him better and the better thou lovest him thou mayest think of him more for there the Bread of life is broken that it may be Eaten and this Eaten Bread is never to be forgotten there the Blood of Christ is broached that it may be drunk and being drunk Cant. 1.4 Gal. 3.1 that his love may be remembred more then wine for there is Christ before mine eyes evidently set forth even as if he were crucified among us Thâ—â— the King both sits at his Table Cant. 1.12 and is set upon the Table for Christ is both the Master of the Feast and the Matter of the Feast both my Entertainer and Entertainment and whilst I thus see him and feel him and tast him How can I but think of him and whilst the Bread that strengtheneth mine heart strengtheneth also my Faith and so Christ steals into my Soul as it were by my Sense and becomes the very nourishment thereof as the Outward Elements Bread and Wine are of the Outward man How can I forget my Saviour whilst I Remember my self or shut him out of the thoughts of mine Heart Psalm 73 26. John 6.5 who is the strength of mine heart whose Flesh is my meat indeed and whose Blood is my drink indeed whose Death is my life and my Reconciliation and whose life is my Glory and my Salvation who by his continual Intercession Hebr. 9.28 Exod. 28.29 ever bears me upon his heart before his Father in Heaven even as Aaron was to bear the Names of the Tribes of Israel upon his Brest-plate into the most holy place till He appear the second time unto Salvation John 12.20 and come again to take me to himself that where my Lord is there may also his Servant be Sect. XXXVIII Holy Thoughts of Christ ANd as we must away with all souâ—re thoughts of Christ and All low thoughts of Christ so much more with all unsavory and loose thoughts of Christ Our Thoughts of Him must be Holy as well as High Rom. 6.1 2. and Fearful as well as Chearful The Apostle puts an absit upon the least Thoughts as if the coming of Grace were for the countenancing of Sin What saith Moses concerning Christ Beware of him and obey his voice Exod. 23.21 provoke him not for he will not pardon your Transgressions for my Name is in Him What saith David Psalm 2.12 Kiss the SON least he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little The Prophet Isaiah tells us that he comes to give Law as well as Liberty the Isles shall wait for his Isaiah 42.4 Law the Prophecy of our Conversion who are Islanders in the Sea and that this Branch out of the Root of Jesse shall smite the Earth with the Rod of his Mouth Isaiah 11.1 2. and with the breath of his Lips he shall slay the wicked The Angel saith of Christ that his Name shall be called JESUS Mal. 1.21 Acts 2.27 Mal. 5.17 because He was to save his people not IN their Sins but FROM their Sins Christ when he was a Child was the Holy Child JESUS and when he was a Man He tells us that He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it And as John Baptist told the People that his Fan was in his hand Mat. 3 12. and he would throughly purge his Floor they found it so for He went into the Temple Chap. 21.21 and scourged out the Buyers and Sellers c. in token that no unclean or prophane thing must expect admittance by Him into the Kingdom of God No no Mat. 3.11 John 16.8 Hebr. 10.1 Mat. 16.24 John 17.17 Acts 15.9 Philip. 4.7 Col. 3.25 Gal. 6.16 The Baptisme of Christ is a Baptisme with Fire and the Spirit of Christ is a Reprover of Sin the example of Christ a pattern of Obedience and the Doctrine of Christ is a Doctrine of Self-denyal the Truth of Christ a Sanctifying Truth and the Faith of Christ an heart purifying Faith and the Peace of Christ is a War with Sin for it keeps the heart and rules in the heart and 't is onely unto them that walk according to Rule that the Gospel of Christ saith Peace be upon them but Tribulation and Anguish Rom. 2.8 9. Indignation and Wrath upon every Soul of Man that doth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile Take We heed then of thinking basely of Christ Mat. 11.19 as the friend of Sinners in their vile sense who indeed thought him to be altogether such an one as themselves Psal 50.21 Psal 35.7 but Davids Thoughts were otherwise thou lovest Righteousness and hatest Iniquity therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the Oyl of Gladness above thy fellows A Friend indeed of Sinners for he Dyed to save them yea the chief of them 1 Tim. 1.15 but yet an Enemy to Sin for He came to make an end of Sin saith the Apostle St. John to redeem us from our vain Conversation saith S. Peter and to purifie to himself a peculiar 1 John 3.8 1 Pet. 1.18 people Titus 2.14 zealous of good works to sanctifie and cleanse us with the washing of water by the World that we might be holy Eph. 5.26 27. and without