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
went out to meet God God will take notice whether our hearts set rightly out with him though after in the journey we may for some season loose our way Thus saith the Lord I remember thee the kindness of thy youth the love of thine Espousals when thou â—entest after me Psalm 110.7 c. Christ hath a dew of youth in a gracious heart as well as Holy Church and this Divine and early dew of pretious thoughts is fairest when freshest Coin fairest out of the Mint-house as from the Womb of the morning Gods Coin is brightest when it first comes out of the Mint-house of mans heart for such is mans Mind a Mint-house for thoughts when it passeth farther it comes to be discoloured to contract blackness especially by lying for some time in the Earth and so sometimes to grow suspicable to others perhaps hardly discernable to our selves without much rubbing c. Repentance and Reformation yet if it were right for mettal and stamp at its first setting out when we our selves dare hardly trust it yet God that knows its Original will own it It is said of King Asa 2 Chro. 15.17 that his heart was perfect all his dayes perfect with the Lord yet the poor man took many a wrong and wretched step 1 King 15.14 for a man of a right heart yea how was Gods stamp sometimes as it were worne off little left of his Image or Superscription to be seen for besides that the high places were not remoâ—ed which was a blot upon his Government In the business of Baasha 2 Chron. 16. Verse 8.19 He relyed on the King of Syria and relyed not on the Lord his God And when he that had eminent experience of God in the business of the Ethiopians and Lubims had done thus foolishly and Hanani the Seer had reproved him faithfully Verse 10. he was wroth yea in a rage with him and put him in Prison and oppressed some of the people at the same time nay in the very evening of his dayes and towards his very Eâ—â—t 't is said that in his Disease he sought not to the Lord Verse 13. â— but to the Physitians yet there was something found at bottom notwithstanding all this Contrariwise 2 Chrâ— 25.2 Amazia did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but saith God not with a perfect heart Like some counteâ—se pieces now abroad that being â—ased or plated over with Silver are observed to have fewer cracks and flaws in the Edges perhaps than the Kings own Coin and yet they are but Copper-hearted The gratious soul is the Spouse of Christ Cant. 6.8 who as she is attended with a number of Holy and Royal affections as so many Queens so also with pure thoughts as with Virgin without number And our Heavenly Solomon eyes them most that wait next and immediately as it were upon his Queens person now our thoughts as you have heard they he next to our hearts Sect. XIII Fifthly IT cannot but be granted that God judgeth as man cannot We look at each others outsides God judges as man cannot therefore by the thoughts Luke 6.45 Prov. 26.23 1 Sam. 16.7 and oftentimes are not deceived for ordinarily the abundance of the heart will break out either some tiâ—e or other by the tongues clinking what the heart thinks as the Proverb hath it or some way or other so that the wary observer may come to discern the Potsheard notwithstanding the covering of Silver dross oft times I say but not alwayes That 's Gods Prerogative so the Lord seeth not as man seeth How then for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart We hear mens words He seeth their thoughts we weigh their Actions and Appearances Prov. 24.12 Chap. 16.2 the Lord ponders their hearts and weigheth their spirits as the wise man speaks In the Levitical Law the Swan was pronounced unclean a Bird whose Feathers are excceeding white Lev. 11.18 God judges most by what is in most 2. Cor. 11.14 Maâ— 23.27 Verse 28. Verse 25. but her Skin black God judgeth most by what is In-most God can easily discern the trans-formed Devil under the Angel of Light the rottenness within through the whited Tomb and painted Sepulchre Wee unto you Hypocrites saith Christ for ye make clean the outside of the Cup and of the Platter but within they are fâ—ll of Extortion and Excess Even so ye also appear outwardly righteous unto men but within ye are full of Hypocrisy and Iniquity Oh what horrid Spectacles were the most of men even of many that desire to make a fair shew in the flesh Gal. 6.12 as the Apostle speaks if their Insides were but turned out-side But alas They are all out-side to him that is All eye Sect. XIV Conscience Gods Deputy judgeth by our Thoughts Rom 2 13. Verse 16. LAstly That God sentenceth and Dooms us by our Thoughts is hereby evident in that Conscience that is Gods Vicegerent in mans brest doth so which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience bearing witness and their Thoughts the mean while accusing or excusing one another it follows In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel God and Christ and the Gospel they will judge men by their Consciences and their Consciences they will judge them by their Thoughts in the great day Judge we therefore our selves now as then we must be judged CHAP. V. Disc vers what those Right Thoughts are that are the Righteous mans Evidence and how to be known Sect. I. Objection Psal 64.6 Jer. 17.9 BUt alas may some one say Is not Mans heart a great deep and desperately wicked and deceiptful above all things I am afraid of Judging my self by my Thoughts of my self least I should Mis-judge of my self finding my self so apt to think amiss doth not the Apostle speak of some that measuring themselves by themselves are not wise 2 Cor. 10.12 Prov. 16 2. and 21. 2. There is so much Pride Partiality and Self-love that almost every way of man will seem clean and right in his own eye if his own Thoughts may but be his Judges Why all this is true Solution Not what Thoughts we have of our selves but in our selves Gal. 6.3 4. yet all that hath been said before true also We never said that every mans Case is as his thoughts are of himself but yet by his thoughts that are In himself he may come to discover his own state For if a man Think himself to be something saith the Apostle when he is nothing he deceiveth himself But yet let every man prove his own works and then he shall have rejoycing In himself alone and not in another This he speaks in respect of Sincerity not of Righteousness or Justification in the sight of God for of the later he saith we rejoyâ—e only in Jesus
set their Hearts aright have a marvailous advantage in point of consistency and as to the stability of their good thoughts even from their Natural temper whereas some others in Constitution sanguine and more symbolizing with the Air their minds seem commonly volatile and so their thoughts more fluid and less fixed be the habit of their Minds Difference of natural constitution may appear as in conversion or Objects of their Thoughts good or evil Now this difference of Natural constitution occasions many mistakes in the spiritual judging of Mens Estates A man may be very serious yet not Religious though John Baptist was naturally 't is probable very austere John came saith Christ neither eating nor drinking Mar. 11.28 and another man may be very pleasant and yet not vain and it would seem our Saviours Natural bodily temper was differing from the Baptists and disposed him to a complaisant conversation Verse 29. The Son of Man came eating and drinking for even in that sence his delights were with the Sons of Men Rejoycing in the habitable parts of the Earth The Hebrew word signifies sporting Prov. 8.5 and so the Margin reads it and yet he was the pattern of all Perfection And as in Conversation So in thoughts so in thoughts the Natural temper may if not attended occasion dangerous mistakes in judging the spiritual state Take an instance in two whom I take to be Eminent Saints King Solomon and the Apostle Paul Instance in King Solomon and St. Paul concerning the later none doubt nor dare I of the former who was Gods Iedidiah from whom God saith he will never take his mercy A Pen-man of Holy Writ and so numbred by the Apostle among the Holy men of God a grand Type of Christ and one of those Prophets of whom Christ saith expresly that all the Prophets are in the Kingdom of God Luke 15 2â— yet I suppose a vast difference in the Natural temper of these two excellent men Paul no doubt was of great natural resolution Acts 26 9â— and fixation I verily thought saith he of himself before his Conversion that I ought to do many things against the Name of Jesus Verse 10 11. which thing also I did in every Synagogue He never alters his mind as we say never changeth his thoughts never turns nor ever would had not God overturned him but then when God called him by his Grace and set the Watch right Oh! this Natural temper of His was an Excellent Ballance and kept the motion admirably What do you mean saith he to weep and break mine heart Acts 21.17 I am ready not onely to be bound but to Die for the Name of Jesus And when he would not be perswaded say they we ceased c. You see He was fixed before Conversion and fixed after for Grace rather useth then altereth Nature though it cures its corruption But now Solomon He was naturally I question not of a more Airy Constitution and so of a more doubtful mind as our Saviours Phrase is which He borrowes from the Aiery Meteors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 12.30 which are now here and now there and you can hardly find them fixed any where and so His thoughts more fluid and volatile flying up and down from one thing to a contrary thing from Wisdom Eccles 2.2 to Wine to Women to Madness to Folly yea from one thing to a thousand things Even from the Cedar of Lebanon to the Hyssop upon the Wall and being naturally like Reuben unstable as water his Wives turned away his heart 1 Kings 11.4 and the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the Lord God of Israel which had appeared unto him twice and yet there was a well of Water after all this springing up in Him to Everlasting Life for you may see what was in the bottom of his heart what his deepest thoughts were by what you find in the bottom of his Book of Penitence and Recantation Let us hear saith He the CONCLUSION of the matter FEAR GOD Eccles 12.15 and keep his Commandments c. Now All is well We say that ends well Sect. IV. THis then to shut up this scrutiny is that which we are most accurately to observe amongst all that variety not only of Temptations Conclusion of the Rule but of Tempers and consequently of Thoughts Purposes and Resolutions Psal 94.14 Several instances of good thoughts at bottom working out evil thoughts Isaiah 8.13 if as David saith in another respect In the multitude of our thoughts within us We can find Divine and gracious Thoughts to be deepest in our Soul As to add to the instance forementioned when our slight Thoughts of God and slavish fear of Man and thoughts of sinful security as to our selves are wrought out by our sanctifying the Lord God in our hearts and making him our FEAR as the Prophet speaks When ones high thoughts of himself who is ready to say in his heart Deut. 8.17 My power and the might of my hand hath â—otten me this wealth are removed by remembrance of the Lord God Verse 18. and that it is he that gives power to get wealth When our self-justifying self-exalting thoughts are taken down and let fall as Job's plumes were by his thoughts of his black feet behold I am vile Job 40.4 what shall I answer thee c. When over-eager thoughts of the world are worn out by thinking on what He saith who hath charged us to take no thought for to morrow Luke 12.22 Matth. 6.34 Prov. 11.4 and over-valuing thoughts of the World by thinking that the world was not Crucified for Us cannot deliver or profit in the day of wrath that labouring for the World is but labouring for the Wind Eccles 5.16 whereof the more a man gâ—asps for the most part the greater are the gripes that their end is Destruction that mind earthly things but especially by Thinking that the Lord hath said Love not the World nor the things of the World for if any man love the World 1 John 2.15 the love of the Father is not in him When Flesh-pleasing thoughts are supplanted by thinking that to be carnally minded is death Romans 8. â— James 5.5 that living in pleasures upon the Earth and being wanton is but the nourishing of the heart as in the day of slaughter that a St. Paul himself must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 9.27 beat down his body and bring it in subjection least he himself should be cast away Phil. 3.8 or when thoughts of the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ come to make a man think other things to be but dogs meat or dung that he may win Christ when the thoughts of the Rivers of pleasures that are at Gods Right hand for evermore do challenge the Heart Jerm 2.18 What hast thou to do in the way of Aegypt to drink
Psal 73.12 Psal 4.9 6. Verse 18. The dispised excellent 1 Cor. 4.13 Psal 16.3 Heb. 11.38 Acts 20.24 Persecution not enough without love 1 Cor. 13 3. as part of a Christians Patrimony Ye shall receive an hundred fold in this life with Persecutions An Honour to be counted worthy to suffer a Gift to be able to suffer as well as to believe to you it is given And therefore he is so far from thinking that he merits by it as that he is but so much the more beholding to God and to Christ for it He thinks losses for Christ and the Gospel to be gain the spoiling of his Goods to be joyfully taken As knowing in himself that he hath in Heaven a better and more induring substance He esteems disgrace for Christ the highest Honour in the World and the Reproach of Christ greater Riches then the Treasures of Aegypt He refuseth to dwell in the Tents of Wickedness to have his portion in this life He chooseth rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God then to enjoy the Pleasures of â—in for a season Those whom men think to be the happy men who call the proud happy having ONLY their portion in this life Those that prosper in the World that increase in Riches that boast of their Wealth that say they are rich and possessed with goods c. Such He thinks Poor and Wretched and Miserable and Blind and Naked And those whom such men think the off-scouring of the World He thinks the Excellent of the Earth And whom they think unworthy to live in the World He thinks that the World is not worthy of them He thinks his Life not too much nor too dear for Christ nay not enough if it want the sincerity of his Love and therefore labours as much that his heart and love be found staming towards him as if he call for it to give his body to be burnt for him Sect. XI Right thoughts of the outward condition of life Prov. 13.8 As fittest for us 2 Sam. 15.4 Hebr. 13.5 Contentment without covetousness Thinking of the promise Psal 23.5 For supply Psal 17.3 IN thinking of his present CONDITION of Life that his lines are fallen in the best place for him that his own food is most convenient for him That Sauls Armour would not suit him That anothers Condition would not fit him not as Absolom O that I were Judge in the Land He thinks it is his duty to be contented with such things as he hath without coveting anothers And thinks it his Relief that the lesse money he hath he may go the more upon trust The less he finds in his purse seek the more in the promise of him that hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee The Lord is his Shepheard and he thinks he shall not want And therefore he will trust in the Lord and do good And he thinks verily he shall be fed or Truth shall be his feeding as some read so that he thinks no man can take away his livelihood unless he can first take away Gods truth Sect. XII Right thoughts of the present time of life 1 Pet. 1.17 Heb. 4.1 To be past in fear that work may be done Phil. 1.12 Jude 23. 1 Cor. 9.24 Luke 16.2 Before time done Time for work Therefore be up and doing 1 Chro. 22.16 A time for every Work Eccles 9.4 Therefore hope while time no room for dispair Eccles 3.1 Time for best purposes Rom. 13.11 Hos 10.12 2 Pet. 1.10 But a time therefore no place for presumption Time pretious measured by moments Ephes 5.16 Right thoughts of death Job 18.14 Chap. 11.20 Eccles 11.3 Luke 16.26 IN thinking of his present TIME of life as the time of his sojourning here and therefore to be passed in fear in fear least he should come short nay or seem to come short at his going out of the World of that which he came into it for the working out of his own Salvation and the saving of others pulling them out of the Fire and both with fear with fear least his day be done before his work be done least his Glass be run before his Race be run least his accounts be required before they be stated with fear and yet in hope that though his time be little and his work great yet if he be up and doing the Lord will be with him And therefore as he that plows plows in hope so he when he prayes prayes in hope and repents in hope c. For to him that is joyned to all the living there is hope So that his fear is a spur to his hope and his hope a bridle to his fear That despair do not run away with him and Cast him quite down for want of hope Nor presumption make him loiter and loose both his time and his soul for want of Fear He thinks there is a time for every purpose under Heaven And therefore thinks he can I find a time for Eating and Drinking and Sleeping Buying and Selling Building and Planting Marrying and giving in Marriage and is there not a time nay a high time to awake out of sleep A time to seek the Lord to make my calling and election sure c. surely there is a time therefore there is hope And no room for desperation And but a time therefore no place for Presumption But a time and therefore that time is most pretious God measuring it to us only by moments as we do pretious Liquors by drops and therefore to be redeemed and so imployed in looking out for a pretious Christ and in looking after the pretious Soul Sect. XIII IN thinking of DEATH to the Unbelievers and Hypocrites as a King of Terrors a grave of their hopes which will then be as the giving up of the Ghost as the falling of the Tree that must lie till judgment as then it falls No work there nor devise no wisdom no calling upon God with hope of help or promise of pardon As the fixing of the gulf no passing no returning from a state of torment no means of Grace no hope of Glory any more as a cruel Jaylor haling the Soul to the dreadful Tribunal of God and then to the Tormenter and Executioner even to him that hath the Power of Death the Devil Hebr. 2.14 And alas how many thousands of black yea bloody self-murthering mouths shall then come to have their woful wishes before they thought of it when God shall damn them and the Devil take them But to the Righteous that hath hope in his death â— King of Terrors too Prov. 14.32 To the godly what but with a broken Scepter A Serpent but without a sting A ghastly countenance with an open mouth but without teeth A sturdy Porter yet standing only to open them their Fathers door The Saints Bed-maker Isa 52.10 Hos 13.4 Col. 3.41 hard-handed yet that makes their Beds soft and easy An Enemy frighted into a Friend by him that is the
