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
God is never the less conspicuous but indeed so much the more glorious being beheld as the Apostle speaks together with his Severity Rom 11.22 Goodness of God no less conspicuous for his severity as bright colours are the most resplendent when they are heightened from the darkest shadows Behold saith He the GOODNESS and the SEVERITY of God Lo here a Right Theme for Thoughts Behold his Goodness but Remember his Severity Think of his Severity but forget not his Goodness That the Thought of Severity without Goodness may not make thee desperate nor of Goodness without Severity make thee Malepart and wanton but that both together may make thee humble and hearty and dutiful and diligent fearful and yet chearful in all ways of Holiness and new Obedience Objection If God be so good why did he not make all mens condition such Jerem. 2.5 Answer God did so Eccles 7.31 Rom. 7.12 Gen. 2.16 Verse 17. Psalm 8.6 But mayest thou think again if the Lord be so good He might have made all Mens condition to be such 'T is true indeed He might do so and He did so And I may challenge thee yet again in His Name what Iniquity did thy first Father and all his Posterity in him find in God that he went far from him and they with him and walked after vanity and became vain Did not God make man upright and give Him a right Law a Commandment that was Holy Just and Good was it not Just that He that gave man all the rest of the Trees of the Garden should keep One to himself and that He that put all things under mans feet should appoint him a test for his obedience to His Supream Lord And was it not good Gods goodness in the first COVENANT that He gave Him a Law that He might keep and a Principle and Power that might keep it if he would that He forbad Him and forewarn'd Him what would hurt Him and promised Him Life in keeping a practical Law a Commandment that was fair and that was facile proper for Him and profitable for all Mankind in Him Must the great God to shew his goodness to poor man Gen. 1. to 26. Verse 26.27 Chap. 2.17 first build a world as a well furnished House before He brings in his Guest then call a Counsel as it were in Heaven about molding a clod of Earth into an Excellent shape and breathing therein a living Spirit and Imprint thereon a Divine similitude and place Him as his Vice-Roy upon Earth and to hold all as it were but by the payment of a Pepper-Corn the Forbearing of one Tree And when miserable Man after all this hath not made good his Allegiance but broken Faith with his Maker selling Himself and his Posterity for an Apple or some such like thing to the evil first of Sin and so of Suffering shall mans Impudent Posterity presume in their Hearts after all this to call in Question the goodness of God for no other reason but his making his Word good his Threatning good and so his Commandment good in the penal part of it which was that part which he undertook to make good if Man failed to make good the other part of Obedience Ah how truly may it here be said that the foolishness of man perverteth his way Prov. 19.3 and his Heart fretteth against the Lord When He that transgresseth a good Law judgeth that Law and pronounceth it Evil by His disobedience How can He that made that Law vindicate that Law or be good in his place without making of it good by punishing the Transgressor Think therefore vain Man what thou wilt but know that the Lord is well pleased for his Righteousness sake Isaiah 42.21 Gods goodness in rewarding the least good in the wicked and if a man vilify He will magnify his Law and make it honourable Thou wilt grant him to be a good Master that rewardeth the Good though He Punish the Evil Servant produce therefore thy Cause and bring forth thy strong Reasons If thou do well shalt thou not be accepted But and if thou do evil Is it Gods fault that Sin lyeth at thy door Gen. 4.7 An Ahabs Humiliation so good a Master is God though the Man was but an Hypocrite shall have a temporal Reward The Lord is so good As far as he is capable 1 King 21 29â— Ezek. 29.18 20. Rewards spiritual good Mat. 10.42 With a spiritual blessing 1 Kings 14.13 that He will not set a Nebuchadnezzar a poor Heathen to work but He shall have his wages A cup of cold water given in his Name shall not want its Reward If any one perform any Spiritual good the good God shall give him a spiritual Reward yea will take great notice even of the least good thing as in the case of young Abijah in whom was found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel in the wicked house of Jeroboam and