thereof much lesse the holy ordinances of God But as to the pure all things are pure so the holy heart may safely partake of the holy things though others defile them nothing becomes impure vnto vs but by reason of that which proceedes from vs. If it bee sanctified all things are become new not sinne excepted 2. Cor. 5 15. All things worke together for the best vnto vs Rom 8.18 11 By this doct ine of the gouernement of the Thoughts are cast to ground all those conceites and Pleas of goodnesse arising from Ciuill Honesty and Morall Righteousnesse For seeing it is the well ordering of the heart which God requires Pro. 26. seeing true holines beginnes from the heart and proceedes by the dayly purifying and cleansing thereof from inward euils Therfore whatsoeuer holinesse consisteth onlie in outward actions and such onely as concerne rather our owne present then future good not ayming at all at obedience to God or at his glory This is farre from truth and soundnesse And therefore seeing the ciuill honest man makes no conscience of duties vnto God But if hee doe any such eyther hee doth them not from a sincere ground in obedience to God nor by an holy manner as direction from the Word but his owne good meaning nor to an holy end the glorie of God and his owne saluation but onely for his owne sake that he may prosper in the World haue the credit of what indeed he doth not that hee may deceyue others by his shews and so deceiue himselfe of the true end It followes necessarily that hee is farre from true grace and so farthest of all other from saluation because he flatters himselfe in his estate and through the drowsines of his conscience lyes securely a sleepe therin 12 This doctrine of Thoughts condemneth also all those shewes of wisedome in the world to meane one thing doe another to equiuocare reserue that in the mind which we vtter not with the lippes or vtter the contrarie as proceeding from an heart and so arguing a deceitful and abominable heart iudging and confounding it self in the doing of what it seemes by this doubling to excuse and defend A second generall vse of this Treatise of Thoughts is for Instruction and that many wayes First for the right information of iudgement As first here is confirmed the doctrine of the Fall of man and his vtter inability to any good seeing his thoughts which are and should bee the beginning of good are onely euill continually and therefore euill whatsoeuer proceedeth from them 2 Hereby is iustified the Doctrine of the Immortalitie of the Soule so the Resurrection of the Dead and day of iudgement The Qualitie and condition of our Thoughts beeing so various so operatiue when the bodies are bound and senseles therof being so euil as that they must come to iudgement doing necessarily all these 3 This confirmeth the Doctrine of the Nature and power of God in the gouernement of his children That seeing our Thoughts and imaginations which are spirituall are subiect to his knowledge and controlment therefore seeing our Conscience condemneth vs and our Thoughts doe accuse vs then surely God is greater then the conscience and iudgeth all things he is a Spirite that can thus iudge of the motions of the Spirit 4 Iohn Hee that will be worshipped in spirite is a Spirit 4 Seeing our thoughts are not only polluted themselues but are the grounds of all euill in vs. Therefore our God is holy and so no cause of sinne nay maruaylous wise and mercifull that can gouerne and turne sinne to our good 5 Seeing the ground of the beginning and consummation of sinne is in our selues Wee forsake God first before hee forsake vs he made vs first righteous but wee haue sought many inuentions Eccl. 7. and so haue brought vpon our selus by our willing reuolte from God an inability to all good and proues to all euill therefore our God is iust in punishing sinne with sinne and so with eternall vengeance 2 For direction to sanctification 4 Hereby wee are taught where to beginne our regeneration namely the heart which is wholly auerse from God must first be purified by faith in Christ the thoughts and imaginations thereof renued that so wee may worship God which is a spirit in spirit and truth 5 Hereby wee may also learne how to goe forward in the power of Godlines Namely by the lowly gouernement of our thoughts and mastery of them For the more our hearts and vnruly affections are brought in subiection the more readie shall we be to all holy dueties the more spirituall in the doing of them and the more constant to perseuere and abound in the same 6 By this doctrine of thoghts is discouered vnto vs the true state measure of that grace which wee may build vpon in this life not that wee haue already attayned or were already perfit Phil. 3.12 But that indeed wee are trauayling to perfection that we may hasten thither are exercised with this combate betweene the flesh and the spirite especially manifested in the rebellion and interruption of our thoughts whē we doe our best or intende the same Condemning that conceit of grace which feels not this combate such as is in the ciuil honest man who neuer doubted in all his life performes outward duties of religion without any such wrastlings challengeth this combate as a confusion of grace 2 Confounding the Popish dreame of perfection merit seeing the inconformitie and repugnancie of our thoughts challēgeth our workes of much imperfection and infirmitie 3 Refuting also their conceit of thoughts as if they