yet but One Sun or to come nearer both to the Thing and Himself He thinks perhaps of the Soul in his Body where he finds an Understanding Will and Memory yet but One Soul But alas thinks he these are short shadows and dark resemblances of so great and high a Mystery for that light is not the Sun though it be Sun-light c. and that Understanding is not the Soul but the Souls understanding power or faculty But Jesus Christ is the LORD and the holy Spirit is GOD and yet to us there is but One God and One Lord. But this He thinks 1 Cor. 8.6 All in God GOD. That All that is IN God Eternally Imminently Unchangeably must needs be God As verily He thinks that GOD IS And that God the Father hath a perfect KNOWLEDGE of himself in himself God knowâ— himself This also He cannot but Think and that this Knowledge WISDOM Wisdom Prov. 8.22 23 25. John 1.1 Word Ver. 30. Image of God Hebr. 1.3 Loves Himself Fathers love to the Son declared by the Holy Ghost Verse 16. or WORD is God because it is IN the Father who is God And further that He cannot but LOVE himself whom He thus Knows and seeth in that express Image of Himself begotten in Himself and this Image or begotten WORD being in God and therefore being God cannot love God again And this Infinite Mutable liking Loving and good will Proceeding from Both and being in Both cannot but be what Both are viz. GOD. Thus We see when there was a visible manifestation of the Divine complacency with a loud voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased The Word being now made Flesh It was made by the Descending of the Holy Ghost like a Dove from the Father and resting on the Son But Alas after all thinks He of Himself who is he that hideth Counsel without knowledge Mystery exceeding thought Yet is to be thought for God is able to do above thought Eph. 3.26 Therefore is above thought Trinity one in working yet each his peculiar work John 5.17 19 20 21. Phil. 1.19 compared with 4.19 God onely properly Eâ—câ—â—â—â— Psal 106 48. Therefore have I thought that I understood not things too wonderful for me which I knew not God hath indeed told me that THESE THREE are ONE And if I cannot tell how to think it yet I will think it For seeing Scripture teacheth me to Think that he is able to Do exceeding abundantly above all that I can think well may I Think that He Is above All that I can Think And therefore though it be above my thought 't is the fitter seeing He saith it to be thought of him that is so much above me These three thus gloriously but mysteriously coequally coessentially and coeternally One must be thought also to be One in Working as well as Being and yet each one to have his own peculiar work Thus Gods supplying by Jesus Christ is called the supply of the Spirit Sect. XXI THis God We must think an ETERNAL Being and nothing properly Eternal but God Created Spirits Angels and Souls of men and the bodies of these raised Spiritual bodies at the last day being Onely Eâ—erlasting But from Everlasting to Everlasting thou are God Art not thou from Everlasting Psalm 90.2 Hab. 1.12 Isaiah 48.12 O Lord my God And as if God were making answer to this Question saith He Hearken O Jacob and Israel my Called I am he I am the First I also am the Last Chap. 44.6 Verse 8. Jerem. 2.32 I am the First I am the Last and besides Me there is no God and after saith he Is there any I know not any There is no Eternal no First and Last but God onely Hebr. 7.3 And therefore Our First Thoughts and Our Last Thoughts yea and all our Thoughts should be of him and for him Thoughts should be Lasting where the Theme is Everlasting But O burning shame that We should forget him dayes without number who hath neither Beginning of Dayes nor end of Life but is Eternal Sect. XXII THoughts also must be holy and Reverend of the Infinite Immensity Gods Immensâ— omnipresence filling all things Psalm 33.5 as well as Eternity of this one true God His OMNIPRESENCE filling all things Hell with his glorious Justice and Severity Heaven with the glory of his Grace Earth with his Goodness Patience and Providence If I ascend up into heaven thou art there Psal 139.8 9. If I make my Bed in hell behold thou art there If I dwell in the utmost parts of the Sea even there shall thy hand lead me Jer. 23.23 24. Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not a God afar off Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord do I not fill heaven and earth saith the Lord. And 't is repeated so that the Lord saith this because vain men do so little think of this Thus doth he fill all things but is contained of none Contained of none 2 Chron. 6.18 But will in very deed dwell with men on earth behold heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee Alas How should it Can a Man be contained in his own span My right hand hath spanned the heavens Isaiah 48.13 saith God Alas how little can Our very hearts hold or Our Thoughts contain of this Great God! now the less we can comprehend the more and the greater should our Admiring Thoughts be Sect. XXIII God All-wise omniscient HE is also to be Holily and Reverently remembred in the Immensity of his Wisdome and OMNISCIENCE as well Omni-presence That He is All Wise Knows Us. 1 John 3.20 as well as Onely-Wise that knows us better then we know our own Hearts who is greater then our hearts and KNOWS all things He knows whereof we are made Our frame Psal 103.14 Psal 139.16 Our Sins Job 13 27. Chap. 14.16 17. his eyes did see our substance being yet imperfect He books our members He knows wherein we have sinned he looks narrowly to all our paths and sets a print upon the heels or as the Hebrew upon the Roots of our feet And as he books our Members so he bags â—our Sins Thou numbrest my steps dost thou not watch over my sin my transgression is sealed up in a bag and thou sowest up mine Iniquity But then he knows our Sorrows too as well as our Sins Our sorrows Psal 56.8 thou tellest my wandrings put thou my tears into thy Bottle Thou seest how I have Sinned observe how I mourn and indeed he doth so I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself Jer. 31.18 I saw him sinning and I hear him groaning He that hath a Book for our Members a Bag for our Sins hath a Bottle also for our tears He knows our Soul in Sin and he hath saith David known my Soul in adversity Psal 31.7 Our need Matth. 6.8
Job 23.10 2 Pet. 2.9 All Man 1 Cor. 3.20 Isaiah 2.15 So that he knows also whereof we have need Our heavenly Father doth so even before we ask as he knows our sins before we confess He knows the way that we take and he knows what way to take with us He knows how to deliver if we be Righteous And how to reserve the wicked to the day of Judgment to be punished He knows the Thoughts of the wise the way that they take yea though they dig deep to hide their Counsel from the Lord and knows too how to take them in that way that they take 1 Cor. 3.19 so that the Wisdom of the World is foolishness with God as it is written he taketh the wise in their own craftiness Knows how to bring good out of sin Be they Men or Devils We must think him a God so holy as that he would never suffer Sin in the World and so Pittiful and Gracious that he would never suffer sorrows and sufferings on his Saints Sufferings but that he is a God so WISE that he knows how to bring Glory to himself and good to his Chosen out of All to break Leviathans heads Psal 74.14 and to make it Food for his People As the Apothecary would never suffer so many Poysons in his shop but that he knows one way or other how to make them to conduce to the honour of his Art And good of his Patient for known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the World Acts 15.18 And his wayes are higher then our wayes because his Thoughts are also higher then our Thoughts as the heavens are high above the earth Isaiah 15.18 Isaiah 55.9 Chap. 40.28 James 1.5 Job 13.3 Psalm 2. Psalm 9.12 Psalm 16.11 Psalm 43.3 So that there is no searching out of his understanding And therefore think If any man want wisdom he is to ask it of God Would I know my Sins Lord make me to know my Transgression and my Sin Would I know the measure of my dayes how frail I am Lord make me to know my end so teach me to number my dayes as that I may apply my heart unto wisdom would I know thy Path of Life Lord shew it me In thy light I shall see light O send out therefore thy light and thy truth let them lead me and bring me to thy holy â—â—ll O thou Father of lights James 1.5 in whom there is no darkness at all Seeing therefore that we are to light our Fire at this SUN this Parent of Lights 1 John 1.5 All wisdom to be fought of God but only in means and measure prescribed 2 Tim. 3.15 Rom. 12.3 who affords us the Burning Glass of his Word for our help herein We are to think thus surely of his Wisdom if we will think of it rightly That as we are to be thankful for the Means so contented with the Measures of KNOWING that he prescribes and allows inasmuch as they are such as are able to make us WISE to Salvation for he hath expresly cautioned us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ne quis sapiat supra quam oportet c. for so Beza uulg. c. not to be wise above what we ought but to be wise unto sobriety I know indeed that there is in corrupted man a Natural desire to KNOW Rom. 1.25 but it is to study the Creature more then the Creator who is blessed for ever to pursue the Science of other things whilest the EXCELLENCY of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord Phil. 3.8 is neglected All which Natural Knowledge should designedly be made subservient to such a Spiritual end as the holy Psalmist pursues in his ASTRONOMICAL Observations Psal 8.3 4. When I consider saith he THY heavens the work of thy Fingers the Moon and Stars which thou hast ordained What is Man that thou art mindful of him c. But when Solomon himself who knew more 1 Kings 4.29 Eccles 2.12 in Naturals then any meer Man since Adam casts up the total sum he tells you that what he did arrive at by all this knowledg was to know this that the increase thereof is the increase of sorrow Chap. 1.18 and most notorious it is that ever since who so comes nearest to him in that point of knowledge Troublesomeness and uncertainty of natural lawful knowledge doth so likewise in that part of experience Alas how long have some of us been learning how ignorant we are And how great is his Wisdom that hath lock'd up from us in the intricate labyrinths of vexatious uncertainty the knowledge of that which he finds so apt to draw us from him who make so little right use of so much that is clearly revealed being sufficient in its kind to draw us to him We know where it is said Deut. 29.29 that secret things belong to God but things that are revealed belong to us and to our Children that it is not for US to KNOW the times and seasons that the Father hath put into his own power Acts 1.7 2 Pet 2.18 But grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ John 17.3 Sinfulness of affecting to know by familiar spirits Wizards Isaiah 8.19 for this is life Eternal c. But besides a natural and lawful if duely moderated and ordered Desire of natural knowledge there is a desire of knowing such things and by such means as we are to think sinful and Satanical being no way approved in the Word or the Wisdom of God such is theirs who seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto Wizards that peep and that mutter as 't is expressed by the Prophet Isaiah or that use divination Ezek. 21.21 that consult with Teraphim that look into the liver that is the intrails of Birds or Beasts c. as Ezekiel speaks to direct actions or foretel future events thereby Judicial Astrology Isaiah 47.13 So also we find a severe and black brand fastened by the Scripture upon ASTROLOGERS Star-gazers and Monethly Prognosticators and such as are drawn by them from their sole Dependencies upon God 1 Tim. 6.20 for admit we forbear to say that here is Science falsly so called as the Apostle speaks whose Principles and Conclusions are certainly uncertain It s uncertainty and delusory for the Conjunctions and Aspects of the STARS being the same when divers Children are conceived or born in the same Place and instant of Time as in some great and Populous Cities how come they to divers and contrary Fortunes to use their own phrase some to live longer others under the same Stars to die sooner some to live and die in Wealth Honour and Prosperity Others born in the same article of time and under as auspitious and benigne a Planet to a life of Misery and a death of Shame or to add that undeniable experience frequently confutes the most positive
Predictions from the most acurately erected Schemes and of the most confident Practitioners and Masters in these curious Arts Admit I say Pernitiousness Curiosity of forbidden knowledge Out first Ruine Gen. 3.6 that some gratification might indeed be expected to the curiosity and pride of Knowing more then others or then otherwise we could possibly arrive unto say the Tree were to be desired to make one WISE yet methinks the Burnt Children of EVE should Dread that Fire that God will certainly make even of a Tree of KNOWLEDGE if a Forbidden Tree Verse 17. and certainly were the BOOK of GOD admitted in its power into the hearts and minds of Men it would bring such BOOKS OF CURIOUS ARTS Acts 19.19 as the prevailing Gospel sometimes did to be burned in the Fire instead of the Authors and such as trust to them who are except they repent doom'd to the same Condemnation by the same Book of God Isaiah 47.13 14. for of Astrologers Star-gazers and monethly Prognosticators saith God by the Prophet BEHOLD they shall he as Stubble the Fire shall burn them c. read also Deut. 8. to 16. Sect. XXIV Omnipotent Job 42.2 TO have High Holy and Reverend Thoughts of Gods OMNIPOTENCE as well as Omnipresence and Omniscience He fills all things and knows all things and saith Job â— know O Lord that thou canst do every thing and that no thought can be with-holden from thee or as it is read in the Margin no thought of thine can be hindred mine cannot be hid thine cannot be hindred Seeing now saith God that I even I am he and there is no God with me Deut. 32.39 I kill and I make alive I wound and I heal neither is there any that can deliver out of mine hand and thinks the Believing Soul further neither is there any that can hinder thy hand from delivering Isaiah 43.10 11 13. Ye are my Witnesses I even I am the Lord and besides me there is no Saviour Yea before the day was I am be and there is none that can deliver out of my hand I will work and who shall let it He and He only hath power after the body is killed to cast the Body and Soul into hell therefore we should fear him Num. 14.17 He also He onely speaks in Righteousness mighty to save and therefore we should trust in him Sin would hinder the great guilt of Sin but saith Faith let the power of my Lord be great in pardoning sin Sin would hinder the Dominion and prevailing power of sin and O thinks the Soul 't is impossible I should ever be rid of such strong Lusts that my proud heart should be made humble my froward heart be made patient and meek my filthy heart made clean my worldly heart made heavenly but thinks Faith what things are impossible with Men Mat. 12.26 Rom. 6.14 Micah 7.19 Jer. 32.14 Amoâ— 5.12 are possible with God who hath said that Sin shall not have Dominion over us and that He subdueth our Sins under us who hath great power and a stretched out Arm and there is nothing too hard for him no not an hard heart In one word it thinks Sin Mighty but God Almighty Genesis 17.1 Satan a Principality and a Power but the God of Peace able to bruise Satan under the weak feet of the Saints Ephes 6.22 Rom. 16.20 Revel 13.3 And 17.6 and to do it shortly Antichrist Rampant The Woman upon the scarlet Beast Triumphant especially when All the World is wondering after the Beast yea the Saints wondring though with abhorrency and yet even then He thinks that in one hour he shall utterly fall Revel 18.8 and be destroyed Everlastingly because strong is the Lord GOD that judgeth her 1 Cor. 1.26 He hath chosen the weak things of the World to confound the Mighty He calleth the things that are not as though they were can make a Worm to thrash the Mountains Isaiah 41.14 Mat. 15.39 Ezek. 37.3 Revel 11.11 1 Cor. 2.9 Isaiah 38.16 1 Cor. 1.25 2 King 19.7 Psal 107.20 â—oh 24 12. 1 Kin. 17.4 6. 1 Cor 10.1 4. 2 Pet. 2.16 1 Cor. 1.21 is able of stones to raise up Children to Abraham to make dry bones live dead witnesses revive yea for this cause usually suffers a sentence of Death and so will he recover and make alive for as the foolishness of God is wiser then men so the weakness of God stronger then Men. He can do what he will do and by what means he will do He can send a noise and trouble and a word and heal Stars in their courses to fight against Sisera and the dust of the Earth to Plague Pharaoh The Hornet to chase the Amorite and Raven to feed the Prophet can dry up the Sea and make a path for his people and strike the Rock into a River and make it both slow for them and follow after them He can reprove a Prophets madness by an Asses mouth and by the foolishness of Preaching convert a Sinner and save a Soul He can silence the Oracles Cessant Oracula Delphis Psalm 8.2 Heb. 11.34 Isaiah 40.29 by the crying of an Hebrew Child in a Manger and out of the mouthes of Babes and Sucklings ordain strength to still the Enemy and Avenger out of weakness he makes strong yea to them that have no might he renews strength He makes the little one like David and David as the Angel of the Lord. Then lift up thine eyes on high O my Soul Isaiah 40.26 and behold who hath created all these that bringeth out their host by number He calleth them all by their names by the greatness of his might Psalm 145.11.12 for that he is strong in power not one faileth Speak thou also O my Soul of the glory of his Kingdom Psalm 29.1 and talk thou of his Power to make the Sons of Men to know his mighty Acts and the glorious Majesty of his Kingdom And Give unto the Lord ye mighty give unto the Lord Glory and strength Be wise by the Worms that told him to his face Acts 12.23 that he was but their Brother and should instantly die like Man whom the shout of the people cryed up for a God and learn O thou Man of Sin who opposest and exaltest thy self above all that it called God 2 Thes 2.3 4. or that is worshiped so that thou sittest in the Temple of God shewing thy self that thou art God Even learn in him that was once in the Chair that there needs but Gods hissing for a flie to stop thy mouth of Blasphemies Isaiah 7.18 Job 9.4 Behold he takes away who can hinder him who will say unto him what dost thou He is wise in heart and mighty in strength And if God will not withdraw his anger the proud helpers do stoop under him But alas Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord Verse 12.13 Psal 106.2 who can
high and lifted up and Seraphims crying one to another Holy holy holy is the Lord God of Hosts which made the holy Man cry out Wo is me I am un lone because I am a man of unclean lips c. and mine eyes have seen the King The Lord of Hosts The Apostle Paul expresly saith that this holy Lord God was God the Holy Ghost I heard the voice of the Lord saith the Prophet and he said go and tell this people here ye indeed but understand not c. now saith the Apostle Acts 28.25 26 27. well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the Prophet unto our Fathers saying Go unto this people and say hearing ye shall hear and not understand c. So one while 't is said the Holy Ghost spake by the mouth of David Acts 1.16 Chap. 4.24 25 Another while 't is said Lord thou art God which hast made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all that is in them who by the mouth of thy Servant David hast said c. and so Ananias his lying to the Holy Gho t is called a lying unto God Therefore the Holy Ghost is God Again Scripture and Reason saith that He that built all things is God Acts 5 3 4. Hebr. 3.4 Job 33.9 Now the Spirit of God hath made me saith Elihu and if he made man the Master-piece Man the Microcosme well may it be said Job 26.13 that by him were the Heavens garnished and by the sending forth of Him All things else were Created which Text by the after clause of renewing the Face of the Earth refers to works of Providence Psal 104.30 Therefore the Holy Ghost is God And as he made All things 1 Cor. 2.10 Isaiah 40.13 he knows All things The Spirit searcheth All things yea the deep things of Goâ— for who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord or being his Counsellour hath taught him And as He is Omniscient he is Omnipresent Psal 139.7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit saith David or whither shall I flee from thy presence In a word He that prepared Christ a Body at his coming into the World is God Heb 10.5 for saith Christ a Body hast THOU prepared me then said I Lo I come to do thy will O GOD. But saith the Angel to the blessed Virgin Verse 7. Luâ—e 1.35 The HOLY GHOST shall come upon thee and the power of the higheâ—t shall overshadow thee Therefore also the Inference is most full to our purpose That Holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the SON OF GOD. Therefore the Holy Ghost is God Sect. XL. The Holy Ghost called the SPIRIT as to his subsistence Joh. 4.23 24. Hebr. 1.3 Heb. 9.14 ANd as the Holy Ghost is a SPIRIT in respect of his Essence being One glorious God with the Father and the Son for as God the Father is said to be a Spirit the Father seeketh such to worship him as may do it in Spirit and then it follows God is a Spirit and God the Son who is expresly said to be the express Image of his Fathers Person through the Eternal Spirit that is to say his God-head offered up himself So the Holy Ghost is The Spirit in respect of his wonderful Subsistence in the blessed Trinity by way of ineffable Spiration between the Father and the Son Mat. 3.16 17. betwixt whom He carryeth and re-carryeth the mutual and Eternal expressions of Divine delight and complacency which the Father and the Son have naturally necessarily and unchangeably each in other Gal. 4.6 Job 33.4 Rom. 8.9 who therefore said both to proceed from the Father and yet to be the Spirit of his Son and called in the Old Testament the Breath of the Almighty and in the New the Spirit of Christ His Mysterious Subsistence being most nearly shadowed out to our weak apprehensions by our breathing Rom. 3 8. Mat. 3.11 Isaiah 44.3 which is the Going and Coming Efflux and Reflux of our Breath and so he is compared to the three fluid and moving Elements of Air Fire and Water but never to the dul fixed Element of Earth for as the personal property of the Father is to Beget of the Son to be Begotten so of the Holy Ghost John 15.27 to Proceed And now how awful should the Thoughts of Him be unto us who is a SPIRIT in his ESSENCE THE SPIRIT in his SUBSISTENCE in both Uncreated Infinite and Eternal who dictated and Indited the Word built the World garnisheth Heaven furnisheth and reneweth the Face of the Earth made Man Knows all things fills all Places Col. 2.16 and is every where present at all times whose peculiar and stupendious Work it was to Sanctifie the Womb the Fruit whereof was to be the Saviour of the World Mat. 28.16 and prepare him a Body in whom the fulness of the God-head was to dwell bodily 2 Cor. 15.14 in whose Name together with the Fathers and the Sons we are Baptized and whose Communion together with the Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ Hebr. 7.4 and the Love of God we do Implore Of whom therefore I may say as the Apostle of Melchisedec Now Consider how great this man was Consider how great this Spirit is Sect. XLI The high Reverence we ow to the Holy Spirit ANd yet Wo is Us What slight and low and mean Thoughts are the Carnal Minds of Men apt to have of the holy Spirit of God which the Scripture foreseeing in Deep wisdom as in Parental Relation the Mothers fear to be most easily and usually neglected and forgotten by Children It sets a special Guard upon it Levit. 