blemish saith S. Paul And now tell me O Reader is there any shelter for Sin or license for Lust in all this O be not deceived Gal. 6.7 8. God is not mocked for whatsoever a Man soweth that shall he also reap for he that soweth to his Flesh shall of the Flesh reap Corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life Everlasting For the GRACE of God that hath appeared bringing SALVATION 2 Tit. 11.12 teacheth to deny ungodliness and worldly Lusts c. Psalm 45.6 For Christ is KING as well as PRIEST and LORD as well as JESUS and the Scepter of his Kingdome is a RIGHT SCEPTER and We cannot THINK RIGHTLY of it except we think it so And O how terrible is this THOUGHT that if We slight this way Hebr. 2.36 Chap. 10.26 neglecting so great Salvation by sinning wilfully against this Sacrifice there remains no other SACRIFICE for Sin for there is no other Name given but the Name JESUS Acts 4.12 Heb. 10.28 29. And if He that sinned against Moses 's Law dyed without Mercy how much sorer must his punishment be that trampleth under foot the SON of GOD Then think this of Christ that if he be not thy Foundation-Stone 1 Pet. 2.6 Mat. 21.14 Rev. 5.5.6 John 5.22 Elect and precious to thee if thou be not built upon him he will fall upon thee and grinde thee to powder for the Lamb of God is a LYON too and God hath committed all Judgment to the SON and the WRATH of the LAMB shall one day be found intolerable to the proudest of Men when the Kings of the Earth
God hath grown up in thy heart or to deny what God hath done for thy Soul But yet withall this I must add that as it is observed that the coming of the Cup into the Sack in an unknown way left them in the more trouble and perturbations afterwards though it came from a friendly hand And those women that have less fore-pains then others have many times greater After-pains as they call them So they that have less signal Spiritual troubles preceding their conversion and have known least of the terrours of the Lord are by so much the more full of Anxiety many times almost all their dayes 2 Cor. 5.11 full of doubtful thoughts whether they were ever savingly wrought upon because not wrought upon as such and such Haunted many times with Hideous thoughts and Temptations to Atheism Blasphemy c. which make them even weary of life and afraid of death and yet may be very pretious in the sight of God and dear to Jesus Christ Sect. V. ANd as Gods usual Season is the time of trouble of spiritual trouble to bring men to Right Thoughts Psal 77.2.3 Verse 16. To remember God to Consider the dayes of old to commune with their own hearts to make diligent search into their own spirits to take notice of their Infirmities Verse 10. Verse 11. to Remember the years of the right hand of the most High to Remember the works of the Lord and to meditate of his doings c. All which is Right-Thought-work and which the Psalmist was set upon in the day of his Trouble Psal 77.2 Gods ordinary method to bring to right thoughts by setting home some particular sin So the Method that God ordinarily useth Is to bring to their thoughts some one particular Sin and to present it to their Souls view in all its ugly shape and monstrous deformity with its heightening circumstances and hellish horrour that like the tail of a Prâ—digious Comet it draws after it now as Ghosts are most terrible and confounding when they appear in the Dark so is Sin when it stares a man in the face in his time of trouble Thus the Patriarchs were struck with the appaling thought of their savage cruelty to their innocent Brother when themselves were in Distress Gen. 42.21 no doubt they had other Sins to trouble them but this first flew in their face Saul with the thought of his furious persecuting of Jesus Thus some for telling a known Lie Acts 9.4 others for some Theft or known Fraud others for prophaning the Lords-Day others for some prophane Oath others for Disobedience to Parents And some though few like Mary Magdalene for the foul sin that brings a wound and a dishonour and a repâ—oach that is hardly wiped away Prov. 6.33 So that as men ordinarily single out some one special Sin to set their heart upon though they entertain and practice all the rest Rom. 7.8 with 24. so God singles out some special Sin to fix their thoughts upon and thereby to bring them in due time to sight and sense of the whole Body of Death nay sometimes when men by a blameless appearance and moral conversation have got the good thoughts of other men their own much more Heb. 3.1 Luke 18.6 God sometimes suffers civil men to fall into some foul act to discover tâ—â—hem the plague of the heart 1 Kings 8 38. Sometimes thoughts are in an uproar troubled and distinct cares not known Acts 19.32 Verse 40. Yet God sometimes out of