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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93062	The sinfulnesse of evil thoughts: or, a discourse, wherein, the chambers of imagery are unlocked: the cabinet of the heart opened. The secrets of the inner-man disclosed. In the particular discovery of the numerous evil thoughts, to be found in the most of men, with their various, and severall kinds, sinful causes, sad effects, and proper remedies or cures. Together with directions how to observe and keep the heart; the highest, hardest, nad most necessary work of him that would be a real Christian. / By Jo. Sheffeild Pastor of Swithins London.	Sheffeild, John, d. 1680.	1650 (1650)	Wing S3064A; Thomason E1863_1	165,696	337

v. 20. he went on he could run and prophesie They strip off their lusts he his clothes they lay their hearts naked he his body They are raised up to heaven he falls downe and layes along on the earth They go about their businesse or get them some what to eat at least must to bed when night comes he was so full of his spirit that he lay down naked all that day and all that night He neither eat nor drank nor slept nor rose nor stirr'd nor spake but lay as in a trance all that time he missed neither meat nor drinke nor clothes nor sleep Here was an old Adami●e and a famous Quaker indeed But do you ever read that he prophesied a third time or that he was ever the holier or honester man for all this Did he after all this prophesying cease to persecute David ever the more to his dying day David is thought by some book learned men to have a spirit of prophecy too but he was silent here But Saul and his bloudy followers who sought the life of David and Samuel and took away the lives of so many Priests they all prophesied v. 20. But Samuel and Davids spirit and Saul and his Messengers spirit were not alike I reade indeed a third time of his prophesying mentioned 1 Sam. 18. 10. with his Javelin in his hand but it was both a mad and counterfit prophesying Junius renders it prophetico more se componebat and the Chaldee render it Insaniebat He was mad This by the way 3. He beleeveth and is baptized Outward profession justly gains admission into the Christian Congregation Our Judgment is of charity not certainty Is of the outward man not of the heart 4. Take in hypocrisie with profession and there is a faith makes one worse then Infidelity a Baptized person worse then an unbaptized a Christian worse then a Pagan Grace if counterfeit Ordinances if rested in Duties if slightly performed do leave us as far from the Kingdome of heaven as no grace ordinance or duty at all Simon as good a Sorcerer still as an unsound professor The third part of his story where we see the Ogdoas malorum spirituum as Irenaeus speakes seven new worse spirits returning with the former is set out from the 14. to the 24. v. containing his demands and carriage to Peter and Peters answer and carriage to him Here doth Magus shew he had obtained what before he aimed at to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some great and prime one Vulgo existimatur Patriarcha h●reticorum No. Test Alsted in Iniquity He would not be one of the Thirty but the first of the Three of Satans Grandees he might now glory if Cain Lamech or Judas if Ebion Cerinthus or Nicolas should be punished seven fold surely Simon seventy fold He obtained the Primacy and chief Patriarchship among all the fathers of Heretickes and he hath further obtained this Indulgence that he and his followers in that black profession should sit one at Satans Right hand another at his Left in his fiery Simonem omnium haereticorum esse Patrem ex eo omnes haeres●s subsistunt dixit Irenaeus Ex hac amarissima Radice exortisunt Dositheāni Cleobani Georthoni Masbothei Adrianistae Eutichistae Cainistae Theodoret Region or Kingdome Seven severall sorts of haereticks Ecclesiasticall writers affirme to have sprung from this Hidra or Serpent But to return to this third part It consists of his demands and carriage to Peter and of Peters Reply to him In the former you see what he did he offered money 2. The occasion of it when he saw that through laying on of the Apostles hands the Holy Ghost was given 3. His End or the conditions upon which he was so ready to part with his mony Give me also this power that on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the Holy Ghost saith he Obs 1. Some creep in to Christian Society as Spyes to see and observe what they teach do hold and practice He saw and marked their laying on of hands and the giving the Holy Ghost 2. Many that come in as Spyes at first go Jude v. 12. out as Spots at last 3. One corrupt professor seekes to corrupt another yea the most sincere and the most eminent Simon Magus sollicits Simon Peter 4. Many make a gain of Godlinesse and a Merchandise of Christian profession Magus would not have given so freely if he had not expected to receive as freely of others for the Holy Ghost which he desired to buy not keep and intended to sell not to give 5. A cunning close hypocrite may lurk undiscovered a while but after a while he layes open his owne Impiety Suo se indicio prodit In the other viz. Peters carriage to him four things considerable 1. Peter rejects him and scorns his motion with the greatest detestation v. 20. Thy mony perish with thee 2. Convinceth him both of his fin and danger v. 20 21. Because thou thoughtest that the gift of God may be purchased with mony thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter for thy heart is not right in the sight of God 3. Admonisheth and counselleth him to two duties Repent and pray v. 22. 