will remunerate the performancesâ— of outwardly good things with compensations suitable to the persons and performances as the removal of outward Evils and the Donation of outward blessings The Ninevites they Repent them of their Sins though it were but after a fashion as appears after by the Burthen of Nineveh in Nahums Prophesy And this good God Nah. 11 c. Jon. 3.10 He presently Repents him of the Evil that he had said he would do unto them and did it not till they repented them again of their Repentance Gen. 39.5 Potiphar and Pharaoh make much of Gods Joseph and God blessed their houses for Josephs sake And must God pervert Judgment Justice not derogatory to goodness in a Judge and not punish the wicked that he may have thy good word or be well thought of by thee Is his Justice derogatory to his Goodness Thou canst applaud the sentence of a Judge in Condemning the Injuries that have been done unto thee why canst thou not as well say unto God with the Psamlist Psal 119.39 thy Judgments are good Yea with many He is the best Man that will least bear an Injury but is most vindictive Heb. 10.30 and must not vengeance be the Lords and may not he repay without incurring thy evil thoughts A wrong thought of Gods goodness to think He will destroy none Isaiah 27.11 'T is an evil Thought of Gods goodness that some Ignorant Ones have or at least would fain have that he that made them will never destroy them nor indeed ever would he had they continued what he made them But this good God saith expresly and He knows what he hath to do It is a People of no understanding therefore he that made them will have no mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Sect. XXIX Gods goodness in the NEW COVENANT BUt and if thou thinkest hardly of Gods Dealing with Men fallen under the first Covenant the Covenant of Works O busie thy thoughts
Issue never so foul Mat 9.20 and 14.36 Mat. 5.25 Verse 17. Zach. 9 1â— Mar. 9.27 so shameful so inveterate If thy desires be creeping towards him while that Issue of thine continues Running Break then O prisoner of hope through the throng of all thy contradicting Thoughts and steal 〈◊〉 â—he least one blessed touch till thou find virtue going one of him Come Come Chap. 9.30 The Spirit saith Come and the Bride saith Come and lâ—t him that heareth say Come And let him that is athiâ—st come and whosoever will let him take of the water of Life freely Rev. 22.17 Heb. 12.27 Now see that thou refuse not him that speaks from Heaven But alas thinks my Soul after all this I sadly fear that if Christ would indeed accept me I should never be able to accept Christ I find now 't is a hard thing to be a Christian Acts 26.38 Numb 13 28 31 33. I thought I had been almost perswaded but O the sons of Anak The walled Towns in the way the Cross the Yoke not a Lust not a Thought not a Word not a Look in all the remainder of my life but by Law Alas who can beaâ— it I dread to begin to draw least I should draw back and better then I had never known the way of truth Heb 10.38 Isaiah 38.14 I know thy Soul hath no pleasure in such O Lord I am now oppressed undertake for one I would believe my God but cannot help thou my unbelief I would take thy yoke upon me Mark 9.24 but I dare not for I have been a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoke But turn thou me and I shall be turned Jer. 31.18 and thou shalt be the Lord my God I see O Lord I must have my yoke which way soever I turn my self Sins and Satans I have too long born And should I die under thine I cannot bear the thought of going back to theirs For I am sure to die under theirs I am indeed in a great straight 2 Sam. 24.14 let me now fall into the hand of the Lord for with the Lord there are mercies but as for Satan and Sin the mercies of these are cruel Prov. 12.10 Sect. IX CAst out then the Shete Anchor of thy hope O thou afflicted Isaiah 54.11 tossed with tempest and not comforted and cast it O my soul as near as thou canst into that within the Vail Heb. 11.19 If thou venture not on Jesus Christ thou perishest And if thou dost thou canst but perish 2 King 7 4. If he save thee alive thou shalt live And if he kill thee thou canst but die There hath been high and hainous and in their own eyes the very chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 1 Cor. 6.11 washed â—ustified sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of God yea that hath been set forth even for a PATTERN to all that should afterward believe of him 1 Tim. 1.16 Isaiah 26.12 who not onely ORDAINETH peace for us but also worketh all our Works in us Wherefore O