world The time shall be when this world and time shall be no more but the mercy of God to his people hath no end no interruption 2. Mercy is drawn out to eternity this is confirmed by six and twenty everlasting that are spoken of the mercy of God in one Psalm to make the deeper and stronger impression upon the hearts Psal 136. of the faithfull the mercy of Jehovah is to everlasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. The length of this divine mercy is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear God Psal 103. 17. he had thoughts of mercy from eternity in his Electing love in Christ Oh what strength of comfort may be drawn out of this immense length of mercy that which greatly troubleth poor souls is the lengthening of the iniquity of their thoughts Oh say they we have lived in thought-pollutions in the inward acting of speculative filth and folly in vain wanton wicked thoughts these forty yea threescore years we have drawn out the sinnes of our thoughts to a very great length therefore how can we believe that there is any mercy for us This Consideration should lengthen our sorrows and heighten our self abhorrency yet know that there is an incomparable greater length in divine mercy then can be in mans thought defilements the length of Gods mercy is from eveâ—lasting to everlasting now what is the length of threescore years to eternity Secondly as the mercy of God is greatly extended in all the dimensions thereof so it is greatly powerfull As there is a power in the wrath of God that passeth our knowledge Psal 90. 11. so there is a power in his pardoning mercy passing all created understanding this mighty power of Gods mercy appears herein that he is able by a word speaking to pardon the greatest height of sinne Now for the clear understanding of this glorious mystery we must know that in the justification of a sinner remission of sinnes and righteousnesse is given by an act of Royall Prerogative and power in God he speaks and pronounceth a sinner pardoned he saith unto him live Ezech. 16. 6. It is an act of omnipotency to pardon sin the superlative greatnesse of Gods power is manifested in forgiving his people as is most evident Numb 14. 17 18 19. And now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken saying the Lord is long suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquity and transgression pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according to the greatnesse of thy mercy in showing great pardoning mercy God shows great power This is the exceeding greatnesse of Gods Prerogative and transcendent power of his mercy that he can take men that are most ungodly in themselves and speak them the most righteous men in the world if he do but reckon and declare a sinner pardoned and justâ—fied he is really pardoned and justified from all his sinnes Thâ—s doth infinitely manifest and magnifie the power of Gods free grace and mercy in Christ that if he do pronounce a sinner forgiven he is fully and for ever acquitted from the guilt of all his sinnes if God be pleased to account and reckon a man righteous by the righteousnesse of Christ Jesus imputed he stands compleatly righteous in Gods sight this is the highest declaration of the omnipotency of Gods mercy that he is able to pardon the greatest sinner by a word in the word of this King of Kings there is power Infinite power Oh therefore let repenting souls consider that though the sinnes of their thoughts be exceeding great and innumerable heightned with all the aggravations that Satan and their own distrustfull hearts can put upon them yet there is that infinitenesse of power in Gods mercy that if he be pleased but to speak the word onely they shall be fully cleansed from the guilt of all their thought-sinnes The seventh Consideration Seventhly There is an All-sufficiency in the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse the foulest sinners from all the iniquities of their thoughts 1 John 1. 7 9. with him there is plenteous redemption Psal 130. 7. 1. Consider that all the iniquities of our thoughts and wayes were laid upon Christ our surety Isa 53. 2. He hath suffered all that wrath and punishment which was due to the sinnes of all his people and thereby he hath made a plenary satisfaction to divine justice for the same he hath payed all their debts to the utmost farthing 3. God the Father hath accepted of this satisfaction of Christ for his people and manifested this acceptation in that he raised him again from the dead let him out of prison took off the bonds of death and received him into glory Rom. 8 33 34 4. Christ Jesus by his sufferings hath obtained a plenary redemption and remission of sinnes for all believing sinners Heb. 9. Eph. 17. 5. If our hearts be really broken for and from our evil thoughts the God of mercy will multiply his washings of us in the blood of Jesus Christ Psal 51. 2. David prayeth for a multiplied washing Psal 51. v. 4. according to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his iniquity multiply wash me much wash me that is throughly wash me again and again in the blood of Christ Rev. 7. 14. 1 John 17 9. Jer. 4. 14. the Hebrew Hereb or Harbeth signifies properly to multiply and doth most fitly suit Davids present case who had so multiplied his iniquities in the matter of Vriah Objection but now some perplexed Object souls will be ready to object and say these are precious grounds of comfort were we but sufficiently qualified we now begin to see that the mercies of God are great and manifold sufficient in themselves to pardon the multiplied multitudes of our thought-transgressions but we are most vile wretches not worthy of the least crumb of mercy we can do nothing that can please God that can move him to shew mercy we have not a broken frame of spirit we cannot be so bitterly affected and afflicted in spirit for all the wickednesse of our Thoughts as we desire had we but that depth of humiliation and heighth of spirituall qualifications that we see in some Saints we could then believe the forgivenesse of all our evil thoughts were our hearts so inlarged in duties and carryed with that over-powring strength against the the corruption of our thoughts and works as they should be we might then have some hopes of pardoning mercy but when our spiritual wants are so great our humiliation so little our strength against sinne so weak how dare we think that any mercy belongs to us how can we venter upon these precious mercies Whereunto I answer 1. Who made this a condition of the Answ Gospel-covenant that men must have such a heighth of Contrition and mortifying strength so great inlargements in graces and performances c. before they may lay hold upon pardoning mercy surely this condition is not of Gods
