices agere Good thoughts build high therefore must be bâ—â—tomed low Acts 16.30 is to take deep Root and yet we call it the Altitude of a Star He that will build high must dig his Foundation deep and low Now Grace where it comes never aims lower then the Raising of the Thoughts as high as Heaven Sirs what must I do to be saved saith the â—ayler A Converts first Thoughts are for no less than SALVATION and therefore Grace layeth them in the very depth of the heart Thus Gracious Thoughts are called the good Treasure not of the Head for a Toad they say may have a Pearl there A wicked man may have excellent notions and speculations like Balaam Numb 24.34 whose Heart is full of Poyson But the good treasure of the Heart Our Saviour comparing Gods Word to Seed Math. 13.4 Verse 5. Mans Heart to Soil Thoughts and purposes to a springing up of that Seed in the Soil expresly saith of the stony ground in opposition to the good ground that is Luke 8.14 the good and honest heart as himself explains it that therefore it was that all came to nothing Maâ— 13.56 because there was no depth of earth for the Seed and they that sprung up had no root and therefore they withered away Mat. 25.1 And in the Parable of the Virgins where he designedly puts the difference between the sound Believer and the Hypocrite He denies not the foolish to have Lamps and Lights and Oyl in their Lamps to keep them burning for a season but denies them to have any Oyl in their Vessels as the Wise had The Lamps were the Outside and shallow appearances of splendid Notions and Professions but the Vessels are the very inwards and depths of the Heart and therefore it s said Prov. 13.9 The light of the righteous rejoyceth but the Lamp of the wicked shall be put out The Light of the Righteous which may be understood of their good Conversation according to that Let your light so shine before men that th y may see your good works hath a Vessel within full of Oyl to keep it burning perpetually and therefore it rejoyceth but the Lamp of the wicked hath not so and therefore time shall put it out And when he represents the Grace that he gives by a Well of Water in a man springing up to everlasting life John 4.14 Good thoughts a well-spring This Phrase is most accurately to be attended to our present purposes We are not in judging of a man so much to consider what may be put into a man or what may for some time float
must we needs think them being sent from the Great God Exod. 8.19 John 11.74 confirmed by Great Works and Miracles Many in Number Mighty in Nature uncontrolable and infallible in their Evidence witnessed by Friends confessed by Enemies admired by All in succession of Ages attending the Holy Pen-Men and the Doctrine thereof And yet alas â—how strangely have these things of HOLY WRIT been thought of even as the Holy men themselves as Troublers of States Acts 24.5 and Movers of Sedition throughout all the World and as Ring-leaders of all Sects and Schismes And therefore 't is the wisdom and the piety of Popery to take away this dangerous Key of Knowledge from the Common People Luke 11.52 and to perswade that ignorance is the Mother of Devotion they mean sure their own Devotion but God calls Ignorance the Mother of Destruction when he saith Hosea 4.6 My People are destroyed for lack of knowledge But thanks be to God We have not so learned Christ Scriptures must be searched by All. Psal 119.7 Magistrates Deut. 17 1â— Psal 119.24 Ministers as to dare to think that Book unfit for the study and reading of the meanest which God hath ordained for making wise the simple that cryes to the simple turn in hither and declaredly puts it self as I may say into the Hands of all sorts and sizes conditions ages and sexes The Prince must read in it all the days of his Life and think it his safety to take the Testimonies thereof to be the Men of his Councel And the Officers in Gods House must be ready Scribes in the Law of God as was said of Ezrah Yea Ezra 7.6 People Rom. 10.8 this is the Comfort of all the People of God to have this Word nigh them even in their mouths and in thâ—ir Hearts for saith the Apostle to Community of the People Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly that they through patience and comfort of the SCRIPTURES might have hope Rom. 15.4 Deut. 3.6 Old Yea this is their wisdom saith Moses in the sight of all Nations Here none may think themselves too old to learn for David by this study came to understand more then the Ancients Psal 11.10 Young Psal 119.9 Women Children 2 Tim. 3.15 Nor too young neither for wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way by taking beed thereto according to thy Word Yea and Women and Children are commended in Scripture for their study and knowledge of it Thus Timothy is commended for this that from a Child he had known the Holy Scriptures continue in the things that thou hast learned and been assured of saith S. Paul knowing