this Chaos draws a new Creation As in Genesis Reduceth thoughts to proper places and things to order Rev. 3.20 Prov. 18.14 Acts 2.57 Prov. 38.4 trusting as Christ speaks in themselves that they are righteous God suffers them to fall into some gross act of Sin perhaps Drunkenness perhaps making a mock at Godliness to please vile company perhaps Perjury or some other palpable act of wickedness that by such a rising in the flesh he may bring them to know and to bethink themselves of the Plague of the heart that Scripture speaks of Indeed I have sometimes observed some persons troubled with a strange unusual throng and croud of Thoughts Sermons trouâ—led them and Sins troubled them but their Thoughts wâ—re like that confused concourse in the Acts of which no distinct account could be given and the Assembly knew not why they were come together And as such a croud of thoughts have been thus in an uproar for some space of time and they knew not distinctly why so a little time hath brought it to they know not what nothing for good hath come of it And yet sometimes the All-wise and powerful grace of God even out of such a Chaos of confusion is pleased to draw a New-Creation reducing things to their proper places and thoughts to their right order Sect. VI. BUt generally when Grace first knocks at the door of the heart and finds the Sinner in distress wounded in Spirit that he cannot bear it prickt at the very heart the pressing sense of Sin lies upon him and goes over him as a burthen too heavy for him It brings him to speak within himself Or which is all one to think thus The Scheme of a Converts first thought Lament 3.1 or to this effect I am the man that have seen Affliction by the Rod of his anger and now I stand here a miserable Malefactour before the Lord who perfectly knows all my secrets and infinitely hates all my Sins My Conscience hales me to his Bar for my sin hath found me out Num. 32.23 Gen. 42.21 Prov. 28.13 Job 9.4 And I am verily guilty concerning this thing should I then either hide my sin or harden my self against God who ever did either of these and prospered This then is my proper station though my feet be hurt with setters and the Iron enters into my very Soul though the Chain of Gods Indignation be heavy upon me Micah 7.9 yet I must bear it because it is my own Chain I have sinned against him Excuse my sin Alas I cannot I knew my Masters will Luke 12.57 Rom. 7.12 Malac. 1.6 and knew it to be Holy just and Good and did it not I call'd him Lord yet fear'd him not I knew he forbad the thing I did yet I did it I knew he looked on me and yet I did it I knew he would call me to an account for it and yet I did it Accuse my Master Alas I dare not No no Jam. 1.13 14. He tempted me not but I was drawn away of my own lust and enticed my own lust I may call it so as much as I may call my Heart my own an Heart so vile but yet my own such a Fountain of Poyson such a Cage of every unclean and hateful Bird an Heart nay an Hell yea and worse to me then all the Devils there I should bely them as bad as they be should I say otherwise an heart so desperately
that presseth forward toward the Lord Jesus Christ sticks fast and remains unremoveable while the hinder part is broken with the violence of waves O blessed Hâ—art-breaking O blessed storm that drives the tumbling Thoughts upon this shore Psalm 107.30 well mayst thou be glad because thou art quiet for God hath brought thee to thy desired Haven 1 Pet. 1.8 Phil. 4.7 O sweet serenity Joy unspeakable peace passing all understanding that now keeps the heart and mind yea the heart by the MIND flowing down like the pretious Oyntmeâ—t from the head of Aaron to the skirts of his garment Luke 2.29 36. perfuming and embalming by the thoughts of the mind all the inferior powers of the Soul and affections of the heart That the former can now present unto the later even a deaths head without horrour nay with amiableness in its Aspect whilst the Soul can think with Simeon Psalm 133 2. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation So that hardly could the Convert now be kept from impatient desiring to be disso ved and to be with Christ but that he THINKS withal of something to be done for Christ before â—e die Psalm 51.13 Luke 22 3â— 2 Câ—r 1 Phil. 1.23 of teaching transgressors Gods wayes that sinners may be â—â—verted of strengthening Brethren of comforting others with the same consolations and so be hasteneth to be doing that he may also hasten to be dying Sect. XI BUt Alas These Thoughts cannot alwayes hold without interruption This brood of Travailers dig up Wells as they go Psal 84.5 Gen. 2.5 and the Philistines follow after as fast as they can to stop them up with earth and stones worldliness and earthliness deadness