THE GRAND TRIALL OF TRVE Conversion OR Sanctifying Grace appearing and acting first and chiefly in the THOUGHTS A TREATISE Wherein these two Mysteries are opened I. The Mystery of Iniquity Working in Mans Thoughts by corrupt Nature II. The Mystery of Holiness Working in the Thoughts of Sanctified persons Together with Precious Preservatives against Evill Thoughts By JOHN BISCO Minister of the Gospel in Thomas Southwarke LONDON Printed by M. S. for G. Eversden at the Maiden-head in Pauls Church yard 1655. THOUGHTS are the First-borne of the soule the Beginning of its strength for the bringing forth either of good or evil Our Thoughts are first made up into affections and purposes and then they are made out into works and actions The sinfullnesse of Nature appears most in the disorder of our Thoughts and the power of Grace in the due Government of them The Apostle James saith He that offendeth not inwâ—rd I may say much more He that offendeth not in Thought the same is a perfect man and able to rule the whole body He is a Saint indeed that is so in Thought The ensuing Discourse containes a learned clear and spirituall Revelation of the Mystery of mans Thoughts Shewing both how the Mystery of Iniquity worketh in the Naturall mans Thoughts as also how the Mystery of Holiness worketh in the Thoughts of men Regenerate And therefore having perused this Book I judge the Publishing of it in Print very profitable for the help of All who desire to study and know their owne hearts and there to Sanctifie God both in shutting them with a holy indignation against all evill Thoughts and in opening them with a holy delight for the entertaining and lodging of those that are Good JOSEPH CARYL July 7th 1655. To the Honourable THOMAS ANDREVVS Alderman of the City of LONDON and President of Thomas Hospitall An overflowing fullnesse of all heavenly Graces and all watchfull preparation for the Glory that shall be revealed Much Honoured Sir IT is the promise of the All-Glorious God to honour those that honour him We honour God when we confesse him to be as he is in himself and in his glorious actings to us All the glory that we are able to give to God stands in cordiall verball and reall acknowledgments The most High is infinitly above â—ur highest praises and perforâ—ances 2 There be 4 speciall wayes whereby God honours men 1 When he raiseth them out of nothing worse then nothing yea from the very depth of hell to a height of heavenly honour happiness and holines in Christ Jesus whereby he makes them more excellent then their neighbors Prov. 12. 26. for all true Christians are right honourable and truly royall they are loyall subjects and a Royall Priesthood they are really the 1 Peter 2. 9. Exod. 19. 6. Rev. 1. 6. 5. 10. lowest yet the highest people lowest in their own sense highest in Gods sight 2 God honours men when he gives them hearts to serve him in a faithfull and fruitfull subjection to his will The service of God is not only our duty but also our priviledge and preferment 3 When he raiseth men to places of eminency above others and makes them faithfull in employing their power for God and piously prudent in their publick deportment 4 But the highest honour shall be hereafter in heaven when all the Saints shall be filled brim full with grace and glory We cannot honour God untill he hath honoured us we cannot give glory to God until we have received glory from him We honour him because he first honours us grace is glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. Rom. 8. 30. Sir God hath honoured you with the truest honour in Christ and given you a heart to honour him again I cannot forget your holy zeale and Christian courage that you have openly manifested in standing up for Jesus Christ in owning and pleading his cause against such as endeavoured to pervert and subvert the purity of Gospel Ordinances and the power of Religion And I am confident that the righteous God will not forget your zeal for his cause and love to his servants God hath his Booke of remembrance Malachi 3. 16. and Hand of reward There shall not a good thought word or work in his people passe without secret record and open reward Mat. 6. Your speciall bounty and favour to my selfe ingageth me to apprehend any opportunity of due and deserved acknowledgement But that which is the strongest and most predominant Motive to quicken me to this Dedication is your constant holy affection to the Gospel of Jesus Christ his pure worship and most precious wayes Sir My hearts desire is that all the thoughts of God may be mercy and peace unto you that he would be pleased to add many happy years to your dayes and when you have served God your compleat time advance you to a Heaven of eternall glory a Haven of perfect rest a Paradise of all possible perfections through the free grace of God in Jesus Christ Which shall be the prayer of him who is Your Servant in the Worke of the Gospel JOHN BISCO The mystery of Mans thoughts opened 2. Cor. 10. 4 5. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God or to God to the pulling down of strong holds Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ IN the spirituall appearing of the King of glory to the soule the mighty power and work of the Spirit of grace doth chiefly appeare in these two things 1. In discovering the defilement and disorder of mans naturall thoughts 2. In setting and setling the thoughts in a holy order and spirituall frame of obedience The thoughts of every man as they act in corrupt nature are the great enemies of King Jesus they do strongly oppose his Ruling in and over mans soul they sit in the throne commanding and carrying our affections and actions untill the thoughts be cast down changed and brought under the command of Christ there cannot be that constant conformity in our affections and wayes that the Royall Law requires In the second verse of this Chapter Vers 2 we find there were some that conceived unjust thoughts against the holy Apostle looking upon him as though hee walked according to the flesh The false Teachers charged this upon the Apostle that he preached in a low earnall way making use of fleshly fraile helps as humane learning Arts Tongues and enticing words of mans wisdome setting out himselfe more then Christ they cry downe the Apostle that themselves might appear to the Churches as the only Spirituall Preachers That this was their designe is evident by comparing Gal. 4. 17. They zealously affect you but not well yea they would exclude you that you might affect them Thus our last translation reads it Piscator and Paraeus read it us they would exclude us that is out of your
