darknes he cannot without Gods speciall grace perceiue the things of God and so he iudgeth the gospell foolishnes and embraceth error rather then the truth yea loueth darknesse rather then the light because his deedes are euill Ioh. 3. 19. For the examination of our hearts touching this badde thought After due triall wee shall finde that the mindes of most among vs are possessed herewith for we are indeede content to come into the assemblies where God is worshipped and we doe submit our selues to the ministerie of the worde to bee taught and instructed Therein wee haue our owne personal sinnes displaid and reprooued and withall very fearefull and terrible curses of the lawe denounced against vs for the same both iudgmentes in this life iudgements in death and also iudgements eternall after this life Nowe let the conscience answere what is the cause when wee heare these things that wee be not mooued why are not our hearts touched with greefe and sadnesse when wee heare Gods iudgments due vnto vs for our sins daylie denounced against vs Some indeed there bee whose hearts tremble at the worde but small is that number If a man runne thorough the streets and crie fire fire our hearts are suddenly stroken with great feare but the minister of god may stand and crie fire fire the fyre of hell which is kindled by the breath of the Lord like a riuer of Brimstone as the Prophet speaketh and yet mens hearts are nothing mooued what is the cause that we should bee so affected with the burning of an old house by temporall fyre and be not affraid at the voyce of God which proclameth vnto vs eternall burning with the fire of Gods wrath Surely the cause is this our hearts are forestalled with this false imagination that the curses of the lawe are foolishnes and that there bee no such torments as the world denounceth It will not sinke into the heart of a naturall man that his sinnes are so heinous and Gods iudgements so terrible against them as the worde maketh them And till such time as this damnable thought be taken away mens hearts will neuer bee touched with the threatnings of the law this is a barre to stoppe the way to all such passions as the lavve would worke Againe when the minister of God speaketh of the pardon of sinne and of eternall life by Christ who hath his heart melting for ioy in regard of this saluation Though men be daily taught the doctrine of saluation yet who learneth the same Though men bee called vpon to come into the kingdome of heauen yet fewe striue to enter in though wee bee daily exhorted to repent yet fewe turne to the Lord all which bee branches of the Gospell but men beleeue them not because their hearts bee filled with this damnable thought The Gospell of Christ is foolishnes When the Israelites were restored from captiuitie in Babilon it was as a dreame vnto them nowe if that temporall deliuerance seemed a dreame what a dreame will this spiritual deliuerance from the captiuitie of hell death to the libertie of the sonnes of GOD in grace and glorie seeme to be And indeede to a naturall man it seemes foolishnes that God should become man and that Christ by death should free men from death and by suffering the curse of the lawe should take away the same from vs and by his righteousnesse should iustifie vs vnto life all which notwithstanding be points of the Gospell This also is the cause why after long teaching there is little turning or faithfull obedience yeelded vnto the Gospel neither will it be better with men while this euill thought abideth in them Vse 1. If this bee a truth that euery naturall man thinketh the word of God to be foolishnes then wee must learne this lesson of the Apostle Hee that seemes to bee wise in this world must become a foole that he may be wise that is he must reiect his owne naturall reason and stoppe vp the eyes of his naturall minde like a blinde man and suffer himselfe wholly to bee guided by Gods spirite in the thinges of God that thereby he may bee made wise vnto saluation Secondly we must heereby learne to make earnest praier vnto God for the opening of our eyes that we may bee able to vnderstand the Gospell of Christ and know the right meaning of that word of saluation for of our selues wee can neuer vnderstand it vnlesse the Lord instruct vs by his spirit No man commeth vnto me saith Christ that is beleeueth except it bee giuen him of my father But euery one that hath heard and learned of the father commeth vnto mee Thus much of this second euill thought Sect. 3. Of this thought I will not obey Gods word From the former ariseth an other most vile thought in the heart of euery naturall man as a branch of the same namely because the word of God is foolishnes therefore I will not performe obedience thereunto That this is the naturall thought of man Iob teacheth plainely for he bringeth in the wicked that is euery sinner saying thus to God Depart from vs wee will not the knowledge of thy waies This the wicked man saith not with his mouth for none is so farre past all shame that dares thus blasphemously speake against God but thus hee saith in his heart his affections speake it when he purposed with himselfe to cast off the yoake of God and to liue after his owne lusts and therefore they say further Who is the Almightie that wee should serue him as if one should say It is a disgrace to mee to abase my selfe to serue God I will not doe it The Prophet Ieremie bringeth in the Lord saying thus to his people Stand in the waies and behold and aske for