were veniall seeing they are the cause as themselues confesse of mortall sinne 4 Confounding the Libertine who iustifieth his interest and hold in Christ by the deadnesse of his conscience not conuincing him of sinne not reprouing for righteousnesse 5 And reiecting the dreame of ciuill honestie that fancieth the perfection of his estate in the ignorance or drowsinesse of his heart approuing falsly of his wayes 6 This iustifies the power of the word as being the searcher of the thoughts and confounder of them to conuince the prophane conceit of it as if it were a dead letter and to prouoake vs to yeeld vp our thoughts and hearts to the obedience thereof to assure vs of the effectuallnesse therof into our conuersion because it is able to purge the fountaine of corruption and to dig vp sinne by the roots and so to informe vs to rest wholly thereupon for our effectuall calling and to teach vs to iudge thereof by the spirit not the letter to bring spirituall hearts to profit thereby 8 And so hereby we may discerne the grounds of all those combustions and separations which haue beene in and from our Churches in these dayes Namely that they haue proceeded from the presumptuous thoughts of our hearts as puffed vp with singularity and enflamed with enuie and discontent practising separation vpon conceit of impuritie and
and chearefull in well doing and so vsing them as furtherances for our exercise in holinesse and weakning of the body of sin hereby wee shall know that they are sanctified vnto vs that wee haue obtained a gratious conquest ouer natureâ— and a good measure of Grace Vses of these Melancholy Thoughts It serueth first to aduance the singular goodnesse of our God that seeing we may be so farre transported by these melancholick fitâ— as to speake yea to act sometimes strange things against our seiues yet where Grace preuayleth these are all brought about to the aduancement of his glory The Lord doth not account of vs as wee are transported by this pestilent humour but according to his owne purpose and ende to which he hath ordained vs. 2 We are hereby taught wisely not to excuse sinne by these Melancholicke moods Because indeede it secures to do the sinne in that it becomes a cloake to defend the same As he that in his drunkennesse kills a man is guiltie of a double offence the one that he committeth murther the other that he did it in that humor so is it in this case of Melancholy And yet here is exceeding comfort to such as are troubled in minde and through distemper breake out into fearefull courses and speeches that seeing the Lord will not impute vnto them what they aduisedly intend not therfore because Melancholy may father that on them which they did not or further them to what they did not entend The Lord will not impute what they did not or what in their best aduice they would not CHAP. X. Of vaine wandring thoghts intruding into and interrupting holy dueties HItherto concerning blasphemous and melancholy Thoughts extraordinarily and not so commonly troubling the saints together with their seuerall Causes effects and Remedies There remaineth yet to consider of another troupe of Thoughts ordinarily and frequently molesting the Saints in the worship of God as tending to chalenge the same of hypocrisie or least so to interrupt coole the sence as that either they are depriued altogether of the present comfort thereof or at the least they are hindered thereby of such intire coÌ„munion with God therein as they heartily desire so receiue much discomfort and confusion thereby therfore very necessarie is it Both 1 To know what these Thoughts are 2 To discerne the occasion and true causes thereof 3 To discouer the effects thereof 4 To prescribe the remedies against the same because though we cannot be altogether free from the same yet wee may both gratiously lessen and subdue such Thoughts and also may make profitable vse of such as doe necessarily accompany vs therein Examine we therefore first the nature of these Thoughts What these are They are vnseasonable and disorderly Thoughtes arising from our corrupt nature occasioned by outward obiects and sometimes iniected by Sathan contrarie and besides the businesse wee haue in hand tending to interrupt and confound vs therein which makes vs that wee may not rest in our owne righteousnesse but wholy rely vpon the merite of Christ First I say they are vnseasonable and disorderly as not sorting with the present occasion not leading vs along therein not accompanying the same and so if they bee euill or good they are disclaymed 2 I adde that they eyther spring from our corrupt Nature which is but in part regenerate so necessarily yeeldeth store thereof in that the flesh lusteth against the Spirit that so wee may haue a tâ—yall of the truth â—f what wee doe by this combat of the flesh and conquest thereof Or 2 they are occasioned from outward obiects affecting the senses whereof wee are generally too carelesse prodigall 3 Or they are cast in by Sathan in our most serious intentions to interrupt and so depriue vs of the comfort of them Lastly I discouer the end hereof that hereby beeing conuinced of our imperfection herein wee may bee sent vnto Christ Or else hereby we might bee made inexcusable if yet wee shall stand vppon the worth of our well doing The Causes hereof Are principally Sathan diuing into our very inward man and either stirring vp such vaine Thoughts from naturall corruption and such speciall