whatsoever we think and conceive of God either contrary or otherwise then he hath revealed of himself is the turning the true God into an Idol as there is a changing the Glory of the Incorruptible God into the externall likeness of men and other Creatures by Ethnick Idolaters that great sin for Rom. 1. 23. which the Gentiles stand Indited so there is a changing the glory of God into the internal likeness of mens fancies by mis-conceivings and wrong apprehensions of God in their minds this is spirituall Idolatry wherof we are exceeding guilty in our thoughts as 1. When we conceive God to be like to man in any of those glorious perfections virtues or affections that are attributed to him 2. When we measure the Infinite power of God in our thoughts by that limited weak power that is in man as because men cannot forgive great trespasses done against them we are apt to think that God cannot pardon our great transgressions Isa 55. 8 9. 3. When we conceive God to be that which he is not this is thought-Idolatry 4. When we imagine any thing of God that imports the least imperfection or deficiency as 1. When we think that God is changed by our Actings Prayers Humiliations c. 2. Or that he is a gainer by our Services wheras the Scripture declares that strong man Geber man in his highest strength of acting cannot be profitable Iob 22. 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to God Job 35. Psal 162. Luk 17. 9 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Geber the name of man in respect of his strength 3. If we think that we can oblige God as a Debtor to us or 4. That there can be the least addition to his Essentiall Glory by all that glory that we give unto him in our acknowledgments these are Idolatrous thoughts which do change the glory of God into the likeness of our selves and so make him an Idoll It is a provoking sin to conceive amiss of God in any of his glorious Attributes when we do not speak that is right of him in our thoughts It was the great sin of Eliphaz and his two friends that they did not speak that that Iob 42. was right of God Their mis-speakings of God did proceed from their mis-conceivings of him Qu. If every undue thought and mis-apprehension of God in our minds be horrid hatefull Idolatry O then how may we conceive and think of God aright according to Scripture Discoveries Answ There be divers divine Principles and Rules that I shall present unto you for the rectifying of your thoughts and apprehensions in conceiving of God and his glorious Attributes 1. The Properties or Attributes of Proprietates divinae naturae seu essentiae sunt attributa Dei essentialia quibus essentiae divinae veritas ac Majestas nobis innotescit ab aliâ—s distinguitur Wedclivus God wherby the Majesty and Glory of the divine Essence is manifested to us are essential Perfections in God for whatsoever is in God the same is God these Attributes differ not from the divine Essence Gods power is himself his mercy is himself and not different from his Essence 2. These Attributes in God are one most pure simple Act. 3. They are all absolute Properties in God and so distinguished from those Relative Properties wherby every person in the glorious Trinity hath his own subsistence 4. These Essentiall Attributes Omniscience Omnipotency Mercy Eternity c. are all equally in all the three Persons as equally possessing the Divine Being 5. They are the peculiar properties of Rom 16. 27. Matth. 19. 17. 1 Tim 6. 15. God possessed by him alone God is only wise He alone is God and King of Kings 6. All these Attributes are affirmed and spoken of God as truly in the abstract as in the Concrete God is not only mercifull but Mercy it self he is Attributa Dei sunt ipsissima Dei essentia 1 John 1. 5. 4 18. Joh 8. 12. 7. wisdom it self light life and glory it self this cannot be spoken of any Creature whatsoever God is goodness and truth it self he is so light that in him there is no darkness 7. Those Attributes that are in some respect communicable to the Creatures they are in God principally and originally in the Creatures secondarily and by participation as wisdom mercy and holiness c. whatsoever is good in the Creatures it is first in God as the Fountain t is in the Creatures but as in the Cistern 2. This Excellency is in God most eminently Infinitely above all degree and measure 8. The Attributes of God are all Eternall Psal 105. 8. Jam. 1. 17. Psal 136. 1. 100. 5. Psal 117 2 Num. 23. 10. Infinite Unchangable and Immeasurable his Attributes are not mutable Accidents but his very Essence they are Infinitely in God at one time as well as another his love and mercy are like himself Infinite and Immutable 9. The Attributes and Excellencies of God admit no intrinsecall intention or extention augmentation or diminunition in themselves though God may Non recipiunt magis minus manifest more of his power grace and mercy in one externall work then in another more to one Creature then to another 10. There is no priority in the divine Attributes themselves but only in regard In seipsis non admittunt prius aut posterius In Gods externall works som one attribute may have the preheminence as power in creation Rom. 1. 19 20. Mercy in the glorious work of redemption of us for all these Attributes are one divine Essence 11. The Attributes of God are not contrary one to another but have the sweetest harmony among themselves yet in their effects and operations Justice and Mercy are contrary Mercy pardons and spares Justice punisheth and condemns sinners 12 In the attribution of any essentiall perfection or property to God there must be an abstraction and removing of all imperfection that accompanies such like properties in the Creatures and the perfection therof must be conceived with the greatest height of Eminency and Excellency in him All wisdom and power all grace and holiness all sweetness of affections they are in God and from him and the way wherby we come to conceive these glorious properties which be in God is 1. By feeling the power and comfort therof in our selves 2. By observing those Excellencies in their measure to be in the best of Creatures whence we arise to apprehend and take notice of what grace and love what wisdom and strength what mercy and goodness c. is in God by the beams of these that we see in the Creatures for whatsoever is excellent in the Creatures is first in God it is in the Creatures by participation and derivation 3. By Gods manifestation of himself to us by those properties in the Scriptures and this is the surest neerest and cleerest way wherby we attain to right conceptions and apprehensions of Gods glorious Being But now in