the Old way which is the good way and walke therein and yee shall find rest for your soules but in the same place the Iewes answer We will not walke in thy waies Shall wee thinke that they durst thus impudently answer the Lord with open mouthes No surely But the Prophet in these wordes setteth downe the purpose of their hearts who hardned the same obstinately against the word when they were exhorted to repentance and obedience before the Lord. Our Sauiour Christ compareth himselfe to a noble man that goeth into a farre countrey now when he is gone the citizens of his countrey send messengers after him to tell him that they will not haue him to raigne ouer them Which though it be properly to be vnderstood of the nation of the Iewes who did indeede say so to our Sauiour Christ yet it may also be extended to all impenitent sinners who say in their hearts Christ shall not raigne over vs for so long as a man is vncalled he carrieth a purpose to liue in sinne some in this sinne and some in that and so doing saith in his heart God shall not bee my God I will not
and most ignorant should knowe and vnderstand the holy Scripture for els he would neuer haue penned them in a phrase style that doth so well accord to the capacitie of the simple II. Point The decree it selfe I will henceforth curse the ground no more for mans cause This is the peremptorie lawe of God touching the restauration of nature wherein are contained two things first what God hath done secondly what God will not doe hereafter The thing that God hath done is the cursing of the earth for he saith I will curse no more implying that he once cursed it In this obserue that God may truly be said to be a cause of curses and to curse his creatures not onely for that he doth ordaine and decree all curses but also because he inflicteth them vpon the creatures yet so as the same is alwaies most iustly deserued by sinne before it be inflicted of the Lord. And so must Gods cursing of the earth be vnderstood in this place as a fruit of his wrath for the sinne of man accordingly God is said directly to create euill because whatsoeuer afflictions curses and punishments are in the world they are ordained and inflicted by God vpon the creatures for the sinne of man This plainly confuteth the common opinion of ignorant people who hold that all good things as peace wealth ioy and felicitie come from God but all euill as affliction calamitie curses iudgements come from the deuill and God onely suffereth theÌ„ This is a most erroneous and blind conceipt which filleth many a soule with much anguish and impatience for what comfort can he haue in the time of trouble that is perswaded it commeth wholly from the deuill and the hand of God is not therein We therefore must learne to reforme this opinion and know that crosses and troubles come from God This Dauid knew well and therefore when Shemi cursed him and railed on him he forbad Abâ—shai to touch him because saith he what if or it may be God hath bid him curse Dauid so Ioseph telleth his brethren who most traiterously sold him into Egypt that the Lord sent him before them Secondly here consider the impulsiue cause that moued God to curse the earth by a flood it was not in the earth but in men I wil henceforth curse the earth no more for man that is for mans sinnes In the newe Testament there are two especiall sinnes recorded for which God sent this curse first carnall securitie They were choaked with worldly cares and drowned in earthly pleasures in the daies of Noah they did eat and drinke marrie and giue in marriage Matth. 24. 38. Secondly the contempt of the Gospell in the ministerie of Noah who preached an hundred and twentie yeares vnto them while the Arke was in building but they were disobedient as S. Peter saith following their owne pleasures and delights Whereby it appeares that these two sinnes Securitie and contempt of the Gospel are most grieuous sinnes for these brought destruction not onely vpon all mankind Noah and his familie excepted but euen vpon all creatures that liued by breath Now looke as these sinnes were in the old world euen so are they rife in this last age according to the prophecie of our sauiour Christ as it was in the daies of Noah so shall it bee in the daies of the son of man and as this is the state of the whole world so it is the state of this our Church most men are drowned in the pleasures of this world choked with the cares thereof for howsoeuer they will heare the Gospell preached yet few apply their hearts to beleeue the same shewing forth the power therof by repentaÌ„ce froÌ„ dead works amendment of life in new obedience But we must know that if these two sins brought a curse euen destruction vpon the old world then no doubt they will bring a fearfull curse vpon this age though not by water yet some other way that shall countervaile the flood and therefore we must lay these things to our hearts that vnles we abandon securitie and worldly lustes and withall doe repent and beleeue at the preaching of the gospell we shall see that gods heauie curse will fall vpon vs for if we match the old world in sinne wee must not looke to come behinde them in iudgements The second thing in this decree is what God will not doe hereafter Namely curse the earth any more this must be vnderstood of that particular curse which the Lord laide on the earth by waters when he drowned the world for the generall curses that were laid vpoÌ„ the ground and on mankind for Adams sinne remaine still