their cruelty the valour of the patients the savagenesse of the persecutours strove together till both exceeding nature and belief bred wonder and astonishment in beholders and readers These were those lion-like men of the tribe of Judah that took the kingdom by violence Judah which signifieth the Confessour had the kingdom as Levi had the Priest-hood both forfeited by Reuben who was weak as water Gen. 49. and I will save the house of Joseph that is Ephraim but for the ten tribes whom God here promiseth to save not to bring back saith the Geneva-Note on Ver. 9. But others there are that gather from these words and these that follow that God will not onely preserve them but reduce and resettle them in their own countrey yea and multiply them so abundantly as that their countrey shall not be able to hold them Verse 10. Whence cometh Ashurs and Egypts subjection to Christ that is all the tract of the East and of the South verse 1. and their perpetual establishment in the faith Verse 12 And I will bring them again to place them I will place them in their houses as Hos 11.11 The Sept. render it I will cause them to dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compos The Caldee I will gather together their captivity Some special mercy is assured them by this special word of a mixt conjugation for I have mercy upon I them Here 's a double cause alledged of these so great and gracious promises and both excluding works First Gods mere mercy Secondly his Election of grace for I am the Lord their God This latter is the cause of the former for God chose his people for his love and then loveth them for his choice The effects of which love are here set down 1. That he heareth their prayers I will hear them 2. That he reaccepteth and restoreth them in Christ as if they had never offenced against him They shall be as though I had not cast them off That was a cutting speech and far worse then their captivity Jer. 16.13 When God not onely threateneth to cast them out of their countrey into a strange land but that there he would slew them no favour Here he promiseth to pitty them and then they must needs think deliverance was at next door by and they shall be as though I had not cast them off And this the sooner and the rather because they called them out-casts saying This is Zion whom no man seeketh after Jer. 30.17 The Jewish Nation saith Tully shew how God regards them that have been so oft overcome viz. by Nehuchad-nezzar Pompey c. God therefore promiseth to provide for his own great name by being fully reconciled to his poor people whom the world looked upon abjects for I am the Lord their God And if I should not see to their safey Psal 119. it would much reflect upon me This David well knew and therefore prayes thu I am thine Lord save me and will hear them Or I will speak with them speak to their hearts It is no more saith One then if a man were in a fair dining-room with much good company and there is some speciall friend whom he loveth dearly that calleth him aside to speak in private of businesse that neerly concerneth him and though he go into a worse room yet he is well enough pleased So if God in losse of friends houses countrey comforts whatsoever will speak with us will answer us the losse will be easily made up Philip Lantgrave of Hesse being a long time prisoner under Charles 5. was demanded what upheld him all that time He answered that he had felt the favour of God and the Divine consolations of the Martyrs There be Divine comforts that are felt onely under the crosse I will bring her into the wildernesse and there speak to her heart Hos 2.13 Israel was never so royally provided for with Manna Quails and other cates as when they were in the wildernesse The crosse is anointed with comfort which makes it not onely light but sweet not onely not troublesome and importable but desirable and delightful saith Bernard Thy presence O Lord made the very gridiron sweet to Laurence saith another How easily can God make up our losse and breaches Verse 7. And they of Ephraim shall be as a mighty man The same again and in the same words for more assurance because the return of the ten Tribes might seem a thing more incredible Erant enim quasi putridum cadaver saith Calvin here they were as rotten carkasses and they had obiter onely heard of these promises as if some grain of feed should be dropt by the high-way-side for they were now as aliens from the Common-wealty of Israel and their hert shall rejoyce as throught wine Which naturally exhilarateth Psal 104.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is called by Plato one of the Mitigaters of humane misery See Prov. 31.6 with the Note Some nations use to drink wine freely before they enter the battel to make them undaunted Some think here may be an allusion to such a custom I should rather understand it of that generous wine of the spirit Eph. 5.18 yea their children shall see it Therefore they were not to antedate the promises but to wait the accomplishment which should certainly be if not them yet to theirs after them even a full restauration in due season Verse 8. I will hisse for them and gather them As a shepheard hisseth or whistleth for his flock See Judg. 5.16 where it should not be translated the bleatings of the flocks but the hissings or whistlings of the shepheards to their flocks when they would get them