Scripture promises 2 Pet. 3. 3 4 and threatnings they think they are meere notions that God intends no such matter c. 3. Men come to the places where the word of God is opened there they hear their personall pollutions discovered and dreadfull woes declared against them for their sinnes punishment without end beyond imagination but how few be there that tremble at Gods word and do turn from their iniquities most men walk on in those wayes which the Scripture sayes do lead to all miseries and woes Now what is the reason that men are not affected and wrought upon at the hearing of the reproofs threats of Gods word it is because their minds are filled with this blasphemous thought that there is no truth in these terrible threatnings 3. A third blasphemous thought which prevails with sinners is that religion is nothing but State policy that it is a politick device and design of prudent men to keep people in awe to take up their studies and thereby to keep them from sedition 4. Carnall men are possessed with this blasphemous thought that the worship and service of God is vain and unprofitable Job 21. 15. the wicked man is brought in saying thus in his heart what profit shall I have if I pray unto God this also was the cursed conceit of the Jews in the prophet Malachies time Mal. 3. 14. they are indicted for thus saying It is a vain thing to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Commandements 2. Yea this blasphemous thought may sometimes assault and captivate the servants of God we find that precious man Asaph overtaken with this black thought when he said Certainly I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed mine hands in innocency Psal 73. 13. this wicked thought prevailed too much with Job in his passion as appears by the charge that Elihu brings against Job 35. 3â— and 34. 7. 9. him thou hast said what profiteth it thee and what availeth it me to purge me from my sinne hereby it is manifest that there is in every man by corrupt nature a pronenesse to this thought of blasphemy This abominable thought is apt to rise in the hearts of righteous men occasionally As 1. In the prevailing of passion and temptation 2. When they meet with great troubles crosses and discouragements in the world for then they are apt to think of the prosperous estate of prophane men who perform no service to God and yet in outward appearance may seem to be in better case than themselves at present hereupon they begin to think what avails it us to walk precisely but now there is a vast difference between the Saints and the sinner in the manner of thinking and matter of the thought 1. Prophane men speak it in their hearts proudly purposely and presumptuously but Asaph speaks it in a passion and it is not his renewed part speaks it but sinne dwelling in him Rom. 7. 17. 2. Wicked men have base vile thoughts of Gods service they say it is a lying vanity or vain falshood to serve God as the Hebrew word Shau properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psai 73. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Mal. 3. 14. But Asaph sayes in vain without profit in respect of my outward condition have I â—ollowed after holinesse and innocency 2. When the Saints are themselves they have the highest thoughts of Gods service that it is most gainfull and glorious 3. Godly men would serve God upon his command though there were no gain but godlinesse it self If they can exalt God this they think to be great gain and carnall men have mercenary spirits they cannot serve God without present profit Who are those that do think the ser-service Quest of God to be lying vanity 1. Those that constantly neglect personall Answer and family prayer and praises Morning and Evening 2. They have no care to teach their children and servants in the wayes of God 3. Slightnesse and superficialnesse coldnesse and carnality of affections in prayer hearing Gods word c. doth plainly declare that men think it a vain thing to serve God why do men labour so hard in their Trades and Callings rising early neglecting no opportunity they apprehend that it is for their profit therefore the neglect of holy duties or carnall carelesse performance thereof must needs proceed from this base thought that there is no profit in the service of God Job â—1 15 4. A fourth grand evil thought which proceeds out of the hearts of men is a thought of diffidence and infidelity there be divers thoughts of distrust wherewith believers are often overtaken As 1. Unbelieving thoughts in respect of Gods forgiving mercy we are apt to think with our selves can God pardon Rebels such scarlet sinners as we are can he accept of so unworthy wretches 2. In respect of giving if God do not presently give in mercy upon our prayers we are ready to think thus God regards not our petitions he hath forgotten to be merciful he hath forsaken Psal 77. 8 9. us he will not help us c. 3. In respect of delivering mercy when we are in the mount and the sentence of death seemeth to be passed upon the means how are our minds filled with thoughts of unbelief can God deliver can he prepare a table in the wildernesse Psal 78 19 20 can he give water out of the Rock Carnall Reason sayes it will not be sense sayes it shall not be distrust sayes it cannot be These thoughts of unbelief dâ—d sometimes overpower faithfull David as when he said in his 1 Sam. 27. 1. heart I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul and Psalm 116. 11. and Peter also Matth. 14. 30. 31. 4. In respect of Gods owning accepting mercy what thoughts of unbelief do often captivate the Saints they are apt to think surely God is our enemy we are not his children we are hypocrites castawayes we have no faith no grace c this unbelieving thought took hold upon David Psal 31. 23. I said in my hastning away I am cut down before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thine eyes I am cut down like a dry tree for the fire I am cut off from thy favour this is the import of the Hebrew text the Greek translates it I am cast away these were the thoughts of Jonas Jonah 2. 5. in his affliction I said I am expelled driven away from before thy face I am cast out of thy favour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. In respect of continuing mercy what thoughts of unbelief do overtake weak believers they are apt to think surely we shall not hold out to the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expulit we shall one day fall by the hand of such a lust or temptation we shall faint in the day of tryall 6. In respect of temporall mercies what distrustfull thoughts do rise in our hearts as how shall we and ours be provided for
