already if he look saith Christ to Lust after her If thou do but think profanely he notes it thou thoughtest I was altogether such an one as thy self But I will reprove thee I say he observes it and accordingly judgeth thee If presumptuously he dooms it and thee for it Presumption Deut. 29.19 20. If a man hearing the words of this curse bless himself in his heart that is in his own thoughts saying I shall have Peace though I walk in the Imagination of mine heart the Lord will not spare him c. If thy thought be vain and foolish Vanity wicked and worldly God will pronounce thee such as he finds that The grounds of a certain rich man brought forth plenteously Luke 12.16 17 19 20. and he thought within himself what shall I do c. I will say to my Soul Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry But God said unto him thou fool c. If thy thoughts be Viperous and Venomous Venome blasphemous and malitious against the Lord and His Christ He will damn thee for such as he finds them Mat. 12.25 compared with verse 34. Psal 2.4 5. Jesus knew their thoughts and said O Generation of Vipers c. Why do the Heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing they take Councel against the Lord and against his Anointed c. The Lord shall speak to them in his wrath c. The Consult He condemns they Think and He Speaks that is to say speaks in judgment Sect. IV. THis was the Condemnation of the old world as we have seen Evil men characterized by their thoughts Gen. 6.5 Gods proof of mans wickedness was from the Thoughts of his heart and the punishment thereof was proportioned thereunto an over flowing scourge upon them for that superfluity of naughtiness that was in them Yet were there many amongst these that because of their profession were called the sons of God Gen. 6.2 The sons of God saw the daughters of men c. 'T is not what our professions are or what our Names are but what our thoughts are that the Lord looks at and accounts of us by 'T is said of our Lord Jesus that though many believed on his Name when they saw the Miracles which he did Joh. 2.23 24 25. yet did not Jesus commit himself to them because he knew all men and needed not that any man should testifie of man for he knew what was in man The Text saith he judgeth of Man by what was In Man Our words proceed out of us our professions are on us but our thoughts are in us and these are they that the Lord Christ looks at Luke 2.3 35. and was himself set amongst other ends for the manifestation of That the thoughts of many hearts might be revealed Sect. V. ON the other hand So the Godly those blessed Souls whom the Lord Crowns with so high a testimony and so Honourable a Character of being his Mal. 3.16 17 whom he will spare his Jewels which he will make up for whom a Book of Remembrance was written before him they are briefly thus described such as feared the Lord and that Thought upon his Name 'T was not the Name of God upon them but the Name of God in them 't was not the bare speaking of his Name though no doubt they did that too for they speak often one to another but their thinking upon his Name that God Characterizeth them from whereas be the wicked grosly such Psal 9.17 Job 8.13 or Hypocrites they are stigmatized for such as forget God Sect. VI. THere are two things that God is said to know afar off God is said to know thoughts afar off Psal 13.8 6. aâ—d 139.2 Ezek. 38.10 The Pride of man and the Thoughts of man He hath it seems a severe eye upon each of these I know their Imaginations which they go about saith God of Israel even now before I have brought them into the Land which I sware and of Gog thus saith the Lord it shall also come to pass that at the same time shall things come into thy mind and thou shalt think an evil thought God minds our thoughts before they come into our minds and knows what we are about to think before we think it Then needs must he know what we think when we think and what to think of us too whilst we are a thinking before we speak or act Psal 94.11 The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity saith the Psalmist the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vain saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.20 The variation in the version speaks thus much Amongst all the vain Children of men there is not one wise enough to hide his thoughts from being known to God and himself by them The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. He cannot keep the noisom stench of them from the Almighties nostrils Prov. 15.26 Yet abhors evil thoughts though at a distance Prov. 11.20 nor can God endure them without declaring his abhorrence of them Who smells them at a distance afar off and abhors them so they that are of a froward heart are an abomination to the Lord If