thou blessed Jesus with fear and with trembling I cast and â—oul my self upon thee Hester 4.16 And if I perish I will perish at those feet that were therefore pâ—â—â—ced that whilst I put my fingers into the print of the Nailes John 20.27 the weak hand of my Faith may have the better hold Sect. X. LO here the Restless Mind of Man toucht with the Load-stone of Divine Grace tremblingly wavering Numb 24.17 seeking rest but finding none till the thoughts fix upon the Star out of Jacob the Lord Jesus Christ Lo here the Heavenly conduct of Divine light newly arisen in the mind of man bringing his Thoughts from a far Country Matthew 2. Verse 5. and never leaving them till it leave them in the very place where the Holy Child lies The sweet bosom of the Fathers love Lo here the Celestial Call Isaiah 41.2 raising up the Righteous man from the East his Native Countrey or if you will natural condition Acts 11.23 Heb. 11.15 And bringing him to Gods foot with full purpose and fixed Thought of Heart should opportunity of returning into the old Countrey The old state The other Gods on the other side of the Flood serve never so fair yet never by the Grace of God to return unto them more cleaving to Christ for fear of leaving of him or being left by him Leaning on its beloved that it may not be lost any more in the old Wilderness Cant. 8.5 the perplexing maze of its old unbelieving thoughts fastening it self upon him that it may by no means be shaken off by him with such mental speakings as these Intreat me not to leave thee Ruth 2.14 or to return from following after thee neither say thou to me let me go Ah my Jesus I will let all go rather then let thee go for I should let infinitely more than the Worlds All go in letting thee go I should loose my self in loosing thee and be cast away Luke 9.25 and that too in the very sight of Harbour No mo my heart is fixed O Christ my heart is fixed whither thou goest I will go be it to thy Crown or to thy Cross and where thou lodgest I will lodge Ruth 2.16 17. be it a Paradise or a Prison Thy people shall be my people though the world hate them And thy God shall be my God notwithstanding all the ungodliness that is in the world and the world of ungodliness that is in my heart where thou dyest I will die Rom. 6.4 Verse 6. and there will I be buryed thy death shall mortifie my members that are upon earth My Lusts shall thy Cross kill and thy Grave bury Nay God forbid that death should part Col. 3.3 but more closely yea unseperably eternally unite thee and me And so shall I ever be with the Lord. And thus have you seen the returning Shulamite Cant. 6.16 and what will you see in the Shulamite but as it were the company of two Armies On the one hand the struglings of unbelief on the other the work of Faith with power till at length the house of Dav d grows stronger and stronger 2 Thes 1.1 Isaiah 23.33 Gen. 32.25 28. Isaiah 40.1 2. and the house of Saul grows weaker and weaker Old thoughts pass away and new prevail the lame divides the spoil the halting Jacob becomes a Prince with God the mourner is comforted the warfare accomplished the sin pardoned the bruised Reed lifts up its hanging head Chapter 42.3 the smoaking slax breaks out into a flame In one word â—n the multitude of the thoughts within Psalm 94.19 Gods comforts they delight the Soul And thus the soul falling into a place where all this while Acts 27.41 Psalm 143.10 two contrary Seas have met runs at length a ground on the and of uprightness where the sore-part the Thought
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
yet was alive once without the Law and gives this as the Reason He did not by all their Doctrine know LUST He knew not that thought-sins were such sins untill the Commandment came in another manner and by another kind of teaching then ever he had from them For this was our Saviours great business in that Incomparable Sermon upon the Mount to vindicate the Spirituality of the Law from their carnal and corrupt Dotages they put the great stress of the Rule upon the outward man He puts it upon the Heart also Poverty in spirit he begins with that He layes the breach of the Sixth and Seventh Commandments in heart and thought as well as outward Act He condemns carking cares Anxiety of Thoughts 'T is strange indeed they should be so blinded seeing the very last of Gods Ten Words goes down to the very bottom of the mind and thought Thou shalt not COVET so that when the scales were but fallen from the Apostles eyes He could easily-see in the light of that Law that THOUGHT was Sin He knew LUST to be SIN then He knows now