humbled souls in believing the pardon of their thought-pollutions 3. Gods thoughts of mercy to repenting sinners are as far above their highest thoughts and apprehensions that they have of Gods mercy as the heavens are above the earth this is evident by the testimony of the God of mercy Isa 55. 8 9. as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my wayes higher than yur wayes and my thoughts higher than your thoughts It is spoken of Gods thoughts and wayes of pardoning mercy to returning sinners as is apparant by verse 7. there Jehovah promiseth to show mercy and to multiply pardons answerable to the multitudes of their thoughts and evil wayes Now there be two grand objections that some sorrowfull souls are apt to make against their closing with mercy offered 1. Their Thoughts have such an heighth of malignity and sinfulnesse by reason of their horrid nature and numberlesse swarms that they cannot think how God should pardon them 2. That their wayes have been so highly injurious and offensive to God that if any man should do but the thousand part of that trespasse to them that they have done against God they could not forgive them how hard is it for us to passe by small injuries c To both these objections God answers my thoughts of pardoning mercy saith he are as far above all your apprehensions thereof and my wayes of mercy are as far above all your wayes of forgivenesse to men as the heavens are above the earth When ye think thus with your selves we could not possibly forgive any man in case of so great wrong and ye cannot conceive any reason why I should forgive you yet know that my thoughts and wayes of mercy are as infinitely above all yours as the heaven is above the earth Men are revengefull in their dispositions and will not forgive but Jehovah is a God of mercies and ready to forgive he hath the mercies and power of a God an infinite incomprehensible mercy and power and therefore he can pardon where men cannot yea beyond what they can possibly think and conceive Jer. 3. 1. The heart of man being inlarged and raised by divine grace is able to think of high and admirable mercies yet when the most inlarged hearts have gone as high as is possible for a created heart to rise in conceiving of Gods mercies yet even then Gods thoughts of mercy to Repentants are infinitely above and beyond their largesthoughts It is very observable that God sayes not that his wayes and thoughts of knowledge and wisdome but his wayes and thoughts of mercy are as far above mans as the heavens are above the earth indeed as God is above men which is infinitely The great God argues from the immense heighth of his mercy purposely to heighten and strengâ—hen the faith of bruised souls who cannot think how God should pardon such a world of wickednesse as they have acted in their thoughts oh therefore when our thoughts are at a stand in apprehending and conceiving mercy let us learn to believe above all our own thoughts 4. The mercies of God have a heighth above all that is or can be written of them exceeding high and glorious things are spoken of Gods mercies in the holy Scriptures but the heighth thereof is above all that tongue or pen can possibly expresse as there are Curses written and not written for disobedient sinners Deut. 28. that is the curses and miseries prepared for wicked men are farre greater than are written in the Scriptures so there be mercies written and not written the Scriptures cannot hold and contain all that mercy that is in God for his people because his mercy is infinite and incomprehensible Secondly there is an unsearchable depth in the pardoning mercy of God beneath the deepest guilt that can be found in mans thoughts Psal 86. 13. Thy mercy is great towards me and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes David The heavy weight of our thought-wickednesse sinks our souls as deep as the lowest hell in respect of demerit but the great depth of Gods mercy raiseth believing souls out of the deepest hell to the highest heavens The judgements of God are a great deep Psal 36. 7. but his mercies are a greater depth they are a bottomlesse sea sufficient to swallow up mountains of thought-pollutions as well as mole hills Micah 7. 19. Gods pardoning mercy is compared to the depths of the sea he will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea 1. Observe There are many depths in this sea of mercy if we fear that one depth will not be enought let us consider that there are manifold depths 2. God promiseth to bury all the sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In profunda maris of his people in the depths of mercy which must needs include all the sinnes of their thoughts and wayes though never so many and great Thirdly there is a boundlesse breadth in the mercy of God a latitude beyond all limits Psal 103 12. as far as the East is from the West so far hath he removed our Transgressions from us by his pardoning mercy What a vast distance is there betwixt the East and the West of all visible latitudes this is the greatest now suppose that there be an exceeding great breadth of evil in our Thoughts yet there is a breadth in the mercy of God beyond it there is a latitude and largenesse of power in his mercies to remove all this evil farre from us Fourthly the mercy of God hath an immeasurable length beyond all times mercy is extended and stretched out at length Psal 36. 10. extend thy mercy to them that know thee draw out thy mercy at length as the word in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Extraxit protraxit protendit signifies and as it is in the margine in this sense the word is used Psal 85. 6. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever wilt thou draw out thine anger to generation and generation 1 God extends and draws out his mercy towards his people unto thousands of generations as is evident Exod 20. 5. 6. compared with Exod. 34. 7. Doing mercy unto thousands of them that love me c. that is to the thousand generation yea to many thousand generations the Hebrew word is plural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Generation is not in the Hebrew neither Exod. 20. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. in the fifth or sixth verse but is supplied in the Greek and Chaldee version There is the like phrase in Exod. 34. 7. keeping mercy for thousands that is as Thargum Jerusalemy explains it for a thousand generations Luk. 1. 50. his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation Here generation is expresly mentioned This world shall not continue to thousands of generations we are now in the last dayes of this