together God who hath all creatures at his beck and check can easily bring back his hanished gather together his dispersed with a turn of a hand Zech. 13.7 with a blast of his mouth as here as if any offer to oppose him herein he can blow them to destruction Iob. 4.9 He can frown them to death Psal 80.16 He can crush them between his fingers as men do a moth Psal 39.11 and crumble them to crattle Psal 146.4 Like sheep they are laid in the grave death shall feed on them and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling Psal 49.14 For I have redeemed them I have in part and that 's a pledge of the whole my hands also shall finish it as Chap 4.9 God doth not his work to the halves neither must we but if he shall be All in All unto us we must be altogether His Cant. 2.16 His is a covenant of mercy ours of obedience which must be therefore full and finall as Christ hath obtained for us an entire and everlasting redemption Heb. 9.12 and they shall increase as they have increased By verue of that promise to Abraham Gen. 13.16 I will multiply thy seed as the dust of the earth and Gen 15.5 as the stars of
Christo Calvin in loc He looks upon such as serve him in sincerity as upon sons and daughters 2. That he will surely shew like mercies and mildnesse to his children in their faults and failings in their wants and weaknesses as the kindest father would do to his dearest son that serveth him For the former point The promise of pardon is here fitly made sub patris parabola saith Gualther under the similitude of a father Figuier in loc And the sense is thus much saith another Interpreter although I seem for a time to the blinde moles of the world to be negligent of those that are diligent about me of my best and busiest servants yet I think upon them still as my dearest children and when I may be thought most carelesse and cruel towards them then am I a most propitious and sin-pardoning father fully reconciled unto them in Christ for there comes in the kinred according to that of our Saviour in his message by Mary to his distressed disciples after his resurrection I ascend unto your father Iohn 20.17 and my father mine and yours and therefore yours because mine For as many as received him saith St. Iohn to them he gave priviledge to become the sons of God Ioh. 1.12 And again when the fulnesse of time was come saith another Apostle God sent forth his son his natural onely begotten son made of a woman and so by personal union of the two natures in one Christ his son by a new relation Gal. 4.4 according to that This day have I begotten thee and all to the end that we may receive the adoption of sons That we which by nature were children of wrath and by practise children of the devil might by divine acceptation and grace be made the children of God who had predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will Ephe. 1.4 5. to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved One. SECT I. Reasons hereof drawn from the causes IN which heavenly Text Reas 1 we have the first and chief ground of this doctrine drawn from the causes of our spiritual sonship 1. The fundamental and original cause Gods decree of election by grace we have an act for it in Gods eternal counsel According as he hath chosen us in Christ before the soundation of the world c. For which cause also the predestinate are called the Church of the first-born who are written in heaven Heb. 12.23 And whom he did foreknow saith Saint Paul them he did predestinate also to be conformed to the image of his son like him in glory as well as in sufferings like in being sons as he is a son that he might be even according to his humanity the first-born among many brethren Rom. 8.29 2. The meritorious and procuring or working cause of our adoption is here set forth to be the Lord Christ in whom he as a father hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things Ephe. 1.3 but all in Christ and all in this order A christian by the Gospel is made a beleever Now faith afteran unspeakable manner engrafteth him into the body of Christ the natural son and hence we become the adopted sons of God it being the property of faith to adopt as well as to justifie ratione objecti by means of the object Christ up whom faith layeth hold For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.26 Children I say not by creation as Adam is called the son of God Luk. 3. because he was produced in the similitude of God but by marriage and mystical union with Christ the fecond Adam the heir of all who hath 1. Laid down the price of that great priviledge Heb. 9.15 even his own most precious blood redeeming us thereby that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons Gal. 45. 