of whom thou hast learned them Chap. 1.5 viz. of Lois his Grandmother Acts 16.1 and his Mother Eunice which was a Jewess and believed but his Father was a Greek And the truth is for any one to think that the Scripture is not to be read by any but those that understand it perfectly is to think that it is to be read by none till there will be no more need of Reading it for here the Ablest and most knowing do know but in part 2 Cor. 13.9 and do Prophesy but in part And therefore it is that We have this sure word of Prophesy 2 Peter 1.19 whereunto we are to think that We do well to take heed as unto a light shining in a dark place until the day of Glory dawn and the Day-Star arise in our Hearts the Interpretation and Explication of which word of Prophecy we are taught Verse 20. True meaning how to be sought 1 Cor. 2.15 in the next Verses not to seek as some do from our own private Phansies but by comparing the New Testament with the Prophecies of the Old Scripture with Scripture Spiritual things with Spiritual and in all our study and reading most humbly to implore and believingly to wait for the guidance of that Spirit that indited and gave it forth for as was the Genesis 1 Peter 1.20 so must be the Analysis for it came not in old time by the will of Man therefore may by no means be expounded by mans will but Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And therefore the Bereans are highly commended in that they received the Word preached with all readiness of mind Acts 17.11 and searched the Scriptures whether those things were so He therefore that thinks rightly of SCRIPTURE esteems it his Darling to be laid in his Bosom to be bid in his Heart as the Psalmist speaks the incorruptible seed Psal 119.11 whereby he was born again from the miserable state of Corrupt Nature 1 Pet. 1.23 for the Law of the Lord and the Testimonies of the Lord are they that convert the soul and make wise the simple Psal 1.7 the sincere milk whereby he was nourished as soon as new born and his strong meat when he is grown up to be a strong man for man lives not by Bread only Heb. 5.13 14. Math. 4.4 Jer. 15.16 Job 23.12 but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God Therefore when he finds these words he eats them as Jeremy Yea esteems them as Job more then his necessary food And as his food when he is well so his Physick when he is sick he holds fast the form of sound words 2 Tim. 1.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of healing words so the Greek for God sends his Word and heals and delivereth from destructions his Antidote against Infection Psal 17.4 for concerning the works of men saith David by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the Destroyer his weapon when he warreth for the Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God Ephes 6.17 and this was it that our Saviour foiled Satan with and kept him off at the points end of Mat. 4.4 7 10 11. It is WRITTEN saith Christ thus and thus then the Devil leaveth Him his light when he walks or works by day and his Lamp or Lantern to his feet by night his best friends Will and Testament confirmed by the Death of the Testator Heb. 9.16 Psal 119.111 He takes Gods Testimonies as an Heritage for ever and thinks it less pernitious to the World to have the Sun plucked out of the Firmament then the Bible taken away from the sight of the Sons of Men. Sect. II. 〈◊〉 our selves Rom. 12.3 Low thoughts of our selves 2 Cor. 11.11 With high thoughts of the Grace of God in and toward us IN thinking of OUR SELVES for no man to think of Himself more highly then he ought to think but to think soberly as God hath dealt to every man the measure of Faith not boasting beyond his measure nor yet denying the grace of God that is given to him The great Apostle speaks thus of himself in Nothing am I behind the very chiefest of the Apostles though
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
from thy Horse and saved both man and beast brought thee safe to shore the last time that thou gavest thy self for lost at Sea He gave thee thy Possessions Thy Promotions Thy comfortable Relations thy loving Wife thy lovely Children thy health strength limbs liberty credit Comforts of all sorts even every good gift James 1.17 2 Sam. 12.8 And if these had been too little as was said to David he would have given thee more and greater things then these hadst thou not been wanting to thy self Mat. 23.37 How often would he have gathered thee as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings How often would he have convinced converted humbled thee healed thee given thee his Son and given thee his Spirit And now judge I pray thee between God and thy own Soul Isaiah 5.3 what could he have done for thee more then that which he hath done Thou needest a Christ and all the day long Isaiah 65.2 he stretcheth out his hand to tender his Christ unto thee and why did he give thee thy Reason but to lead thee to close with his goodness for thy good But besides the Lord is GREAT as well as GOOD God great as well as good Mat. 21.34 37. else he were not GOD And hath done more then he owes thee in spreading a Table without compelling thy appetite that is more then thou expectest from thy best friend thou hast that is but thine equal 2 Pet. 3.19 Matth. 