4. Concludes and pronounceth a sentence of condemnation against him and so leaves him and gives him over v. 23. I perceive thou art in the gall of bitternesse and bond of Iniquity Obs 1. Wicked though gainfull motions are to be scorned and refused by the Godly with the greatest detestation Mat. 4. So Christ to Satan offering all the Kingdoms of the world Our hearts can't rise too high in Indignation against sin and temptations to sin 2. We should not countenance but disclaime such as are otherwise of our own religion profession society or party and hold and joyn with us if they be not Godly and sincere Christ would not receive a true testimony to his Divinity from a false Christ doth there rebuke Satan for his confession as at other times for temptations Dr. Reynoldes That confession was indeed a Temptation fiend nor Paul applause toh is Ministry from an inchanting Pythonisse Acts 16. 18. 3. Rotten hypocrites are to be handled roughly Soundly Rattled Roundly shaken up and reproved sharply what ever come on it Sons of Belial are to be dealt with as Thornes handled with Iron weapons and thrust away with greatest Indignation 2 Sam. 23. 6 7. 4. That is the best Ministry and Gospel-preaching which searcheth the heart sounds the depthes of sin and layes open the danger of an unsound or sinfull state 5. True Repentance is a necessary Gospel duty to be preached and practiced But Solemne and more then ordinary Repentance after soul and fearfull sins 6. Repent and Pray We should despair of none but put them upon the use of meanes If Magus could have repented and would have prayed Peter could and would have had hope of his well-doing for all that was past 7. Wicked men are yet to pray and

evil thought The evil thought is the Devils Dam that the Succubus the Devil the Incubus It is the bed in which Satan lodgeth in which his brats are conceived and born The hot Sand in which this Ostridge layes and leaves his eggs which will hatch and bring forth of themselves Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when perfected bringeth forth death Jam. 1. 13. The evil thought is the Prima mater or materia Prima the first mother or matter of all sin capable of every form of evil It is the little end of the wedge which entring makes way for the great to follow The little Boy which let in at the window sets the doores wide open for all the greater Theeves to enter and carry all away The Devil is more modest or too much a serpent to say at first Curse God and dy Blaspheme cast thy selfe down headlong give me thy soule commit adultery and give thy self over to all uncleanness with Greedinesse he hath learnt a better and surer way he useth Art method Stratagems And as Pompey when he had in vain assaulted a City and could not take it by force devised this Stratagem In way of agreement he told them he would leave the siege and make peace with them onely desired he might leave a few weak and sick souldiers among them to be cured They let in when the City was secure let in Pompey's army So Satan desires but a look or a wanton thought at first he needes no more All the sin that is in the world had his rise from a thought all Jeroboams sin who did evil and made Israel to sin began here Jeroboam said in his heart If the 1 King 12. 26 people go up to Jerusalem to worship c. then shall the Kingdome return from me to the house of David c. all Judas his sin began in a thought yea Adams first sin and Eves began in a thought Satans temptation begat a thought that a look that a liking that a lusting that a tasting that enticing her husband that fellowship in sin that running from God that denying or defending the fact thence a floud of Belial and wickednesse which hath drowned the whole world a floud before the floud a floud more dreadfull and general then Noah's floud was that drowned bodyes this soules There eight escaped here not one That lasted about thirteen moneths then dryed up This continues to this day in its height Even from Adams fall to this day every Imagination of man is evil and onely evil continually Gen. 6. 5. And which is saddest of all This floud had its head in Paradise and from thence is divided into severall streames compassing the whole earth What is unbeliefe made up of but a heap of doubting and distrustfull thoughts What is Atheism but vile impious thoughts condensed What is malice but mischievous thoughts boyled up to a consistence The whole earth was once well watered by a little cloud no bigger then the palm of a mans hand The main Sea is made up of Rivers they of lesse springs they of many single drops multiplyed and those drops bred of a thin vapour which you would think had nothing in it So that a thin vapor is great grand mother to the Ocean and a thin slender thought to the greatest sin Cogitatio prava delectationem parit delectatio consensum consensus actionem actio cousuetudinem consuetudo necessitatem necessitas mortem An evil thought saith Bernard begets delight delight consent consent action an act a custome custome a necessity necessity destruction Reas 2. But though the evil thought be the original of sin yet it stayes not there but soon proceedeth to more ungodlinesse and frets like a Gangrene How great an Ilias malorum or volume of evils may be contained in a Nutshell Behold how great a matter a little fire consumeth From this one son of the Bond-woman proceed twelve Princes of darknesse Mar. 7. 21. After the evil thought follow adulteryes fornications murders thefts covetousnesse wickednesse deceit lasciviousnesse an evil eye Blasphemy pride foolishnesse One fly-blow taints the whole flesh The Leprosie taking a thread overspreads the whole piece of cloth warp and woofe or taking a stone overruns all the wall and fabrick of the house The waters of the sanctuary Ezek. 47. 