sinnes as wee are most subiect vnto or else prouoking the same vpon occasion of some outward obiect affecting the senses and so thereby violently to distract driue vs from the duetie we haue in hand Secondly there may bee causes hereof in our selues As these 1 Want of preparation to holy dueties And 2 Want of intention and setling of the minde on God in the performance of them 3 Or thirdly a dissolute and inconstant course and practise of holy duties may occasion the same when we keepe not a set course and order therein 4 Or contrarily too much relying on the outward forme and times hereto as if this were the maine may proue occasion of such idle Thoughts 5 Or some speciall sinne not sufficiently repented of may occasion the same the thought whereof will bee still presenting and intruding it selfe when wee are about to do good 6 Or some touch of vaine glory may tickle vs in the holy action which vsually remits the minde and so giues way to such vnseasonable Thoughts 7 Or wee may giue too much libertie to our senses in holy duties by letting the eye roue the eare wander after pleasing obiects these may be occasions to cloy the heart with such kinde of carnall Thoughts and affections 8 Hitherto also much auayleth pompous and vain ceremonies in the worship of God such I meane as are too ordinarie in Poperie which beeing in them a wilworship intended to satisfie the flesh and to norish the heart in the ignorance of it selfe doth by the diuine iustice herein proue it owne confusion as bewitching the heart with a conceit of carnall happinesse and secret Atheisme as if God were not a spirit that hee were like vnto man to be pleased with thousands of Rammes and ten thousand riuers of oyle that either hee were asleepe or in pursuite of his enemies and so must be awakened and charmed with such chantings and brutish noyse in an vnknowne tongue and so thereby is iustly giuen vp of the Lord to be pestered with carnall and vaine Thoghts for the confusion of it wisedome 9 Adde we herevnto that common disease which worldlings are too much possessed withall Namely Couetousnesse and greedy desires of worldly gaine who measuring happinesse hereby doe therefore giue the bridle to these immeasurable desires and so making this their maine to the maintenance of sinne no maruaile if when they come before the Lord and sit before him as his people doe yet they heare the word and will not doe it nay indeed cannot so much as intend the same because their hearts wander after their couetousnesse Ezech. 33.31.32 No maruaile if the the word prooue no better vnto them then a Iesting song or a pleasant voyce onely to tickle the eare because their hearts are taken vppe with their
Iustifying of God and his righteous iudgements against him to the abasing and confounding of the pride of the flesh and the aduancement of the merite of Christ as being onely auaileable for his recouery onely sufficient to the perfection of his Sanctification that God may haue the onely glory of all his mercy And this I lay downe as a Description of Tâ—oughtes in generall because naturally they are onely euill continually the best are not without some mixture of corruption sufficient without Gods rich mercy to conuince and confound not onely all naturall but euen all spirituall inherent righteousnesse that so all pride of flesh may be abased and the Lord only aduanced in his free goodnes mercy CHAP. II. Vses to be made in generall of our Thoughts 1 VVHereas Hypocrisie vsually makes a fayrer shew in Religion then doth sinceritie in regard of outward shewes and and actions yet herein is the honour of Sinceritie this the triall hereof euen by making conscience of Thoughts this is the prerogation of Grace to keepe rule in the inward man to captiuate the imaginations and subdue the Thoughts to the obedience of Christ 1. Cor. 10.4 Onely the Regenerate man makes conscience of the 10. Commandement concerning lustful thoughts and desires and so herein makes conscience of all the rest Math. 5. 2. Whereas in regard of the varietie and intricatenes of our thoughts yea indeed their infinitenesse in a manner we cannot take notice of them and so neither of our owne hearts howsoeuer this to the carnall man may be an occasion of prophanenesse and hypocrisie yet to the regenerate it proues a gratious means to deny our selues and renounce our owne righteousnesse that we may be found in Christ Ioh. 9. 3. Phil. 10.11 3. Seeing securitie is the most damnable and feareful delusion that Christians may bee subiect vnto as nourishing all cursed hypocrisie and preparing by the ripening of sinne to sudden and vnauoydable vengeance There is not a better helpe to preuent the same then the meditation and obseruation of our thoughts as yeelding continuall matter of feare humiliation c. 4. Whereas the Lord vseth meanes to the preuention of euill and therefore not onely hath so left the minde of man as that it is a continuall fountain to yeeld such strange and monstrous thoughts but further also leaues it to Sathan who pestereth it ofttimes with worlds of horrible imaginations and temptations to euill And this to preuent the actions of sin and custome therein Therefore this vse may wee make of our Thoughts either to recall sinne past vnrepented of or to preuent some sinne we are subiect vnto or to stir vp to some such dutie as we haue neglected and growne cold in 5 Whereas the Lord is the searcher of the hearts reines hee knoweth our