that the Law is Spiritual Yea and thus he Schools others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That ye might learn not to think above what is written Gods written WORD is the measure of mans Right THOUGHTS yet even some Heathens had some glimmerings of this Deut est animus therefore mente colendus God it a Spirit and requires mental worship and conformity to his will And this is indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our reasonable Service when the Internal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THOUGHT and mind serve the Law of God Sect. I. Secondly AS a man must have a right Rule for his Thoughts Right thoughts of the Rule James 4.11 1 Cor. 2.14 so he must have Right Thoughts of the Rule The Apostle speaks of some that Judge the Law Take we heed that we do not misjudge it Therefore it is necessary that we look on the Spiritual Law with a Spiritual eye To carnal Thoughts the Right wayes of the Lord seem crooked and unequal Gods right Rule why seems crooked to men not that the Law is so but because the medium is such through which it is looked upon as if a man put part of a strait staff into the water it appears crooked because of the inequality of the medium All Gods Rule to David Psal 119.228 All right But now a right heart hath right thoughts of the Rule I esteem all thy Precepts concerning all things to be right So we Read it but the Text is I esteem all thy Precepts to be all right every one and every way Right 'T is true There may be some kind of approving the things that are excellent Rom. 2.18 Some approve some excellent things As Herod Mark 6.20 And yet the Heart not be Right But if there be not an approving of excellent things the Heart cannot be Right A bad Heart may think good of many good wayes as Herod but a good heart thinks good of every good way as David Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments Psal 119.6 But David all Gods Laws Universal respect fair evidence 1 Tim. 3.16 Men may have a fair respect to many of Gods Laws yet have hard Thoughts of some But an universal respect is a fair Evidence of Sincerity For ALL SCRIPTURE is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness c. THE Second Part. Contents of the II. Part. AN Introduction of particular Instances of Thoughts suited to their several Subjects according to Scripture Rule .. 1. In thinking of Scripture it self 2. Of Our Selves 3. Of others 4. Of Creature-comforts 5. Of Ordinances 6. Of Sin 7. Of Holiness 8. Of Afflictions 9. Of Temptations 10. Of Persecutions 11. Of the present Condition of Life 12. Of the present Time of Life 13. Of Death 14. Of Judgment 15. Of Eternity 16. Of Angels Evil Good 17. Above all in Thinking of GOD. To have High Thoughts and Sweet Thoughts but in all points Regular and Scriptural Of his Being Highness Holiness Unshangeableness Unity yet Trinity in Unity Eternity Omnipresence Omniscience Omnipotence Invisibility Terribleness and just Severity Truth Verity Loveliness and Goodness not only in his sparing Mercies and means of Grace but even in His Judgments and Destruction of the ungodly in the First Covenant especially in the New Covenant of Grace richest Theme for thoughts CHRIST the Objeâ—t of Gods Eternal thoughts and of all good mens of Old and of Angels though Men otherwise concerned in Him than They. Immanuel God with us makes All in God Ours Justice Holiness Highness c. Gods Love in Christs Incarnation Suffering The Necessity and Excellent Vertue of Christs Death Right thoughts of Christs righteousness Imputed High thoughts of Christ sweet thoughts of Christ Holy thoughts of Christ as tho great Enemy of Sin though Friend of Sinners right thoughts of God the Holy Ghost High thoughts of God the Spirit in his Essence Subsistence and Operations Sweet thoughts of him and our high Obligations to Him the finishing work in mans Salvation the Spirits Holy Ghost the great Promise of the New Testament as Christ of the Old Fruits of the Spirit sweet Thoughts For God must be Scriptural as well as Of God Conclusion Exhorting to Self-reflection by and upon Our thoughts Giving Motives and Rules for keeping thoughts RIGHT THE Second Part. WHICH Contains an Induction of particular Instances of Thoughts suited to their several Subjects according to Scripture-Rule and concludes with an Exhortation to self-Reflection and Motives and Rules for keeping Thoughts Right NOw then supposing a Man have a right Rule for his thoughts and right thoughts of the Rule The great inquiry for the tryal of thoughts is whether they be suited to their several Subjects according