19.3 saying Ye shall fear every Man his Mother and his Father though her Order be Lust because the Fear of the Mother is ordinarily too much the least so in the cause of the Third Person whose Order of Subsisting is after the Father and the Son though in Honour he be Co-equal and in Essence Co-Eternal Sin against the Holy Ghost I say It sets a most dreadful Guard upon that Awe and holy Fear that We owe to the Holy Spirit when it saith All manner of Sin and Blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men Mat. 12.31 32 but THE BLASPHEMY against the HOLY GHOST shall NOT be forgiven unto Men And whosoever shall speak a word against the son of man it shall be forgiven him But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in his world neither in the world to come which last words are no Indication that there is any Forgiveness of any Sin in another world that is not pardoned in this But a vehement assertion that there is no forgiveness for this Sin in any world Luk. 1â— 10 Mark 3.29 Therefore where S. Luke saith plainly It shall not be Forgiven S. Mark explains this Phrase of S. Matthews saying It hath never Forgiveness And so in the mouths of
three Evangelists you have this dreadful Word established and this Guard set like that terrible Cherubim and Flaming Sword to preserve that High Reverence that Mortals owe to the Holy Ghost All other Blasphemies saith Christ wherewith soever they shall Blaspheme shall be Forgiven Mark 3.28 and indeed have been so I was a Blasphemer saith S. Paul 1 Tim. 1.13 But I obtained mercy But whosoever shall wittingly wilfully and malitiously Reproach the Holy Ghost as the Pharisees here did Mark 3.30 they said of Jesus He hath an unclean Spirit whose works did testify of him That he cast out Devils by the SPIRIT of GOD Luke 11.47 Mat. 8.12 and that the Kingdom of God was come unto them as himself speaks Ten Thousand Woes shall be the Portion of such an One. Sect. XLII ANd here once for ever let me caution this Impious Age of coming near unto any thing that looks like or comes near the sin that is unto Death Caution against Reviling the Spirit Numb 26.16 even as Moses charged the Congregation of Israel concerning Corah and his Complices 1 John 5.16 that they should not come near those wicked persons Let me charge thee O Man whosoever thou art in the fear of God that thou entertain not a Contemptuous thought In Scripture much less utter a word against the written word of God for it is as you have seen the Dictate of the Holy Ghost And here I cannot but make an Honourable mention of that Honourable Person Mr. R. Boyl la his late piece of Scripture style who hath made Himself truly so by that most serious and ingenious complaint of his of the Prodigious folly of the Times whose onely wit seems to lie in a prophane and scurrilous abuse of Holy Scriptures But it may be observed as of Our Saviours so of these Scripture-scoffers that as they were part of our Saviours proof that He was the Prophecyed Messiah for even those scoffs as we have seen were part of what was fore spoken concerning him Eight and twenty Generations before he was born so are these part of the accomplishment of the Prophecies of that Book which told the World of these Men sixteen hundred years almost before they came unto it Be mindful saith the Apostle of the words which were spoken before by the Holy Prophets 2 Pet. 3.2 3. and of the Commandment of Us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour knowing this first that there shall Come in the Last dayes Scoffers Wherefore We revere in our Thoughts what they revile with their tongues and so much the more Because They do so Matth. 18.7 But as Our Lord saith Offences must needs come yet they bring their woe with them so let me say to these Men in the Prophets words Isaiah 28.22 Be not Mockers lest your Bands be made strong Further Take we heed that our THOUGHTS despise not any of the Operations of this Holy spirit 2 Sam 6.26 In Prayer Jude 20. Eph. 6.16 Zech. 12.10 Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.26 as prophane Michal did holy David in her heart S. Jude speaks of Praying in the HOLY GHOST and S. Paul of Praying alwayes with all Prayer and supplication in the Spirit The Old Testament speaks of a spirit of supplication and the New of a spirit of Adoption crying or whereby we cry Abba Father The spirit helpeth our Infirmities for we know not what to pray for there 's matter as we ought there 's the manner but the spirit it self maketh Intercession for us with Groanings which cannot be uttered Verse 27. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the spirit c. Preaching Rom. 12.6 Verse 7.8 So likewise saith the Apostle having gifts differing according to the grace that is given us whether Prophesie let us Prophesie according to the proportion of Faith or Ministry let us wait on Our Ministring or he that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation Now the manifestation of the Spirit saith he is given to every man to profit withall 1 Cor. 12.7 so that where there 's no manifestation of the Spirit in the Preacher there can be no profit to the Hearer for to One is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom to apply Verse 8. to another the word of knowledge to explain some excel in one thing Verse 3. some in another but all by the same Spirit And saith he I give You to understand that no man speaking by the spirit calleth Jesus accursed Verse 4. John 15.26 and 16.14 Acts 2.4 1 Cor. 2.4 Now there are diversities of gifts but the same spirit 'T is the Spirit when we meditate that must take of Christs and shew it unto us And when we speak 't is the Spirit that must give us utterance and Preaching must be not in the inticing words of Mans wisdom Sanctificationâ— 1 Pet. 1.2 Rom. 8.9 Every true Christian is a Saint 1 Cor. 1.2 2 Cor. 1.1 Chap. 6.11 Eph. 1.1 15. Rom. 1.7 Mock Saints Revel 2 9. and 3.9 No ground for reviling the True Gen. 34.30 Gal. 4.29 Dan. 7. Mat. 24.24 All the godly have Gods â—spirit Rom. 8.15 Verse 5.9 Gal. 5.16 25. and 6.18 Rom. 1â— 15 1 Cor. 6.19 Gal. 5.22 Rom. 8.2 Ephes 2.22 1 Cor. 3.16 Rom. 8.9 11 13. John 16.7 8. 14.26 and 16.13 Psalm 51.18 and 143.10 Eph. 1.13 16. Rom. 8.14 Eph. 4.3 2.18.22 1 John 4.13 but in the demonstration of the Spirit Sanctification moreover is a peculiar work of the Spirit in every true Christian For if any man have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his The Corinthians were made Saints when they were Converted and made Christians To the Church of God which is at Corinth c. called to be Saints And such were some of You saith the Apostle to them but now you are sanctified by the spirit of our God so the Apostle salutes the Saints in Achaia Rome Ephesus c. We have known indeed the Blasphemy of too many who have said they are Saints and are not but do lie but are of the Synagogue of Satan like those Brethren in Iniquity who troubled Israel and made him stink among the Inhabitants oâ— the Land who shall bear their own judgment yet this shall no more excuse those Ishmaels who persecute those that are truly born after the spirit and Revile the very Saints of the most High as the Prophet calls them then it doth the Indignities done to the True Christ because as was Prophesyed False Christs do arise The Scripture saith expresly That the Children of God are led by the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit are after the Spirit do walk after the Spirit are in the spirit must walk in the spirit do sow the spirit do reap the spirit have received the spirit who is in them whom they have of God as Fruit-bearer Law-giver yet a Liberty-giver and Life-giver
God hath grown up in thy heart or to deny what God hath done for thy Soul But yet withall this I must add that as it is observed that the coming of the Cup into the Sack in an unknown way left them in the more trouble and perturbations afterwards though it came from a friendly hand And those women that have less fore-pains then others have many times greater After-pains as they call them So they that have less signal Spiritual troubles preceding their conversion and have known least of the terrours of the Lord are by so much the more full of Anxiety many times almost all their dayes 2 Cor. 5.11 full of doubtful thoughts whether they were ever savingly wrought upon because not wrought upon as such and such Haunted many times with Hideous thoughts and Temptations to Atheism Blasphemy c. which make them even weary of life and afraid of death and yet may be very pretious in the sight of God and dear to Jesus Christ Sect. V. ANd as Gods usual Season is the time of trouble of spiritual trouble to bring men to Right Thoughts Psal 77.2.3 Verse 16. To remember God to Consider the dayes of old to commune with their own hearts to make diligent search into their own spirits to take notice of their Infirmities Verse 10. Verse 11. to Remember the years of the right hand of the most High to Remember the works of the Lord and to meditate of his doings c. All which is Right-Thought-work and which the Psalmist was set upon in the day of his Trouble Psal 77.2 Gods ordinary method to bring to right thoughts by setting home some particular sin So the Method that God ordinarily useth Is to bring to their thoughts some one particular Sin and to present it to their Souls view in all its ugly shape and monstrous deformity with its heightening circumstances and hellish horrour that like the tail of a Prâ—digious Comet it draws after it now as Ghosts are most terrible and confounding when they appear in the Dark so is Sin when it stares a man in the face in his time of trouble Thus the Patriarchs were struck with the appaling thought of their savage cruelty to their innocent Brother when themselves were in Distress Gen. 42.21 no doubt they had other Sins to trouble them but this first flew in their face Saul with the thought of his furious persecuting of Jesus Thus some for telling a known Lie Acts 9.4 others for some Theft or known Fraud others for prophaning the Lords-Day others for some prophane Oath others for Disobedience to Parents And some though few like Mary Magdalene for the foul sin that brings a wound and a dishonour and a repâ—oach that is hardly wiped away Prov. 6.33 So that as men ordinarily single out some one special Sin to set their heart upon though they entertain and practice all the rest Rom. 7.8 with 24. so God singles out some special Sin to fix their thoughts upon and thereby to bring them in due time to sight and sense of the whole Body of Death nay sometimes when men by a blameless appearance and moral conversation have got the good thoughts of other men their own much more Heb. 3.1 Luke 18.6 God sometimes suffers civil men to fall into some foul act to discover tâ—â—hem the plague of the heart 1 Kings 8 38. Sometimes thoughts are in an uproar troubled and distinct cares not known Acts 19.32 Verse 40. Yet God sometimes out of this Chaos draws a new Creation As in Genesis Reduceth thoughts to proper places and things to order Rev. 3.20 Prov. 18.14 Acts 2.57 Prov. 38.4 trusting as Christ speaks in themselves that they are righteous God suffers them to fall into some gross act of Sin perhaps Drunkenness perhaps making a mock at Godliness to please vile company perhaps Perjury or some other palpable act of wickedness that by such a rising in the flesh he may bring them to know and to bethink themselves of the Plague of the heart that Scripture speaks of Indeed I have sometimes observed some persons troubled with a strange unusual throng and croud of Thoughts Sermons trouâ—led them and Sins troubled them but their Thoughts wâ—re like that confused concourse in the Acts of which no distinct account could be given and the Assembly knew not why they were come together And as such a croud of thoughts have been thus in an uproar for some space of time and they knew not distinctly why so a little time hath brought it to they know not what nothing for good hath come of it And yet sometimes the All-wise and powerful grace of God even out of such a Chaos of confusion is pleased to draw a New-Creation reducing things to their proper places and thoughts to their right order Sect. VI. BUt generally when Grace first knocks at the door of the heart and finds the Sinner in distress wounded in Spirit that he cannot bear it prickt at the very heart the pressing sense of Sin lies upon him and goes over him as a burthen too heavy for him It brings him to speak within himself Or which is all one to think thus The Scheme of a Converts first thought Lament 3.1 or to this effect I am the man that have seen Affliction by the Rod of his anger and now I stand here a miserable Malefactour before the Lord who perfectly knows all my secrets and infinitely hates all my Sins My Conscience hales me to his Bar for my sin hath found me out Num. 32.23 Gen. 42.21 Prov. 28.13 Job 9.4 And I am verily guilty concerning this thing should I then either hide my sin or harden my self against God who ever did either of these and prospered This then is my proper station though my feet be hurt with setters and the Iron enters into my very Soul though the Chain of Gods Indignation be heavy upon me Micah 7.9 yet I must bear it because it is my own Chain I have sinned against him Excuse my sin Alas I cannot I knew my Masters will Luke 12.57 Rom. 7.12 Malac. 1.6 and knew it to be Holy just and Good and did it not I call'd him Lord yet fear'd him not I knew he forbad the thing I did yet I did it I knew he looked on me and yet I did it I knew he would call me to an account for it and yet I did it Accuse my Master Alas I dare not No no Jam. 1.13 14. He tempted me not but I was drawn away of my own lust and enticed my own lust I may call it so as much as I may call my Heart my own an Heart so vile but yet my own such a Fountain of Poyson such a Cage of every unclean and hateful Bird an Heart nay an Hell yea and worse to me then all the Devils there I should bely them as bad as they be should I say otherwise an heart so desperately
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
13. who did hinder thee Hath a Nation changed their Gods whi h yet are no Gods but thou hast changed thy glory for that which doth not profit Be astonyed at this and be horribly afraid yea be very desolate O my heart For thou hast committed two Evils Thou hast forsaken the Fountain of living waters and hewed thee broken Cisterns that can hold no water O prophane Heart Heb. 12.16 17. that for a morsel of meat hast sold thy Birth-right How sain wouldest thou now inherit the blessing couldst thou but find a place for repentance Ezek. 37.11 Lam. 3.18 Job 19.10 chap. 8.13 though thou shouldst seek it never so carefully with tears But alas for thy part thine hope is cut off thine hope hath God removed like a tree and indeed what else can be expected but that the Hypocrites hope should pe ish O false heart and flattering hope Exod. 14.13 must I be thus deceived by you both which I so much trusted I said with Moses of my strong corruptions when I thought I saw them drowned in the Red Sea of my Saviours Blood I shall see them again no more for ever and with David in his prosperity I shall never be moved Psalm 30.6 Luke 10.15 and must I now like Capernaum after I have been thus lifted up to Heaven be thrown down to Hell and so everlastingly seperated from the blessed presence of the dear Jesus whom I fondly thought I had loved better then my life but now find I did love him less than my laziness and my lusts and indeed I am convinced that if any man loves any thing more than Christ He is not worthy of him Mat. 10 37. But ah my dear and blessed Jesus must thou and I thus part part Eternally Oh no! not for a World no not for a World of Worlds Why then Psal 88 14. O Lord castest thou off my soul why hidest thou thy face from me Yea rather O Lord why hast thou made me to erre from thy wayes Psal 63.14 Job 10.1 and hardened my heart from thy fear yet will I leave my complaint upon my self and I will speak in the bitterness of my soul I know indeed that God cannot be tempted with evil Jâ—m 1.13 14. neither tempteth he any man But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Therefore Psal 42.6 7. O my God my Soul is cast down within me and deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy water spouts Verse 4. thy waves and thy billows are gone over me When I remember these things I powre out my soul in me For I had gone with the multitude I went with them to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise I call also to remembrance my song in the night Psal 77.6 and commune with mine own heart and my spirit makes diligent search Job 16.12 I was at ease but God hath brokâ—n me asunder He hath also taken me by the neck and shaken me in pieces and set me up for his mark Job 29.3 4 5. Oh that I were as in moneths past as in the daâ—es when God preserved me when his Candle shined upon my head and when by his light I walked through darkness when the secret of God was upon my Tabernacle and when the Almighty was yet with me Psal 42.3 But now alas my tears are my meat day and night while my returning Corruptions and prevailing Lusts say to me continually where is thy God As with a Sword in my bones do they reproach me Verse 9. while they say daily to me where is thy God But wâ—ll the Lord cast off for ever will he be favourable no more Is his mercy clean gone for ever and doth his Promise fail for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious hath â—e in anger shut up his tender mercies 2 Sam 23.5 Surely this is my infirmity but I will remember the â—ears of the right hand of the most High Although my heart be not so with God yet hath he made with me a Covenant an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure I will therefore say unto God Psal 42.8 9. my rock why hast thou forgotten me why go I mourning because of the oppression of the Enemy Yet the Lord will command his loving kindness in the day-time and in the night his song shall be with mo Verse 11. and my Prayer unto the God of my Life Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet Praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God O Lord though mine iniquities testifie against me do thou for thy Name sake for my back-slidings are many Jerem. 14.7 Verse 20. and 21. Psal 42.2 Psalm 63.2 I have sinned against thee But I acknowledge O Lord my wickedness Do not abl or me for thy names sake Remember break not thy Covenant with me For truly my Soul thirsteth for God for the living God to see his Power and his Glory so as I have seen him in the Sanctuary Be watchful therefore O mine heart Rev. 3.2 and strengthen the things that remain and are ready to die for here is yet a Pillar of Fire before thee Neh. 9.12 19. Jer. 3.24 the token of a Divine presence with thee Hath not God said Return ye back-sliding Children and I will heal your back-sliding Behold I come unto thee for thou art the Lord my God But surely if God will allow me to set my hope on high He will yet have me to keep mine Heart low for though he be still saying Hâ—sea 14.4 Jerem. 3.14 I will heal thy back-sliding and love thee freely and again Turn O back-sliding Child for I am married unto thee yet he still feeds me like the Israelites in the Wilderness as it were from hand to mouth The water of his Rock not my Cistern must supply me and I be undone if it do not follow me 1 Cor. 10.4 I must fetch my food by daily Faith my Manna out of the Heaven of his Promises not by Plowing for it is in the earth of my sâ—lf-Righteoâ—sness and legal performances and my Medicine too for all venomous bitings by all sorts of fiery temptations from him only who for that end was lifted up upon the Cross Johâ— 3.14 and still is on the pole of the Gospel and still must be in the THOUGHTS of my heart as my only strength my health my life my All And if at any time he allow me but a touch or taste of the hoped for Clusters Numb 13.23 't is to feed not my high but my diligent Thoughts Phil. 3.12 13. and to mind me that I have not already attained either am already perfect but that I press forward forgetting the things that are behind towards the mark for the price of the high Calling of God