Thoughts long before therefore as this may settle the heart against that secret Atheisme that saith in his heart there is no God so it may further vs to sinceritie-to labour trueth in the inward man to do all things as in Gods presence to approue the heart in al things vnto God 6 Whereas the Lord hath so estated vs in this life as that we haue no abiding Citie here but as strangers are trauelling to what is aboue hereunto especially furthers the consideration of our Thoughts As being continuall matter to vnsettle vs in any repose of this life and gratious meanes to prouoke vs to hunger after perfection glory in the life to come where wee shall bee free from these inborne neighbours and noysome companions haunting vs in all occasions places and times being present with vs wheÌ„ we should do good and alwayes conuincing vs of euill when wee do our best who shall not now desire to be rid of this body of sin that wee may more freely and intirely serue our blessed God 7. Lastly this Doctrine of Thoughts will proue an excellent spurre for our encouragement to all conscionable holinesse For as our Thoughts are so will bee our words and actions labour we to rectifie them and all will be conformable CHAP. IV. Of good Thoughts and such temptations as are incident hereunto VVHat good Thoghts are Namely The sole and immediate Motions and Operations of the Spirit of God illightning the vnderstanding with knowledge of good things and so stirring vp Thoughts and Motions to affect and embrace the same and so to constant practise herein I say they are the sole immediate motions and operations of Gods spirit thereby to distinguish them from all euill motions which arise from corrupt Nature and so to strip Nature of any interest in them and to giue the Glory of all good in vs vnto God in whom we liue and moue and haue our being whose it is to giue the will and the deede of whom is our sufficiency euen to the thinking of a good Thought 1 Cor. 3.5 2. I adde how they are wrought in vs by Gods Spirit namely by illightning the vnderstanding with the knowledge of good things Expressing therin the materiall cause of these thoughts Namely that they are bred of the knowledge of good and holy things not that naturall diuine knowledge remayning in corruption which neither at all reacheth to the Deere knowledge of the true good neither enable the knowledge of what it tenders to bee particularly conceiued and applyed of vs but a spirituall knowledg from the perfect light wherby it conceiues the will of God and what concernes the same and so As it followeth prouokes the Thoughts to an actuall constant approuing and practising of the will of God And herein they are differenced from all the Thoughts of Hypocrites which are but Flashes and Tasts neuer enabling to action at least not to constancie therein Of the diuers kinds of good Thoughts These are generally Two 1. Extraordinarie such as were occasioned by Reuelations Dreames as to the Prophets and Apostl s of old and these either concerning their owne estates or the generall condition of the Church as to Esay Ieremie c. And also to peculiar and priuate men as to Princes Dan. 2. and 4. Genes 41. so Ioseph Luk. 1. Mat. 1. And these good Thoughts are common to good and bad As being sent of the Lord either to warne them and bring them to repentance or else to make them without excuse as may appeare in the case of Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar Ieremie c. Secondly these Thoughts are ordinarily raysed by the blessed Spirit of God guiding the heart and stirring vp therein good motions and these also are diuers according to the different working and measure of the Spirit in diuers subiects For either the Spirit onely illightens the minde with some supernaturall knowledge and so thereupon offers motions and stirs vp Thoughts and so desires and affections to the truth And these may bee in the wicked and vnregenerate as seruing to puffe vppe to entertaine worldly ends to benefit others and happily further their saluation to make our selues without excuse Or else
this rule wee may further determine of the vprightnesse of our harts in our general course by our very thoughts Namely by the entertainment or disclaiming of them But still it wil be replyed that we cannot iudge of our selues by our thoughts because wee cannot discerne them 2 Therefore we must answer hereunto by a distinction of our thoughts That if we consider our thoughts in generall of all sorts as it is impossible to discerne them so it is not necessarie for this tryall because this onely belongeth vnto God so to search the heart and discern this infinite varietie of the thoughts thereof and our God will require no more at our hands then what he giues namely so farre to discerne our harts as we may approue our selues vnto him which wee shall doe If we labour to keepe an holy order in our thoughts that they may intend what we are imployed in And endeauour to diminish the multitude and distraction of them by watching against euill thoughts reiecting them and cherishing the good by exercising the generall callings with more constancy and humilitie and our ciuill callings with more heauenly minds doing all things as in Gods presence to his glory Of which particularly before And lastly if we doe not wilfully giue way to our euill thoughts as if they were free or seeke to rebell against the good reclayming vs froÌ„ euills but wisely labour to obserue the checkes