2. He hath sealed it up to us by his spirit that earnest of our inheritance Eph. 1.13 called therefore the spirit of adoption and the spirit of Gods son as springing out of his death Rom. 8.15 Joh. 16.14 Gal 4.6 and procured by his intercession For because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts crying Abba father 3. Here is the motive and impulsive cause and that is the good pleasure of his will Joh. 1.12 1 John 3.1 2 Tim. 1. vlt. his absolute independent grace and mercy was the sole inductive He giveth us this dignity saith St Iohn in his Gospel And what more free then gift he sheweth us this love saith he in his epistle because it was the time of love that we should be called the sons of God So that our Adoption is not a priviledge purchased by contract of justice Rom. 8.23 Prov. 16.4 but an inheritance cast upon us of free grace and goodnesse The Lord shew mercy to Onesiphorus in that day when our adoption shal be crowned with its ful accomplishment Lastly here we have the final cause of our adoption â—heprâ—â—ise of the glory of his grace This is the end God propounds to himself in this as in all other his works as having none higher then himself to whom to have respect for he is the most highest God hath made all things for himself yea the wicked also for the day of evil viz. for the glory of his Justice and power as he told Pharaoh Rom. 9.17 but especially of his grace sith all that his justice doth in the Reprobation of some tendeth to this ultimate end of all that the riches of his grace may be the more displayed in the election of others SECT II. Reasons from the effects of his father-hood A Second reason followeth from the effects and those are no lesse demonstrative of the point then the causes Reas 2 These are 1. Gods fatherly affections 2. His expressions both which speake him a father to all his For his affection first to his people Albeit they be but his Adopted children yet he loves them more then any naturall father doth his own bowels Jam. 1. ult Hence he is called the father by an eminency as if there were no father to him none like him none besides him as indeed there is not originally and properly Called he is the father of all mercies Eph. 3.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paternitas paerentela Math. 23.9 the fountaine of all that mercy that is found in any father all is but a spark of his flame a drop of his ocean Yea he is stiled the father of all the fatherhoods in heaven and earth Whence also our Saviour Call no man saith He your father on earth for one is your father even God To enter comparison in some few particulars First a father loves freely not so much for that his child is witty or wealthy Patriam amat quisque nonquia
had they considered Daniels weekes they might have known that besides their free election all blessings flowing therefrom as verse 3.4.5 for their seventy years captivity they had seven seventies of years granted them afterwards for the comfortable enjoyment of their own countrey Sed ingrato quod donatur deperditur saith Seneca And Amare non redamantem est amoris impendia perdere saith Hierome All 's lost that is laid out upon an unthankfull people who devoure Gods best blessings as bruit beasts their prey haunch them up and swallow them as swine do swil bury them as the barren earth doth the seed use them as homely as Râ—chel did her fathers gods which she laid among the litter and sat upon yea sighting against God with his own weapons mercies I meane as John did against Ichoram with his own messengers as David did against Goliath with his own sword as Benhadad against Ahab with that life that he had given him as iâ— God had hired them to be wicked c. was not Esau Jacobs brother Did they not both tumble in a belly Isay 51.1 were they not both digged out of the same pit hewen out of the same rock and yet as the great Turk and his brethren born of the same parents the eldest is destined to a diadem the rest to an halter so here Esau though the elder and heire was rejected at least he was lesse loved for so the word hated is to be taken Gen. 29.31 Luke 14.20 Mâ—â— 10.37 Jacob though the younger and weaker for Esau was born a manly childe born with a beard as some think and was therefore called Esau that is Factus persâ—â—â—us pilis a man already rather then a babe yet was Gods beloved one And so were his posterity too the people of Gods choyce above the Edomites who were now left in captivity at Babyloâ— when as the Jews were returned into their own countrey yea for the Jews sakes and as a testimony of Godslove to them were these Edomites still held captives and their land irreparably ruinated because they shewed themselves mercilesse and bloody in the day of Jerusalems calamity Obad. 10.11 Psal 137.7 God had charged the â—raelites saying Thou shalt not abhor an Edoâ—â—â—te for he is thy brother Deut. 23.7 But as Eâ—au began betime to persecute Jacob bristling at him and bruising him in their mothers womb Gen. 25.22 so his posterity were bitter enemies to the Church joying in her misery and joyning with her enemies wherefore thus saith the Lord God I will also stretch our mine hand upon Edom and will cut off man and beast from â—t c. Ezck. 25.13 14. yet I loved Jacob And preordained him to a crown that never fadeth as Paul expoundeth this text Rom. 9.13 of election to eternal life which is the sweetâ—st and surest seal of Gods love Let us secure our election and so Gods special love to our souls by those two infallible marks 2 Thes 2.13 First belief of the truth that particularity and propriety of assurance Secondly â—â—â—â—â—â—sication of the Spirit â—â—â—o the obedience of the truth And as God loved Iacobs person so he loved his posterity the Israelites above all other people not because they were more in number or better in disposition ex meliore luto c. But because the Lord loved you therefore be set his love upon you and chose you saith Moses Dâ—ut 7.7 8. the ground of his love was wholly in himself there being nothing in man