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
at top nay flow from a man but what the SPRINGINGS UP are that are IN A MAN And so the Apostle James also puts the Tryal upon what the FOUNTAIN yields James 3.11 Verse 14. whether it be sweet water or bitter salt water or fresh which expression he doth enough explain when he saith Verse 12. If you have bitter envying or strife in your hearts glory not and lie not against the truth Mark that IN YOUR HEARTS that is when these bitter waters are the springings up of the inward Fountain glory not and lie not sweet words and pleasing professions shews and appearances will be no good Testimony for you when these BITTER springings up within you bear witness against you In Nature there are Springs or Wells of diverse sorts the diligent observation of which will much clear the scope of these Texts of Scripture and the thing in hand I shall only instance in such as I have seen There is the salt spring at Nantwich where the springings up are naturally salt Now let never so much fresh water be poured into it though it may for the present abate its saltness and make its present waters the less brinish yet that which springs up will in some time work out all the fresh water and will continue as before perfectly salt Again there is the generous and famous Spring called the HOLY WELL in Wales that is perpetually boiling up with an admirable activity so that if never so much salt water should be poured into it though all the waters for the present would tast salt or brackish yet give it time and it would certainly work out all that Heterogeneous mixture and retain its sweetness and as I may say its Native excellency and purity This then is a grand Rule for the tryal of Right Thoughts if thy good thoughts be such as continually springing up do work out evil thoughts which sometimes do seem to defile and deprave thee 't is a good Scripture-Evidence both of thy thoughts and state for this is that which the Apostle calls a clearing of our selves which he saith expresly that Godly sorrow worketh where it worketh Repentance to salvation 1 Cor. 7.10 11. this self same thing saith be that ye sorrowed after a Godly sort Behold what carefulness it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves c. Now this Godly sorrow haâ—h its spring in the Thoughts as the Evangelist saith of Peter when he thought thereon he wept Mark 14.7 As the Jews in their Captivity wept when they remember Zion so Peter in his spiritual Captivity Ps l. 137.1 wept when he remembred Sin But a little before the stoods of the ungodly had overwhelmed the good man and the waters of bitterness had come into his soul And had we but tasted of his spirit by what came from him in the High Priests Hall we should have been apt to have concluded him in the gall of bitterness when with swearing and cursing he denied that ever he knew Jesus and all this issuing from the Thoughts and apprehensions of his imaginary danger that his sorry sinful slavish fear suggested to him in case He had held fast the profession of his Faith without wavering these were the Thoughts that were uppermost and so nearest his tongues end to influence that under this surprise of Temptation and little doubt but at that very time his deep and bottome Thoughts were full of real kindness to his Lord and Master which shortly after by their springing up discover themselves For these Thoughts work him to Godly sorrow as the Text affirmeth and godly sorrow to a clearing of himself of that which had now so sadly stained the Glory of his Profession so that we read after of his dying for Christ but never more word of his denying him Sect. II. Instances of good thoughts deepest Gen. 25.25 AS this therefore is the grand trouble of many gracious Persons that they find many strong and boisterous and evil Thoughts like rugged Esau that present themselves first to view and seem to be strongest and most impetuous yet this may be a comfort if they can find good Thoughts like another Jacob taking those other thoughts as it were by the heel Verse 26. and continually labouring to supplant them for instance If you look on David a Gracious man and one of a very tender spirit as He first appears under Nabals provocation David 1 Sam. 25.21 22. you find all the waters as it were turned into blood and nothing meditated but Cruelty and Revenge But when Davids deep and bottom Thoughts are set on work How quickly do they work out all that Cruelty The waters return to their proper nature and right colour and now all becomes goodness meekness gentleness And David said to Abigail Verse 32.33 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who sent thee this day to me and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood and from avenging my self with my own hand So that whereas there was a Root of bitterness springing up which would have brought trouble enough upon himself and others there is also a deeper root of sweetness supplanting the former and yielding the peaceable fruit of righteousness And by the way the Reader may remark that they whose Thoughts are right and good Note well are very apt to Think well of those that set them right as any prudent serious Travailer that hath been out of his way will be O blessed Sermon Sickness Person Providence will such a one say that hath been an occasion or means to set me clear of such a Temptation or from such or such wicked proud or passionate or unclean or worldly Thoughts that have so disturbed and distempered me Take another instance in good King Hezekiah Hezekiah whom when God had raised up the Text saith presently his Heart was lifted up 2 Chro. 32.25 so that there was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem His heart swells with proud and haughty thoughts Notwithstanding saith the next Verse Verse 24. Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the dayes of Hezekiah Here was Humility at the bottom His lowly Thoughts were his lowest Thoughts and his deepest Thoughts which did wear and work out the former Thus holy Asaph Asaph Psal 73.16 17. what dark and discontentful Thoughts had he concerning the prosperity of the wicked in this world and the equitableness of divine providence therein When I thought to know this Verse 21. saith he it was too painful for me But when he comes into the Sanctuary Verse 23. and applyes himself to the due use and help of Holy means and Ordinances how plenteously do better thoughts then the former spring up and work out the former and how doth his Heart presently flow not only with truly penitent Thoughts like
the waters of Sihoi Heb. 11.25 what hast thou to do with the puddle pleasures of Sin that are but for a season When our wandring thoughts take Heaven for their home In a word when the wandring Thoughts like weary Travailers take Heaven for their Home and though they fetch too many a compass yet still they ultimately are making thitherward when they like so many busie Bees have been flying about all day perhaps yet never rest till they have housed themselves in God as an Hive of sweetness and there find satisfactory Repast and sweet Repose Thou mayst well say Psal 116.7 Return to thy Rest O my Soul and that the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee for this was it that the Church comforted her self in the thoughts of that the desire of her soul was to the remembrance of Gods Name Isaiah 26.8 9. Verse 13. with her Soul she desired him in the night even when other Lords had dominion over her c. for though Temptations which are called the fiery Darts of Satan may sometimes make thee black Ephes 6.16 Cant. 1.7 like the Spouse in the Canticles and real mixtures of darkness may be found in thee in respect of which thou mayst fitly be compared to smoak yet if thy Thoughts like hâ—rs be like Pillars of smoak Cant. 3.6 still winding and working upward Thou art black indeed but yet beautiful in Christs account As in the Levitical Law the creeping things going upon all four â—ev 11.20 21. were unclean yet if they had legs above their feet to leap withal as the Locust or Grashopper they were clean in the Laws account III. Tryal Sect. I. Thirdly COme we then to the Third Tryal of Thoughts viz 3. Tryal Right thoughts have influence upon ordering the conversation aright Psal 50.23 1 Iohn 8.9 Ephes 2.2 Acts 5.3 Right Thoughts have a natural Energy and influence unto the ordering of the Conversation aright as the Scripture speaks Now the reason of this Rule is this The Grace of God which as we have seen first stirs in Thoughts is called in the Scripture the seed of God and therefore 't is not possible that it should prove abortive for if the evil Spirit worketh effectually in the Children of Disobedience by working first upon their Thoughts why hath Satan filled thine heart c Satans work begins there Isaiah 1.15 And if Lust when it hath conceived in the Thought brings forth sin in the life which is an Anomy or Transgression of the Law True Grace when it conceives in the Thought must accordingly bring forth Newness in the Life Rom. 6. Gal. 6.16 Hebr. 8.8 as Scripture speaks which is a conformity to the Rule of the new Creature the Law and the Tearms of the new Covenant which first saith I will put my spirit within them and then they shall keep my judgments and do them Ezek. 36.27 which is to be understood of Evangelical Obedience First Grace works in us and then it sets us a working for after that it pleased God who called me by his Grace to reveal his Son in me immediately saith Paul Gal. 1.15 16. Acts 9.6 I conferred not with Flesh and Blood c. With whom then why Lord what wouldst thou have me to do His thoughts were working in the verse before and they see him a work in the verse following The works of God which we call Providence are All pursuant to the thoughts of God Ephes 1.11 Jer. 23.20 which Scripture calls his Purpose Thus God is said to perform all the thoughts and intents of his heart Now Grace is called a partaking of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and therefore cannot spend it self in bare thinking In Nature the motions of the hands and feet without the command or express dictate of the Tongue do readily pursue the thoughts and motions of the mind and therefore it is said Prov. 16.9 that a mans heart deviseth his way A man thinketh to go such a way and goes it He thinks to do such a thing and does it And it is so in corrupt Nature Isaiah 65.2 they walk in a way that is not good after their own hearts And it is as truly so in Grace I thought on my wayes Psal 119.59 Right thoughts are rectifying thoughts 1 John 3.7 Isaiah 59.4 Micah 2. saith David and turned my feet unto thy testimonies Right Thoughts indeed may we well call them when they are Rectifying thoughts when they make us to do Right as the Apostle saith He that doth Righteousness is Righteous 'T is said of the Wicked They conceive Mischief and bring forth Iniquity And can We think it proper to Grace only to prove abortive Woe to them saith God that devise Iniquity and work evil upon their Beds when the morning is light they practice it because it is in the power of their hand This is the Case and Character of the wicked Psalm 39.7 He first deviseth mischief upon his Bed and then sets himself in a way that is not good And thus the Sincere Convert Rev. 2.2 what good he thinks to do when God holds him down on the Bed of sorrows as Scripture phrase is and in the Night of affliction he will not therefore forbear doing because God lifts up the light of his Countenance upon him so far as it is in the power of his hand Psal 66.11 12 13. but will rather say with David with a little variation thou laidst affliction upon our Loins but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place I will pay thee my Vows which my Heart hath purposed and my mouth spoken when I was in trouble Purpose often outgoes power 'T is true indeed that in both cases the purpose of the Heart doth oftentimes outgo the power of the hand A wicked man thinks to do more mischief then he can possibly compass Gen. 27.42 2 Sam. 18.25 Thus Esau purposed to kill Jacob and Saul thought to make David fall by the Philistins It is said Sanballat and Geshem thought to do Nehemiah mischief Neh. 6.2 yet they could not do it So a Child of God perhaps purposeth greater exactness and more close walking with God in a sicknesâ— under a Sermon or a Sacrament then he can possibly attain unto afterwards by reason of renewing of Temptation and remaining corruption and then it may be he is ready to cry out Oh my thoughts were never right my purposes were never sincere for if they had I had never fallen so short in performance I thought in such a straight if ever God brought me out of it I should never forget my self and God and it as to my shame and confusion of face I may speak it I have since done I thought under such a trouble of mind if God would ever speak pardon to my sin and peace to my soul Job 15.11 Ephes 4.30 the Consolations of God should never more be small with
me I would never neglect my Evidences for Heaven never grieve the Comforter as I like a wretch have since done Psalm 85.8 I would never return to folly never indulge corruption never dally with Temptation any more I thought I should never have been so slight in holy Duties in Closet or Family never have past a day without some soul-repast by sweet and solemn meditations never have restrained Prayer from the Almighty Job 15.4 I thought I should never have spent so many Lords-dayes so carelesly heard Sermons so unprofitably read Gods Word so unattentively as I have since done I thought also I should have taught Transgressors Gods way Psal 51.13 and that Sinners should have been converted unto him Hebr. 5.25 that I should have expressed more Zeal for the Glory of God more compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way more Courage in reproving Sin in others and care in being exemplary unto others in my own Conversation But alas How may I complain as Job Job 17.11 that my purposes are broken off even the thoughts of my heart that I went out like Naomi full of purposes Ruth 1.21 but Returned empty of performances I thought to have gone forth victorious like Sampson Judges 16.17 and 20. Mark 14.29 but found my strength upon tryal but like another mans I thought like Peter that though all should have been offended in Christ yet should not I But alas I have found slender temptations too hard for me as the Damosel was for him Verse 66. and truly now the thing that I feared is come upon me I thought this Tryal would find me out that my thoughts and purposes were never right for they have never reached their intended performance Sect. II. Right application of the Rule Isaiah 42.3 Job 13.25 BUt for the right application of this Rule and that the bruised Reed may not be broken or the leaf that is driven to and fro you must know that the right ordered Conversation before mentioned as the genuine issue of Right Thoughts is not to be estimated by Legal but by Evangelical measures and so the Thoughts themselves not so much by the successfulness of attainment as by the sincerity of endeavour for what the Apostle saith in another case is true here if there be first a willing mind 2 Cor. 8.12 it is accepted according to what a man hath not according to what he hath not Now where this willing mind is there will be reality of endeavour to do what it can though it cannot do what it would as the Apostle Paul saith Rom. 7.18 The good that I would do that I cannot and again not that I have already attained either were already perfect Phil. 3.12 but one thing I do I press forward c. there will and there must be a pressing forward Grace is a Warfare rather then a Triumph and a Plowing rather then a Reaping Phil 21.5 and therefore the Holy Ghost to right Thoughts adds diligence and to that a tending to plenteousness if plenty do not presently attend them yet they intend it Good purposes how seconded with Evangelical disobediâ—â—â— and tend towards it We say He that will shoot high must aim at a Star though he cannot hit it He therefore that purposeth Holiness as God is Holy whose careful and real endeavours in all holy means and wayes are pursuant to his purposes whose daily short comings are his daily burden and bitterness who unfeignedly bewailing them humbly rowls his Penitent Soul upon the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ which was the case and practice of the Apostle in the place before quoted is a compleat man in Christ Phil. 4.9 and a Conversation thus ordered is a Scripture Evidence that the Thoughts are Right and that the man is Righteous But then on the other hand Psal 146.4 Thoughts without works dead thoughts James 2.17 what the Scripture speaks of the day of Death is sitly applicable to a state of spiritual Death That all a mans Thoughts perish for as Faith without Works is a dead Faith so Thoughts without works may be said to be dead thoughts Nay these are sometimes the Evidence of one whom the Scripture calls twice dead Jade 12. Twice dead how meant pluckt up by the roots that is once dead as to his Natural sinful condition and then again dead in regard of the motions and stirrings of thoughts and purposes which seemed to shew some spiritual life and yet after all come to nothing Therefore saith Solomon 1 Kings 8.47 48. if they bethink themselves and return c. For a man to bethink himself and not to return is to add an high aggravation to his former Impenitency 't is sin enough to crucifie the Son of God afresh and not to bethink ones self what one is a doing but to consider Jesus and yet to trample his Blood under feet As They said Come this is the Heir Mat. 21.38 let us kill him this leaves no room for that very Prayer of Christ Father forgive them they know not what they do For a man to bethink himself of Heaven as Esau of the Birthright and yet to despise it Gen. 25.32 or to bethink himself of Hell and yet to rush into it as the Horse into the Battell This is as it were to deal cruelly with Christ in cold Blood to bid defyance to the God of Heaven upon Advice and set Councel which too many do upon inadvertency and non-consideration or at least like the vile Gadarenes when Christ comes into our Thoughts as he came into their Coasts for our Swines sake our filthy Lusts sake to beseâ—ch him to depart out of our Countrey Luke 8 3â— nay with the wicked Jews when conviction puts it upon our Thoughts as Pilate did upon theirs shall I crucifie your King shall I Crucifie the Lord Jesus by continued Impenitency and unbelief When Barabbas and Jesus lie both before our Thoughts deliberately to deny the Holy One Acts 3.14 and to choose a Murderer And Oh! how sad will it be to perish without Christ under so many Thoughts of Christ or to go to Hell with so many Thoughts and fruitless purposes of going to Heaven Sect. III. Folly of trusting to idle thoughts and purposes Mat. 25.11 12 YEt alas how many are there that have many confident Thoughts of Heaven because they have now and then a few cold unactive unoperative thoughts for Heaven and carry these confident Thoughts with them to their very Graves as the foolish Virgins that roundly knock at Christs door with a Lord Lord Open unto us but the Answer is I know you not Foolish Ones may I well say for as in ease where prudence might foresee the Evil of Event or Consequence to a thought or purpose we say Stultum est dicere non putaram 't is a foolish thing to say I never thought that this would