thy thoughts be froward though thy words through thy subtil or hypocritical restraint of them be not so as appears by the Antithesis but such as are upright in their way are his delight You see then how God reckons men by their Thoughts Sect. VII WE value men according to their Possessions and God according to their Thoughts We value men by their possessions Our thoughts are so A man of mean parts of low acquirements of mean Possessions we reckon a mean person A man of high Improvements of large Acquisitions of great Possessions we reckon a Great Man a substantial person now Mens thoughts aâ—e their Possessions and 't is observable that one word in the Hebrew expresseth both therefore when the Text in Job reads Job 17.11 My purposes are broken off even the Thoughts of my heart The Margin according to the Hebrew reads the possessions of my heart Luke 21.19 'T is by patient thoughts that we possess our Souls under Affliction By Chast and pure thoughts that every one should possess his vessel in Sanctification and Honour 'T is by believing thoughts 1 Thes 4.4 we possess the Lord Jesus put him on dwell in him Rom. 13.14 Col. 2.6 Job 7.3 4. walk in him having received him On the other part when Jobs thoughts were restlesse and unquiet tossing and tumbling from morning to evening from evening to morning from week to week from moneth to moneth then it is said God made him possesse moneths of vanity When God presented all his youth-sins as so many frightful Ghosts fresh to his Thoughts then it is said Job 23.26 God made him to possesse the iniquities of his
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
never pay the uttermost farthing We must not pretend high Thoughts of Christ to harbour hard thoughts of God 1 Pet. 1.18 Verse 19. But still We must take heed while We pretend high Thoughts of Christ that we harbour not hard thoughts of God as if he would exact of Our Surety more than was due or were indeed profuse or prodigal of the Blood of his Son No no God counted it as precious sure as thou canst do for thine heart and if Men be loath to be lavish of corruptible things such as Silver and Gold sure God would never have been so of the precious blood of Christ as aâ— Lamb without spot for if a drop would have done it Circumcision might have excused the Passion and the Propathia or Bloody Sweat in the Garden the Bloody Death upon the CROSS Gal. 2.21 and so Christ have dyed in vain a thought which the Apostle so much abhors for as he there reasons concerning the Law I may argue in this present case if Righteousness could have been by a drop of his Blood then â—hriâ— dyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one would say Gratis in a complement and for a meer flourish of his kindness which the Apostle will by no means admit Joh 2.19 21. No no The Temple of his Body must be deâ—troyed which the loss of a Drop of his blood would not do Rom. 6.23 He must be made SIN for Us now the wages of Sin for he knew no sin as to the work of Sin but he must be made Sin as to the wages of Sin which is Death Cor. 5.21 That we might be made the righteousness of God in him And that he might Redeem us from the Curse of the Law he must be made a Curse for Us that is He must hang upon the Tree till he be dead Deut. 21 22 23. Scripture-thoughts of Christ our onely right and high Thoughts Luke 24.25 26. for in that sence it is that the Apostle quotes that in the Law of Moses where it is written Cursed is he that hangeth upon a Tree And the truth is as our Scriptural Thoughts of Christ are our onely Right Thoughts O fools and slow of heart ought not Christ to have suffered these things c. so are they also our high Thoughts for herein God commeâ—ded his Love to us not that Christ was Circumcised for us though that were Love Rom. 5.8 Not Christ bleeding but his dying the grand commendation of his Love to loose a few drops of his precious Blood for Us but this is the high commendation of his Love that he dyed for 〈◊〉 for many there are that would willingly enough â—â—ose a little Blood for a Friend that would not die for their Friend but this was Love that though We were Enemies He not onely Bled for Us but Dyed for Us. For suppose you had been ear-witnesses 〈◊〉 the great Councel of Peace between the Father and the Son Heb. 10.3 4 5. whereof we have such plain Intimations in Scripture saith God Lo yonder are a multitude of Sinneâ—â— and a multitude of Sacrifices but I have no pleasure in the One or the Other but if Thou my Son wilt but come in the Room of both I shall be satisfied in whom Mat. 3.17 as well as with whom I shall be well pleased But know then that there must be Dying or there can be no Doing Hebr. 9.12 for the Sinners should Die and the Sacrifices they do Die and thou must Die or else my Wrath