3 4. rise not so fast as the flouds of ungodlinesse from the ancles at first to the knees then to the loynes then to the neck then over head and eares You may observe how Rom. 1. 21. vain Imaginations leade to uncleannesse v. 24. Uncleannesse to Vile affections v. 26. Vile affections soon grow up to a reprobate sense and then it follows they were filled with all unrighteousnesse v. 29 30 c. where a bead roll of above twenty sins comes trayling after And Eph. 4. 18 19. you may observe with what speed and increase this evil weed growes The thin vapor presently became a drop The drop made the spring the spring a River the River a Sea This I say that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles in the vanity of their mindes having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the Ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their hearts who being past feeling have given themselves over to lasciviousnesse to work all uncleannesse with greedinesse Here is first the seed then the root then the blade then the ear then the full corn in the ear then there wants nothing but a sickle to cut down all and a fire to burn it Observe here the linkes of the chaines of darknesse the gradation of sin and the descent into Hell The first head of the lake of Hell is vanity of mind that overflowes the whole understanding and darkens it then followes alienation of affection then blindnesse or hardnesse of heart that begets Insensiblenesse unsensiblenesse of sin begets desperatenesse and unsensiblenesse of danger desperatenesse begets Impudence Impudence delight delight Insatiablenesse and thus thrusts into the midst of Hell and fixeth a gulf that there is no coming back See how much mischief ariseth from an evil thought It was a strange assertion of the Philosopher that the world was made up of Atoms but I may safely say the whole world of sin in our hearts and lives is made up of these Atoms of evil thoughts united Out of nine single figures the greatest numbers in Arithmetick are made up And out of four and twenty letters all the words and languages in the world are made so of a few evil thoughts all evil actions So that all sin may be said to be virtualiter vitialiter potius virtually or rather vitially in the evil thought comprehended and contained Reas 3. It is by the ill thought onely that the heart is defiled Mat. 15. 19. out of the heart proceed evil thoughts saith our Saviour and these

is a hid treasure in thy own ground Dig but deep enough and thou wilt find it to be sure either the good treasure of the good heart or an evil treasure of an evil heart But nature and art and all industry fall short here yea Grace it self as now imperfect comes not up to a full understanding of his own heart The heart is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked who can know it saith the Prophet Jer. 17. 9. The bodies of the trees are seen the root lies deep and unseen The heads of springs unseen the waters seen and tasted Heart-work is the hard work Abyssus es tute tibi said the noble Mornay Infernus tibi I may say Here art thou at a losse at thy ne plus ultra at a terra incognita at a Mare congelatum when thou comest to the heart there is no sayling further This is the place which the Vultures Eye spies not and here lies a Carcasse which the Eagles sight or smell discovers not We often find in the bottom of Wels Frogs and Toads when the waters are fair above Go to the bottom and thou knowest not what thou shalt espie Thou wilt tell me another tale and say I told thee not the one half Under the Grasse lurkes the Snake and under the Ground Corn in the deep Well are the Spies hid He 2 Sam. 17. 19. Prov. 28. 26. that trusteth in his own heart is a fool in the wise mans Judgement when it speakes fairest believe it not there are seven abominations within it It is like the Lapwing it will call and send thee further off when thou comest closest to it Who can understand his own errors saith holy David Many are subtile and inquisitive to know the Polycies of States Interests of men and times Errors in Governours the Heresies and Errors that have of old and do at present pester the Church But who can understand his Errors mans understanding is very large be that is Learned can understand every Language every Science But commonly the most understanding man is the most ignorant Christian Is not the wisdom of this world foolishnesse 1 Cor. 13. 9. with God The heart is versute and deceitfull above all things who can know it Man hath affected the Knowledge of all things since the Fathers eat that sour Grape off that Tree of Knowledge all the childrens teeth have been set on edge after it He knowes the nature of herbs trees plants spices mettals minerals yet who can know it He knowes a thousand faces at first sight a thousand voices at first word yet to his dying day knows not the face and voice of his heart Who can know it This is thy A. B. C. Reader if thou art a young Christian And this not thy Alpha but Omega too if thou be the greatest Student and a professed Artist The skill paines and industry of man hath surprized Cities over-run Kingdoms changed Governments hath tamed all Creatures Beasts Birds Serpents he hath caught kept tamed caged taught them all to change their natures But two little members yet two microcosms in himself none hath known tamed or changed nor can be The lesse microcosme the tongue in which is a world of deadly poyson which is but the Jam. 3. 