making 2. The Gospel tells us that poverty of spirit is the richest qualification They that are poorest in their own sense are best qualified for the riches of mercy Our Saviour requires no portion of those that come to him but meer poverty and emptinesse We have an excellent place Math. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven They that are truly sensible of their own spiritual poverty nothingnesse vilenesse and wretchednesse have a reall title to all the treasures of mercy and pardons revealed in the Gospel Theirs is the Kingdome of heaven They are actually blessed and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graeca dictio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propâ—ie mendicos significat Jansen have a present propriety in the Kingdome of heaven and therefore the pardoning mercy of God is theirs It is observable that the first promise is made to the poor in spirit to beggars in spirit for that is the proper signification of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is such as have a spirituall sense of their own extream emptinesse basenesse and misery and are willing to receive life and pardon upon meer gift and free favour of God as the poorest beggar receives an alms Augustine and Chrysostome expound it of inward humality so that poverty of spirit is the first fundamentall qualification 3. A spirituall sense of our own great unworthinesse and vilenesse is our greatest inherent worthinesse The greatest worthies such of whom the Heb. 11 world is not worthy have no worthiness but onely in Christ Jesus 4. God is pleased to show mercy to those that can do nothing of themselves to please God Micah 7. 18. 5. The great God extends mercy to believing penitens not according to the largenesse of their qualification but according to the largenesse of his own free grace this is excellently held forth 1 Chron. 17. 19. in that thanksgiving speech of David O Jehovah according to thine own heart thou hast done al this greatnesse for thy servant that is al 1 Chron. 17. 11 12. this great mercy as is evident by the preceding words God promiseth great mercies and blessings to Davids seed he would build up Davids house and his sonne should build up an house for him Three eminent mercies are here promised to Davids seed that should be raised up after him in his Kingdome 1. God promiseth to be his father and to take him to be his sonne a mercy of mercies verse 12. 2. Though he fell scandalously yet he would still continue his mercy to him I will not take away my mercy from him c. verse 13. 3. God would establish his Throne for ever verse 12. 14. Now in verse 16. David falls into admiration of this great mercy of God towards him and his house David the King said what am TO Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto Thou hast done very much for me and spoken great mercies concerning my house What can David speak more to thee for the honour of thy servant for the great honour thou hast put upon him for thou knowest thy servant verse 18. thou ownest him in way of peculiar love and mercy O Jehovah according to thine own heart hast thou done all this greatnesse of mercy as if David had said it is not according to the largeness-of my heart in serving thee it is not according to the largenesse of my love towards thee nor according to the largnesse of my qualifications but according to the largenesse of thine own love bounty and good pleasure thou hast done all this mercy for me This is a precious ground of comfort to consider that the great God shows mercy to repenting souls according to the infinite largenesse and freenesse of his own heart as great Kings do give as Kings not as other men but like themselves answerable to the greatnesse of their persons and largenesse of their treasures so the Lord God shows mercy as an infinite God he pardons his people according to the infinite greatnesse of his own goodnesse and largenesse of his treasures We sinne as men as finite creatures but Jehovah forgives and gives as a God his mercies are infinite 2. Our spirituall qualifications at our first believing are small and weak our humiliation but as a drop of a bucket our faith but as a grain of mustard seed all our service but as a poore mite and therefore if God should pardon us according to the narrownesse and weaknesse of our qualifications how little mercy should we receive not enough to cover the least of our sinnes but when God forgives us according to the largenesse of his own heart what exceeding riches what overflowing fulnesse of mercy do we receive enough to pardon all the sinnes of our thoughts and wayes though exceeding great and manifold 6. God pardons us freely for his own names sake and not for any thing we have or can do this is evident by Gods own Declaration to Israel Isa 43. 24. 25. Thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities yet I I am he who blotteth out thy transgressions defections revoltings for mine own sake sayes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord God and will not remember thy sinnes Let us consider the extream vilenesse and unworthinesse of these men to whom the promise of mercy is here given 1. They had brought no offerings to God verse 23. they had performed no worship to him 2. They were weary of God and they wearied God with their iniquities they were burthened with Gods service Verse 22. 24. and did burthen God with their sinnes yet God will freely and fully pardon these great sinners he will not remember their iniquities against them upon their returning to him but it is meerly for himself for his own sake it is his own good pleasure that moveth God to forgive them for the manifestation of his abundant goodnesse and mercy Yea God will have his people to know it that when he pardons them it is not for their sakes it is not out of respect to any qualification in them by way of merit or motive but meerly for his own sake Ezek. 36. 22. Say unto the house of Israel thus saith the Lord God I do not this for your sake O house of Israel but for my boly names sake In verse 21. God sayes that he spared them and shewed mercy to them for his holy Name wheras he might justly have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destroyed them for their sinnes as the Hebrew word here used imports chamal signifies to show mercy to those who by all right might justly be destroyed Ezek. 5. 11. 1 Sam. 15. 3. This consideration may mightily strengthen our faith in that our God extends pardoning mercy to us according to the infinite largenesse of his own heart and from the incomparable freenesse of his own grace not according to the inlargement of our qualifications nor for any thing we do or can perform Oh