nothing our of Gods self that can primarily move and incline the eternal immutable and omnipotent will of God The true original and first motive of his love to his creature is the good pleasure of his will See Eph. 1.5 where all the four causes of Election are shewed to be without us Verse 3. And I hated Esau i. e. I loved him not as I did Iâ—â—ob I passed him by and let him alone to perish in his corruption and for his sin And for his posterity whereas they were carried captives by Nebuchadnezâ—zar as Isreal also was I have not turned again their captivity but laid their land desolate rased and harased their cities and castles made them an habitation of dragons and devilâ—â— and all this as an argument of my deep hatred and utter detestation of them True it is that Judea lay utterly waste during the seventy yeers of their captivity the land kept her sabbaths resting from tillage Upon the slaughter of Gedalâ—ah all the Jews that were left in the land fled into Egypt and God kept the room empty and free from invasion of forreiners untill the return of the Natives out of Babylon Now it was far otherwise with Idumea the desolation whereof is here described to be both total and perpetual according to that foretold by Ezechiel Chap. 35. O mount Seir I will make thee to be most desolate Ezech. 35 3 7 15. or as the Hebrew hath it emphatically and eloquently wastnesse and wastnesse extreme and and irrecoverable A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or utter ruine befel that countrey being part of Arabia Petrea hence mention of their mountains and abounding naturally with with serpents or dragons it being in the wildernesse of this country of Edom where the Israelites were so stung with fiery serpents Num. 21.6 hence it became afterwards a very den of dragons lurking there Verse 4. Whereas Edom saith we are impoverished Or thrust out of house and home and reduced to extreme indigency yet we will return and build the desolate places We will do it all despito di Deo as that prophane Pope said if it be but to crosse Gods prediction and to withstand his power and providence Thus these earthen pots will be dashing themselves against the rocks against those mountains of brasse so Gods immutable decrees are called Zech. 6.1 Thus Lamech will have the oddes of God seventy to seven so Iunius interprets it Gen. 4.24 Thus when God had threatened to root out Ahab and his posterity he would try that and to prevent it took more wives and so followed the work of generation that he left seventy sons behinds him 2 Kin. 10.1 Thus Pharaoh that sturdy rebel holds out against God to the utmost and sends away his servant Moses threatning death to him even then when he was compassed on all hands with that palpable darknesse Thus the Philistin Princes while some plagued gather themselves together again against the humbling Israelites at Mizpch 1 Sam. 7. and so rum to meet their bane Thus the proud Ephraimites Isai 9.10 The bricks indeed say they are fallen down but we will build it again with hewen stones The The wilde sigtrees are cut down but we will change them into Cedars Thus the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves Luk. 7.30 yea would needs be found fighters against God Act. 5.39 as Gamaliel truly told them Thus those primitive persecutours would needs attempt to root our Christian religion the
righteous run to it and are safe e Pro. 18 10. safe Iâ—ay it not from the common destruction yet surely from the common disâ—raction those slinging frights horrible amazements and woefull perplexities wherewith the hearts of those that sear not God are miserably pestred and even eaten up mâ—â—e day of evill Thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes that thou shalt see f Deut. 28.34 saith God to such And again they shall be at their wits ends g Psal 107.27 nay at their lives ends for fear and for looking after those things that are comming upon them h Luc. 21.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nabal for example whose heart even dyed within him ten dayes before he died upon the apprehension of his late danger and he became as a stone i 1 Sa. 25.37 But now 't is otherwise far with those that fear God that fear before him k Eccl 8.12 God is our refuge and our strength saith the Church a very present help in trouble Therefore will we not fear though the earth be remooved and though the mountains be carried into the miâ—st of the Sea l Psal 46 1 2. In pavidos ferient ruinae Hor. See an instance in David he having made God his fear could sing a requiem to hiâ— soule m Psal 116 7. Quid timet hominem hemo in sinu dei positus Aug. rock it asleep in a holy security and not once be afraâ—d for ten thousands of people that had hemmed him in and desperately given out that salvation it self could not save him out of their hands n ps 3.2 5 6 8 Against all which blasphemie and bravadoes of his enemâ—es he encourageth himself in the Lord his God and comfortably concludes the Psalme with Salvation is of the Lord and I have devoted my self to his fear o Psa 119.38 therefore I cannot miscarry so long as he is in safety If a child have his father by the hand though he be in the dark he is not afraid so is it with us whiles by saith the mother of this fear we sit and see him that is invisible p Heb. 11.27 at our right hand q Psal 16.8 to support and save us A second