6 8. Cistern some few have tamed But the heart the greater microcosme the fountain that feeds this Cistern none hath tamed onely God who made it and keeps the Key of it tames changeth and governs it Thou must beg of him to give thee a Key to let thee into thine own heart and to give thee a lock bolts and bars to keep it in For my part I am more afraid of the Errors of my own heart then of all the Doctrinall Errors broached and vented in the World And am more afraid of what is within and flowes from the heart then of whatsoever enters the mouth The poyson of the most venomous serpent only endangers others preserves her self but ours the most pestiferous poyson hurts our selves most our selves only How sad is it that we who affect neatnesse and cleanlinesse so much in every thing should be so carelesse and slight here If we have rich clothes they must be kept and laid up clean If fair linnen it must be washed and worn clean If plate it must be scoured bright and used clean If but brasse and pewter it must be scoured too and kept clean An ordinary entertaining Room must be alwaies kept clean A Garden must be weeded and kept clean A neat Watch dust must not take it but it must be daily looked to and kept clean But the heart which is the choicest apparel linnen plate vessel garden entertaining room watch is above all neglectings neglected as if it had been said above all keeping keep these other things out of which are onely the issues of vain and earthly delights but above all neglecting neglect thy heart out of which are the issues of eternall life and eternal salvation I speak not this as if I could say I have made my heart clean but as Tertullian said of his Book of Patience Langu●nt●s cum vacent a sanitate de bonis ejus tac●re non norunt Ita miserrimus ego semper aeger Calorious impatientiae qua● non ob●inco patientiae sanitat●m suspirem invocem peror●m nec●sse est Tert. de pat He was the more pleased to write of Patience because he wanted and bewailed the want of Patience as the sick man saith he largely commendeth the blessing of health which he now knowes the more how to prize because he wants it My case thou wilt see in the last Chapter in a sad self-bemoaning Soliloquy Reader thou seest all men labour to attain to the perfection of their Professions be not thou a puny in thine This is the best discovery of a growing Christian when he is more skilled in himself verst in his own heart when thou art grown acquainted with the wants diseases wiles with the state cure order government of thy heart when thou art wholy taken up in the observing regulating and keeping of thy heart then art thou the grown Christian To study Books may make thee a Scholar to study the Scriptures may make thee a Preacher to study Men a Polititian but to study the man thy self and thine own heart makes thee a well grounded well grown Christian There be four Books must be well studied and compared together to make an accomplished Christian 1. The book of Providence is not to be a despised Legend nor to be studied alone 2. The The Book of Scripture is to be compared with the Book of Providence rightly to understand it or thou wilt become an Atheist 3. The Book of Conscience which is to be conferred with the Scripture or thou wilt prove a meer formalist 4. The Book of books Christ Jesus to be brought home to conscience or thou wilt be a dead and heartlesse christian Deal with no one of them alone or thou

hearts The peace of God and evidence of his love and assurance of salvation was never yet given nor shall be to an earth-worm whose heart is eaten up with worldly cares This hidden Manna is onely put into a golden not earthen pot 7. These ever unfit for death Luke 21. 34. Let not your hearts be overcharged with surfeting and drunkennesse and cares of this life least that day overtake you as a snare As one being drunken or one sick of a surfet is unfit for work or in an ill case to die such is the man of cares at all times Death comes to him as a snare Either he dies suddenly before he expects as Luke 12. That rich fool died suddenly or he ever dies unpreparedly which is worse Nabal died not 1 Sam. 25. 37 38. suddenly but though he lay ten dayes sick he died unpreparedly he lay like a block or stone and died miserably Before his death earth was turned into earth and before his buriall his heart was covered with a stone As Archimedes was busie in drawing his lines when the City was taken and he knockt down before he knew who hurt him So doth the Rich man fade away in his waies he Jam. 1. 11. Jer. 17. 11. dies in the midst of his dayes and in the midst of his buildings and businesses and in the end shall be a fool That is all his Monument Dives vixit stultus obiit He gathered wealth but died a fool But because we are all so subject to these thoughts and hardly perswaded out of them they have so much to say for themselves I shall 1. Remove the objections by which they are upheld 2. Prescribe certain remedies Obj. Oh but yet the world is hard and it is not Talk will pay Rent Taxes bring the Year about we must take care Ans Use a moderate providentiall carefulnesse in Gods name and spare not but then commit thy way to God 2. Is the world hard and is not thy heart harder in which all the world is crouded Eccl. 3. 11. It is this makes thee so full of cares 3. And is not heaven hard too why hast thou not some more such cares here quit thy self as a man offer violence As the worldling hath the world set in his heart so hath the godly heaven set in his heart therefore his cares thoughts and discourse are all of heaven Obj. But I am poor and this doctrine is for the Rich they need not I must care Ans Say with David Psal 40. 17. I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinketh on me The Lord provideth for the poor 2. The rich and poor meet together the Lord is the maker and careth for both Prov. 22. 2. Obj. A poor widow God help me and full of cares Ans The Lord cals himself The God of the Widow Psal 68. 