and shall not be taken quite away till the end of the world so that the meaning of this lawe is that the Lord will no more drowne the whole earth for the sinne of man by a flood Here then wee see the cause why the sea being as raging and stirring as euer it was doth notwithstanding keepe it selfe within it boundes and not ouerflow the world and why the clowdes beeing as full of water as euer they were doe not powre downe more floods vpon the earth to destroy it Surely it is by vertue of this particular lawe and decree of God whereunto the sea and clowds become obedient I will henceforth curse the earth no more And here we haue iust occasion to take knowledge and veiw of our owne wretched and damnable estate how we are sold vnder sinne for howsoeuer we were created blessed and happie yet by our fall in Adam we are become far worse then any earthly creature for each creature in his kind as the sunne the moone and starres the sea cloudes all other obey the commandement of God but man of all creatures hauing lawes giuen him of God to keepe rebelleth in breaking the same and to him it is meate and drinke by nature to liue in the transgression of gods commandements Thus by comparing our selues with the brute creatures we may learne to humble our selues and to be abashed when we see them which were made to serue vs to goe before vs in obedience to the lawes of our creator III. Point The reason of gods decree in these words for the Imagination of mans heart is euil euen from his youth At the first this reason may seeme very strange that God should no more curse the earth for man because the Imagination of his heart is euill In all likelihood God should haue saide the contrarie I will still curse the earth because the Imaginations of mans heart are euill for so he saith Chap. 6. vers 5. 6. that seeing all the Imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart were onely euill continually therefore hee would destroy the man from the earth and from man to beast euery creeping thing Howe can both these stand together Ans. Thus In the sixt chapter the Lord saith he wil once destroy the world by water because of the
triall of this thought in our selues Whosoeuer denieth the presence of God denieth God Now let the conscience answer whether we be not afraid to sinne in the presence of many mortall men and yet in the presence of God doe make no bones thereof so the eies of men be turned from vs. Now what is this but either flatly to denie the presence of God or at least to yeeld more feare and reuerence to men then we doe vnto God Againe what is the cause why men vse oppression and iniustice deceit and lying in their wordly affaires Is it not because this thought of Atheisme doth possesse their hearts that God regardeth not these outward things Durst men directly sinne against God in seeking these outward blessings for naturall life if they did rightly relie vpon Gods prouidence knowing euery good gift to come from his bountifull hand Lastly let the conscience speake doth not thy heart while thou goest on in sinne say thus vnto thee God is mercifull I will heareafter repent and so shall I escape punishment If a man doe well obserue his owne heart he shall finde therin this vile thought which directly ouerturns the infinite iustice of God making him a God all of mercie when as indeede he is as well a God of Iustice as of mercie By all which it is more then euident that naturally this vile thought runnes in mans heart There is no God Vse Hereby then we must learne to see what vile miserable and wretched sinners we are in our selues though we had no actuall outward sinnes yet this damnable thought maketh vs accursed If a man curse the king in his heart the sinne is so great and heinous that the foules of heauen shall disclose it How horrible then is this sinn for a man in his thought to curse God the king of kings and Lord of Lords This therefore must humble vs in our selues before the Lord. Againe hereby we must be admonished to vse all good meanes whereby wee may come to see and know not onely the grosse actuall sinnes of our liues but especially this damnable thought of our hearts few there be that doe see it and therefore we must be earnest with our selues in searching our owne hearts to find out this and such like abhominations that bee in vs. And thus much for the first euill thought Sect. 2. Of this thought The word of God is foolishnes The second damnable thought of mans naturall heart concerning God is this The word of God is foolishnesse This thought must principally be vnderstood of the Gospel as S. Paul declareth saying It hath pleased God by the foolishnes of preaching to saue them that beleeue where hee calleth the Gospell of Christ foolishnes not that it was so indeede but because the vnconuerted Corinthians and other Grecians iudged the preaching of Christ crucified the most foolish thing in all the world And in the next chapter he saith The naturall man that is he that is not effectually called perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God to wit that a man must repent of his sinnes and beleeue in Christ for the pardon of them if he would be saued they are foolishnes vnto him Nicodemus answer to Christ maketh this plaine Ioh. 3. 