22.4 He hath sent forth his Servants and with them his Son and in them his Spirit And all these say to thee come All things are ready O tast then Psalm 34.8 and see how GOOD the LORD is Away then for shame with all thy sour and harsh thoughts of God Gen. 3.4 5. and purge out thy old Leaven whereby the old Serpent first soured the whole lump of mankind with a hard opinion of God as if he were not enough enclined to mans good Right thoughts of God must be sweet thoughts Our thoughts of God if they be Right thoughts must be SWEET Thoughts as Davids were Bones of marrow and not bags of gall our Souls must be satisfied with them as his was as with marrow and with fatness Yea even for them that were never yet brought into his Psal 104.34 banqueting house to tast of those dainties Psal 65.5 6. Cantic 2.4 Psal 106.5 Revel 2.17 God good to all Psal 83.3 Rom. 2.4 Acts 14.17 which Scriptures call the good of his chosen that hidden Manna the meat and drink which the World knows not of the sweet repast of the hidden ones there is a Goodness yea Riches of goodness to be thought of by them and not to be despised but Improved by affectionate meditation till it lead them to Repentance For he leaves not himself without witnesse even as to these in that he doth good and gives them Rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons filling their hearts with food and gladness And if he leave not himself without witness take heed he leave not thee without excuse Think with thy self therefore a little seriously O man of this Riches both of the goodness and long-suffering and forbearance of God Sparing mercies an evidence thereof Prov. 12.10 Hast thou not found that there are sparing Mercies and canst thou not think that there are pardoning mercies with the Lord He that hath laid it upon thee to Regard the life of thy Beast and hath himself had so continual a regard to the life of thy body which indeed is as thy Beast or bruitish part but stiles himself the Father of our Spirits Heb. 12.9 whilest he calls others the Fathers of our Flesh canst thou find in thy heart to think that he hath no regard for the life of thy Soul Jer. 2.31 Hath God indeed been a Barren Wilderness to thee that hath given thee so many fruitful seasons or hath he been only so to thy Soul surely what ever he is to other Nations he hath not been so to us means of Grace have not been wanting to thee So the means of Grace not would his Grace have been wanting to thee in the humble and diligent use of those means Thou hast not been straitned in the Lord surely 2 Cor. 6.12 whatever thou hast been in thy own bowels Hath He been a Land of darkness to thee who hath caused his Sun to arise upon thee Matth. 5.44 though thou art Evil Or hath he been onely so to thy Soul Hast thou not also heard of a Sun of Righteousness that he maketh to arise with healing in his wings upon those that believe in him that justifieth the ungodly Mal. 2.4 Romans 4.9 And if all other thy ungodliness be no bar O why should thy unbelief or hard thoughts of this good God be so But some one may think Objection Micah 3.6 is there any evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it nay doth he not own it where is then the Goodness you spake of Out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not evil and good is not He said to frame Evil to devise evil God the Author or evil Lam. 3.38 Jerem. 18.11 Micah 2.3 Isaiah 45.7 Answer Joh 37.23 Lam. 2.33 God good in correcting Micah 6.8 Chap. 7.18 Isaiah 28.21 Mal. 1.8 Rom. 9.20 And punishing Punishment of the wicked good to the good to create Evil And can this consist with so great Goodness But think again O Man that the Scripture saith the Almighty will not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of Men. As a good Parent doth not correct willingly yet he were not a good Parent should he not correct He hath shewed thee O man what is good to do Justice and to love Mercy And cannot God be good though he do Justice whilest he love Mercy for Mercy pleaseth him or he delighteth in Mercy but Judgment he calleth his strange work But go thou and first offer this to thy Governour before thou presumest to reply against God and tell thy Prince if thou darest that His Government is not good because He hath Bethlehems for Mad-Folks and Houses of Correction for Rogues and Vagabonds and places of Execution and instruments of Death for Traytors and Capital Malefactors But how should the Government be good to the Good if it should not restrain and punish the Evil Nay surely the Lords goodness is never more orient in the eyes of his people then when he takes vengeance not onely of their Enemies but of their inventions and yet pardons their sins So of their own sins Psal 991.18 and saves their Souls And oh how shall he come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in them that believe 2 Thes 1.10 Verse 8. Even when the Lord Jesus shall shew himself from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire rendring vengeance to them that know not God and obey not his Gospel So that the Goodness of