to that Rule Right thoughts of Scripture Adoro Scripturae plenitudinem Tertul. cont Hermog See B. Tayler's Dissuasive from Popery 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. John 5.39 As for Example Sect. I. IN thinking of SCRIPTURE that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All divinely inspired and a sufficient Rule in all things pertaining to God and our Souls Able to make the man of God perfect throughly furnished to every good work able to make wise to Salvation and therefore to be searched by every one that desires to be Saved Search the Scriptures saith our Saviour for in them ye think to have Eternal Life and they are They that testifie of Me. Now to think otherwise of Scripture then we are taught by it is to think strangely of it which is a thing the great God takes strangely at their hands that do it a dishonour done to our Spiritual MAGNA CHARTA the great Charrer of our Salvation I have WRITTEN to Him saith God the GREAT THINGS of my Law Hosea 8.12 but they counted them as a strange thing Great things indeed
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
saith the Holy Ghost If the Blood of Bulls and â—oats and the sprinkling them that are unclean Sanctifie as to the purifying of the Flesh how much more shall the Blood of Christ c. purge your Conscience c. And that the Thoughts of the Old Testament-Believers ran so much upon Davids especially his very Dying Thoughts ran of this 2 Sam. 23.1 as appears by his last words Although mine House be not so with God yet God hath made a Covenant with me Ordered in all things and sure this is All my Salvation Verse 5. and All my desire c. Blessed be God what ever is out of Order the Covenant of Grace is Ordered in All things and sure my help and my hope is not in my self or in any thing of my own 't is laid up elsewhere in better keeping One shall say Isaiah 45.24 IN the Lord I have strength and I have Righteousness and IN the Lord the whole House of Israel that is Verse 25. all that ever shall have Peace shall be Justified and shall Glory thus Isaiah So Jeremy speaking of the Church Jer. 33.16 He that shall call her is The Lord Our Righteousness So Daniel Now therefore O our God Dan. 9.17 Ezek. 14.14 hear the Prayer of thy Servant c. and cause thy face to shine c. for the Lords Sake You see Daniel who is reckon'd by the Holy Ghost with Noah and Job one of the best men that ever was hath not a Thought of any Acceptance or Audience from any Righteousness or Works of his Own but onely for Christs sake Lord do it saith he for the Lords sake 2 Cor. 12.12 1 Cor. 15.10 Acts 24.16 Nay S. Paul that came behind no Man and Laboured more abundantly than All that exercised himself alwayes to have a Conscience void of Offence both towards God and towards all Men that Beat down his Body to bring it in Subjection c. 1 Cor. 9.27 2 Cor. 11.22 to the end R m. 4. chap. Rom 5. chap. In a word Wherein-soever any might seem to have any thing to boast He had more yet you find no man more triumphing in an Imputed Righteousness by FAITH GRACE FREE GIFT No man more abasing nay abhorring the very Thought of all self-wrought Righteousness not of Works saith He Eph. 2.9 least any man should boast but sweeping down throughout his writings especially the Epistles to the Romans Rom. chap. 5. and 6. Galatians Ephesians the Spiders Web as the Holy Ghost calls all that Hope and Confidence which Man Spins Gal. chap. 2. and 3. Eph. chap. 2. Job 8.14 as it were out of his own Bowels nay disclaiming all compoundings and blendings in the business of Justification He will have nothing there but a Christ apprehended and received through Faith and that too not of our selves Eph. 2.8 Rom. 11.6 but the Gift of God for saith He If it be of Grace it is no more of Works or else Grace were no more Grace but if it be of Works it is no more of Grace else Work were no more Work And how plain and indeed terrible is that Text What shall We say then Rom. 9.30 that the Gentiles which followed not Righteousness have attained unto Righteousness even the Righteousness which is of Faith Verse 31.32 But Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousness hath not attained to the Law of Righteousness Wherefore because they sought it not By Faith but as it were by the works of the Law for they have stumbled at the stumbling stone as it is written Verse 33. Behold I will lay in Sion a stumbling stone and a Rock of Offence And every one that Believeth in Him shall not be ashamed Let Papists then mock on and call this Imputed Righteousness a Putative or an imaginary Righteousness yet