4. esteeming regeneration without which Christ said no man could enter into the kingdome of heauen to be a mans returne into his mothers wombe and a birth from thence againe This wicked thought must be vnderstood of the lawe of God also the heart of man by nature iudgeth the threatnings of the lawe to be vntruthes and so foolishnesse hence the Lord by Moses forbad the people when they heard the threatnings and curses of the law denounced against them To blesse themselues in their hearts saying Wee shall haue peace herevpon he denounceth a woe to them that deride his iudgements threatned and say Let him make speede let him hasten his worke that wee may see it c. As if they should say wee doe not beleeue that any such things shall come to passe like to the mockers of whome Peter prophecieth who walk after their lusts and say Where i◠the promise of his comming Now that this is a most damnable thought may appeare by the cursed fruits therof for first hence ariseth that deuilish and carnall opinion of sundrie men that thinke and hold religion to be but humane policie to keepe men in awe and so vse it as a politicke devise to exercise mens braines to keepe them from sedition trecherie and rebellion Secondly hence springs all Apostacie and departing from the faith The Galathians were a worthie Church planted by the apostle Paul yet euen in his time they began to fall away to another Gospell which made him to maruel and the reason was this they were not contented with that simplicitie which is in Christ but would ioyne with him the obseruation of legall ceremonies The like we may say of those famous Easterne Churches as those seauen Churches of Asia planted by the apostles wherin the truth flourished for a while but not long after the Apostles times they fell into many damnable heresies as Arrianisme such like Yea about six hundred yeares after Christ they embraced the damnable religion of Mahomet In the West partes also were worthie and famous Churches planted by the Apostles and their successors as in Italie France Germanie Spaine England who about the same time of 6. hūdred yeares after Christ fell to Papisme which spread it selfe ouer all Europe and further some few Churches of Greece excepted In which religion men abandon the Gospel of Christ and betake themselues to another Gospell by adioyning to the truth of Christ their owne deuises And this Papisme hath raigned euer since till now of late so hath Apostacie taken place in those Churches which the Apostles planted The cause whereof was in the wicked and sinnefull heart of man iudging the gospell foolishnes whereupon men were contented to yeilde themselues to any other religion rather then to that simplicitie of truth which is in Christ Iesus We now in England by Gods speciall mercie hold and teach the word of God but if God should alter our religion with the times the greatest part of men among vs would forsake the truth and cleaue to any other religion and that only vpon this ground because they iudge the Gospell foolishnes Let any man among vs broach an error or heresie it shall haue patrones at the first be it neuer so vile and absurd protectors afterward When that brutish heresie of the familie of loue tooke shipping in Germanie and ariued in England though it bee an opinion voyde of common sense yet it had applause amongst vs and was receiued of many and would haue spredde it selfe further if the preaching of the word with the care of the Magistrate had not suppressed it And the reason heereof is this mans minde by nature is full of
heere when the minister of God out of Gods worde saith to any man beleeue thou and repent thou and Gods mercie belongs vnto thee it is as much as if the Lord should call him by name particularly and say vnto him beleeue thou and repent and my mercie belongs vnto thee yea it is all one as if God himselfe should say I am thy father and thou art my childe if thou wilt repent and beleeue The second meanes which is also very effectuall to cut off this thought of distrust is Baptisme If an earthly prince giue a pardon to any man put the mans name in the pardon and his owne broade seale vnto it the man will neuer doubt of his pardon but beleeue it Beholde in Baptisme God entreth couenant with miserable wretched man and heerein makes promise of life vnto him yea hee puts the mans name in the couenant sealing the same with his owne seale therefore the party baptized must beleeue against this thought The thirde meanes is the Lords supper rightly administred and receiued for therin the breade and wine giuen to the hand of euery communicant by the minister are particular pledges and tokens vnto them of speciall mercie in Christ. These are the meanes which wee must vse with all good conscience in the daies of peace that when troubles come this thought of distrust may not preuaile against vs. And thus much of mans naturall euill thoughts against God Many other might bee added herevnto but these beeing the principall I omit the rest CHAP. IV. Of mans naturall thoughts against his neighbour NOw wee come to the euill thoughtes of mans naturall heart against his neighbour And to find them out wee must haue recourse to the second Table of the morall lawe which was penned with respect to the corrupt estate of man forbidding that which mans corrupt heart thinketh naturally against his neighbour for euery commandement thereof is spirituall forbidding not onely the wicked actions euill wordes and gestures but all corrupt affections yea all euill Imaginations of man against man These thoughts of man against his neighbour be of two sorts either without consent or with consent Thoughts without consent are the very first euill motions of the minde which a man conceiueth against