shall find that God requires the obedience of our thoughts as well as of our speeches and visible actions We must labour to bring every thought into a sincere subjection to God Our thoughts must be guided by the written Counsell of God Prov. 20. 18. Establish thy thoughts by counsell That is we must take counsell at the word of God how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dispose and order our thoughts We should not conceive a thought in our minds unlesse we have counsell and direction from Gods word Renewing Grace that comes into the soule by the preaching of the Gospel is effectuall to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. Grace first brings in our thoughts to Christ and then our words and works Every thought of the heart must bow the knee to King Jesus he must have his Throne in our thoughts then he is said to rule in our hearts when our aime and indeavour is to order all our thoughts according to the rule of his word The spirituall law of God commands and calls for the love and service of our thoughts Matth. 22. 37. Thou shalt Mâ—rk 12. 30. Luke 10. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love the Lord thy God with all thy thoughts he must be served with all our minde that is with our thoughts the actings of our minde It was the earnest desire and endeavour of David to order his thoughts as well as his words according to Gods will as in his sight Psal 19. 15. The words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart shall be to thy will in thy sight O Jehovah This reading I take to be nearest the Hebrew And so the Syrick Ad voluntatem thus the interlinear reads it The meditation of my heart shall be according to thy will O Lord. And so the Arabick The thought of my heart shall be according to thy will God will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accept of nothing but what is according to his revealed will But now though Grace doe in some measure subdue and subject our thoughts to Gods will yet there is still a stifnesse and inflexibility remaining in our minds so far as they are carnall they are unwilling to bow to the Scepter of Christ and they are apt to rebell against his royall Law and to go astray continually but when our thoughts begin to stray and wander Grace brings them in againe to the paths of Christ it layes a solemn charge upon them not to wander any more and bindes them to subjection if ever we will prove our selves to be savingly sanctified it must be our chiefe and continuall care to serve and glorifie God in our thoughts as well as in our words and works God must be sanctified in our hearts and glorified with our Isa 8. 1 Cor. 6. 20. 21. soules by giving up all our thoughts and affections to his will There is a thought-service that Jehovah expects and exacts of his people as well as a tongue-honour and worke-service Oh therefore let us labour to render withall reverence and zeale unto the Father of spirits a continuall cheerfull thought-service most purely and abundantly and the rather because it is so exceeding pretious and pleasing to God There be foure things that doe commend and declare the surpassing excellency and preciousnesse of this thought-worship and service 1. It flowes more immediatly from the heart that that God chiefly desires and wherein he principally delights he calls for our heart as that which carries the whole man with it thoughts are the free and immediate productions of mans heart 2. No created power can hinder our thoughts from serving God and converses with him opportunities abilities and means may faile for outward performances but the heart is alwayes at leisure and liberty to think graciously and spiritually 1. All the powers of this world yea all the powers of Hell cannot hinder a sanctified heart from an invisible fellowship and fruition of God with thoughts of sweetest rapture and reverence of love and lowliest adoration 2. They cannot restraine it from bathing it selfe in that open fountaine the precious blood of Jesus Christ with thoughts of unspeakable peace joy and triumph 3. Nor from closing and clasping about the pretious promises of life or diving into the unsearchable depths of Grace and mercy with thoughts of faith and highest admiration 4. They cannot hinder a gracious heart from being as a mountaine of incense sending up a spirituall sacrifice of praisefull admiring thoughts to the God of mercy 3. This thought-service is the most spirituall service it is ordinarily full of spirituallnesse intention and life because it is nearest the object of adoration The streames which are next the well-head are purest and strongest the more spirit and life is in our service the more precious it is The best men though they may strive to doe their best every way yet they shall finde different degrees in their abilities to performe and in the actuall discharge of their duties to God their works doe not allwayes answer exactly to their words their words cannot fully express the thoughts of their hearts the thoughts of their hearts come infinitly short in conceiving of the excellency of Gods majesty mercy might and glorious perfections The thoughts of sanctified soules laying hold with immediate and neerest embracements upon that al-glorious object the Lord God and his sweetest attributes give him the glory of his infinite excellencies with more life heartinesse and heavenlinesse then their words or actions can doe 4. A constant thought-service is the surest signe of heart-sincerity John 4. 24. That worship that is most spirituall hath most truth of heart in it If mens change in words and works and all visible carriage were angelicall yet if their thoughts were not brought into subjection to Gods will they were still limbs of Satan A constant striving to subject all our thoughts to Christ is the most sound and undeceiving evidence of our uprightnesse this inward thought-service being secret and invisible is clothed with more certaine sincerity and hath a more speciall acceptance with God Seventhly Sanctifying Grace fits mans heart for divine meditations and fills it with holy heavenly thoughts it begets an inward fitnesse and freenesse to entertaine sanctified thoughts and brings in fulnesse of good thoughts by corrupt nature our mindes have not onely an emptiness of all holy thoughts but also an unfitnesse and aversnesse to take in holy thoughts carnall men are unfit and unwilling to set themselves to think of God and divine mysteries to enter into serious thoughts of their sins of their last end of the last judgement they have no minde to think what they have done what they are doing or what they shall doe they would have God depart from their thoughts and all Job 21. thoughts of a holy God and his wayes depart from them But when sanctifying Grace falls upon us it implants a freenesse and aptnesse in our