and dulness return and repossesses the Mind and Thoughts of the eager Convert and threaten to undo whatever Grace hath been a doing So that the confident young Christian who thought that if he had but once gotten the Red Sea on his back his Saviours blood betwixt him and his soul oppressors there would be but a few dayes direct and easy journey through the Wilderness of the World to the Land of Canaan Deut. 8.15 falling amongst many fiery Serpents violent and virulent temptations and lusts not thought of at his first setting out and being bitten by them he proceeds as more heavily so more humbly And his After-thoughts are such as these Now woe is me that I should ever put my hand unto Gods Plough Luke 9.62 and thus look back O why was I not contented to have dwelt on the other side of Jordan Nay to have stayed by the Flesh-Pots of Aegypt Joshua 7 7. Exod 16.3 rather than to die in this Wilderness It had been better sure for me not to have known the way of Righteousness 2 Pet. 2.2 Gal. 4 15. then after I have known it thus to turn from the holy Commanâ—ment Where is then the blessedness that I spake of The Scripture saith indeed Job 17.9 Gal. 3.3 4. that the Righteous shall hold on in his way But alas I have begun in the spirit And after all must I foolishly end in the flesh Have I suffered so many things in vain if so be that it be yet in vain Have I sustained such corrections and received such convictions and brought forth such Purposes and Resolutions with so great Pain and Difficuâ—ty and to so little purpose Hos 10.12 Isaiah 28.14 I cannot deny that the fallow ground of my heart hath been indeed broken up and Gods Ploâ—â—â—â—s have plowed all day to sow and 't was good seed at the Sâ—â—ers did sow when they sowed the Woâ—d Mark 4.14 But alas I now find to my Woe that it was not sown in a good and honest heart for no sooner was the blade spring up Luke 8.15 Mat. 13.16 21. Luke 8.14 Mark 4.19 but early temptation made it â—ither away so that it brought no fruit to â—erfection the cares of the World the decoiptfulness of Riches and the lusts of other things these coming in have choaked the word and it â—â—th become unprofitable Job 4.6 And is this thy confidence O my soul the uprightness of thy wayes and thy hope O think then that the word will prove true to thee though thou hast not been so to it for it told thee that the back-slider in heart should be filled with his own wayes and I am sure thou hast found it so Prov. 14.14 Heb. 6.7 Thou art the ground that hast drunk in the rain that came oft upon it and hast brought forth Thorns and what can now be thy doom but to be rejected of God to be nigh unto cursing and thine end but to be burned Thou art the House out of which the unclean Spirit went Math. 12.33 44 45. and into which He returned taking others with him which though he found empty swept garnished yet leaveth the last state worse than the first Thou hast wearyed thy self with lies Ezek. 24.12 13. and thy great scum went not forth of thee what remains but that thy scum shall be in the fire In thy filthiness is lewdness because God hath purged thee and thou wast not purged therefore how canst thou hope to be purged from thy filthyness any more till he have caused his Fury to rest upon thee 2 Peter 2.20 for if after Men have escaped the pollutions of the World through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again entangled therein and overcome the later end is worse with them than the beginning Thou art that girdle marred by lying in the Babilonish waters of worldly Lusts Jer. 13.7 11. and now profitable for nothing who didst sometime seem to cleave so closely to the Lord Jesus Christ as the girdle cleaveth to the loines of a man Jer. 6.28 29 30. Ah! grievous Revolter Reprobate sinner the Bellows are burnt the Lead is consumed in the Fire the Founder hath melted thee in vain for the wicked are not plucked away thy wicked pride and worldliness and wantonness c. and now what canst thou think O my Soul but that the Lord hath rejected thee Jerem. 2.5 But what Iniquity hast thou found in thy God that thou art gone far from Him and that thou hast walked after vanity and art become vain Micha 6.3 Ah my Soul What hath he done unto thee or wherein hath he wearyed thee testifie against him No no I am sure thou canst not thou darest not reprove him Jerem. 2.19 But thine own wickedness shall correct thee and thy Back-slidings shall reprove thee know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and a bitter that thou haâ—t forsaken the Lord thy God and therefore surely his fear is not in thee What fruit haâ—t thou then of this foul Apostacy whereof thou hâ—st so great reason to be now ashamed Thou didst run well Rom. 6.21 Gal. 5.7 Jerem. 2.11 12