of conscience snubbing for euill and so to preuent consent and act of sinne and so conscionably entertain all good and holy motions by prayer and diligent actuating thereof Which if we doe we shall haue comfort of sinceritie that so farre as wee know we labour to preserue this holy gouernment And what wee know not shall not be required of vs. And aboue all herein is our comfort that as though we know nothing by our selues yet therein we are not iustified 1 Cor. 4.4.5 So hereby we are cast vpoÌ„ the meer mercy of God in Christ for the acceptance of our persons aboue all our owne worth or knowledge of our selues CHAP. XIIII Cases of conscience to be resolued herein Is WHether it be an argument of vnsanctified thoghts that we thinke more and oftner of earthly then heauenly things The resolution hereof Consists in a wise distinction of our thoughts Whereof some are iniected by Sathan and made our owne by liking and entertaining of them Others arise from the corruption of nature not thorowly purged Hence ariseth this conclusion That if wee consider and conioyne all these sorts together both what are iniected by Sathan and what arise from our owne corruption it may not be denyed but that our thoughts are generally more euill then good more vpon worldly then heauenly things And yet it doth not follow that therefore they are vnsanctified altogether seeing the tryall of sanctificatioÌ„ consists not in the multitude of our thoughts either way inclined For so both good and euill thoughts are sinfull But the triall ariseth from the diuers entertainement of them That though as they arise in our hearts they are euill without consent and so though iniected by Sathan yet cannot possibly bee so seuered from corruption but by some mixture therewith they will proue also euill yet if wee shall dislike of them and by prayer humble our selues before the Lord to the quashing of them and make them occasions to prouoke vs to heauenly motions especially such as are contrary thereunto this is an vndoubted argument that though they be euil yet they are sanctified vnto vs Rom 7.20.21 For as good motions reiected are thereby to vs vnsanctified so also euen euill Thoughts repelled and resisted may bee sanctified because the Triall of sanctification is not from the motions themselues or their obiects but from the power of the Regenerate Will eyther entertayning the good or reiecting the euil so an euill thought beeing subdued or rectified may proue good occasioÌ„ more good a good thought being neglected peruerted may be euill and an occasion also of much more euill The satisfaction hereof consists in this consideratioÌ„ That as al our thoughtes are naturally euill so euen in the state of grace without maruellous preparation and watchfulnesse euill thoughts will eyther goe along with or else beginne our best actions though we set vpon duties which in themselues are good yet vsually we beginne with vnprepared or vnsanctified thoughts as not out of the intentions of the heart not as in Gods presence not to his glory but carelesly as in the sight of men receyuing the word as the word of man praying as to man and carnally for vaine glory and by respectes so that indeede ordinarily our best thoughts in Gods seruice are not onely not good in these respects but are sufficient to chalenge the whole action of hypocrisie And therefore here the tryall is not so much how wee beginne for corruption likely will bee sure to share herein and so to serue it selfe rather then God but let vs consider how we go on how corruption is mastred and grace preuayles holy thoughtes grow more frequent and seasonable enliuing the busines nay principally consider wee how wee make an end rather being humbled for the interruption and exorbitancy of our thoughts and so acknowledging our selues to bee vnprofitable seruants then any whit standing vpon the worth of what wee haue done or can doe for thus shall wee giue God the glory of his mercy in crowning his owne worke and so interessing our selues in Christ shall bee accepted in him aboue any worth in our selues and so enabled by him to further constancy in well doing And so though we haue more time giuen for worldly occasions and therefore may imagine that wee now haue abilitie to let loose our thoughts vpon them yet seeing no creature of God is good vnlesse it be sanctified by the Word and Prayer therefore the holy heart labours to make all thinges pure and holy thereto by sanctifying the same Hence it followeth that a wise Christian labours to bee a Law vnto himselfe euen in his outward libertie vsing the world as if hee vsed it not and though his minde may be imployed in worldly occasions yet it is not set vpon them Neyther doth hee beginne them with carnall occasions but in obedience to Gods wil and desire to glorifie him therein as to lay vp a good foundation thereby against the life to come 1. Tim. 16.19 And so hee goeth forwarde therein with spirituall affections as to fitte himselfe to his generall calling and benefite the Church of God And so he concludeth them with holy Thoughts of praising God abasing of himselfe casting his care vpon God and resigning himselfe to his blessed will not being carefull in any thing as distrusting the prouidence of his God but making still his requests manifest vnto his God who will neuer fayle forsake his children And so hath his â—â—nuersation in heauen thoâ—â—h hee liues in the world â—â—cause hee fashions not himselfe