him better and the better thou lovest him thou mayest think of him more for there the Bread of life is broken that it may be Eaten and this Eaten Bread is never to be forgotten there the Blood of Christ is broached that it may be drunk and being drunk Cant. 1.4 Gal. 3.1 that his love may be remembred more then wine for there is Christ before mine eyes evidently set forth even as if he were crucified among us Thâ—â— the King both sits at his Table Cant. 1.12 and is set upon the Table for Christ is both the Master of the Feast and the Matter of the Feast both my Entertainer and Entertainment and whilst I thus see him and feel him and tast him How can I but think of him and whilst the Bread that strengtheneth mine heart strengtheneth also my Faith and so Christ steals into my Soul as it were by my Sense and becomes the very nourishment thereof as the Outward Elements Bread and Wine are of the Outward man How can I forget my Saviour whilst I Remember my self or shut him out of the thoughts of mine Heart Psalm 73 26. John 6.5 who is the strength of mine heart whose Flesh is my meat indeed and whose Blood is my drink indeed whose Death is my life and my Reconciliation and whose life is my Glory and my Salvation who by his continual Intercession Hebr. 9.28 Exod. 28.29 ever bears me upon his heart before his Father in Heaven even as Aaron was to bear the Names of the Tribes of Israel upon his Brest-plate into the most holy place till He appear the second time unto Salvation John 12.20 and come again to take me to himself that where my Lord is there may also his Servant be Sect. XXXVIII Holy Thoughts of Christ ANd as we must away with all souâ—re thoughts of Christ and All low thoughts of Christ so much more with all unsavory and loose thoughts of Christ Our Thoughts of Him must be Holy as well as High Rom. 6.1 2. and Fearful as well as Chearful The Apostle puts an absit upon the least Thoughts as if the coming of Grace were for the countenancing of Sin What saith Moses concerning Christ Beware of him and obey his voice Exod. 23.21 provoke him not for he will not pardon your Transgressions for my Name is in Him What saith David Psalm 2.12 Kiss the SON least he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little The Prophet Isaiah tells us that he comes to give Law as well as Liberty the Isles shall wait for his Isaiah 42.4 Law the Prophecy of our Conversion who are Islanders in the Sea and that this Branch out of the Root of Jesse shall smite the Earth with the Rod of his Mouth Isaiah 11.1 2. and with the breath of his Lips he shall slay the wicked The Angel saith of Christ that his Name shall be called JESUS Mal. 1.21 Acts 2.27 Mal. 5.17 because He was to save his people not IN their Sins but FROM their Sins Christ when he was a Child was the Holy Child JESUS and when he was a Man He tells us that He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it And as John Baptist told the People that his Fan was in his hand Mat. 3 12. and he would throughly purge his Floor they found it so for He went into the Temple Chap. 21.21 and scourged out the Buyers and Sellers c. in token that no unclean or prophane thing must expect admittance by Him into the Kingdom of God No no Mat. 3.11 John 16.8 Hebr. 10.1 Mat. 16.24 John 17.17 Acts 15.9 Philip. 4.7 Col. 3.25 Gal. 6.16 The Baptisme of Christ is a Baptisme with Fire and the Spirit of Christ is a Reprover of Sin the example of Christ a pattern of Obedience and the Doctrine of Christ is a Doctrine of Self-denyal the Truth of Christ a Sanctifying Truth and the Faith of Christ an heart purifying Faith and the Peace of Christ is a War with Sin for it keeps the heart and rules in the heart and 't is onely unto them that walk according to Rule that the Gospel of Christ saith Peace be upon them but Tribulation and Anguish Rom. 2.8 9. Indignation and Wrath upon every Soul of Man that doth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile Take We heed then of thinking basely of Christ Mat. 11.19 as the friend of Sinners in their vile sense who indeed thought him to be altogether such an one as themselves Psal 50.21 Psal 35.7 but Davids Thoughts were otherwise thou lovest Righteousness and hatest Iniquity therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the Oyl of Gladness above thy fellows A Friend indeed of Sinners for he Dyed to save them yea the chief of them 1 Tim. 1.15 but yet an Enemy to