set their Hearts aright have a marvailous advantage in point of consistency and as to the stability of their good thoughts even from their Natural temper whereas some others in Constitution sanguine and more symbolizing with the Air their minds seem commonly volatile and so their thoughts more fluid and less fixed be the habit of their Minds Difference of natural constitution may appear as in conversion or Objects of their Thoughts good or evil Now this difference of Natural constitution occasions many mistakes in the spiritual judging of Mens Estates A man may be very serious yet not Religious though John Baptist was naturally 't is probable very austere John came saith Christ neither eating nor drinking Mar. 11.28 and another man may be very pleasant and yet not vain and it would seem our Saviours Natural bodily temper was differing from the Baptists and disposed him to a complaisant conversation Verse 29. The Son of Man came eating and drinking for even in that sence his delights were with the Sons of Men Rejoycing in the habitable parts of the Earth The Hebrew word signifies sporting Prov. 8.5 and so the Margin reads it and yet he was the pattern of all Perfection And as in Conversation So in thoughts so in thoughts the Natural temper may if not attended occasion dangerous mistakes in judging the spiritual state Take an instance in two whom I take to be Eminent Saints King Solomon and the Apostle Paul Instance in King Solomon and St. Paul concerning the later none doubt nor dare I of the former who was Gods Iedidiah from whom God saith he will never take his mercy A Pen-man of Holy Writ and so numbred by the Apostle among the Holy men of God a grand Type of Christ and one of those Prophets of whom Christ saith expresly that all the Prophets are in the Kingdom of God Luke 15 2â— yet I suppose a vast difference in the Natural temper of these two excellent men Paul no doubt was of great natural resolution Acts 26 9â— and fixation I verily thought saith he of himself before his Conversion that I ought to do many things against the Name of Jesus Verse 10 11. which thing also I did in every Synagogue He never alters his mind as we say never changeth his thoughts never turns nor ever would had not God overturned him but then when God called him by his Grace and set the Watch right Oh! this Natural temper of His was an Excellent Ballance and kept the motion admirably What do you mean saith he to weep and break mine heart Acts 21.17 I am ready not onely to be bound but to Die for the Name of Jesus And when he would not be perswaded say they we ceased c. You see He was fixed before Conversion and fixed after for Grace rather useth then altereth Nature though it cures its corruption But now Solomon He was naturally I question not of a more Airy Constitution and so of a more doubtful mind as our Saviours Phrase is which He borrowes from the Aiery Meteors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 12.30 which are now here and now there and you can hardly find them fixed any where and so His thoughts more fluid and volatile flying up and down from one thing to a contrary thing from Wisdom Eccles 2.2 to Wine to Women to Madness to Folly yea from one thing to a thousand things Even from the Cedar of Lebanon to the Hyssop upon the Wall and being naturally like Reuben unstable as water his Wives turned away his heart 1 Kings 11.4 and the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the Lord God of Israel which had appeared unto him twice and yet there was a well of Water after all this springing up in Him to Everlasting Life for you may see what was in the bottom of his heart what his deepest thoughts were by what you find in the bottom of his Book of Penitence and Recantation Let us hear saith He the CONCLUSION of the matter FEAR GOD Eccles 12.15 and keep his Commandments c. Now All is well We say that ends well Sect. IV. THis then to shut up this scrutiny is that which we are most accurately to observe amongst all that variety not only of Temptations Conclusion of the Rule but of Tempers and consequently of Thoughts Purposes and Resolutions Psal 94.14 Several instances of good thoughts at bottom working out evil thoughts Isaiah 8.13 if as David saith in another respect In the multitude of our thoughts within us We can find Divine and gracious Thoughts to be deepest in our Soul As to add to the instance forementioned when our slight Thoughts of God and slavish fear of Man and thoughts of sinful security as to our selves are wrought out by our sanctifying the Lord God in our hearts and making him our FEAR as the Prophet speaks When ones high thoughts of himself who is ready to say in his heart Deut. 8.17 My power and the might of my hand hath â—otten me this wealth are removed by remembrance of the Lord God Verse 18. and that it is he that gives power to get wealth When our self-justifying self-exalting thoughts are taken down and let fall as Job's plumes were by his thoughts of his black feet behold I am vile Job 40.4 what shall I answer thee c. When over-eager thoughts of the world are worn out by thinking on what He saith who hath charged us to take no thought for to morrow Luke 12.22 Matth. 