effect of Gods holy fear is a carefull thinking upon his name a reverencing of the commandements r Pro. 13.13 a conscionable endeavour of doing his whole will to the obedience whereof this fear doth strongly incline and enable us For which cause it is that the Lord having delivered his law in great terrour wisheth that the heart of his people might be alwayes fraught with his fear Å¿ Deut. 5 29. which might be as a domesticall chaplaine a faithfull monitour in their bosomes to quicken them to obedience And the preacher in this respect compriseth in this one grace alone all other vertues and dutyes t Eccl. 12.15 because it involves and carryes along with it a religious care of all the commandements though never so harsh and uncouth even to the denying of a mans self in all his selves 1. For his naturall self Isaac was reind in by this religious fear from reversing Jacobs blessing though naturall affection within and Esau's roarings without prompted him thereunto but he did not he durst not do it because he trembled with a great trembling exceedingly u Gen. 27.33 when now he saw that he had done unwilling justice 2. For his carnall self â—his own ease honour comfort prosit and other personall respect and conveniences see it in Jonah who after he had known the terrour of the Lord w 2 Cor. 5.11 in the heart of the sea in the belly of the whale how willing was he on his way to Nanveh x Ion. 3 3. So the Prophet Esay after he hâ—d â—â—en God â—â— his majâ—sty was so subdued by his fear to the obedience of his will that no sooner could the Lord say whom shall â—â—enâ— but he replyed here am â— sand 〈◊〉 y Esay â— 8. though before he were wondrous unwilling to so unwelcome an er and. 3. in his spirituall self his own undeâ—itanding judgement reasâ—n I mean Abrahuâ— was excellent at this for as in beleeving the promise of a son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he censâ—â—ed not the drynesse of his own body nor the deadnesse of Sarah's wo â—nb he cared not for that but silencing his Reason esalted his saith giving glory to God z Rosq 18 19 so in parting with him again at Gods appointment he conserred not with slesh 〈◊〉 blood as St. Paul speake in another case a Gal. 1.16 but getting up early b Gen 22.3 which shewed his wilâ—ingnesse on his way he went an end with the work and therefore heaâ—d from heaven Now I know that thou fearest me c. c ver 12. 4. Lastly in his second self wise and kind ed a Iob who retained his integrity and â—â—nyed himself in his wicked wife that bad him cuâ—â—e God and dye d Iob 2.9 The Septuagint help Ioby wise to scold adding a whol verse of semal passion I must now saith she gâ—e wander and have no place to rest in c. for he feared God and so eichewed that evill also The like we may say of Moses the servan of the Lord who after he had met God in the Inn and was surprized with his fear not only circumcised his son though to the great disconteâ—t of his froward wife e Exod. 4.26 but also sent her away upon that occasion and trouble as it is likely to her fathers house again who met him at Eoreb and reslored him his wife and children f Exod. 18.2 Thus the fear of God fame a man to an umversall self-denyaâ—l and makes him willing to be whatsoever the Lord world have him to be in every part and point of dut than which I know not what â—uâ—er signe can be shewed of a sancâ—isied soule Thirdly for the companions of Gods fear they are such as do accompany salvtion g Heb. 6 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scholiaâ—â— Ps 119.155 â—eas 3. which as far 〈◊〉 the wickâ—d as they are from se 〈◊〉 Gods shatuâ—es h. These are First sound judgment and saving knowledge of God and his will our selves and our dutyes Hence they are set so neer together in the prophet The spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord i Esay 11.2 ver 3. And in the next verse This same spirn shall mâ—kâ— him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord to discerne of things that be excellent such as none of the pâ—â—n as of this woâ—ld ever knew but God hâ—th revedeâ— them to us that desire so fear his 〈◊〉 with Neâ—â—on â—b k Neh. 1.11 by that spiâ—it of his that sâ—â—rcheth ad thâ—â—gs 〈…〉 things of God causing us for a largesse to know the things thâ—t are sreâ—ly given us of God l 1 Cor. 2.10 And this way it
such as hath no part in Christ nor portion in his kingdome b Gal. 5.23 Nay he passeth in Gods Book for a Pagan c Rom. 1.21 such as hath no blood of a Cristian in him for an Epicure d Phil. 3.19 20 the worst of Pagans for an Atheist the worst of Epicures e Psal 10.4 for an hypocrite f Acts 8.22.23 the worst of Atheists for an open rebell g Esay 65.2 the worst of hypocrites lastly for a reprobate h Phil. 3.23 the most desperate of rebels such as being enemies to the crosse of Christ have destruction for their end whereunto also of old they were appointed i Jude 4. I know what such kinde of people the ruder sort especially are apt enough to object They will never beleeve they say that the matter is so hainous ob the danger so great as the ministers would make of it for first they have as good hearts as the best and although they be not so strait-laced as to make such a businesse about idle and evil thoughts as some would seem to do yet so long as none can tax them for external outrages and reproachful offences they shall think