5. hath an especiall care and gives speciall charge about them Exod. 22. 22 23 24. In the time of famine Elias the Prophet was sent onely to a Widow to relieve her Ob. But I have a many fatherlesse Children Ans Psal 68. 5. The Lord is the Father of the fatherlesse and Jer. 49. 11. he bids thee leave thy fatherlesse children with him and be they many of few cannot God provide for many as well as few Num. 11. Must it be marvelous in Gods eyes because it is marvelous in ours Ob. I have but a little left I have lived to make a hand of all R. Yet may the Lord give his blessing to that little in the Cruse that it may suffice to bring thee to thy journeyes end Ob. But which is worse I am in debt too Ans Yet distrust not but make thy case known to God by supplication and prayer and to the people of God as did that poor widow of the Godly Prophet 2 Kings 4. 1 2. Who was left in straites yet not left in her straites Distressed not forsaken Ob. I am a poor servant Ans So was Joseph formerly God setteth up the poor from the dunghill and maketh them Princes Better is the poor servant at the last then the Prince born and will not change states with him Out of poverty he comes to rise whereas he that is born to a Kingdom comes to poverty Eccles 4. 13 14. Ob. But I have nothing in the world to begin the world withall R. Yet a diligent hand and depending Prov. 10. 5. Gen. 32. 10. heart may make rich Jacob went out with his staffe in his hand and returned full of Cattel and stock and store of riches how many men at present and in former times have risen to the greatest States and highest Honours in the City that came hither in leathren breeches and clouted shoes like Gibeonites that have afterwards like Mordecai changed their sackcloth into blue and purple and scarlet and chaines of gold Ob. But if I had a little more I should then be content Ans Thou hast a deceitfull heart of thine own which will never be content 2. Didst thou never say so before when thou wast little in thine own eyes that if God would give so much as now thou hast thou wouldest aske no more 3. Crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia crescit He that loveth silver shall never be satisfied with silver Eccle. 5. 11 12. The desires are enlarged as hell Hab. 2. why was not he content of whom Solomon speakes Eccle. 4. 8. who had neither son nor brother no end of riches and yet no end of his labours Obj. The most plausible plea of all is had I more I might do more good Ans Thou mightest do more haply but wouldest do lesse The heart and the price never meet in a fooles hand will and power seldome in a wise mans What good did he Eccle. 4. 8. or he in Luk. 12. Few rich men rich in grace or good workes The lower vines give sweeter fruites then the higher cedars The lower vallies are alway more fruitfull then the loftier hills The lesser springs and brookes yeeld many a wholsomer draught then the swelling ocean Twelve pence comes more hardly out of the bag full cramd then five shillings out of a bag half empty The poor widow gave more then all the rich The rich have more the poor love more They spend more wastfully These give more cheerfully The 1 King 17. poor widow could find in her heart to give a bit of her last peece of bread to the Prophet in a time of extream famine and could spare it out of her own belly rather then he should want when that rich miser 1 Sam. 25. Nabal who knew no end of his riches could not part with bread or cheese to David in a time of plenty and in a day of feasting In our late collections for the distres●ed Protestants in Piedmont it was observed the rich Aldermens fellows came not off so liberally in their contributions as some meaner Godly persons 2. For remedies 1. Study beleeve and rely upon Gods

as Amalek with Israel strikes them when down and feeble or as Simeon and Levi to the men Deut. 25. 18. of Schechem came upon them when they were Gen. 34. 25. sore and slew them These two are Satans greatest Stratagems and chief supporters of his kingdome but he prevails more by mirth then mourning He saith of his jests and mirth as prophanely Leo the Tenth said quantum nobis profuit ista fabula How much have these fables toyes and jests promoted our Kingdome Therefore is a godly man more afraid of mirth than mourning He saith of laughter what dost thou mean and of mirth art thou not madnesse and have I any need of madnesse or Religion of mad men as once Achish said 1 Sam. 21. 15. Job was never so much afraid least his children should forget themselves and dishonour God as when merry together Job 1. 5. It is noted of the Wise His heart is in the house of mourning but the Fooles in the house of laughter Eccl. 7. 4. and that of the two mourning is better than rejoycing for if it mar the countenance it mends the heart By the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better Eccl. 7. 3. The fool is said to be known by his much Eccl. 10. 14. Pro. 10. 19. talk and much laughter and in much of these is much of sin A moderation in both is like a Modicum of Hony very good but too much Pro. 24. 13. 25. 26. 17. hony is not good It is noted of the wicked They spend their days in mirth and in a moment go down to hell Job 21. 13. Their lives are Comicall their death Tragicall Hell is full of mirth carnall mirth and Heaven of mourners spirituall mourners Therefore saith the Prophe● Esay 5. 12. 14. Hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth wide without measure and their glory and their multitude and their pomp and he that rejoyceth shall descend into it Such as have the harp the Viol the Tabret and Pipe and Wine in their feasts but regard not the work of the Lord neither consider the operation of his hands Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth and have been wanton saith S. James you have cherished your hearts as in a day of slaughter Jam. 5. 