6.34 Prov. 11.4 and over-valuing thoughts of the World by thinking that the world was not Crucified for Us cannot deliver or profit in the day of wrath that labouring for the World is but labouring for the Wind Eccles 5.16 whereof the more a man gâ—asps for the most part the greater are the gripes that their end is Destruction that mind earthly things but especially by Thinking that the Lord hath said Love not the World nor the things of the World for if any man love the World 1 John 2.15 the love of the Father is not in him When Flesh-pleasing thoughts are supplanted by thinking that to be carnally minded is death Romans 8. â— James 5.5 that living in pleasures upon the Earth and being wanton is but the nourishing of the heart as in the day of slaughter that a St. Paul himself must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 9.27 beat down his body and bring it in subjection least he himself should be cast away Phil. 3.8 or when thoughts of the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ come to make a man think other things to be but dogs meat or dung that he may win Christ when the thoughts of the Rivers of pleasures that are at Gods Right hand for evermore do challenge the Heart Jerm 2.18 What hast thou to do in the way of Aegypt to drink
saith the Holy Ghost If the Blood of Bulls and â—oats and the sprinkling them that are unclean Sanctifie as to the purifying of the Flesh how much more shall the Blood of Christ c. purge your Conscience c. And that the Thoughts of the Old Testament-Believers ran so much upon Davids especially his very Dying Thoughts ran of this 2 Sam. 23.1 as appears by his last words Although mine House be not so with God yet God hath made a Covenant with me Ordered in all things and sure this is All my Salvation Verse 5. and All my desire c. Blessed be God what ever is out of Order the Covenant of Grace is Ordered in All things and sure my help and my hope is not in my self or in any thing of my own 't is laid up elsewhere in better keeping One shall say Isaiah 45.24 IN the Lord I have strength and I have Righteousness and IN the Lord the whole House of Israel that is Verse 25. all that ever shall have Peace shall be Justified and shall Glory thus Isaiah So Jeremy speaking of the Church Jer. 33.16 He that shall call her is The Lord Our Righteousness So Daniel Now therefore O our God Dan. 9.17 Ezek. 14.14 hear the Prayer of thy Servant c. and cause thy face to shine c. for the Lords Sake You see Daniel who is reckon'd by the Holy Ghost with Noah and Job one of the best men that ever was hath not a Thought of any Acceptance or Audience from any Righteousness or Works of his Own but onely for Christs sake Lord do it saith he for the Lords sake 2 Cor. 12.12 1 Cor. 15.10 Acts 24.16 Nay S. Paul that came behind no Man and Laboured more abundantly than All that exercised himself alwayes to have a Conscience void of Offence both towards God and towards all Men that Beat down his Body to bring it in Subjection c. 1 Cor. 9.27 2 Cor. 11.22 to the end R m. 4. chap. Rom 5. chap. In a word Wherein-soever any might seem to have any thing to boast He had more yet you find no man more triumphing in an Imputed Righteousness by FAITH GRACE FREE GIFT No man more abasing nay abhorring the very Thought of all self-wrought Righteousness not of Works saith He Eph. 2.9 least any man should boast but sweeping down throughout his writings especially the Epistles to the Romans Rom. chap. 5. and 6. Galatians Ephesians the Spiders Web as the Holy Ghost calls all that Hope and Confidence which Man Spins Gal. chap. 2. and 3. Eph. chap. 2. Job 8.14 as it were out of his own Bowels nay disclaiming all compoundings and blendings in the business of Justification He will have nothing there but a Christ apprehended and received through Faith and that too not of our selves Eph. 2.8 Rom. 11.6 but the Gift of God for saith He If it be of Grace it is no more of Works or else Grace were no more Grace but if it be of Works it is no more of Grace else Work were no more Work And how plain and indeed terrible is that Text What shall We say then Rom. 9.30 that the Gentiles which followed not Righteousness have attained unto Righteousness even the Righteousness which is of Faith Verse 31.32 But Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousness hath not attained to the Law of Righteousness Wherefore because they sought it not By Faith but as it were by the works of the Law for they have stumbled at the stumbling stone as it is written Verse 33. Behold I will lay in Sion a stumbling stone and a Rock of Offence And every one that Believeth in Him shall not be ashamed Let Papists then mock on and call this Imputed Righteousness a Putative or an imaginary Righteousness yet what is to them Foolishne's 1 Pet. 2.6 Philip 3.3 and to many a stumbling stone let it be to thee O my Soul a Foundation Rejoyce thou in Jesus and have thou no confidence in the Flesh Sect. XXXVII Pâ—â—l 2.6 7 8. Hâ—â—h thou his of Christ BUt then as God hath Highly exalted Him that was Humbled being equal with God yet in shape of a Man even to the Death of the Cross so think that if ever thou hope for benefit by Him thy Life and thy Lips must exalt Him and thine Heart and thy Thoughts above all not that thou canst add to but must own his Greatness and his Glory nay though thou hadst known Christ after the Flesh 2 Câ—â— 5.16 yet henceforth know him so no more Away with low Thoughts carnal conceptions of Jesus Christ who though He were Crucified through weakness yet is raised in Power 1 Cor. 14.4 Isaiah 62.1 Heb. 11.34 yea in the greatness of his strength became weak that out of weakness thou mightest be made strong for if the Christian can say by believing in Christ when I am weak then am I strong and can Glory in his Infirmities 2 Cor. 12.9 10. that the power of Christ may rest upon him well may he Glory in Christ whose Glory in the very dayes of his infirmity they that saw him beheld as the Glory of the onely begotten Son of God John 1.4 for whilst he dwelt among Men in the body of his Flesh The Fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily Colos 2.9 Rom 9 5. And O how awful and stupendious a thought it is that Gods Benjamin should be this Ben-oni Nay the Blessed God himself This man of Sorrows Isaiah 53.3 and 9.6 Gal 4 4. Isaiah 53.8 Gal. 4.4 The Eternal Father the Son of his Hand-maid made of a Woman The Mighty God a Child born so saith Scripture but who shall declare his Generation The Law-Maker made under the Law that He might make satisfaction to the Law and Fulfil all Righteousness both by Doing and by Dying by Serving and Suffering Matth. 3.15 Rev. 19.16 Mat. 20.29 The Lord of Lords came to Minister And He that gives Life to All to give his Life a Ransome for many Stupendious Thought may I well call it that my GOD should become GOEL my near Kinsman by Incarnation and gain Right of Redemption as to those in whom he had a right of Creation for which Cause He is not ashamed to call them Brethren Hebr. 2 11. That the Infinite should be Confined and Content in the Womb though not Contained in the World Pellibus exiguis Ingens arctatur JESUS That a strait low-roof'd Virgin-Cell Should lodge th' Incomprehensible That the Eternal God should be Born Isaiah 9.6 Matth. 28.6 Luke 2.7 and the Immortal God buried after a Life of Sorrow and a Death of Shame That the Majesty of God should take up with a Stable for a Presence Chamber Mat. 2.11 and 27.29 Verse 2. and a Manger for a Throne where Wise-men must come and worship Him a wreath of Thornes for a Crown
which All other Thoughts can be but a mear Chaos of Confusion and will prove in the Issue a very Hell of Horrour and a Thought with which the thought of Death is without a Sting 1 Cor. 15.55 Luke 21.28 1 Pet. 1.8 and the very Thought of Judgment doth lift up the heal and fill the heart with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory In a word a Thought that by mutual entercourses between Love on Gods part and Faith on Mans part doth bring Heaven down to Us and will if We follow it home raise Us up to Heaven 2 Cor. 3.18 for whilst we with open face behold as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord we are changed into the same Image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of Lord For as Gods wayes are above our wayes as high as his Thoughts are above our Thoughts Isaiah 55.8 so our wayes will be above other mens wayes above the Corrupt way of Nature the bruitish way of sense and Carnal Reason as high as our thoughts are above their thoughts for whilst their God is their belly Phil. 3.19 20. and they glory in their shame who mind Earthly things Our Conversation shall bâ— in Heaven from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ O welcome then the dear and precious Thoughts oâ— the blessed Jesus who thought of thee O my Soul Christ deserves Psalm 136.23 in thy low estate and therefore deserves thy Thoughts and puts himself purposely in thy way which way sâ—ever thou turnest thy self And desires our thoughts Luke 22.44 Knocks at the door of every sence and therefore sure desires thy thoughts for as there was never a pore in his Body but He did sweat out his Blood at it for thee and thy Good so is there never a door even of thine Exterior sences but He knocks at it to be let in to thy thoughts Canst thou hear or see or feel why that which we have seen and heard saith the Apostle 1 John 1.1 And ver 3. 