of our miseries he hath variety of pardoning mercies suitable to the variety of our sinnes 1. Oh what multitudes and variety of pardons do we receive at our first coming to Christ when God forgives ten thousand Talents to us 2. What variety of mercies do concur in the pardoning of our daily trespasses 3. There is a multitude of mercies that meet in the pardoning of every sinne that wee commit Psalme 51. 1. The fifth Consideration 5. The pardoning mercies of God are past all number there are such multitudes of mercies in God for repenting souls as are beyond number and numbering The greatest Arithmetician is not able to calculate and summe them up this is elegantly expressed in Psal 40. 5. Many O Lord my God are thy wonderfull works that thou hast done and thy thoughts that are to us ward they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee if I would declare and speak of them they are more then can be numbred they mightily increase above telling or numbring Quest What are these Thoughts of God towards us Answer They are Thoughts of mercy and forgivenesse his works of mercy that he doth in and for his people are many and marvellous but his thoughts of mercy are innumerable that this the reall meaning of the words evident 1. If we compare them with Isa 55. 8 9. my thoughts saith Iehovah are not your thoughts c. but as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my thoughts c. See Ier. 29. 11. 2. This Psalm is a propheticall declaration Compare Heb 10. 5. with Psal 40. 7 8 of Gods sending his sonne into the world to save lost man by the oblation of himself in this manifestation of Christ there was a world of mercy manifested all mercies meeting and concenterating in this one mercy 2. All Gods thoughts and intentions of mercy towards us are in Christ Eph. 1. 3. 4. all his works and wayes of mercy come to to us in Christ Gods thoughts of mercy that he thinks towards believing souls are so innumerable that they cannot be numbred yea saith the Prophet if I would number them they increase so mightily in number they are so strong in number that they are more than I or any can number 2. Gods thoughts of pardoning mercy are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 far more innumerable than mans thoughts of iniquity can be there are incomparably more thoughts of mercy and forgivenesse with God than can be thoughts of vanity and wickednesse with us we are but as it were of yesterday it is not many years ago since we began to think thoughts of iniquity against God but his thoughts of mercy have been from everlasting and reach to everlasting Psal 25. 6. Remember thy tender mercies Iehovah and thy kind mercies for they are from eternity In effectuall calling we actually obtain mercy but Gods mercy hath been towards us in respect of his own thoughts and purposes from everlasting he hath been thinking thoughts of mercy from eternity Psal 103. 17. The sixth Consideration 6. The mercies of God are transcendently great surpassing greatnesse is a glorious property often ascribed to the mercy of God in Scriptures as Num. 14. 18 19 The Lord is of great mercy forgiving iniquity and transgression pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according to the greatnesse of thy mercy So Ps 57. 9. 10. I will praise thee O Lord for thy mercy is great c. Neh. 13. 22. O my God spare me according to the greatnesse of thy mercy Yea Gods mercy is called greatnesse 1 Chr. 17 19. O Iehovah according to thin own heart thou hast done all this greatness for thy servant in making known all thess greatnesses thus the words are in the Hebrew and in the margine when poore contrite souls consider the transcendent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnitudo magnificentia greatnesse of pollution and provocation which is in their thoughts and that beyond all their other sins they are apt to be disheartened and to think can God pardon but let such remember that the greatnesse of Gods pardoning mercy is infinitely above all the greatnesses of evil and guilt that can be in their thoughts There be two things wherein the greatnesse of Gods mercy doth most ominently consist 1. His mercy is greatly extended 2. It is greatly powerfull and both these are grounds of unspeakable comfort 1. The mercy of God is of greatest extension all the extensions and dimensions that make up greatnesse do meet in the mercy of God 1. Mercy is said to be extended Ezra 9. 10. we were bondmen yet our God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extendit hath not forsaken us in our bondage but hath extended mercy to us c. 2. It is greatly extended Magnitude according to the Metaphysicks is the extension of a thing according to length latitude and depth they make greatnesse to consist in three dimensions but according to the Scriptures there be four Quantitas continua est secundum quam res est extensa secundum magnitudinem hoc est I ongitudinem latitudinem profunditatem Scheibler Metaphys l. 2. c. 6. extensions or dimensions concurring in that greatnesse that is ascribed to the mercy of God Eph. 3. 18. heighth depth length and breadth 1. There is a surpassing superlative heighth in the pardoning mercy of God far above all that heighth of sinne and wickednesse that can be in mens thoughts this will appear most clearly in four things 1. The mercy of God is as high as the heavens the heavens are the greatest visible heighth Psal 36. 5. Thy mercy O Lord is unto the heavens and thy faithfulnesse reacheth unto the clouds so Psal 57. 10. Thy mercy is great unto the heavens and thy truth unto the clouds Psal 103. 11. In both these places the mercy and truth of God are raised high but mercy is set higher than truth his truth reacheth unto the clouds but mercy unto the heavens the reasons may be these 1. Because God extends his mercy beyond his promises there was mercy to lost man before there was any Gospel promise it was mercy to give us the first promise Gen. 3. 't is mercy to give us any promise 't is mercy to continue promises after so many forfeitures and failings on our part 2. Mercy is Gods exalted attribute he accounteth his mercy his chiefest glory now under the Gospel Rom. 9. 23. Eph. 3. 16. 2. The mercy of God is higher than the heavens Psal 108. 4. Thy mercy is great above the heavens and thy truth reacheth to the clouds or skies mercy is Gods Royall Throne Now suppose that the sinnes of our thoughts appear like high mountains reaching up to the clouds yea that we have heaped up mountain upon mountain till they reach unto the heavens yet the mercy of God is far higher for that is above the heavens this Consideration may exceedingly raise the faith of