never awhit the worse of themselves for all that Hereunto we answer sol that this very brag of the goodnesse of their loose and lewd hearts speaks them at once 1. Ignorant 2. Proud 3. Impenitent person First I say Ignorant of God and his will of themselves and their duties as if they were not bound to love the Lord their God with all their thoughts also k Math. 22.37 Now without knowledge the minde is not good saith Solomon and he that hood-winkt with such blinde conceits hasteneth with his feet in away good enough as he fondly imagineth sinneth l Prov. 19.2 Secondly they are stuft up with pride and self-conceitednesse as the Laodiceans who not knowing their own spiritual beggery and blindnesse gave out themselves for great rich men and in as good case as the best m Rev. 3.16 The pure in heart are withal poor in spirit n Math. 5.3 8. humbled for nothing more then their inward impurities those vain thoughts deceitful dreams carnal fears worldly cares endlesse and needlesse plodding upon earthly things that haunt their hearts and passe the forge of their fancies every day in despite of whatsoever endeavours to the contrary Together with those innumerable bythoughts and distractions that will needs throng in upon them even in the interim of divine duties when they would be most free and reserv'd to God These be the things that most gall and grieve the godly man and bring him ful often upon his knees for pardon of inward failings in those duties for the outward well-performance whereof other godly people do many times both approve and applaud him But now it is otherwise with the wicked if he can wash his hands with Pilate keep his fingers from picking and stealing and his tongue from evil speaking curb and keep in his inordinate lusts from budging and breaking forth in his outward practise he eares not how fowl his inwards are how irregular and enormous the motions of his minde be thinks though he never lay lawes upon those but suffer them to run riot at pleasure upon whatsoever vanities or villenies yet he shall speed well enough and perhaps step into heaven before the purest of them all Here 's a heart as full of pride as empty of goodnesse◠for he that lifteth up himself his minde is not upright in him o Hab. 2.4 Thirdly They are impenitent and so out of the state of salvation till they bethink themselves of a more thorough reformation p Luke 13.3 For repentance where it is sound begins at the heart It is not a cleansing onely of the outside of the platter but a changing of the inward thoughts affections and purposes according to that of the Prophet Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to the Lord and he will have mercy upon him c. q Esay 55.7 not else And that of Peter to Simon Magus Thy heart is not right in the sight of God repent therefore and pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee r Act. 8.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 postulat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that lastly of the Prophet to the people Oh Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse that thou mayest be saved no heaven to be had you see where the heart is not washed how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee ſ Jer. 4.14 No surer signe of a foul and wicked heart then the residence and raign of vain and vile thoughts Let no man therefore bear himself in hand or boast hereafter of the goodnesse of his heart if his thoughts be habitually and allowedly evil Oh but we have many good and holy thoughts in our hearts ob God and his name is much in our mindes and mouthes and we think frequently upon his word we hear and his works we see c. You have many good thoughts you say 't is well sol a reprobate also may have good motions in his minde and not be a buton the better for any of them Try your good thoughts therefore before you trust too much to them and 1. By the causes 2. By the effects For the causes first wee 'l suppose them for the matter good and religious but for their efficient cause first whence be they let me ask Are they inbre'd and native to your sanctified hearts or are they onely injected from without and meerly adventitions cast in by God who now affects thine heart by a good motion thy self no way concurring but being meerly passive in the whole business If so Nebuchadnezzar might have as much comfort and hope here-hence as you God put into his heart a good thought viz. to turn his course against Israel the people of Gods wrath and to revenge the quarel of his covenant upon an hypocritical nation Howbeit he meant not so saith the Prophet neither did his heart think so but it was in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few c t Isai 10.7 Secondly for the form and fashion of your better sort of thought are they set and solemn some times with choice of fit matter time and place Do ye sit in the door of your hearts on set purpose to entertain good motions as Abraham was wont in the door of his tenr to entertain strangers Or are they not onely occasional and accidental falling in by the by and besides your intention by reason of some sudden occurrence c. These holy men in the text did not onely think upon Gods name as a thing that fell into their thoughts by chance but sollicitously throughly studiously serously they set themselves to work in good earnest and in Gods fear to consider of his