what is to them Foolishne's 1 Pet. 2.6 Philip 3.3 and to many a stumbling stone let it be to thee O my Soul a Foundation Rejoyce thou in Jesus and have thou no confidence in the Flesh Sect. XXXVII Pâ—â—l 2.6 7 8. Hâ—â—h thou his of Christ BUt then as God hath Highly exalted Him that was Humbled being equal with God yet in shape of a Man even to the Death of the Cross so think that if ever thou hope for benefit by Him thy Life and thy Lips must exalt Him and thine Heart and thy Thoughts above all not that thou canst add to but must own his Greatness and his Glory nay though thou hadst known Christ after the Flesh 2 Câ—â— 5.16 yet henceforth know him so no more Away with low Thoughts carnal conceptions of Jesus Christ who though He were Crucified through weakness yet is raised in Power 1 Cor. 14.4 Isaiah 62.1 Heb. 11.34 yea in the greatness of his strength became weak that out of weakness thou mightest be made strong for if the Christian can say by believing in Christ when I am weak then am I strong and can Glory in his Infirmities 2 Cor. 12.9 10. that the power of Christ may rest upon him well may he Glory in Christ whose Glory in the very dayes of his infirmity they that saw him beheld as the Glory of the onely begotten Son of God John 1.4 for whilst he dwelt among Men in the body of his Flesh The Fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily Colos 2.9 Rom 9 5. And O how awful and stupendious a thought it is that Gods Benjamin should be this Ben-oni Nay the Blessed God himself This man of Sorrows Isaiah 53.3 and 9.6 Gal 4 4. Isaiah 53.8 Gal. 4.4 The Eternal Father the Son of his Hand-maid made of a Woman The Mighty God a Child born so saith Scripture but who shall declare his Generation The Law-Maker made under the Law that He might make satisfaction to the Law and Fulfil all Righteousness both by Doing and by Dying by Serving and Suffering Matth. 3.15 Rev. 19.16 Mat. 20.29 The Lord of Lords came to Minister And He that gives Life to All to give his Life a Ransome for many Stupendious Thought may I well call it that my GOD should become GOEL my near Kinsman by Incarnation and gain Right of Redemption as to those in whom he had a right of Creation for which Cause He is not ashamed to call them Brethren Hebr. 2 11. That the Infinite should be Confined and Content in the Womb though not Contained in the World Pellibus exiguis Ingens arctatur JESUS That a strait low-roof'd Virgin-Cell Should lodge th' Incomprehensible That the Eternal God should be Born Isaiah 9.6 Matth. 28.6 Luke 2.7 and the Immortal God buried after a Life of Sorrow and a Death of Shame That the Majesty of God should take up with a Stable for a Presence Chamber Mat. 2.11 and 27.29 Verse 2. and a Manger for a Throne where Wise-men must come and worship Him a wreath of Thornes for a Crown
as a Builder and as an In-dweller to mortifie and to quicken to Convince and to Comfort to teach and to bring to remembrance to guide into the way to uphold in the way and lead to the end to be the earnest of their Inheritance and the Witness of their Son-ship the seal and the sealer wherewith and whereby they are sealed unto the day of Redemption by whom they have an access to the Father who are also an habitation of God through the spirit Such are the undoubted Operations of the Spirit in those that shall be saved for hereby we know that we dwell in Him and He in us because He hath given us his Spirit And therefore take heed good Reader of reviling any of these workings or of scoffing at the words for surely we cannot but think that the Holy Ghost knows best how to express his own workings O think of this Hebr. 10.62 that despight done to the Children of Grace supposeth a Trampling under foot the Son of God And truly one would think one might say in this Case as Ahasuerus did in another who is he and where is he that durst presume in his heart to do so Hestr 7.5 O Tremble good Christian at the very Thought of such a thing that the Holy Spirit of God should be grieved or vexed by the sons of Men Eph. 4.30 Isaiah 63.10 but especially that any should presume to Blaspheme him And let this serious thought dwell with thee That it is the Sin against the Spirit of Grace that excludes from Grace to Repent of SIN Thou therefore that bowest the knee at Our Father and at the Name Jesus Remember that there is a Third who together with the Father and the Son is to be worshiped and glorified Sect. XLIII High thoughts of our Obligations to the Spirit TO proceed He that hath Right Thoughts of the Spirit thinks himself alike beholding to the spirit as to the Father