1 Pet. 2.3 Cantic 2.1 Chap. 1.13 Verse 14. declare â—e unto you and our hands have handled the word of life Or canst thou tast and hast thou not tasted that the Lord is gracious or is the Rose of Sharon the onely Flower that can â—â—t please thy smell The bundle of Myrrhe the Cluster of Camphire c. are there no sweets in All these Methinks my Saviour does even court my Thoughts And puts himself in the way of our thoughts by every good thing about us Isaiah 11.10 Eccles 7.11 Rev. 12.16 Mal. 4.3 Rom. 13 14. John 14.6 Chapter 10.9 meeting them and me at every turn in every thing that is excellent and obvious If I shut my eyes He is my Rest and this Rest is glorious If I open them He is my Light and truly this Light is pleasant If Night fall he is the bright and fixed Star If Day dawn 't is writ with a Sun-beam upon my wall that he is my Sun of Righteousness when I get up can I forget my Cloths to put on the Lord Jesus Can I go forth and not think of him that is the way or come in again and not think of him that is the Door Can I sit down to Eat and forget him that is the Bread of Life and take a turn in my Garden among all my pleasant Plants Revel 22.2 and forget the Tree of Life or refresh my sweating brow amongst Rivers Verse 1. Isaiah 32.2 Zachar. 13.1 Shades and Fountains and not mind him that is the River of Life the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land the Fountain set open for Sin and for uncleanness Can I gaze upon Gold or Silver the Mammon of Unrighteousness and forget him whose very Reproach is greater riches then the Treasures of Aegypt or please mine Eye with the Brisk and sprightly Diamond or beautiful Emerauld and not call to mind that Pearl of great Price Mat. 13.42 for the sake of which the wise Merchant sells all he hath to buy the Field in which He finds it Do I see the welcome Officer bringing a discharge to his weary Prisoner and forget him that hath the Key of David who openeth Revel 3 7. and no man can shut and shutteth and none can open Do I see the Mariner drop his Anchor and forget him in whom alone is Hope which is the Anchor of the Soul is sure and steadfast Heb. 6.18 19. Do I see the Souldier run to his Colours and forget the Captain of my Salvation Chap. 2.10 Gen. 31.40 Do I see the watchful Shepheard expose himself as Jacob to Sun and Showre to Wind and Weather and forget him that laid down his Life for his Sheep John 10.11 Matth. 9.33 Or the painful Harvest-Man and forget him that is the Lord of the Harvest Or the careful Father setling his Estate by Will and leaving it to his little ones that he leaves behind him and can I forbear to call to mind my Saviours Testament confirmed by the Death of the Testator Hebrews 9.16 Do I see the Virgins preparing to receive the Bridegroom Mat. 25.31 or the Countrey going out to meet the Judge of Assize and not my Thoughts run out to meet my Saviour 1 Thes 4.17 In a word can I think of any thing and not think of Christ who is every good thing If I be well Psalm 42.11 Matthew 9.12 Philip. 1.21 John 11.25 't is He that is the health of my countenance and if I be sick he is my Physitian and if I live Christ is my Life and if I die he is the Resurrection as well as Life So that as there is a strange disease that takes some in their Heads who live many years but so strangely loose their Memory that they forget their own Name it is much more a monstrous disease that takes Us in our Hearts that makes us forget the Name of Christ that We should be so strange and so sottish and so stupid to the thoughts of Christ which of all the things in the World ought in duty and might in Reason be most ready frequent and familiar to Us since God hath made every good thing about us a plain prompter to our weak memories in spelling out the Name of his Son and our Saviour Jesus Christ We need no sorry Crucifixes dumb Pictures or dead Images to be our Remembrancers blessed be our God to put us in mind of him Especially by the Lords Supper instituted for his Remembrance 1 Cor. 11.26 who hath drunk to us in his own Blood and commanded us to pledge him at his Table and as often as we do it to do it in Remembrance of him O there do thou muse O my Soul till the Fire burn O there let thine Eye and thy Touch and thy Tast affect thy Thoughts and let thy Thoughts inflame thy Affections that the more thou think of Christ thou mayest love