5. Therefore check thy self in thy foolish mirth with looking on that sad hand writing of Christ on the wall on the one hand Vae ridentibus Woe to you that now laugh for you shal mourn and weep Luke 6. 25. And on the other hand Beati lugentes Blessed are ye that mourn and weep now for ye shall laugh Luke 6. 21. Thy Saviour was a man of sorrows and wilt thou be a man of vain joyes he was all his life acquainted with grief and is it fit for thee Esa 53. 3. to have no acquaintance but with idle and empty delights I read that thy Saviour mourned often Mat. 3. 〈◊〉 Jo. 11. 33. 35. Heb. 5. 7. wept grieved groaned sighed cried out with strong cryes and tears Thou never readest that he Laughed He Rejoyced sometime it is said but it was in spirit and spirituall joy Luke 10. 21. He was full of joy but it was in Gods countenance and favour Acts 2. 28. Some passions it is true are licensed but with a restriction Fear Stand in aw and sin not Psal 4. 4. Anger Be angry but sin not Ephes 4. 26. So joy Rejoyce but sin not Be merry and wise as we say in our Proverb Be merry and godly be merry and gracious and be as merry as thou wilt The merry heart hath a continuall feast It is said Prov. 15. 15. But the merry heart is the gracious heart Tob Leb the good heart others render it the good Conscience is a continuall feast Our speech should be with grace seasoned with salt but it should be sal Sanctuarii not Col. 1. 6. Sterquilinii the salt of the Sanctuary as it is called Lev. 2. 13. not the salt of the dunghill The Apostle doth banish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesting out of the Christians society uncomely facetiousnesse and lepidity though among the wits of the times and the heathen Philosophers of old it bare the Bell for a Prime virtue It is the property of the Dog to smell to his own and others Excrements do not thou sport thy self in thy own or other mens prophane jests They are onely Swine that wallow in this mire others stop their noses or eares at it They are onely flies and beetles that are bred and live in this dung Labour therefore to keep thy loines girt and thy mind composed To be Serious without sadnesse and sournesse and to be chearfull without levity and slightnesse of spirit And this discourse I shall shut up with another Ecce unlike that which concluded the former Ecce quam malum quam injucundum est cohibitare malum jucundum Behold how ill and unpleasant a sight it is to behold an ill man ill and pleasant CHAP. XXVI Of Self-murdering Thoughts BUT the foulest and blackest thoughts of all are self-destroying thoughts Oh these are sad and hellish thoughts My heart trembles at the very mention of them yet are these incident sometimes to a godly heart I do not say he can entertain them But as when in a scare-fire the sparks are driven by the wind he covers his house with wet sheets and stands ready with water to resist the first fastnings and setling of the fire so it must be here Job had once such a Transient thought but it held not long My soul chuseth strangling and death rather than life Job 7. 15. But his fixed resolution was at other times I will wait all the days of my apointed time till my change cometh Job 14. 14. And againe If he kill me yet will I trust in him Job 13. 15. To stop the execution of these black and bloudy thoughts we shall offer a few reasons if yet they will stay to hear any reason The Lord set them home 1. These come Immediately and undoubtedly from Satan who is a murtherer from the beginning and delighteth in bloud especially of souls These cannot come from God The Lords command is to love thy self and to love thy neighbour but as thy self if thou wouldest not have a hand in anothers bloud then not in thy own whom thou art bound to love no lesse These cannot come from thy self or nature Natures first principle implanted in every animal is self-preservation Graces first principle is Soul-preservation but Satans first principle is self-destruction and soul-destruction cast thy self down Thus at one stroke destroying soul and body and cutting off two lives for he envieth not to man his life but his salvation as he envies no man for his riches but for his grace Satan reckons of such as his own who yield to this 2. It always is a sin and impossible to be but a foul sin self-murder To take away the life of another is

It is ever sucking cries for the brest sleeps with it wakes and cals for it or as a healthfull man desires his meat daily two or three times a day and can't live without it not as a sick man or longing woman who long for this or that and once serves their turn they long no more This is a diseased not healthfull desire Such were in Pharaoh and Ahab such hell is full of Many desire good prayers and read Scriptures or good books indistresse never else as the sick man desires a Cordiall or strong water and never drinks more till another qualm takes him They are sick and then they cry or howl on their beds they get up and return again to sin The Hos 7. 14. Mariner in a storm puts into a Port when the storm is over he meanes to go to sea again And the Traveller puts under the Pear-tree in a shower to keep him dry when the rain is over he is flinging at it These are killing desires such you read of Prov. 21. 25. the sluggards and the unconstant mans are so But when we say of good as the Lord of Sion I have chosen ●ion for an habitation I have longed for it here will I dwell because I have desired it Psal 132. 13 14. These are good desires 3. When ardent and vehement 2 Chron. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often used in Scrip. signifie a most vehement desire and long●ng in the mind as Phil. 1. 8. 23. 4. 1. 2 Cor. 5. 2. 7. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 2. 15. 15. cal'd the whole desire Gen. 31. 30. Luk. 22. 15. Desiring with desire The mind is altogether desires the desires are altogether vehement So 2 Cor. 7. 11. 4. When they are large increasing and unsatisfied Three things are never satisfied the eye the ear the desire The covetous eye with seeing the curious or itching ear with hearing and the gracious heart with desiring But as the wicked mans desires are enlarged as hell Hab. 2. 5. Ephes 2. 3. So the godly mans are as large as heaven That all heaven must be ours ere the desire is satisfied That the soul is said to ly panting hungting thirsting longing coveting craving Psal 42. 1. 63. 1. 2. 73. 25. 1 Cor. 14. 1. 5. Laborious desires are good desires Prov. 18. 1. Through desire a man having separated himself seeks and intermeddles in all wisdome heart and hand go together as a scholar desirous of learning shuts up himself in his study le ts none come at him is still at his book early and late or the worldling riseth runs goes sweats toyles to get riches or the wicked man with cords and cart-ropes Esa 5. 18. draweth sin with both hands Micha 7. 3. So doth the godly seek grace as silver and lifts up his voice for wisdome as for the greatest treasure Working desires not wishing are saving desires But alas what violence do the Kingdomes yea cottages of the earth suffer and what contempt heaven Men will give twenty years purchase for earth not seaven for heaven yea many take more pains and are at a greater expence for hell then many a well-meaning man for heaven 6. When invincible and irresistible 1. As not to be quenched or quelled with difficulties but as Shechem desired Dinah Gen. 34. 11. let me have her said he what ever it cost what ever I suffer I love her must have her will not go without her so Cant. 8. 7. Divine love is not to be quenched with any waters of difficulty or discouragement 2. Nor to be taken off by any diversion as Hadad when he wanted no honour or preferment in the Egyptian Court yet said Howbeit in any wise let me go home 1 King 11. 22. The man is where his desires are and if the desires hang homeward a Kingdom cannot stay him and if they hang heaven-ward all the world will not content him But he saith with the Apostle in another case We being staid for a short time in presence 1. Thes 2. 17. not in heart endeavoured the more abundantly with great desire to come unto you Speaking of his love to the Godly beleevers But much more out of his love to Christ he saith 2 Cor. 5. 2 3 c. In this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked Yea knowing while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord we groan and are burdened willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord So Ruth 1. 16. 17. 7. Whenas they are not to be overcome themselves but overcome conquer and triumph over all especially captivate and command the heart and subdue it every mans desire is his master brings him under a voluntary but pleasing subjection as Gen. 3. 16. The poor woman who loves her husband The like Gen. 4. 7. dea●ly her desires are towards him she is subject to him and he ruleth over her Poor soul she still hath her husband at one end of her thoughts if abroad her heart is with him if at home her eye is on him if he be well he is the desire and delight of her eyes if not well he is the care and desire of her heart Every thing she doth she hath this thought comes in Will this please my husband c. so is it with the soul 8. True desires will be liberall and expensive to gain what is desired wicked men will be at charge to fulfill the desires of the flesh Schollers who desire learning will spare no cost in books and paines to fulfill those more noble desires of the mind Eph 2. 3. And vain men what cost will they be at as he in the daies of his vanity Eccle. 2. 10. Whatsoever their eyes desire they keep it not from them what ever it cost So is it with the best their desires being rightly set they lay out all they are able about them as David and Solomon in building that house for God which both of them were so ambitious to set forward 1 King 9. 1. 1 Chron. 22. 14. David expended as hundred thousand talents of Gold a thousand thousand talents of silver both summes put together as they are computed amount to seven hundred and fifty millions This was at first laid by in the time of his wars and straits when he came bare to the Crown And afterwards it seemes he added Three Se the late Annotations of the English divines on the place thousand talents of Gold of Ophir and seven thousand talents of refined silver 1 Chron. 29. 4. that is thirteen millions eight hundred thousand seventy five thousand poundes sterling more because as he said he set his affection on the house of his God v. 3. And shall we say we have good desires when we offer that to God which costs us nothing How many are there who

desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 9. 18. nothing more then to have a cheap and unchargable Gospel in these daies but not in the Apostles sense he would have it unchargeable to others these to themselves But this we find they who first desire a cheap Gospel do next desire no Gospell at all 9. When we take a right and proper course to attain our desires they are right Solomon as he spares no cost so he useth all 1 King 5. 5 6. meanes sends far and near to get workmen and materialls the best could be had for mony for the Temple The Queen of Sh●ba desired resolution of her hard questions She came from the uttermost parts of the earth to get Solomons answer to them Saul desired 1 King 10. 13. 1 Sam. 23. 20. to have David in his power he raiseth the country mustereth his forces hunts him out in the wildernesse as if he should say I le have him dead or alive if he be above ground I le have him So saith the desiring soul I le not give over seeking praying waiting Grace and pardon of sin I must have if it be above ground in ordinances I le after it yea if it be above in heaven I le thither to God for it And for sin I le have the life of it if it were present I would throw my javelin at it if it hides itself I le seek after it if it be decaying I le hasten to make an end of it as they dealt with Absalom when he was labouring for life 2 Sam. 18. 14 15. 17. in the tree Joab thrusts three darts into his heart then ten more come to make him sure if he had any more lives then one then they lay an heap of stones upon him one death is not enough for such an enemy So it will be here but they kill him and kill him again to rid the world of such an Arch Rebell such indignation against and full revenge will be pursued against the Arch Rebell in the soul the prevailing lust Or as Jehu whom God raised up to cut off the house of Ahab he marcheth furiously and when he lights on Joram the first born he drawes his bow with his whole might and smites Joram between the armes that the arrow went out at his heart and he sunk down in his chariot then throwes him out to the dogs 2 King 9. 24 25. The like or worse to Jezebell the cursed mother of that wicked race he bids throw her out of the window and break her neck not content with that fall he treads her under foot and then leaves her to the dogs too to make an end of her To execute the Judgement that was written Such honour such Indignation have all the Saints Psal 149. 9. So say the Godly sin hath brought one death upon me and would bring a second and an eternall death I would therefore bring a first second and eternall death upon it 10. Lastly Good desires are impatiently patient or patiently impatient till they be fulfilled patient of paines impatient onely of delaies or disappointment Pro. 13. 12. Hope deferred maketh the heart sick but when the desire cometh it is a tree of life Shechem Gen. 34. 19. because his soul clave unto Dinah delaid not to be circumcised And Jacob when he Gen. 31. 22. 30. longed to at his fathers house set out by night and was three daies journey on his way ere he was missed A man whose heart hangs heavenward and to his fathers house will not stay till he be forced out by sicknesse and death but up he gets and on he goes with all the speed he can Wicked Shimei may be a good example to wicked men who was the first to fling stones at David and curse him when he thought David could never call him to an account but when he saw David returning he hasted with the first to meet David to begge his life and desired it because he came in of himself the first of all the rebels and obtained it 2 Sam. 19. 16. 19 20. 4. Rule desires are then good when attended with good companions As. 1. Prayer and desires go together Ro. 10. 1. Psal 21. 2. Dead desires may gasp out some faint wishes good desires breath out strong prayers 2. Desires and waiting Es 26. 8. 3. Desires and seeking early and earnestly ever go together Esay 26. 9. Where are no endeavors there are no desires unlesse killing as Solomon calls them Pro. 21. 25. The desire of the slothfull killeth him for his hands refuse to labour Pro. 13. 4. The soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing because he joyneth no warme endeavors with his cold desires He loveth roast but he Eccle. 4. 5 love●h nor to turn the spit Pro. 12. 27. The slothfull roasteth not what he took in hunting He desires a good harvest and a year of plenty with many a good wish but he cannot away with this plowing and sowing with this heat and cold with this toiling and sweating Therefore his desires make him a begger it is said Pro. 20. 4. But as the Poet saith Qui Cupit optatam vitae contingere metam Multa tulit fecitque puer sudavit al sit Who so desires a blessed life to gain Endures cold heat toile sweat thirst hunger paine But wishers and woulders we say never prove good housholders and certainly shall never prove heavenholders Heaven is propounded in Scripture as the reward onely to the hard labourer Jo. 6. 27. To the diligent seeker Ro. 2. 7. To the earnest striver Lu. 13. 24. To the unwearied runner 1 Cor. 9. 24. To the valiant fighter 1 Tim. 6. 12. To the prevailing conquerer Rev. 2. 7. To him that overcometh But Lazy desires have no place there But they are one of the chief Arches upon which Hellbridge is founded or of the pillars by which Satans kingdome is supported which are reckoned five 1. The good purposes of bad men tha● they will amend c. 2. The good desires of Lazy men 3. The prayers and promises of sick men 4. The teares and repentance of dying men 5. The strong faith and good hopes of Ignorant and prophane men Satan saith to all these well done good and faithfull servant Purpose so still desire so still pray and promise so still repent so still and beleeve so still 4. Good desires are accompanyed usually with mourning after what is desired and fervency of mind therefore mourning and earnest desire joyned 5. With many other good companions mentioned 2 Cor. 7. 11. Carefullnesse 2 Cor. 7. 7 selfclearing holy indignation fear zeal revenge 6. With earnest groanings of soul Psal 38. 9. 2 Cor. 5. 2. and breaking of heart almost till we have attained Psal 119. 20. 7. Lastly with greatest joy when the desire is granted Pro. 13. 12. yea delight and contentment in looking after what is desired Cant. 7. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 12. If thy desires have these companions they