in respect of them as Jacob I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies yet not to think them the chief good or the best of them good enough for the precious soul to sit down with Many will say who will shew us any good But Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance c. Yea doubtless and I account all things but loss and do count them but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dogs meat not Mans meat All things of all sorts civil advantages Church priviledges c. as nothing for the Soul without Christ that I may win Christ These I say were his thoughts of the highest humane attainments of Outward Church Priviledges of Creature Enjoyments in the World And so not to think Him happy that hath them but that hath a sanctified title to them and sanctified use of them If they be sanctified by the Word and Prayer If I rejoyced because my Wealth was great and because my Hand had gotten much and my Hand hath been secretly enticed or my Mouth kissed my hand He did not think himself to be the better or the happier for being the wealthier 't was the gain of the heart Heavenly treasure true Job 23.12 not the Gettings of the Hand that Job estimated to be true treasure I have esteemed the words of his mouth more then my appointed portion so the Margin then my necessary Food so the Text. No doubt he accounted that good too but not the chief good Psal 49.8 not a sufficiâ—nt good for his Soul for the Redemption of the Soul is precious It ceaseth for ever And Alas Whole world not worth a Soul Mat. 16.26 thinks a Man that knows the worth of a Soul what is a man profited if he gain the whole world and loose his own Soul Sect. V. Right thoughts of Ordinances what Mat. 23.19 IN thinking of ORDINANCES as the good wayes of God to be gone in not rested in He thinks not so greatly of the Gift as of the Altar sanctifying the Gift of his attendances upon them as they are performances of his own but as appointments of God for the Communication of Himself to the Soul One thing have I desired of the Lord Good wayes to be gone not rested in Psal 27.4 that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the dayes of my life to see the beauty of the Lord c. not the beauty of the House though that was very beautiful and to inquire in his Temple not onely the way to his Temple but to the sight and fruition of him in his Temple Sect. VI. Right thoughts of sin what Greatest evil Job 32.21 Isaiah 33.24 IN thinking of SIN as the only contrary to the Supream good Therefore Jobs Friends would have fastened it on him as a Brand of in-sincerity that he had chosen Sin rather then Affliction The inhabitants shall not say I am sick for the people that dwell there shall be forgiven their Iniquity They shall think all well when sin is done away Sin in a good mans Thoughts is the very Gall of bitterness the very core of all troubles the very sting of Death it self 1 Cor. 15.56 Heart-sin worst Heb. 12.15 1 King 8.38 Jer. 17.9 Rom. 7.23 â—â—rom 9.5 Hibaâ— 2.5 and the very Hell of Hell And as he thinks Sin the worst of Evils so Heart-sin the worst of sins that Root of bitterness that Plague of the heart that desperately wicked thing that cannot cease to Sin that Law in the Members that wearies them to commit Iniquity yet it self is unweariable and unsatiable as Death and Hell and therefore called the Body of death which never saith it is enough 'T is this evil that makes good men cry out of themselvs as of the chief of Sinners Rom. 7.24 For whatsoever they know of others as to other Evils they know more of this by themselves then by all the World 'T is this Evil that makes many a man thought humble by others cry O my pride counted mortified by others Spiritual wickedness cry O my potent passion my strong corruption my unruly Lusts how many a man is there of unblemisht life that is weary at heart of his own Heart yea of his very Life because of the evil of his Heart his spiritual pride filthiness of Spirit Earthly-mindedness 2 Cor. 7 â—1 James 4.1 Spirits lusting to envy with the spiritual wickednesses abroad in the world as Hypocrisie Heresie c. But yet though he think Sin Root and Branch to be the greatest Evil Yet no sin so great an Evil as Christ a good Heb. 7.25 yet not so great an evil as Jesus Christ is a Good nor so mighty though mighty to destroy as He is Almighty able to save He thinks Sins demerits great Christs merits greater whereby he is not only secured from Hell but to be saved in Heaven And therefore He may plead even the greatness of his sin as an argument for his Pardon Psal 25.11 because He thinks the great Salvation to be so much the greater that it triumphs most in the spoils of the proudest sins in the thing wherein they have dealt proudly to be still above them When Sin groweth up unto the Heavens Ezek. 9.6 Psal â—08 4 1 John 4.4 Gods mercy in his Son is above the Heavens As when the wicked one is great that is in World yet greater is he that is in the Saints than he that is in the World Sect. VII IN thinking of HOLINESS Of holiness Isaiah 2.8 not only way to but part of happiness Psal 119.11 Philip. 3.20 1 John 5.3 Mat. 11.30 not only as the high way to as the Prophet calls it but also a principal part of Happiness the Duties of holiness to be the Beauties thereof Its Practise Priviledge Its Performances great Rewards Its inchoation an Heaven upon Earth Its Consummation and perfection the very Heaven of Heaven And therefore Its Commandments not grievous Its Yoke easie It s Burden light Of Affliction not so evil as sâ—â— Good to the good Ps lm 119.67 71. Hâ—bâ— 1.12.11 Verse 10. Profitable 1 King 17.18 Monitors of our frowardness but Fruits of Gods Faithfulness and Love Psal 119.75 Rev. 3.19 John 16.33 Christs Legacy Mat. 10.25 For many good ends Sect. VIII IN thinking of AFFLICTIONS though Evil not so Evil as Sin and therefore their being Sanctified desirable rather and more then their removal Evil in themselves yet good to the good and for the making of them Better It s good for me that I have been afflicted before I went astray but now I have learnt thy Precepts sharp and bitter twigs bearing sweet Fruit peaceable Fruits of Righteousness A Fathers Rod not for his Pleasure but VERILY for our Profit that we may be partakers of his holiness Remembrancers of our Sin yet not so much products of his Justice Power and soveraignty as Fruits of his Faithfulness I know O
is above the Heavens and be dapled Psal 113.4 5. like Heaven with Love and Holy Joy because of his loving kindness and with Reverence and Godly Fear for his Judgment and Righteousness and with delight in all these the Exercise of all which is his Delight For though the Lâ—â—d be High Psal 138.6 yet hath he respect unto the Lowly and as He condescends to think of us so also provided we do it regularly to be thought of by Us. High thoughts God most HIGH Heb. 11.6 Gen. 14 18. Isa 57.15 Eccles 5.8 Isa 40.18 25. Psal 76.12 Psal 135.6 Jâ—b 33.13 Psal 97.9 Psal 113.4 Psal 16 2. Neh. 9.5 No thought of God high enough Job 11.7 8 9. But that God is above all thoughts Yet minds the least and least thingâ— To begin then at the beginning of all things we are instructed by Scripture to think that GOD IS and that he is the MOST HIGH and therefore to have High Thoughts of him as of the Holy One that inhabiteth Eternity HE is higher then the Highest To whom there is none like no equal none to be compared That cuts off the Spirit of Princes That is terrible to the Kings of the Earth That doth whatsoever pleaseth him in Heaven and in Earth in Seas and all deep places That giveth no account of any of his matters That is high above the Earth and exalted far above all Gods High above the Nations yea His Glory above the Heavens High above our Services for our Goodness extendeth not to him High above our Praises nay above Blessing and Praise Mens or Angels And therefore that we can never think high enough of God but in Thinking that he is too high for our Thoughts Canst thou by searching find out God Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection It is high as Heaven What canst thou do Deeper then Hell What canst thou know The measure thereof is longer then the Earth and broader then the Sea And yet they think amiss that think Him as some do too high to mind the lowest matters non vacat exiguis Some think it a disparagement to his Highness that He should mind and order every minute action motion inconsiderable worm or sly the stirring of the hand or moving of the foot c. but all these must be left without particular providential concourse and all in respect as they think to his Highness But Scripture teacheth us to think that not only in him we live but move Acts 17.18 Psalm 36.6 Mat. 10.29 Psal 104 29.14.9 and 139.16 Mat 10 30. Psal 147.5 as well as have our being Nay that He preserveth Man and Beast that a Sparrow doth not fall without him That he takes away their breath when they die gives them their Food while they live Nay that not onely our members book'd by Him but even our Hairs the very hairs of our head numbred and all this no difficulty nor diminution to him whose understanding is infinite Sect. XVIII TO have Holy and Reverend Thoughts of Him Right and Reverend Thoughts Psal 111.9 Isa 8.13 Gods eyes pure and piercingâ— Hab. 1.13 for HOLY and REVEREND is his Name and therefore to Sanctifie the Lord God in our HEARTS that he be our Fear and that He be our dread as He was the FEAR of Isaac To think Him a God of purer Eyes then to behold Evil or that He can look upon Iniquity viz without loathing And yet to think Him a God of such piercing Eâ—es as that he beholdeth the Evil and the Good Job 24.21 22. for his Eyes are upon the wayes of Man and He seeth all his goings there is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of Iniquity may hide themselves Dan 10.6 Psal 139.12 for his Eyes are as Flames or Lamps of Fire and unto him the night shineth as the day Neither is there any Creature that is not manifest in his sight Heb. 4.13 But all things are naked and open in his sight with whom We have to do Sect. XIX God unchangeable Iames 1 17. Ordering all changes Psal 106.20 TO think him God UNCHANGEABLE without Passion Perturbation Variableness or so much as shadow of turning Though as a Vesture he shall change both the Foundations of the Earth laid by himself of old and the Heavens the work of his hands and they shall be changed and mean while orders all Changes under the Heavens and in the Earth He prevaileth against man for ever Job 14.2 Chap. 23.13 and he ceaseth He changeth his Countenance and sendeth him away But as for Himself He is of one mind and who can turn him Do Sinners provoke me to anger Jerem 7 9. Job 35 6. saith the Lord Do they not provoke themselves to the Confusion of their own faces so that If thou sinnest what dost thou against him or if thy Transgressions be multiplyed what dost thou unto him though thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art c. Yet seems as moved with sin Psal 1â—6 32 and 43. Heb. 3.10 Isaiah 63.10 and 43.24 Amos 2.13 Ezek 6.9 Sâ—â—â— suffering Deut â—â— 36. Jer. 31.20 Isaiah â—2 9 Yet withall to think him a God so holy hating sin so infinitely that He is said to be angred to be provoked to be grieved to be vexed to be made to serve to be wearyed to be burthened nay even to be broken by it I am broken saith God with their whorish heart yea a God so gracious as that He repents himself for his Servants His bowels are troubled for them and in all their Afflictions he is Afflicted with them Sect. XX. Onely God John 17.3 2 Cor. 16.26 Gal. 4 8. Rom. 16.27 1 Tim. 6.15 16. Levit. 16.4 Mat. 19.17 Deut. 6.4 Unity yet TRINITY Psalm 2 7. Heb. 1.5 John 1.14 Chap. 15.26 1 John 5.7 TO Think Him the ONELY true GOD and the Gods of the Heathen but vanity Idols and by Nature no Gods The Onely Wise God The blessed and onely Potentate who onely hath Immortality who Alone is Holy And there is none good but HE And therefore no GOD but HE Hear O Israel the Lord thy God is but ONE GOD. That the Being is One the Substance undivided and yet the Subsistonce distinguished so that the Father is not the Son but Begets him The Son is not the Father but Begotten of him The Holy Ghost is neither the Father nor the Son but proceedeth from both The Spirit that proceeds from the Father whom I will send saith Christ yet these three are God and yet God is but One for these three are One without Division Composition or Confusion And O how High and Holy High thoughts Reverend ought the Thought to be that receives this Mystery And therefore to help his weak Thoughts in this The Believer perhaps fixeth his Thought on the Sun in the Firmament where he finds light heat Sun and Soul of man short shadows of this Mystery and motion
man that through terrours of Conscience starved himself to death being otherwise prevented in destroying himself by Hanging and Drowning which he attempted and in accusing himself that he might have been dispatcht out of the way by the hand of publick Justice for an old Murther which he pretended but intended it as a plot upon his own Life which not taking he never would admit any sustenance down his throat though forced into his mouth till utterly famished both recent instances and within little more then twenty Miles each of other and of both which I have been an eye-witness and other like might be added And now ask such as these if it be not a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10.31 Terrible in praises Exod. 15.11 Goodness Hosea 3.5 Forgiveness Psal 130.4 Spar'd not Angels 2 Cor. 2.4 Old World Verse 5. Sodom Ver. 6. Natural branches Rom. 11.21 His own Son He indeed is fearful in his very Praises and his Goodness to be feared His Grace by no means to be turned into wantonness but the forgiveness that is with him is that he may be feared He that spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down into hell that spared not the old World bringing in the Floud upon the World of the ungodly and turning the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into Ashes condemning them with an overthrow making them an Example unto those that should live ungodly that spared not the Natural Branches O take heed least he also spare not thee If by terrible things in Righteousness God will answer them to whom be is a God of Salvation Surely his Justice will be very terrible to the Sons of Perdition If God spared no his own Son but it pleased the Lord to bruise him Isaiah 53.10 Rejoycing in the destruction of the wicked Isaiah 1.24 Deut. 38.63 Jer. 1.26 27. and to put him to grief who knew no sin but had sin onely imputed to him O how terrible thinks the Soul is God when he cryes out Ah I will case me of mine Adversaries and avenge me of miâ—â— Enemies I will rejoyce over you to destroy you and to bring you to naught I will laugh at your Calamity and mock when your fear cometh when your fear cometh as desolation and your Destruction cometh as a Whirlwind when distress and anguish cometh upon you Thus shall mine anger be accomplished and I will cause my fury to rest upon them Ezek. 5.13 and I will be comforted And oh how awful a thought it is that it should be both casing and pleasing to God to destroy sinners 〈◊〉 1.3 That the God of all comforts as Scripture calls him should be Comforted in the Perdition of ungodly Men and laugh at their fear 〈◊〉 6.14 who forsake the fear of the Almighty And Oh how fearful is He in his punishments who is so in his praises How terrible in his Righteousness who is to be feared for his Goodness 1 Pet. 1.17 If they that Call on the Father must pass their time in fear because without respect of persons Isaiah 33.14 he judgeth every one according to his works O how may the Sinners in Zion be affraid what fearfulness may surprize the Hypocrites If they be unable to Contend with his burning Agues God terrible in present punishment Jerem. 12.5 Isaiah 30.33 Chap. 66. â—4 Nahum 1.2 Plagues and Feavers How will they dwell with Everlasting burnings Oh what will they do in the swellings of Jordan when the breath oâ— the Lord as a River of Brimstone shall kindle upon them those Eternal flames that none shall be able to quench for the Lord is jealous and Revengeth The Lord Revengeth and is furious The Lord will take vengeance on his Adversaries and he Reserveth wrath for his Enemies Reserves of wrath terrible O those RESERVES of Wrath how dreadful are they That when Millions of Ages are expired they remain unexhausted There is still a certain fearful expectation and looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation still Heb. 10.27 Psalm 90.11 God corrects whom he loves still Ah Lord who knows the power of thine Anger according to thy fear so is thy wrath Thou Correctest whom thou lovest what wilt thou do wiâ—h them thou hatest If Judgment must begin at the House of God what Heb. 12.6 1 Peter 17.18 What then shall be the end of the wicked Zech. 13.7 Heb. 5.8 Luke 23.31 O what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God and If the Righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinner appear thou gatherest a Rod for every Son thou receivest nay the Holy Child Jesus was not excepted nor exempted who though he were a Son thine Equal a Man thy fellow yet did thy Sword awake against him and He learnt obedience by the things that he suffered And if these things were done in the Green Tree O what shall become of the Dry What Scorpions are prepared to be scourges for the wicked Psalm 9.13 surely God hath prepared for him the instruments of death and ordained his Arrows against the Persecutors Upon the Wicked he shall Rain snares Fire and Brimstone Psalm 11.6 and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup. Psal 119. â—â— Wherefore O God My Flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am affraid of thy Judgments Deut. 32.4 for all the wayes of the Lord are Judgment a God of Truth and without iniquity Just and Right is he with him is terrible Majesty Job 37.22 23 24. Prov. 23.14 Neh. 5.15 He is excellent in Power and in Judgment Men do therefore fear him and well they may Be thou therefore in the fear of the Lord O my Soul all the day long and however others may dare to presume upon him yet so do not thou because of the fear of the Lord. Sect. XXVII THe Lord thou hearest O my Soul God of truth is a God of TRUTH is as well as Righteousness Isaiah 66.5 O Tremble at his word as well as works and be thou affraid of the Judgments of his mouth as well as of his hands For the Lord confirmeth the word of his Servants Isaiah 64.26 Math. 5.28 and performeth the Counsels of his Messengers neither is there any Iota of his Threatenings any more then of his Promises that shall pass away untill all be fulfilled for the strength of Israel will not he nor Repent 1 Sam. 15.29 Isaiah 11.5 for he is not as Man that he should Repent The truth is Gods TRUTH is as the Girdle of his Loins What ever God is He is in TRUTH As God is TRUE In all He is 1 Tim. 1.18 Jerem. 10.10 saith the Apostle Our word towards you was not yea and nay The Lord is the true God saith Jeremiah the God of TRUTH saith the Margin with the Hebrew at his Wrath shall the Earth tremble c. Whatever God