and the Son in the business of his salvation for to the working of the Father and the Son both which are Great and Glorious in Mans salvation there must be added the supply of the spirit For God hath chosen us to salvation Phil. 2.19 as well through sanctification of the spirit 2 Thes 1.13 John 14.16 as through the Belief of the Truth And therefore saith Christ I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that He may abide with you for ever even the spirit of Truth c. And again It is expedient for you that I go away And 16.7 that I may send Him to you It is expedient that 's a great word He saith not onely it will be as well for you if He come to you as if I had stayed with you but it is expedient for you that I go that He may come As in works that must pass through more hands then one it is Expedient that the First hand be taken off that the Finishing hand may come The finishing work in mans Salvation the Spirits work And therefore the Finishing work is the Spirits work The Father by his Mercy The Son by his Merit and Mediation and the Spirit of the Father and the Son by his Indwelling as these Three are One in themselves so in Mans salvation which Scripture saith is in the Son 1 John 5.11 John 3.16 John 15.21 given us by the Father but sent us home by the spirit When the Comforter is come saith Christ whom I will send to you from the Father even the spirit of Truth He shall testify of Me. The Grace of Our Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 13.14 and the Love of God is brought home to us and We to it by the Communion of the Holy Ghost The Son by his Incarnation which was the Work which his Father gave him to do brought Heaven Down to us John 17.4 and the spirit in our Regeneration wherein we are said to be Born of the spirit makes us his Temples and Gods Habitations and builds us up to Heaven John 3.8 Eph. 2.21 22. Hebr. 9.14 Ephes 1.6 The Son Offers up himself and makes us acceptable to a just God through his comliness that is to say his Righteousness put upon us And there is also an Offering up of us a making of us amiable to an Holy God by the Holy Spirit Rom. 15.16 That the Offering up of the Gentiles saith the Apostle might be Acceptable being sanâ—tified by the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 6.8 Hebr. 8.6 The Maker of the New Covenant is the Father The Mediator of it is the Son And the great Matter of it is the Spirit for this is the sum of All I will put my spirit within you Ezek. 36.2 who is therefore called the holy spirit of Promise Eph. 1.13 Holy Spirit the great New Testament promise Luke 2.25 Acts 1.4 Verse 7.8 For as the Coming of the Messiah was the Great Hope and Expectation of the Fathers of the Old Testament which is therefore called a waiting for the Consolation of Israel so the coming of the Holy Ghost in the New and therefore called a waiting for the Promise of the Father And therefore when the Primitive Disciples were curiously inquisitive and desirous of the Knowledge of the Times and Seasons Our Gracious Saviour who best knew what was best for them confines them to and comforts them with this Expectation that the Holy Ghost should come upon them And Oh that many whole vehement Desires run out that way viz. after knowledge of times and seasons would endeavour more for the sweet Influences and Incomes of the Holy Ghost Fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 23. whose Fruits saith the Apostle are Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance against which there is no Law Sect. XLIV Blessed fruit O Blessed Fruit of the thrice-Blessed Spirit for this was the Blessing of Abraham come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ Gal. 3.14 even that we might receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith The Fruit that undid us was Forbidden Fruit Gen. 3.17 Chap. 2.17 Rom. 8.2 and 6.22 Fruit against Law but against such there is no Law Man Eating of that Fruit was to die the Death but this Spirit of Life makes us free from the Law of Death so that now We have our fruit unto holiness and the end Everlasting Life Sweet Fruit. 2 Cor. 3.17 Sweet Fruit may I well say if Life be sweet or Liberty for where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty or if Peace be sweet or Love lovely or Joy joyous Or if these be not enough here is Temperance Meekness Faith Goodness c. We may say here as 't is said in the Canticles at our good are all manner of pleasant fruits Cant. 7.13 Here I am sure I may say and not beguile my Reader Gen. 3.6 are fruits pleasant to the Eyes and good for Food for the Kingdom