Sin for He came to make an end of Sin saith the Apostle St. John to redeem us from our vain Conversation saith S. Peter and to purifie to himself a peculiar 1 John 3.8 1 Pet. 1.18 people Titus 2.14 zealous of good works to sanctifie and cleanse us with the washing of water by the World that we might be holy Eph. 5.26 27. and without blemish saith S. Paul And now tell me O Reader is there any shelter for Sin or license for Lust in all this O be not deceived Gal. 6.7 8. God is not mocked for whatsoever a Man soweth that shall he also reap for he that soweth to his Flesh shall of the Flesh reap Corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life Everlasting For the GRACE of God that hath appeared bringing SALVATION 2 Tit. 11.12 teacheth to deny ungodliness and worldly Lusts c. Psalm 45.6 For Christ is KING as well as PRIEST and LORD as well as JESUS and the Scepter of his Kingdome is a RIGHT SCEPTER and We cannot THINK RIGHTLY of it except we think it so And O how terrible is this THOUGHT that if We slight this way Hebr. 2.36 Chap. 10.26 neglecting so great Salvation by sinning wilfully against this Sacrifice there remains no other SACRIFICE for Sin for there is no other Name given but the Name JESUS Acts 4.12 Heb. 10.28 29. And if He that sinned against Moses 's Law dyed without Mercy how much sorer must his punishment be that trampleth under foot the SON of GOD Then think this of Christ that if he be not thy Foundation-Stone 1 Pet. 2.6 Mat. 21.14 Rev. 5.5.6 John 5.22 Elect and precious to thee if thou be not built upon him he will fall upon thee and grinde thee to powder for the Lamb of God is a LYON too and God hath committed all Judgment to the SON and the WRATH of the LAMB shall one day be found intolerable to the proudest of Men when the Kings of the Earth
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
meant well But when we consider that of all the Decalogue the mention of Gods jealousie is onely annexed to the second Commandment now jealousie hath a sharp Eye not onely upon the down right Act but also upon every thing that comes near it or leads to it or looks like it We cannot wonder at the formidable instances of Gods severity recorded in Scripture such as Uzzah here Chap. 9.24 and Nadab and Abihu were who offered 't is not said Forbidden Fire but strange Fire before the Lord which he commanded them not and there went out a Fire from the Lord and devoured them Lev. 6.13 Onely just in the Verse before there was holy Fire upon the Altar which God sent down from Heaven in the sight of the People and God would have this Fire reserved Levit. 10.1 and it seems onely made use of in the case of holy Offerings I shall shut up his head with that remarkable Text of Scripture Shew them saith God to the Prophet Ezekiel the form of the House and the fashion thereof Ezek. 43.21 and the goings out thereof and the comings In thereof and all the forms thereof and all the Ordinances thereof and all the forms thereof and all the Laws thereof and write it in their sight that they may keep the whole form and all the Ordinances thereof and do them THE CONCLUSION Of the Whole With Motives and Rules for the keeping of Thoughts RIGHT Sect. I. Exhortation to self reflection by and upon our Thoughts ANd thus having given Rules for the Tryal of Thoughts and certain Schemes of such Thoughts as are according to Rule Let me earnestly Exhort Thee O Reader to think seriously of thy Thoughts That Thou mayest know what to think of thy Self and what God thinks of Thee For Non Aper Auditu â—phynx visu Simia gustu c. Prov. 12. â—6 Verse 5. For as man Excels not other Creatures in seeing hearing tasting c. but in Thinking So therefore is the Righteous said to be more Excellent then his Neighbour in this same Chapter where the Thoughts of the Righteous are said to be Right for herein a good man excels Another more then another excels a Beast Psalm 49.25 For even Man that is in honour and considereth not is like the Beasts that â—erish saith the Psalmist Therefore saith he to God Psalm 2.5 Consider my Meditation and if God consider our Thoughts it concerns us sure to Consider them And therefore saith also of himself Psalm 49.2 Abâ—eadom Rad. The Meditation of my heart shall be consideration or Anim-adversion for so the word signifies as well aâ— understanding and so may refer to the Reflex Acts of the mind upon it self as well as its direct Aâ—â—s upon other Things Sect. II. ANd yet alas such is the Corruption of Mans Mind by Nature that few can be found free to think of their Thoughts except it be corruptly to think them FREE But yet They that are Partakers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Hebr 1.3 to speak with Scripture will bear some Resemblance of the Divine Mind which begets in it self the express Image of it self as the Apostle speaks by self-Reflection And as the Internal begotten WORD was the Eternal Delight of the DIVINE MIND I was daily his DELIGHT Prov. 8.30 So if Thou make it thy Daily Business conscientiously to converse with the hidden man of thine heart 1 Pet. 3.4 in this Excellent way of self-Reflection This will be not onely as the Chewing of the Cud in the Levitical Law a signe unto thee of a clean heart Levit. 