can not be appeased the Sinner can not be acquitted and then that you had heard Christ thus making answer If it must be so Lo I come Lord Hebr. 10.9.7 Verse 5. Isaiah 50.5 6. in the Volume of thy Book it is written of me even to do this thy Will O God if this be the way Let it be so a Body hast thou prepared me and mine Ears haâ—t thou opened and I was not Rebellious neither turned I away back Lo here is my Back to the Smiters and my Cheeks for them that pull off the hair and my Face for shame and spitting And if all this be not sufficient here is my Soul too for a Sacrifice for an Offering for Sin Isaâ—ah 53 1â— and if Thou be but satisfied I am Satisfied for as never had Mother sorrow in her Birth-pains for a Son like my Sorrow so never was Mother satisfied in a Son as I am in my Seed Isaiah 53.10 When thou shalt make his Soul an Offering for Sin He shall see his Seed and the Pleasure of the Lord prosper in his hand Verse 11. He shall see of the Travail of his Soul and be Satisfied And therefore well mayest Thou be satisfied O my Soul as with Marrow and with Fatness to think of all this Verse 1â— If it pleased the Lord to bruise him that He might spare thee and if the Son were satisfied to be so served to justify thee Verse 11. and to bear thine Iniquities shall this Thought not be pleasing to thee That He should not onely be Cut as in his Circumcision but Cut off out of the Land of the Living as in his Passion even Messiah the Prince Verse 8. Dan. 5.24 25. be cut off for thee to finish thy Transgression to make an end of Sin to make Reconciliation for the Transgression and to bring in Everlasting Righteousness That He should be delivered for thine Offences Rom. 4.25 and raised again for thy Justification without thy desert or desire or thy care or thy Thought before all this was done for thee doth it not deserve now thy Love Jer. 23.6 and thy Joy and thy Care and thy Thoughts to be laid out upon it nay to be taken up with it That The Lord should be Thy Righteousness Isaiah 32.2 and this Man thine hiding place and thy Peace and that by Blood onely Eph. 2.13 15. Eph. 1.6 7. so making Peace That thine Acceptation should be in Him and thy Redemption through his Blood and neither the One nor the other by Doing nor by thy Dying Rom. 5.10 but thy Recâ—nciliation by His Death and thy Salvation by His Life Oh how dear should the Thought of this Dying-Rising Lord be to thee 1 Pet. 3 1â— who once suffered for Sins the JUST for the Unjust that he might bring us to God put to Death in the Flesh or Manhood but quickened in or through the Spirit that is the Godhead Sect. XXXVI High thoughts of Imputed Righteousness Rom. 4 24. Phil. 3.8 6. ANd how Highly Reported should that Imputed Righteousness be by Thee which the Apostle counts a Gain for which He willingly Suffered the loss of All nay for the working out of which Christ Himself became poor that We by his poverty might be made â—â—ch 'T was this Righteousness that was look'd at in the Sacrifices 〈◊〉 8.9 Heâ— â— 14 15. and through the Sprinklings of the Law for
and have no other Confidence Philip 3.3 2 Cor. 2.12 But as to the former this is our rejoycing even the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity c. 1 John 5.10 so also he that believes on the Son of God hath the witness in himself Nay in as much as the Apostle condemns him for a self deceiver who is in some respect the worst kind of deceiver as self-Murther is the worst kind of Murther that thinks himself to be something when he is nothing even this makes it evident that his high thoughts of himself were evidences against himself had he but rightly considered them Sect. II. WHereas Reader on the other hand Self suspition a better sign than hi h thoughts of our selves if thou be but honest in what thou pretendest and not Hypocritically humble-tongued as many men are when thou complainest of thy self and declarest thy jealous thoughts that thou hast of thine own heart Here is something like a token for good For even right jealousy falls much in with that Carefulness Indignation 1 Cor. 7.1 Fear c. that were approved signs of godly sincerity But and if it be thus with thee right gladly wilt thou go along with me in the following particulars and say as David O Lord thou hast searched me Psalm 139.1 2 23. and known me and thou understandest my thoughts afar off and yet again search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts Search me O search me thou blessed word of God that canst not lie Thou Messenger of Christ that darest not flatter me O try me and know my Thoughts Thou wilt receive Gods spies with peace Hebr. 11.31 Lend Gods Servants the Lorâ—â— Candle Prov. 20.27 Conscience to search thee by as Rahab did yea wilt willingly lend me the Candle of thine own Conscience