his neighbour to which the will neuer giueth consent and these are forbidden in the 10. commandement Thou shalt not lust Thoughts with consent of will are such as a man conceiuing in his minde doth withall desire or purpose in his heart to practise and these are forbidden in the fift sixt seauenth eight and ninth commandements by reason whereof they may fittely be reduced to fiue heads They are either thoughts of dishonour against the fift commandement or thoughts of murther against the sixt or thoughts of aduletrie against the seuenth or thoughts of theft against the eight or thoughts of disgrace against the ninth commandement Sect. 1. Of thoughts of dishonour First a thought of dishonour is any thought that tendeth to the contempt and abasing of the person of our neighbour in respect of our selues And it is then conceiued in our mindes when we thinke thus of all other men beside our selues such and such a man is farre inferiour vnto me a base and contemptible fellow in regard of me Example hereof we haue in the Pharisie a man strict in profession and zealous in his religion who commeth to the Temple to pray with the Publican now marke what he saith Oh God I thanke thee that I am not as other men are or as this Publican Which wordes proceede from such a proud thought as this Lord I thanke thee all other men are farre inferiour vnto me I doe farre surpasse the common sort this Publican is a base fellowe and no body to me If any shall imagine that this thought is not in euery mnn but in some few proud persons I answer it is by nature in euery person liuing without grace and therefore S. Paul giueth this commandement That euery man in meekenesse should esteeme others better then himselfe giuing vs to vnderstand that by nature all men thinke best of themselues and esteeme others farre worse then themselues The Vse If this thought of dishonour be in all mens hearts then behold what a pallace of all Satanicall and damnable pride the heart of man is naturally it is like vnto the table of Adoni-bezek at which he sate in a chaire of estate and made others euen kings to eate meate like dogs vnder his feete with their thumbs cutte off such an one is euery man by nature hee lifteth vp himselfe saying I am the man and treadeth his brother vnder his feete as no body vnto him And this is the cause of much strife and hurt in all humane societies this causeth many iarres much skorning and great contempt among men in word and deede Now that we may reforme this thought in vs wee must learne to say as Iob did after he had beene afflicted and came to see his sinnes behold I am vile and with Abraham I am but dust and ashes and with Dauid I am a worme and no man Psalm 22. 6. yea with Paul we must labour to see our miserie by reason of sinne and that will helpe to pull downe the pride of our hearts Sect. 2. Of murthering thoughts The second euill thought of man against his neighbour with consent is a thought of Murther or of any thing that tendeth thereto Of this wee haue particular examples in Scripture Deut. 15. 9. The Lord forbiddeth the Iewes to haue this murthering thought in their hearts I will not releeue the poore I will not doe good vnto them giuing vs to vnderstand that this was the common thought of the Iewes or els he would not haue forbidden it yea the Lord doth there set out this thought by two signes first an euill eye when a man turnes his countenance from the poore or looketh on them without compassion secondly vnmercifull dealing when a man will not helpe the poore by gift according to his abilitie And because all actions proceede from thoughts the heart beeing the fountaine of our deedes hence it appeareth that this murthering thought against the poore is rife in this age for where is the man that doth pitie the poore and doth good to them according to his abilitie nay the Lords complaint against the Iewes may be fitly applied to our times in regard of crueltie and oppression The spoile of the poore is in your houses what haue ye to doe that ye beate my people to peeces and grinde the faces of the poore Isa. 3. 14. 15. The second example of a murthering thought is cōcerning Gods Church and it is this I will doe some spite or hurt to them that worship God For proofe hereof read Psal. 74. 8. Dauid bringeth in the Babilonians Edomites c. saying thus one to another against gods people the Iewes Let vs destroy them all together Psal. 83. 4 Let vs cut
Abraham did circumcise not onely those that were borne in his familie but also those that were bought for money Both Parents and Maisters are carefull to preuent diseases to breake off sicknes at the beginning in their children and seruants which by continuance might bring bodily death oh then howe carefull ought they to bee to stop betime the course of naturall Imagination in them which without the speciall grace of God will bring eternall condemnation both to soule and bodie And the rather must this course be taken in youth and that betime because custome whether in good or euill is a second nature for teach a child in the trade of his way and when he is old he will not depart from it But can the blacke-Moore change his skinne or the leopard her spots then may he also doe good that is accustomed to doe euill herein the vices of the minde are like the diseases of the body by longer continuance they grow more incurable Yea all that studie and read the Scriptures either for their owne priuate or for the publike good must seeke by prayer to God for the