11.3 but will also embalm thy soul as it were with a certain Divine delight a Caelestial serenity and satisfaction Sure I am that the best Christians do find themselves shortest fed with spiritual Joy when through Sin Sloth or Dissuetude they are least Wont or willing to turn into themselves by this self-Reflection The hidden Manna is meat for the hidden Man Revel 2.12 and thou must turn in there if thou wouldest tast of Gods Dainties Christ will not sup with Thee except He find thee at home Revel 3.25 I will come in to Him saith Christ and sup with him And therefore if Thou wouldst sup with Christ Thou must also turn in to Thy self The stranger to God and the stranger to himself doth not interme Idle with this Joy Prov. 14.16 And now hoping good Reader that this little Treatise will find thee thus at home and All well there I shall onely add a few helps for the keeping Thoughts Right for it is not enough that the Watch be well set but it must be well kept 1. In some moving Notional Considerations 2. In some practical Rules Of each of these very briefly and so we shall shut up all I. Motive to Right Thoughts 1. Motive to Right Thoughts Psal 146 3. Thoughts will be alwayes stirring Psalm 57.21 Isaiah 57.20 Isaiah 57.20 COnsider that as thy Pulse so thy Thoughts will be alwayes Stirring to thy Dying-Day Now what is alwayes in Motion had need be well Ordered If thy Thoughts boyl not up with a good matter as the Psalmists did they will be as the Raging Sea that cannot rest but is still casting up Mire and Dirt. Though Thou canst not alwayes be waking yet thou canst Sin sleeping Prov 24.9 Deut. 23.16 because thou canst Think sleeping and we have seen that the very thought of foolishness is sin As in the Law a Man might be unclean by that which happened in the Night so our Thoughts may drop Defilement upon our Consciences when we are asleep in our beds And Oh let this Consideration awaken us to Repentance even for Thought-sins of our â—â—ep 'T is the Policy of Princes to keep working HEADS well imployed and so must we deal with our working HEARTS II. Motive 2. Motive Glorious Theme for thy Thoughts Heb. 12.2 3. Colos 2.3 NExt Consider what a Glorious Theme for thy Thoughts God hath provided even All GOOD in One in that short and sweet Rule CONSIDER JESUS in whom are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Astronomy doth but survey a Dung-hill for Stars are but Dirty Clods in comparison of that Glory that lyes within Reach of the ASTROLABE of thy Thoughts if thou do but Rightly Consider JESUS Truth is 't is a wonder a Christian can much think of any thing for thinking of his Christ but that we are so much Corruption and so little Christian Saint Paul could hardly do it perhaps He forgat his Cloak at Troas when he left it behind him yet he had nor good man much else to think of but the Cloths to his back But however we are sure that we find him wrapping himself up almost every other line in the warm Thoughts of a JESUS Blessed Soul strip him to the Back or rip up his Bosom there you still find the marks of the
Lord JESUS Gal. 6.17 As 't is said Callis might have been read in Queen Maries heart if it had been ript up And here methinks I could even forget my self and run along in my Thoughts with this sweet Apostle but that I must not forget my Reader for 't is time to be hastening towards a Conclusion III. Motive AGain 3. Motive Keep Right Thoughts and they will keep thee right Consider that to keep thy Thoughts Right is the way to keep Thee so My Life for thine He that keeps his Thoughts Right shall never die Traytour to God or the King Not to the King for Curse not the King no not in thy Thought saith the Rule of Righteousness Not to God for Right Thoughts will yield the Fruits of Righteousness Fruits of the Lips Psalm 45.1 My heart is Inditing a good matter I will speak of the things I have made touching the King Psalm 119.15 my Tongue is the Pen of a ready Writer so saith the Psalmist And the Fruit of good living I will meditate saith He in thy Precepts and have Respect unto thy Wayes and again I have remembred thy Name and have kept thy Law Verse 55. IV. Motive 4. Motive Right Thoughts will yield peaceable Fruit. Mal. 3.16 Verse 17. ANd lastly Consider That Right Thoughts will yield as the Fruits so the Peaceable Fruits of Righteousness For these are thy fair Evidences that thou art in Gods Books as we say proverbially of One highly favoured that Thou art one of his Jewels for a Book of Remembrance was written before him for them that Thought upon his Name And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels And how should We count and keep that as Our peculiar Treasure in respect of which God counts Us so And therefore in the II. place to Direct thee I. Practical Rule 1. Practical Rule Repent of evil Thoughts Acts 8.22 THe First Practical Rule for the Keeping of Right Thoughts is Diligent and daily Repentance of Evil Thoughts what saith the Apostle Repent and pray God if perhaps the Thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven Thee And O what cause of deep Humiliation for our Thought-sins is here that the very Thought of a mans Heart may bring a Man to a peradventure or a Perhaps whether ever He may be forgiven Matth. 