from thy Horse and saved both man and beast brought thee safe to shore the last time that thou gavest thy self for lost at Sea He gave thee thy Possessions Thy Promotions Thy comfortable Relations thy loving Wife thy lovely Children thy health strength limbs liberty credit Comforts of all sorts even every good gift James 1.17 2 Sam. 12.8 And if these had been too little as was said to David he would have given thee more and greater things then these hadst thou not been wanting to thy self Mat. 23.37 How often would he have gathered thee as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings How often would he have convinced converted humbled thee healed thee given thee his Son and given thee his Spirit And now judge I pray thee between God and thy own Soul Isaiah 5.3 what could he have done for thee more then that which he hath done Thou needest a Christ and all the day long Isaiah 65.2 he stretcheth out his hand to tender his Christ unto thee and why did he give thee thy Reason but to lead thee to close with his goodness for thy good But besides the Lord is GREAT as well as GOOD God great as well as good Mat. 21.34 37. else he were not GOD And hath done more then he owes thee in spreading a Table without compelling thy appetite that is more then thou expectest from thy best friend thou hast that is but thine equal 2 Pet. 3.19 Matth. 22.4 He hath sent forth his Servants and with them his Son and in them his Spirit And all these say to thee come All things are ready O tast then Psalm 34.8 and see how GOOD the LORD is Away then for shame with all thy sour and harsh thoughts of God Gen. 3.4 5. and purge out thy old Leaven whereby the old Serpent first soured the whole lump of mankind with a hard opinion of God as if he were not enough enclined to mans good Right thoughts of God must be sweet thoughts Our thoughts of God if they be Right thoughts must be SWEET Thoughts as Davids were Bones of marrow and not bags of gall our Souls must be satisfied with them as his was as with marrow and with fatness Yea even for them that were never yet brought into his Psal 104.34 banqueting house to tast of those dainties Psal 65.5 6. Cantic 2.4 Psal 106.5 Revel 2.17 God good to all Psal 83.3 Rom. 2.4 Acts 14.17 which Scriptures call the good of his chosen that hidden Manna the meat and drink which the World knows not of the sweet repast of the hidden ones there is a Goodness yea Riches of goodness to be thought of by them and not to be despised but Improved by affectionate meditation till it lead them to Repentance For he leaves not himself without witnesse even as to these in that he doth good and gives them Rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons filling their hearts with food and gladness And if he leave not himself without witness take heed he leave not thee without excuse Think with thy self therefore a little seriously O man of this Riches both of the goodness and long-suffering and forbearance of God Sparing mercies an evidence thereof Prov. 12.10 Hast thou not found that there are sparing Mercies and canst thou not think that there are pardoning mercies with the Lord He that hath laid it upon thee to Regard the life of thy Beast and hath himself had so continual a regard to the life of thy body which indeed is as thy Beast or bruitish part but stiles himself the Father of our Spirits Heb. 12.9 whilest he calls others the Fathers of our Flesh canst thou find in thy heart to think that he hath no regard for the life of thy Soul Jer. 2.31 Hath God indeed been a Barren Wilderness to thee that hath given thee so many fruitful seasons or hath he been only so to thy Soul surely what ever he is to other Nations he hath not been so to us means of Grace have not been wanting to thee So the means of Grace not would his Grace have been wanting to thee in the humble and diligent use of those means Thou hast not been straitned in the Lord surely 2 Cor. 6.12 whatever thou hast been in thy own bowels Hath He been a Land of darkness to thee who hath caused his Sun to arise upon thee Matth. 5.44 though thou art Evil Or hath he been onely so to thy Soul Hast thou not also heard of a Sun of Righteousness that he maketh to arise with healing in his wings upon those that believe in him that justifieth the ungodly Mal. 2.4 Romans 4.9 And if all other thy ungodliness be no bar O why should thy unbelief or hard thoughts of this good God be so But some one may think Objection Micah 3.6 is there any evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it nay doth he not own it where is then the Goodness you spake of Out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not evil and good is not He said to frame Evil to devise evil God the Author or evil Lam. 3.38 Jerem. 18.11 Micah 2.3 Isaiah 45.7 Answer Joh 37.23 Lam. 2.33 God good in correcting Micah 6.8 Chap. 7.18 Isaiah 28.21 Mal. 1.8 Rom. 9.20 And punishing Punishment of the wicked good to the good to create Evil And can this consist with so great Goodness But think again O Man that the Scripture saith the Almighty will not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of Men. As a good Parent doth not correct willingly yet he were not a good Parent should he not correct He hath shewed thee O man what is good to do Justice and to love Mercy And cannot God be good though he do Justice whilest he love Mercy for Mercy pleaseth him or he delighteth in Mercy but Judgment he calleth his strange work But go thou and first offer this to thy Governour before thou presumest to reply against God and tell thy Prince if thou darest that His Government is not good because He hath Bethlehems for Mad-Folks and Houses of Correction for Rogues and Vagabonds and places of Execution and instruments of Death for Traytors and Capital Malefactors But how should the Government be good to the Good if it should not restrain and punish the Evil Nay surely the Lords goodness is never more orient in the eyes of his people then when he takes vengeance not onely of their Enemies but of their inventions and yet pardons their sins So of their own sins Psal 991.18 and saves their Souls And oh how shall he come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in them that believe 2 Thes 1.10 Verse 8. Even when the Lord Jesus shall shew himself from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire rendring vengeance to them that know not God and obey not his Gospel So that the Goodness of
day and was glad How busie was Holy Job about the Thoughts of his Redeemer of his standing upon the Earth and his seeing of him with those very eyes of his at the last day And gracious Elihu about the way of Gods dealing with penitent Sinners on the account of a Saviour Deliver him from going down into the Pit Job 23.24 â—gur I have found a RANSOM When Agur was discoursing with Ithiel and Ucal you may see where his Thoughts were by his Question Prov. 30.4 What is his Name and what is his SONS Name if thou canst tell Of David especially Psalms a little New Testament And as for David to whom as to a special Favorite so large and glorious discoveries were made O how enlarged and affectionate were his Meditations So that David and the Book of the Psalms is quoted by Christ himself as most clear and copious concerning Him Luke 24.44 Acts 1.16 and 20.25.29.34 4.25 c. and 13 33. All things saith he must be fulfilled that were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the PSALMS concerning ME And so in the Acts and elsewhere as if the PSALMS were a little New Testament in the middle of the Old Davids thoughts busied about Christs Name Psal 110. compared with Math. 22.43 Psalm 2.2 Psalm 45.7 John 4.29 2 Sâ—m 22.3 Psal 118.14 and 21. Luke 1.47 Phil. 3 3. Psalm 3.5 9. How full were Davids Thoughts of this great and glorious Name the LORD JESUS CHRIST He calls him LORD in spirit when he saith The Lord said unto my LORD sit thou on my right hand c. He calls him Gods Anointed which in the Greek Tongue is CHRIST Yea the Anointed of God above his Fellows which is as much as THE CHRIST as she asked Is not this THE CHRIST that is Christ above all Christs for though there were many Christs they were taught to expect ONE Christ above All And he calls him his Saviour and his Salvation most frequently which in the Hebrew Tongue is JESUS So that that saying of the Blessed Virgin My Spirit rejoyceth in God MY SAVIOUR and that of the Apostle We rejoyce in JESUS seem clearly to be taken from that of David My Soul shall be joyful in the Lord it shall Rejoyce in his Salvation or as it may be read to the letter in the Hebrew Text My Soul shall Rejoyce in his JESUS Person Psalm 2.12 Verse 7. Concerning his Person his Thoughts were clear He exhorts the Kings of the Earth to kiss the SON and tells you plainly that he means the only BEGOTTEN of God when he saith the LORD hath said thou are MY SON Psal 89.26 compared with Heb. 1.5 this day have I BEGOTTEN Thee and again I will be to him a Father and He shall be to me a Son So also concerning his distinct Natures Natures in one Subsistence He calls him LORD in Spirit because he knew him to be GOD who he knew was to be his SON after the Flesh as MAN Psalm 45.67 yet saith expresly to him Thy Throne O GOD is for ever and ever c. Thou lovest Righteousnesse c. therefore GOD thy GOD hath Anointed Thee c. He knew that Christ the anointed of God was GOD Hebr. 1.8 for saith the Apostle It is unto the SON that he saith thy Throne O GOD is for ever and ever c. Yet He also distinctly and certainly knew that God had sworn that of the fruit of his Loins He would raise up Christ as concerning the Flesh to sit upon his Throne as the Apostle speaks Acts 2.30 So that he may be thought to mean this when he saith Truth shall spring out of the Earth and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven Psal 85.11 He might well call him TRUTH as he was the Promised Messiah for in this respect he was to spring out of the Earth to be born of a Woman in the City of David And he might call him RIGHTEOUSNESS who is called elsewhere Jehovah Tzidkenu Jer. 33.16 Mal. 4.2 The LORD Our Righteousness and the SUN of Righteousness as another Prophet calls him now 't is proper for the SUN to look down from Heaven Concerning his Incarnation and Birth Incarnation Psal 142.17 Luke 1.69 which he calls the budding of the Horn of David or which is all one the raising up a mighty Salvation or a Horn of Salvation for his people in the house of his Servant David he brings in Christ plainly thus speaking Sacrifice and Offering and burnt Offerings thou wouldest not Psal 20.6 7 8. Hebr. 10.5 but a Body hast thou prepared me So the Holy Ghost in the Hebrews renders that of the Psalmist Mine ears hast thou opened or pierced through and applies it to Christs Coming into the World in the Flesh Then said I Lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of Me I delight to do thy will O my God c. He had also most clear conceptions concerning Christs bitter Sufferings Passion 〈…〉 Psal 2.1 2. Acts 4.26 In the Raging Combination of the Heathen that is the Gentiles and the People that is the Jews and Consultation of the Kings of the Earth and the Rulers that is Herod and Pontius Pilate against the Lord and his CHRIST as it is expounded in the Acts. Psal 118.22 1 Pet. 2.7 By the Malice of the Priests and Elders that should have been Builders of the People in the Faith and acceptation of this Promised Messiah Refusing that stone which God hath designed to be the Head of the Corner By the Treason of Judas that did eat of his Bread yet lifted up his heel against him Psalm 41.9 Job 13.18 21. Psâ—â— 22.7 8. Mat. 27.43 By the scoffs of Spectators and cruel mocking of passers by wagging their heads at him and saying He trusted in the Lord let him deliver him if he will have him and let him save him seeing he delighted in him Psal 31.11 Mat. 26.56 By the faintheartedness of his Followers and Cowardise of his Friends I was a Reproach among mine Enemies and a fear to mine Acquaintance they that saw me without sled from me All this was done saith the Evangelist that the Scriptures might be fulfilled then all his Disciples forsook him and sled Psal 69.21 Mat. 27.48 By the cruelty of his Inhumane Persecutors that in his thirst gave him Vinegar to drink and Gall in his Meat Psal 22.16 17 18. Mat. 27.35 By the Savage Souldiers that parted his Garments and cast lots upon his Vesture and Bloody Executioners that pierced his Hands and â—his Feet and so distended his Body upon the cruel Cross that one might tell all his Bones Psal 22.1 Mat. 27.46 And most of all by Divine Dereliction which made him to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And yet in all this not casting away his Confidence Psalm 31.5 Luke 23.46 or loosing
himself by Impatience but committing himself and his Cause to God and crying out with a loud voice into thy hands I commit my Spirit and when he had so said saith the Evangelist He gave up the Ghost And as David was thus copions in the Thoughts of Christs Passion he leaves him not there Resurrection but pursues him with lively and comfortable Meditations of his Resurrection Psal 16.10 Thou wilt not suffer thine holy one to see Corruption from which the Apostle undeniably concludes the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead Acts 2.26 nay even from those words in the Second Psalm Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Psalm 2.7 Acts 13.33 Psal 110.7 This God hath fulfilled saith the Apostle Paul in that he raised up Jesus c He shall drink of the Brook in the way may be meant of his Passion for Christ calls it a Drinking the Cup which my Father hath put into mine hand saith he shall I not drink John 18.11 and therefore shall be lift up the head in his Resurrection And as his Thoughts ran of his Resurrection so also of his Ascention When he Ascended up on high Ascention Psal 68.18 Eph. 4.8 and led Captivity Captive he received gifts for men yea even the Rebellious that God might dwell amongst them expounded by the Apostle as meant of Christ by the Psalmist Session and Intercession Psal 110.1 4. Heb. 7.21 So also of Christs Session at the Right hand of God and Intercession as an High Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedeck All expounded of in Christ in the Hebrews Of his Kindome Throne and Scepter Kingdom Psalm 45.6 Thy THRONE O God is for ever and ever the Scepter of thy KINGDOM is a right SCEPTER Of his Prophetical Office in Declaring the Decree Prophetical Office Psalm 2.7 and 45.10 Success of his Ministry Psalm 110.5 Psalm 18.49 Rom. 15 9. Psal 117.1 2. Rom. 15.11 in Instructing the Church Hearken O Daughter and consider and encline thine ear c. And the wonderful glorious success of his Gospel Ministers Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power c. and that not only as to the Election among the Jews but also the fulness of the Gentiles the Calling and Conversion of them by the Grace of the Gospel I will confess thee among the Gentiles And again he saith Praise the Lord all ye Gentiles and laud him all ye People c. for great is his loving-kindness towards us us Jews and you Gentiles therefore praise ye the Lord. Second coming to Judgment And finally his Powerful and certain second coming to Judgment for the compleating of the work of his Grace in bringing many Sons unto Glory and in gathering his people together his Saints and his Covenanted ones Psalm 50.1 5. even from the rising of the Sun unto the going down thereof And O how he triumpheth and brings in other Creatures exulting as it were at the thought of this his coming Psalm 96. for he cometh for he cometh to judge the Earth with Righteousness will he judge the World and the People in his truth Ver. 11 12 13. for in all this it is evident that his thoughts ran of Christ when he saith He hath remembred his Mercy and his Truth towards the house of Israel and all the ends of the Earth have seen the Salvation of our God and then it follows Let the Floods clap their hands Verse 8 9. and the Mountains rejoyce together before the Lord for he cometh to judge the Earth with Righteousness shall he judge the World and the people with Equity In a word as blessed Maryes Soul did magnifie the Lord though she were his Mother so Davids Spirit did rejoyce in God his Saviour though as to the Flesh he were his Father and O how precious was that thought unto David which is as it were the sum and quintessence of all the rest Thou spakest in a vision to thy holy One Psalm 89.19 thou saidst I have laid help upon one that is mighty that is to say in the New Testament-Language He is able to save to the uttermost Hebr. 7.28 all that come unto God by him 'T is proved that David understood and thought of Christ in all this Acts 2.30 31. But some one may say was David indeed so well studied in a Covenant of Grace and did he think of a Christ in all this The Apostle Peter saith he did because he was a Prophet and knew what God had sworn that of the fruit of his loins he would raise up Christ concerning the Flesh to sit upon his Throne and that knowing this before he spake of his Resurrection c. So that David did not Prophesy like wicked Caiaphas the High Priest of he knew not what Joh. 11 50 51. but understood what he Prophesied and thought of what he Prophesied and was in this respect a man after Gods own heart 1 Sam. 13.14 because his heart was so much upon what Gods heart was upon Prov. 8.30 the Mystery of Grace in the Lord Jesus Christ so that as Christ saith that he was alwayes before God so David saith of Christ I foresaw the Lord alwayes before my face Acts 2.25 Christ was ever in his eye But O how great is the advantage that our Thoughts may have of his His was but a foreseeing and a fore-knowing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore but a fore-thinking of a Christ that was to come Verse 31. but ours is a seeing before whose eyes Jesus Christ is evidently set forth Gal. 3.1 even as if he were Crucified amongst us and a knowing and a thinking of that which is already and fulfilled to a tittle in all that he fore-spake and fore-thought even eight and twenty Generations before it was accomplished for from David Mat. 1.27 untill they were carryed away into Babylon was fourteen Generations and from the Captivity to Christ were fourteen Generations What shall I say now Heb. 11.3 the time would be too short as the Apostle speaks to tell you of Moses and all the rest of the Prophets of the Apostles and particularly of S. Paul whose heart was so full of a Christ and his thoughts so big of him that they deliver themselves almost in every other Verse of his very Name and croud it in many times as if it were an ease to that Abundance that was in his heart to have his mouth speaking or his pen dropping that sweet smelling Name of THE LORD JESUS CHRIST Sect. XXXI THis this is also that 1 Pet. 1.12 Christ the Theme of Angelical Thoughts Luke 1.13 14. which the Angels desire to pry into for you may know what all their Thoughts run on by what their Tongues run of when they take to them Tongues saith the Evangelist there was with the Angels a multitude of the Heavenly Host Praising