to hold to thee whilst we are together searching the secrets of thy own soul for the spirit of man is the Candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly And the reason why so many Hearers and Readers of the most searching Books and Sermons are yet ignorant of or mistaken in themselves is because they deny the Lords servants the Lords Candle to do his work by I. Tryal of Right Thoughts Sect. I. First 1. Tryal of thoughts is bâ— their originâ—â—â— Good thoughtâ— grow not in an evil heart Luke 24.38 THen let us begin with thy Thoughts in their Original and so judge the streams as near as we 〈◊〉 to the Fountain head Wouldst thou approve thy thoughts to be right Thoughts such as indeed are the Righ coâ—s mans Evidence let me ask thee plainly how thâ—â— camâ—st to thy Thoughts have they their Rise in thy self why do Thoughts arise in your hearts then know they are but Carnal at best for all that is born of the flesh is flesh John 3.6 The heart I know is a Vine that is alwayes beaâ—ing a Fountain that is ever springing up Isaiah 10.12 Mat. 15.19 and Thoughts are called the Fruit of the heart as we saw before and as it were the streams of the Heart they proceed from it saith Christ but saith he Mat. 7 18. James 3.22 a corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good fruit nor a Fountain welâ— saith the Apostle James salt water and fresh Now every natural heart is a corrupt tree a Vine of Sodom and therefore its Crouds of thoughts naturally are but the Clusters of Gomorrah Deut. 32.32 Isâ—ah 57.20 a troubled Spring of Sea rather that cannot 〈◊〉 but is ever casting up mire and dirt Amongst all the Unbelievers in the world there is not one pure mind therefore not one pure thought Titus 1.15 Job 14.4 for who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean 'T is a vain and ignorant boasting that I have observed in some that have thanked God that they were never troubled with evil thoughts in all their dayes sayest thou so then I dare tell thee that thou never yet wast owner of one good one such as God will own and accept for such That they think no body any hurt who never truly thought themselves or others any good surely there are none greater strangers to good thoughts than such as brag most of their good meanings nay that can tell you they hope to be saved by them And how came they by them why they thank God they have had them ever since they can remember God forbid else They have as good hearts to God and think as well of Jesus Christ as the best of them though they cannot speak so well Yet do but ask these of the New birth and you are unto them as a Barbarian and speak as it were in an unknown tongue as our Saviour to Nicodemus and shall only receive a frump or a frown for your freedome Jam. 3.3 4â— what do you think they stand in need to be Catechized if you do they thank you they do not think so meanly of themselves and this is one of their good thoughts Sect. II. BUt let me plead with thee O Man No sufficiency in our selves for one right thought thou that findest good Thoughts as free as the Rode and as Common and easie as the high way Art thou greater than the â—postle Paul he saith expresly that we are not sufficient of our selves to Think any thing of Our selves Therefore we must be taken off of Our selves before we can possibly Think one Right Thought But our sufficiency saith the Text is of God As we cannot think at all Physically nor exert one motion of the Mind in Thought but by a sufficiency of God working by Nature so much less can we think Morally 2 Cor. 3.5 Amongst all Unbelievers not one pure thought Titus 1.15 Thoughts good in a spiritual notion in the account of God but by his own sufficiency working by Grace To the unbelieving saith the same Apostle there is nothing pure but even their very Mind is defiled And if their Mind drop its uncleanness and defilement upon all about it surely much more upon the thoughts that lie next unto it Some men think their thoughts are certainly good Reason why their thoughts trouble them not because they never trouble them They do not complain of blasphemous thoughts and horrid injections as many do And alas the only Reason why the thoughts the Treasures of their H arts their goods are in peace is because the strong Man Arm'd keeps the Palace Luke 11.21 the Devil is Lord and Master there But if ever that stronger one than he the Lord Jesus Christ Verse 22. 2 Cor. 10.5 by the weapons of that warfare that are spiritual and mighty through God had come and prevailed upon thee 't is strange if all would have continued so quiet in thee thou wouldest likely have seen troubles and heard amazing noises in thy own Soul for there would have been the pulling down of strong
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