3.8 What saith John Baptist Bring forth therefore Fruits meet for Repentance and think not to say within your selves c. Hence thus much is Evident that where Fruits meet for Repentance are brought forth Evil Thoughts are expelled and cast forth Now as nothing can banish Darkness but Light so can nothing expel Evil Thoughts but Good Thoughts And as the Ablaqueation and laying of the Roots bare in the time of year is the way to make Trees bring forth Fruit well in their season so the laying Our hearts bare in the sight of God by Confession Compunction Contrition deep Humiliation for our Evil Thoughts is one way to be fruitful and abounding in Good Ones II. Practical Rule 2. Practical Rule 2 Sam. 13.20 Make the evil of thine heart subservient to thy good thoughts NExt as the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen every man his Share and his Colter and his Axe and his Mattock because they would not suffer a Smith in Israel So deal with the Corruption of thy Nature that would not suffer One good Thought in thy Soul Whee thy Thoughts for good by that very Contrariety that is in thee to good For instance Thou complainest that such is the corruption of thy Nature that thou canst not of thy self think one Good Thought Why Think then of the Corruption of thy Nature and even this Thought well followed shall be a Good Thought in Thee and a Good Thought for Thee Thou complainest that thou canst not think of Heaven for the thoughts of Earth and of things below why think of these things onely think of them aright viz. as Gods Word and thy Reason and thy Sense tell thee as what God hath placed under thy feet as the Psalmist speaks Let me tell thee Psalm 8.6 that Right Thoughts of Earth and of things below may help not hinder thy thoughts of Heaven In Nature the ambient Winter-cold makes Springs in the Bowels of the Earth they say the hotter Mans heart is a Spring and Thoughts are its flowings and thus David we have seen waxed hot with musing while the wicked were before him Psalm 39.1 3. God can make Corruption of Nature subservient to Grace as Joshua said of the Canaanites Numb 14.9 they are Bread for us God can make the very Evil of our hearts to be Food and Fewel to our Good Thoughts III. Practical Rule 3. Practical Rule Heave at thine heart Numb 15.20 NExt Heave daily at thine heart for our Thoughts are our Heave-Offerings Lift at thine heart as they do at a great Stone or piece of Timber which is by raising to be laid into the Building Unto thee Psalm 25.1 O Lord do I lift up my Soul saith holy David But not in thine own strength Pray for the Spirit to help thee to right Thoughts John 14.26 But then still Remember that of thy self thou art not sufficient to think any thing aright as of thy self Therefore Pray in aid of the Spirit whose work it is as in Prayer so in Meditation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to lift with us and to help us to lift And Pray in Faith of that Promise the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name shall bring All things to your Remembrance that is good Thoughts to your minds And here let me desire thee carefully to Remember this That if Gods Spirit do not Satan will be filling thy heart Acts 5.3 The very First Petition in the Lords Prayer teacheth us to pray for Right Thoughts for by these we sanctify the Lord God in our hearts Isaiah 8.13 1 Pet. 3.15 Luke 11.13 And therein also to pray for the Sanctifying Spirit whom God hath promised to give to them that aâ—k him Be thankful for right thoughts Psalm 30.4 And further be sure to be thankful to God when he helps thee to be thoughtful of that which is Good in this sense Give thanks at the Remembrance of his holiness even when he helps thee to Remember it Humble thankefulness for what we have is a cleanly way of begging for more Labour for holy affections And that thou mayest alwayes be full of good thoughts Implore Gods Grace to fill thee with those sanctified Affections that carry the Key and command of the thoughts viz. Holy Fear and Love Fear For the first of these even slavish Fear can carry the thoughts before it the Mariners in a storm can easily think of their Danger Jonah 1.5 And shall not an holy and Filial fear they feared the Lord Mal. 3.16 and
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