sanctification of their mindes from this euill corruption least beeing left vnto themselues they become vaine in their imaginations David a man according to Gods owne heart praied at least ten times in one psalme for the teaching of God in the vnderstanding of his lawe oh then what great cause haue we so to doe whose mindes are naturally set in euill workes beeing blinde in the things of God not able to perceiue them but on the contrary wholly prone to inuent and to embrace that which is euill Sect 4. Of repentance for euill thoughts The fourth last vse shall be for practise to euery child of God for if the Imaginations of mans heart be euill from his youth then there must be repentance for secret thoughts which neuer come into action yea though we neuer giue consent of will thereto When Ioell proclaimed a fast and called the people to humiliation hee biddes them rent their he arts not their garments and Peter said to Simon Magus repent of this thy wickednes and pray God that if it be possible the thought of thy heart may bee forgiuen thee both which places doe plainly shewe that true repentance is not outward in change of speach or attire but inward in the change of the thoughts of the minde and affections of the heart And hence it is that Paule prayeth for the Thessalonians that they may be sanctified throughout in soule in bodie and spirit that is in the minde where is the framing of the thoughts Nowe if sanctification bee required in the minde then must there be repentance of the sinnes that are therein This dutie the Lord himselfe vouchsafeth to teach and therefore we must make conscience to learne and practise it if we would be truly turned to the Lord. And to mooue vs hereunto consider the reasons following First the curse of God euen the pangs and torments of the damned both in this life and after death are due to the person of man for his wicked thoughts for cursed is euery one saith Moses that continueth not in all things that are written in the law to doe theÌ„ so that hee which breaketh the law but once and that in thought only is accursed because he hath not done all things that are written therein Now wicked thoughts are a breach of the law for Salomon saith Doe not they erre that imagine euill and againe The thoughts of the wicked are an abhomination to the Lord yea the want of good thoughts is a breach of the Law for Christ saith Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy thought and therfore wicked thoughts must needes deserue this curse The fall of the deuills was most fearefull and irrecouerable though it be not certen yet most Diuines agree in this that their sinne was first in thought and therefore wicked thoughts are deadly euills Also to shew the wickednes of euill thoughts God hath set this brand vpon them since the fall of Adam that by them not onely mans body but also his minde and memorie are far sooner confounded then by outward accidents this was not so by creation and therefore it is the heauie curse of God vpon them Secondly these wicked thoughts be the roote and beginning of all â—uill in gesture word and deede there cannot be an action before there be a thought for this is the order whereby our actions are produced first the minde thinketh then that thought delighteth the affection and from that commeth consent of will after consent of will commeth execution of the action after executiou commeth trade and custome by often practise and vpon custome if the worke be euill commeth the curse which is eternall death How great a cause therefore haue we to repent vs of the wicked Imaginations of our hearts The old world indeede was drowned for their actuall abhominations but no doubt the Lord had great respect in that iudgement to their wicked thoughts which were the roote of all and therfore he mentioneth them as a cause of the flood Gen. 6. 5. In this repentance three things are required first a due examination of our heartr concerning these imaginations which we may take by the knowledge of those points before handled of mans naturall thoughts concerning God his neighbour himselfe And to further vs herein we must remember that all the euill thoughts before mentioned be in vs naturally so as if we be left to our selues when occasion is offered we will conceiue them in our mindes as that there is no God that the word of God is foolishnes c. Againe we must heare Gods word preached attentiuely apply not onely our outward senses but our mindes also thereto that so it may enter into our hearts for the word of God working in the heart will discouer vnto a man what be his thoughts This word saith the holy Ghost is mightie inoperation and sharper then any two edged sword it entreth through euen to the deuiding a sunder of the soule and the spirits the ioynts and the marrow is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart At the preaching of this word the secrets of the heart of an infidell are discouered if all prophecie saith Paul and there come in an infidell or one vnlearned he is rebuked of all men and iudged of all and so are the secrets of his heart made manifest whereupon he falleth downe and worshippeth God saying plainly God is in the prophets indeede Secondly after examination wee must pray for the pardon of our euill thoughts A plaine commandement of this duty Peter giues to Symon Magus pray to God saith he that the thought of thine heart may be forgiuen thee And vndoubtedly he that hath not grace to pray for the pardon of his evill thoughts