God and saying Glory to God in the highest on Earth PEACE and GOOD WILL towards men On Earth Peace no Peace for Hell Goodwill towards Men Yet Christ is for fallen men not Angels Hebr. 2.16 but not Devils for Christ took not on him the Nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham O this is that the thought whereof is such matter of Admiration to the good Angels and such horrour and Confusion to the fallen Angels whose eye towards us is so much the more Evil because Gods hath been so good And shall not all this procure God thy good Thought of him Why were there no more but this that Salvation is Possible for Thee but not so for Them this were something to be thought of But now that Salvation is Proffered and laid in thy very way that thou canst not if thou wouldest step towards Hell without trampling upon Gods bowels of Mercy Hebr. 10.13 and treading under foot the Son of God and blood of the Covenant where all is Free to Thee Covenant of Grace gives what it requires Isaiah 1.16 Ezek. 35.25 and 18.31 with 13.26 how ever dear to Christ and the Yoke easie the Covenant being GRACE Requiring onely what it hath to give and giving what it requires saying Wash you and make you clean c. and again I will powre clean water upon you and you shall be clean and from all your filthiness will I cleanse you c. Saying make you a new Heart and a new Spirit c and again a new heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them c. Having such Grace Slighting of Gospel-Grace a sin of Men not Devils I say proffered us as the Devil never had let us think what will become of us if we sin such a SIN as the Devil never did who never had a pardon tendered him to sling it back into God's face who never had a Christ or a Covenant of Grace preached unto him but was forced to speak truth in that though he be a lyar that he hath nothing to do with Jesus Matth. 8.29 Isaiah 9.6 except it be to his Torment But saith the Scripture To us is the Child born to us is the Son given It saith not to Angels but to us Though we may well think that Elect Angels 1 Tim. 5.21 as the Apostle calls them are so in Him but if Christ be their Head yet not so as he is Ours Men otherwise concerned in Christ then Angels 1 Pet. 1.12 A head of Confirmation to them of Redemption to us and so born to us And shall He be so much thought of by Angels and not thought of by us Nay 't is our Concernment that the Apostle saith the Angels do so much desire to prie into Dan. 9.23 Eph. 3.10 and They are advantaged herein by the Church as the Angel Gabriel by Daniels Prayer To the intent saith the Apostle that now unto the Principalities and Powers in beavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God Sect. XXXII COncernment is wont to be the greatest Conducement to thoughts Our concern Men will mind their own Business when anothers shall be out of their Thoughts and this is our great nay our onely Concernment for there is but One thing needful Luke 11.42 Christ Ours Heb. 1.12 Luke 9.2 Matth. 1.23 Immanuel God with us Make all ours Greatness John 20.17 for thus we may think if Christ be not Ours there is nothing Ours for Christ is Heir of all things nay We have lost our selves and are cast away But if Christ be Ours All is Ours for his Name is Immanuel which is by Interpretation God with us and if God be with us well may our Thoughts be with God and surely they cannot but be well if they be with God Gods greatness is amazing but when his goodness hath made it Ours how comforting I go saith Christ to my Father and your Father and to My God and Your God Gods JUSTICE is terrible Justice but his Justice paid off satisfied attoned reconciled Justice befriending how amiable God is faithful and JUST to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from unrighteousness 1 John 1.9 if we confess our sins what a word is there If we burthen our selves with them â—s the matter is ordered in the Covenant of Grace Justice it self will befriend us by discharging us of them if we be but so honest and candid as to own them and to own him that hath owned them and paid for them who is mentioned there by the Apostle but a verse or two before God is so just as to pardon them 1 John 1.7 Deliver him Job 33.24 saith God I have found a Ransom Justice disclaims a double payment Holiness The holiness of God what a dreadful thought is it and how may it make a poor sinful man to cry out as the men of Beth-shemesh 1 Sam. 6.20 Rom. 8.3 Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God But then to think again that this Holy God is become Man and in the likeness of sinful Flesh and for Sin that he might condemn Sin in the Flesh 1 Cor. 1.30 and that He is made unto us of God not onely Righteousness but Sanctification this may make us to give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness Psalm 30.4 as it is in the Psalmist Highness Gods HIGHNESS what an awful thought is it to Us that are at such an infinite distance from Him But to think withall that though the Lord be high yet He hath respect to the lowly Psalm 138.6 and 136.23 and regard to our low estate and hath so far humbled himself as to embrace our Dunghil to cloth himself with our Flesh to lodge in a Womb without abhorrence in a Manger in a Grave nay by his Spirit in a Sinners heart so that We may say with the Psalmist Psalm 113.5 6 7. Who is like unto our God who dwelleth on high yet HUMBLETH himself to raise up the Poor out of the Dust and the Needy out of the Dunghill for Christ's HUMILIATION and Condescention is our Exaltation O what cause is here to rejoyce in his highness as the Prophet speaks And if greatness Isaiah 13.3 Cant. 1.3 Cant. 2.4 and holiness and justice are made such Repast by a Covenant of Grace to our Thoughts well may We remember his LOVE more then Wine Here O here Wee should muster up our Thoughts and bring them into a Full Body and lay Gods Commands upon them to stand to their colours for the BANNER over us is LOVE Sect. XXXIII ANd here let me charge thee O Reader LOVE 1
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
which All other Thoughts can be but a mear Chaos of Confusion and will prove in the Issue a very Hell of Horrour and a Thought with which the thought of Death is without a Sting 1 Cor. 15.55 Luke 21.28 1 Pet. 1.8 and the very Thought of Judgment doth lift up the heal and fill the heart with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory In a word a Thought that by mutual entercourses between Love on Gods part and Faith on Mans part doth bring Heaven down to Us and will if We follow it home raise Us up to Heaven 2 Cor. 3.18 for whilst we with open face behold as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord we are changed into the same Image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of Lord For as Gods wayes are above our wayes as high as his Thoughts are above our Thoughts Isaiah 55.8 so our wayes will be above other mens wayes above the Corrupt way of Nature the bruitish way of sense and Carnal Reason as high as our thoughts are above their thoughts for whilst their God is their belly Phil. 3.19 20. and they glory in their shame who mind Earthly things Our Conversation shall bâ— in Heaven from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ O welcome then the dear and precious Thoughts oâ— the blessed Jesus who thought of thee O my Soul Christ deserves Psalm 136.23 in thy low estate and therefore deserves thy Thoughts and puts himself purposely in thy way which way sâ—ever thou turnest thy self And desires our thoughts Luke 22.44 Knocks at the door of every sence and therefore sure desires thy thoughts for as there was never a pore in his Body but He did sweat out his Blood at it for thee and thy Good so is there never a door even of thine Exterior sences but He knocks at it to be let in to thy thoughts Canst thou hear or see or feel why that which we have seen and heard saith the Apostle 1 John 1.1 And ver 3. 1 Pet. 2.3 Cantic 2.1 Chap. 1.13 Verse 14. declare â—e unto you and our hands have handled the word of life Or canst thou tast and hast thou not tasted that the Lord is gracious or is the Rose of Sharon the onely Flower that can â—â—t please thy smell The bundle of Myrrhe the Cluster of Camphire c. are there no sweets in All these Methinks my Saviour does even court my Thoughts And puts himself in the way of our thoughts by every good thing about us Isaiah 11.10 Eccles 7.11 Rev. 12.16 Mal. 4.3 Rom. 13 14. John 14.6 Chapter 10.9 meeting them and me at every turn in every thing that is excellent and obvious If I shut my eyes He is my Rest and this Rest is glorious If I open them He is my Light and truly this Light is pleasant If Night fall he is the bright and fixed Star If Day dawn 't is writ with a Sun-beam upon my wall that he is my Sun of Righteousness when I get up can I forget my Cloths to put on the Lord Jesus Can I go forth and not think of him that is the way or come in again and not think of him that is the Door Can I sit down to Eat and forget him that is the Bread of Life and take a turn in my Garden among all my pleasant Plants Revel 22.2 and forget the Tree of Life or refresh my sweating brow amongst Rivers Verse 1. Isaiah 32.2 Zachar. 13.1 Shades and Fountains and not mind him that is the River of Life the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land the Fountain set open for Sin and for uncleanness Can I gaze upon Gold or Silver the Mammon of Unrighteousness and forget him whose very Reproach is greater riches then the Treasures of Aegypt or please mine Eye with the Brisk and sprightly Diamond or beautiful Emerauld and not call to mind that Pearl of great Price Mat. 13.42 for the sake of which the wise Merchant sells all he hath to buy the Field in which He finds it Do I see the welcome Officer bringing a discharge to his weary Prisoner and forget him that hath the Key of David who openeth Revel 3 7. and no man can shut and shutteth and none can open Do I see the Mariner drop his Anchor and forget him in whom alone is Hope which is the Anchor of the Soul is sure and steadfast Heb. 6.18 19. Do I see the Souldier run to his Colours and forget the Captain of my Salvation Chap. 2.10 Gen. 31.40 Do I see the watchful Shepheard expose himself as Jacob to Sun and Showre to Wind and Weather and forget him that laid down his Life for his Sheep John 10.11 Matth. 9.33 Or the painful Harvest-Man and forget him that is the Lord of the Harvest Or the careful Father setling his Estate by Will and leaving it to his little ones that he leaves behind him and can I forbear to call to mind my Saviours Testament confirmed by the Death of the Testator Hebrews 9.16 Do I see the Virgins preparing to receive the Bridegroom Mat. 25.31 or the Countrey going out to meet the Judge of Assize and not my Thoughts run out to meet my Saviour 1 Thes 4.17 In a word can I think of any thing and not think of Christ who is every good thing If I be well Psalm 42.11 Matthew 9.12 Philip. 1.21 John 11.25 't is He that is the health of my countenance and if I be sick he is my Physitian and if I live Christ is my Life and if I die he is the Resurrection as well as Life So that as there is a strange disease that takes some in their Heads who live many years but so strangely loose their Memory that they forget their own Name it is much more a monstrous disease that takes Us in our Hearts that makes us forget the Name of Christ that We should be so strange and so sottish and so stupid to the thoughts of Christ which of all the things in the World ought in duty and might in Reason be most ready frequent and familiar to Us since God hath made every good thing about us a plain prompter to our weak memories in spelling out the Name of his Son and our Saviour Jesus Christ We need no sorry Crucifixes dumb Pictures or dead Images to be our Remembrancers blessed be our God to put us in mind of him Especially by the Lords Supper instituted for his Remembrance 1 Cor. 11.26 who hath drunk to us in his own Blood and commanded us to pledge him at his Table and as often as we do it to do it in Remembrance of him O there do thou muse O my Soul till the Fire burn O there let thine Eye and thy Touch and thy Tast affect thy Thoughts and let thy Thoughts inflame thy Affections that the more thou think of Christ thou mayest love
him better and the better thou lovest him thou mayest think of him more for there the Bread of life is broken that it may be Eaten and this Eaten Bread is never to be forgotten there the Blood of Christ is broached that it may be drunk and being drunk Cant. 1.4 Gal. 3.1 that his love may be remembred more then wine for there is Christ before mine eyes evidently set forth even as if he were crucified among us Thâ—â— the King both sits at his Table Cant. 1.12 and is set upon the Table for Christ is both the Master of the Feast and the Matter of the Feast both my Entertainer and Entertainment and whilst I thus see him and feel him and tast him How can I but think of him and whilst the Bread that strengtheneth mine heart strengtheneth also my Faith and so Christ steals into my Soul as it were by my Sense and becomes the very nourishment thereof as the Outward Elements Bread and Wine are of the Outward man How can I forget my Saviour whilst I Remember my self or shut him out of the thoughts of mine Heart Psalm 73 26. John 6.5 who is the strength of mine heart whose Flesh is my meat indeed and whose Blood is my drink indeed whose Death is my life and my Reconciliation and whose life is my Glory and my Salvation who by his continual Intercession Hebr. 9.28 Exod. 28.29 ever bears me upon his heart before his Father in Heaven even as Aaron was to bear the Names of the Tribes of Israel upon his Brest-plate into the most holy place till He appear the second time unto Salvation John 12.20 and come again to take me to himself that where my Lord is there may also his Servant be Sect. XXXVIII Holy Thoughts of Christ ANd as we must away with all souâ—re thoughts of Christ and All low thoughts of Christ so much more with all unsavory and loose thoughts of Christ Our Thoughts of Him must be Holy as well as High Rom. 6.1 2. and Fearful as well as Chearful The Apostle puts an absit upon the least Thoughts as if the coming of Grace were for the countenancing of Sin What saith Moses concerning Christ Beware of him and obey his voice Exod. 23.21 provoke him not for he will not pardon your Transgressions for my Name is in Him What saith David Psalm 2.12 Kiss the SON least he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little The Prophet Isaiah tells us that he comes to give Law as well as Liberty the Isles shall wait for his Isaiah 42.4 Law the Prophecy of our Conversion who are Islanders in the Sea and that this Branch out of the Root of Jesse shall smite the Earth with the Rod of his Mouth Isaiah 11.1 2. and with the breath of his Lips he shall slay the wicked The Angel saith of Christ that his Name shall be called JESUS Mal. 1.21 Acts 2.27 Mal. 5.17 because He was to save his people not IN their Sins but FROM their Sins Christ when he was a Child was the Holy Child JESUS and when he was a Man He tells us that He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it And as John Baptist told the People that his Fan was in his hand Mat. 3 12. and he would throughly purge his Floor they found it so for He went into the Temple Chap. 21.21 and scourged out the Buyers and Sellers c. in token that no unclean or prophane thing must expect admittance by Him into the Kingdom of God No no Mat. 3.11 John 16.8 Hebr. 10.1 Mat. 16.24 John 17.17 Acts 15.9 Philip. 4.7 Col. 3.25 Gal. 6.16 The Baptisme of Christ is a Baptisme with Fire and the Spirit of Christ is a Reprover of Sin the example of Christ a pattern of Obedience and the Doctrine of Christ is a Doctrine of Self-denyal the Truth of Christ a Sanctifying Truth and the Faith of Christ an heart purifying Faith and the Peace of Christ is a War with Sin for it keeps the heart and rules in the heart and 't is onely unto them that walk according to Rule that the Gospel of Christ saith Peace be upon them but Tribulation and Anguish Rom. 2.8 9. Indignation and Wrath upon every Soul of Man that doth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile Take We heed then of thinking basely of Christ Mat. 11.19 as the friend of Sinners in their vile sense who indeed thought him to be altogether such an one as themselves Psal 50.21 Psal 35.7 but Davids Thoughts were otherwise thou lovest Righteousness and hatest Iniquity therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the Oyl of Gladness above thy fellows A Friend indeed of Sinners for he Dyed to save them yea the chief of them 1 Tim. 1.15 but yet an Enemy to Sin for He came to make an end of Sin saith the Apostle St. John to redeem us from our vain Conversation saith S. Peter and to purifie to himself a peculiar 1 John 3.8 1 Pet. 1.18 people Titus 2.14 zealous of good works to sanctifie and cleanse us with the washing of water by the World that we might be holy Eph. 5.26 27. and without blemish saith S. Paul And now tell me O Reader is there any shelter for Sin or license for Lust in all this O be not deceived Gal. 6.7 8. God is not mocked for whatsoever a Man soweth that shall he also reap for he that soweth to his Flesh shall of the Flesh reap Corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life Everlasting For the GRACE of God that hath appeared bringing SALVATION 2 Tit. 11.12 teacheth to deny ungodliness and worldly Lusts c. Psalm 45.6 For Christ is KING as well as PRIEST and LORD as well as JESUS and the Scepter of his Kingdome is a RIGHT SCEPTER and We cannot THINK RIGHTLY of it except we think it so And O how terrible is this THOUGHT that if We slight this way Hebr. 2.36 Chap. 10.26 neglecting so great Salvation by sinning wilfully against this Sacrifice there remains no other SACRIFICE for Sin for there is no other Name given but the Name JESUS Acts 4.12 Heb. 10.28 29. And if He that sinned against Moses 's Law dyed without Mercy how much sorer must his punishment be that trampleth under foot the SON of GOD Then think this of Christ that if he be not thy Foundation-Stone 1 Pet. 2.6 Mat. 21.14 Rev. 5.5.6 John 5.22 Elect and precious to thee if thou be not built upon him he will fall upon thee and grinde thee to powder for the Lamb of God is a LYON too and God hath committed all Judgment to the SON and the WRATH of the LAMB shall one day be found intolerable to the proudest of Men when the Kings of the Earth
Rev. 6.15 16 17. and the great men and the rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty Men and every Bond man and every Free man shall call to the Rocks and the Mountains to fall on them to hide them from the face of him that sitteth upon the Throne and from the WRATH of the LAMB for when the great day of his Wrath is come O who shall be able to stand O think of this ye Loose Licentious Caution to loose Christians Rom 2.24 Sacrilegiously so called CHRISTIANS through whom the Sacred Name of Christ is blasphemed among the Gentiles what thanks will He give you that a TURK should say as they are ordinarily observed to do What do you think I am a CHRISTIAN that I should break my Oath or falsifie my Faith Or that an HEATHEN should say as that Indian Prince did to the Spaniards who being about to put him cruelly to death but in Ghostly Charity perswaded him to turn Christian before his death He asked them what he should get by that they told him he should go to Heaven with the Christians He demanded whither went Indians when they dyed They said to Hell He shortly Replyed He would die as he was for he had rather go to the Indians Hell then to the cruel Spaniards Heaven 'T was severely said by one Aut hic non est Christus pudet haec opprobria nobis dici potuisse non potuiste refelli aut hi non sunt Christiani Either He whom you profess is not the CHRIST or You are not the CHRISTIANS Men and Brethren let me freely speak to you if CHRISTS coming into the World be signalized by Bacchanalian Rites and Revellings what shall a Jew or Infidel think either of Christ or else of Us 'T was truly said Peccatis nostris fortes sunt Barbari Christians sins make Barbarians more barbarous Homil. against the peril of Idolatry 3 P. pag. 45. Jerem. 7.12 Turks more Turkish Jews more Jewish as our Homilie hath observed that Popish Idolatry gives the great fixation to Turkish and Jewish Infidelity But as of old God sent the old Jews to Shilo where He first set his Name to see what he did to it for the wickedness of his people Israel so may I send the now Christian World to the once seven flourishing Churches of Asia Revel 1.11 for if Christ be not glorified by Us He will glorifie Himself upon Us and therefore let every one that thinks of a Christ think of this 2 Tim. 2.19 Let Every One that nameth the Name of Christ depart from Iniquity Sect. XXXIX Right thoughts of God the Holy Ghost ANd as our Thoughts of the Father and the Son are onely Right when Regulated by Scripture so also of the Blessed SPIRIT For as the Sun is not to be seen as we have said but in its own light which yet is but a finite Created Emanation from God the Father of Lights much less can we conceive aright of the Holy Ghost Must be Scriptural 2 Pet. 1.21 1 Cor. 2.14 Thoughts of the Holy Ghost strange to the carnal mind but by Conceipts congruous and harmonious to that Word which holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost For if the Natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit He cannot surely conceive aright of the Spirit himself without both a spiritual light to discover and eye to discern him Otherwise He must needs be both out of his sight and out of mind For Scripture saith that such a mans very Mind is carnal and speaks of the Spirit of this World as directly opposite to the Spirit which is of God 1 Cor. 2.12 We are great strangers to our own Spirits John 14.7 Alas what strangers are We to our own Spirits How little is our knowledg and how few are our Thoughts of them How strange then must the Knowledge and Thoughts of the Holy Spirit of God be unto Us This is that Spirit whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not Thoughts of God the Father neither knoweth him The Thoughts of God the Father do more easily occur to the natural mind for Heathen Poets and even the light of Nature teach us Arat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 17.28 that We are All his Off-spring as the Apostle speaks out of the Poâ—t and so to seek the Lord if happily we may feel after him and find him though the light that Adams Fall hath left in us is little less then Darkness so our searching after God our Father Verse 27. is called a Feeling as blind men use a Gropeing as they that have much darkness and but little light And as God the Father is not very far from every one of us as 't is there said so the Thoughts of God the Son are the more obvious to us And of God The Son more obvious then of God the Holy Ghost because by his Incarnation he is come so near us and there is a true Humane Nature in his Blessed Person for humane Thoughts to employ themselves upon 1 Cor. 12.3 And yet it is said that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord that is make any right acknowledgment of the Son but by the Holy Ghost How then can any man have any Right Knowledge or Thoughts of the Spirit Right thoughts of the Holy Ghost Acts 9.31 Are Reverend Iohn 16 7. The Holy Ghost GOD. but by the Spirit who speaks by the Scriptures And here as before we are taught to Rejoyce with trembling walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Ghost For who can but Rejoyce in the Thoughts of Him whom the Scriptures call the COMFORTER and can but tremble before the SPIRIT who as He is One with the Father and the Son for there are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word 1 John 5.7 and the Holy Ghost and these three are One so is He to be considered and Thought upon with one and the same joyful Reverence and awful Rejoycing A SPIRIT in his Eâ—sâ—nce As to his Essence the Scriptures declare Him to be a Spirit in declaring Him to be God for God is a Spirit and declare him to be God John 4 24. 2 Tim. 3.17 2 Pâ—â— 1 2â— in declaring themselves to be the Word of God for whilest one Text saith that All Scripture or the whole Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is given by Inspiration of God or God Inspired and another that holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Isaiah 62.2 the Natural Conclusion from the premisses is this Therefore the Holy Ghost is God And if we ought to tremble at the Word how much more before him that inspired and gave it forth Agreeable hereunto it is Isaiah 6.1 2 3 5 8 9. that when the Prophet Isaias in that tremendous Text describes the Lord sitting upon a Throne
and therefore Pray without ceasing give thanks in every thing is put into the front and Despise not Prophesyings comes up in the rear of that Apostolical grand Caveat Quench not the Spirit 1 Thes 5.17 18 19. Revel 5.10 Rather let us as made by Christ Priests unto God keep alwayes burning upon our Hearts this holy Fire and stir it up by meditation How to cherish the Spirit Psalm 39 3. Psal 143.10 Revel 1.10 while I was musing saith David the Fire burned and blow it up by Prayer Teach me to do thy will O God thy Spirit is good c. Especially let us Pray and watch and wait as the Primitive Disciples for the Lords Spirit on the Lords Day And let us add the Fewel of diligent and industrious Observation to all his fervent motions when we hear the sound of his goings 1 Sam. 5.24 Hebâ— 5 3. then let us bestir our selves When the Holy Ghost saith to day if ye will hear his voice let us not harden our hearts nor put him off till to morrow for the Spirit is as the Wind that bloweth where and when he listeth John 3.8 Rev. 2â— 17 Harbour no base thoughts of the Spirit Acts 8.19 20. Acts 5.9 when the Spirit saith Come let the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come Let us not harbour any Carnal Low base Thoughts of this glorious Spirit this was Simon Magus his sin Especially let us not by close Hypocrisie or secret dissimulation agree to lie to the Holy Ghost and so to temâ—t the Spirit of the Lord this was Ananias and Saâ—hira's sin and it cost them dear and they are peculiarly said to tempt the Spirit because it is his peculiar work to search All things 1 Cor. 2.10 Sect. XLVI The wonderful condesceâ—tion of the Holy spirit in the work of Mens salvation Mat. 6.9 3. Rom. 16.24 1 Cor. 16.23 Gal. 6 13 Phâ—l 4.23 ANd now to shut up all what Holy Fear and Love of this Holy Spirit may at once fill Our THOUGHTS when we consider that although HOLINESS be the â—eculiar Attribute of the Spirit from which he receives his Denomination even as Greatness is peculiarly ascribed to the Father who is therefore said to be in Heaven and Kingdom Power and Glory to be his and Grace to be the Sonâ— in respect of which special property of the Spirit All sin against God is said in a special manner to Vex the Spirit 2 Thes 3.18 yet such is the rich Mercy of this Holy Spirit in Condescention to poor mans Salvation that He undertakes it as his peculiar Office and Work to come into mans Heart unsitted and unfurnished when Zijm Ochim and lim have dwelt there when vain Thoughts have lodged there into a very sink of sin a house without windows a heap without order a very Hell of cursed Confusion and of every hateful and hurtful lust and that when there was none to go before him or to prepare for him Whereas though herein God commended his love to us in that while We were Enemies Christ dyed for us yet would not the Son be born to die or lodge in a Womb or come into the world till this Spirit went before him Hebr. 10.5 As in the Margin to prepare a place for him and to fit a Body to him for so may the word be rendred a Body hast thou prepared me or a Body hast thou fitted me O sweet spirit what Tongue can praise or heart prize thee according to thy glorious Grace to poor sinners Genesis 2.7 When God first breathed into man the breath of Life He was a lump of innocent Clay but when thou comest to breath the breath of New Life into sinful man thou breathest into a noysome Carkasse an heart full of Rottenness 1 King 8 28. 2 Chron. 6.29 and takest up thy Dwelling in that very part where his Plague sore runs And now seeing Thou dost not shun those that have the Plague of the heart Come in thou blessed of the Lord to this Heart of mine Mat. 3.11 Isaiah 44.3 Thou art a Fire that can purge my Dross and not be impaired a Water that can wash away all my filth and not be defiled Now to thee Blessed spirit with the Father and the Son be Glory for ever Amen Sect. XLVII FINALLY As our Thoughts of God Thoughts for God must be by Scripture Rule See Bp. Andrews on the second Commandment Image and Imagination Cogitation Col. 2.23 Mat. 15.9 Sâ—e Bishop Taylors Dissuasive pag. 48. Isa 29.13 14. 2 Sam. 7.2 2 Chron. 3.3 and 29 25. so our Thoughts For God are onely Right when agreeable to Scripture Rules For as the second Commandment forbids all IMAGES so also all IMAGINATIONS in the things of God that are not warrantable by the Word of God The Hebrews express both by one word for Thoughts are the Images of things in our minds What the Apostle calls Will-Worship Our Saviour calls Vain-Worship though the things may have a shew of wisdom and humility where the fear towards God is taught as in Popery by the Precepts of Men. When David took up thoughts of Building God an House he consulted Nathan the Prophet which when Solomon was allowed to accomplish it is said Now these are the things wherein Solomon was instructed for the Building of the House of God which when Hezekiah did restore 't is said also he set the Levites in the House of the Lord with Cymbals with Psalteries and with Harps according to the Commandment of David and of Gad the Kings Seer and of Nathan the Prophet for so was the COMMANDMENT of the LORD by his Prophets Rom. 10.2 Zeal without Knowledge is Heat without Light which is so like Hell that it cannot be pleasing to the God of Heaven Mark 9.44 Mat 25 3â— for Hell is a Fire that never goes out and yet Outer Darkness Wherefore Reader when ever thou thinkest to do any thing for God Ask his Word first whether it will be well taken How lamentable is it to think how perniciously Our Thoughts for God may miscarry for want of this John 16.2 Acts 26.9 2 Sam. 6 6 7. Bp. Taylors Preface to his Dissuasive The Roman Church can never justifie her self from Idolatry yet if it were but suspitious God is jealous and will not endure any causes of suspition or motives of jealousy Things like Idolatry can no wayes be excused Bp. Tay ors Dissâ—asive from Popery pag. 57. Some kill Gods Saints yet think they do God good service and saith Paul I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus of Nazareth Poor Uzzah no doubt thought to do God a good piece of service when He put forth his hand to stay the Ark when the Oxen shook it but God smote him for his Errour that he died A severe punishment may some man think and a slender errour especially considering that the Man
meant well But when we consider that of all the Decalogue the mention of Gods jealousie is onely annexed to the second Commandment now jealousie hath a sharp Eye not onely upon the down right Act but also upon every thing that comes near it or leads to it or looks like it We cannot wonder at the formidable instances of Gods severity recorded in Scripture such as Uzzah here Chap. 9.24 and Nadab and Abihu were who offered 't is not said Forbidden Fire but strange Fire before the Lord which he commanded them not and there went out a Fire from the Lord and devoured them Lev. 6.13 Onely just in the Verse before there was holy Fire upon the Altar which God sent down from Heaven in the sight of the People and God would have this Fire reserved Levit. 10.1 and it seems onely made use of in the case of holy Offerings I shall shut up his head with that remarkable Text of Scripture Shew them saith God to the Prophet Ezekiel the form of the House and the fashion thereof Ezek. 43.21 and the goings out thereof and the comings In thereof and all the forms thereof and all the Ordinances thereof and all the forms thereof and all the Laws thereof and write it in their sight that they may keep the whole form and all the Ordinances thereof and do them THE CONCLUSION Of the Whole With Motives and Rules for the keeping of Thoughts RIGHT Sect. I. Exhortation to self reflection by and upon our Thoughts ANd thus having given Rules for the Tryal of Thoughts and certain Schemes of such Thoughts as are according to Rule Let me earnestly Exhort Thee O Reader to think seriously of thy Thoughts That Thou mayest know what to think of thy Self and what God thinks of Thee For Non Aper Auditu â—phynx visu Simia gustu c. Prov. 12. â—6 Verse 5. For as man Excels not other Creatures in seeing hearing tasting c. but in Thinking So therefore is the Righteous said to be more Excellent then his Neighbour in this same Chapter where the Thoughts of the Righteous are said to be Right for herein a good man excels Another more then another excels a Beast Psalm 49.25 For even Man that is in honour and considereth not is like the Beasts that â—erish saith the Psalmist Therefore saith he to God Psalm 2.5 Consider my Meditation and if God consider our Thoughts it concerns us sure to Consider them And therefore saith also of himself Psalm 49.2 Abâ—eadom Rad. The Meditation of my heart shall be consideration or Anim-adversion for so the word signifies as well aâ— understanding and so may refer to the Reflex Acts of the mind upon it self as well as its direct Aâ—â—s upon other Things Sect. II. ANd yet alas such is the Corruption of Mans Mind by Nature that few can be found free to think of their Thoughts except it be corruptly to think them FREE But yet They that are Partakers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Hebr 1.3 to speak with Scripture will bear some Resemblance of the Divine Mind which begets in it self the express Image of it self as the Apostle speaks by self-Reflection And as the Internal begotten WORD was the Eternal Delight of the DIVINE MIND I was daily his DELIGHT Prov. 8.30 So if Thou make it thy Daily Business conscientiously to converse with the hidden man of thine heart 1 Pet. 3.4 in this Excellent way of self-Reflection This will be not onely as the Chewing of the Cud in the Levitical Law a signe unto thee of a clean heart Levit. 11.3 but will also embalm thy soul as it were with a certain Divine delight a Caelestial serenity and satisfaction Sure I am that the best Christians do find themselves shortest fed with spiritual Joy when through Sin Sloth or Dissuetude they are least Wont or willing to turn into themselves by this self-Reflection The hidden Manna is meat for the hidden Man Revel 2.12 and thou must turn in there if thou wouldest tast of Gods Dainties Christ will not sup with Thee except He find thee at home Revel 3.25 I will come in to Him saith Christ and sup with him And therefore if Thou wouldst sup with Christ Thou must also turn in to Thy self The stranger to God and the stranger to himself doth not interme Idle with this Joy Prov. 14.16 And now hoping good Reader that this little Treatise will find thee thus at home and All well there I shall onely add a few helps for the keeping Thoughts Right for it is not enough that the Watch be well set but it must be well kept 1. In some moving Notional Considerations 2. In some practical Rules Of each of these very briefly and so we shall shut up all I. Motive to Right Thoughts 1. Motive to Right Thoughts Psal 146 3. Thoughts will be alwayes stirring Psalm 57.21 Isaiah 57.20 Isaiah 57.20 COnsider that as thy Pulse so thy Thoughts will be alwayes Stirring to thy Dying-Day Now what is alwayes in Motion had need be well Ordered If thy Thoughts boyl not up with a good matter as the Psalmists did they will be as the Raging Sea that cannot rest but is still casting up Mire and Dirt. Though Thou canst not alwayes be waking yet thou canst Sin sleeping Prov 24.9 Deut. 23.16 because thou canst Think sleeping and we have seen that the very thought of foolishness is sin As in the Law a Man might be unclean by that which happened in the Night so our Thoughts may drop Defilement upon our Consciences when we are asleep in our beds And Oh let this Consideration awaken us to Repentance even for Thought-sins of our â—â—ep 'T is the Policy of Princes to keep working HEADS well imployed and so must we deal with our working HEARTS II. Motive 2. Motive Glorious Theme for thy Thoughts Heb. 12.2 3. Colos 2.3 NExt Consider what a Glorious Theme for thy Thoughts God hath provided even All GOOD in One in that short and sweet Rule CONSIDER JESUS in whom are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Astronomy doth but survey a Dung-hill for Stars are but Dirty Clods in comparison of that Glory that lyes within Reach of the ASTROLABE of thy Thoughts if thou do but Rightly Consider JESUS Truth is 't is a wonder a Christian can much think of any thing for thinking of his Christ but that we are so much Corruption and so little Christian Saint Paul could hardly do it perhaps He forgat his Cloak at Troas when he left it behind him yet he had nor good man much else to think of but the Cloths to his back But however we are sure that we find him wrapping himself up almost every other line in the warm Thoughts of a JESUS Blessed Soul strip him to the Back or rip up his Bosom there you still find the marks of the
Lord JESUS Gal. 6.17 As 't is said Callis might have been read in Queen Maries heart if it had been ript up And here methinks I could even forget my self and run along in my Thoughts with this sweet Apostle but that I must not forget my Reader for 't is time to be hastening towards a Conclusion III. Motive AGain 3. Motive Keep Right Thoughts and they will keep thee right Consider that to keep thy Thoughts Right is the way to keep Thee so My Life for thine He that keeps his Thoughts Right shall never die Traytour to God or the King Not to the King for Curse not the King no not in thy Thought saith the Rule of Righteousness Not to God for Right Thoughts will yield the Fruits of Righteousness Fruits of the Lips Psalm 45.1 My heart is Inditing a good matter I will speak of the things I have made touching the King Psalm 119.15 my Tongue is the Pen of a ready Writer so saith the Psalmist And the Fruit of good living I will meditate saith He in thy Precepts and have Respect unto thy Wayes and again I have remembred thy Name and have kept thy Law Verse 55. IV. Motive 4. Motive Right Thoughts will yield peaceable Fruit. Mal. 3.16 Verse 17. ANd lastly Consider That Right Thoughts will yield as the Fruits so the Peaceable Fruits of Righteousness For these are thy fair Evidences that thou art in Gods Books as we say proverbially of One highly favoured that Thou art one of his Jewels for a Book of Remembrance was written before him for them that Thought upon his Name And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels And how should We count and keep that as Our peculiar Treasure in respect of which God counts Us so And therefore in the II. place to Direct thee I. Practical Rule 1. Practical Rule Repent of evil Thoughts Acts 8.22 THe First Practical Rule for the Keeping of Right Thoughts is Diligent and daily Repentance of Evil Thoughts what saith the Apostle Repent and pray God if perhaps the Thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven Thee And O what cause of deep Humiliation for our Thought-sins is here that the very Thought of a mans Heart may bring a Man to a peradventure or a Perhaps whether ever He may be forgiven Matth. 3.8 What saith John Baptist Bring forth therefore Fruits meet for Repentance and think not to say within your selves c. Hence thus much is Evident that where Fruits meet for Repentance are brought forth Evil Thoughts are expelled and cast forth Now as nothing can banish Darkness but Light so can nothing expel Evil Thoughts but Good Thoughts And as the Ablaqueation and laying of the Roots bare in the time of year is the way to make Trees bring forth Fruit well in their season so the laying Our hearts bare in the sight of God by Confession Compunction Contrition deep Humiliation for our Evil Thoughts is one way to be fruitful and abounding in Good Ones II. Practical Rule 2. Practical Rule 2 Sam. 13.20 Make the evil of thine heart subservient to thy good thoughts NExt as the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen every man his Share and his Colter and his Axe and his Mattock because they would not suffer a Smith in Israel So deal with the Corruption of thy Nature that would not suffer One good Thought in thy Soul Whee thy Thoughts for good by that very Contrariety that is in thee to good For instance Thou complainest that such is the corruption of thy Nature that thou canst not of thy self think one Good Thought Why Think then of the Corruption of thy Nature and even this Thought well followed shall be a Good Thought in Thee and a Good Thought for Thee Thou complainest that thou canst not think of Heaven for the thoughts of Earth and of things below why think of these things onely think of them aright viz. as Gods Word and thy Reason and thy Sense tell thee as what God hath placed under thy feet as the Psalmist speaks Let me tell thee Psalm 8.6 that Right Thoughts of Earth and of things below may help not hinder thy thoughts of Heaven In Nature the ambient Winter-cold makes Springs in the Bowels of the Earth they say the hotter Mans heart is a Spring and Thoughts are its flowings and thus David we have seen waxed hot with musing while the wicked were before him Psalm 39.1 3. God can make Corruption of Nature subservient to Grace as Joshua said of the Canaanites Numb 14.9 they are Bread for us God can make the very Evil of our hearts to be Food and Fewel to our Good Thoughts III. Practical Rule 3. Practical Rule Heave at thine heart Numb 15.20 NExt Heave daily at thine heart for our Thoughts are our Heave-Offerings Lift at thine heart as they do at a great Stone or piece of Timber which is by raising to be laid into the Building Unto thee Psalm 25.1 O Lord do I lift up my Soul saith holy David But not in thine own strength Pray for the Spirit to help thee to right Thoughts John 14.26 But then still Remember that of thy self thou art not sufficient to think any thing aright as of thy self Therefore Pray in aid of the Spirit whose work it is as in Prayer so in Meditation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to lift with us and to help us to lift And Pray in Faith of that Promise the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name shall bring All things to your Remembrance that is good Thoughts to your minds And here let me desire thee carefully to Remember this That if Gods Spirit do not Satan will be filling thy heart Acts 5.3 The very First Petition in the Lords Prayer teacheth us to pray for Right Thoughts for by these we sanctify the Lord God in our hearts Isaiah 8.13 1 Pet. 3.15 Luke 11.13 And therein also to pray for the Sanctifying Spirit whom God hath promised to give to them that aâ—k him Be thankful for right thoughts Psalm 30.4 And further be sure to be thankful to God when he helps thee to be thoughtful of that which is Good in this sense Give thanks at the Remembrance of his holiness even when he helps thee to Remember it Humble thankefulness for what we have is a cleanly way of begging for more Labour for holy affections And that thou mayest alwayes be full of good thoughts Implore Gods Grace to fill thee with those sanctified Affections that carry the Key and command of the thoughts viz. Holy Fear and Love Fear For the first of these even slavish Fear can carry the thoughts before it the Mariners in a storm can easily think of their Danger Jonah 1.5 And shall not an holy and Filial fear they feared the Lord Mal. 3.16 and