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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93062	The sinfulnesse of evil thoughts: or, a discourse, wherein, the chambers of imagery are unlocked: the cabinet of the heart opened. The secrets of the inner-man disclosed. In the particular discovery of the numerous evil thoughts, to be found in the most of men, with their various, and severall kinds, sinful causes, sad effects, and proper remedies or cures. Together with directions how to observe and keep the heart; the highest, hardest, nad most necessary work of him that would be a real Christian. / By Jo. Sheffeild Pastor of Swithins London.	Sheffeild, John, d. 1680.	1650 (1650)	Wing S3064A; Thomason E1863_1	165,696	337

the least sins when matters are small or doubtfull 1 Sam. 24. 5. much more for foul and manifest sins 2 Sam. 24. 10. Thus it was with David in both those places 3. It feares to partake of other mens sins Num. 16. 4. 4. Flies appearances and shewes of evil 1 Thes 5. 22. Num. 32. 6. Et sequ Josh 22. 16. 2. The heart must be keep in humility Wines are kept best in lowest Cellars the heart in lowest temper An horse may be kept too low but all the danger of the heart is keeping it too high Esa 57. 15. The lowest heart is the fittest habitation for the most High God God is called Deus optimus maximus but Jesus Christ in respect of his humility was Optimus minimus Three things should keep our hearts humble 1. Gods Excellency Esa 6. 2 3 5. Job 42. 6. 2. His many and undeserved mercies Gen. 32. 10. 2 Sam. 7. 18. Nothing doth so kindly humble a gracious heart as Mercies nothing so unkindly puffs up an ungracious heart 3. Thy own great sins Thus it was with Paul 1 Cor. 15. 9. 1 Tim. 1. 13. Never was there a viler sinner then I never more grace shewed from God 3. The heart must be kept up also in due height 2 Chron. 17. 6. Jehoshaphats heart was lifted up in the wayes of God Three things help to lift up the heart and shew it well lifted up 1. When we strive to walk worthy of God Cal. 1. 10. 2. To walk worthy of the Gospel Phil. 1. 27. 3. To walk worthy of heaven and the expectation of it 1 Thes 2. 12. 4. The heart must be kept clean and pure Psal 24. 4. and 73. 1. Mat. 5. 8. We may be too choice of our clothes and houses to keep them clean but cannot be of the heart Three things help to keep the heart clean 1. Oft washing some say Caput nunquam pedes raro manus saepe but Cor saepius saepissinie Jer. 4. 14. Wash thy heart that vain thoughts lodge not Say to them as we say to nasty and slovenly beggers here is no lodging for you 2. Often searching 2 Cor. 13. 5. 3. Frequent and fervent prayer Jam. 4. 7 8. Cleanse your hearts and draw nigh to God joyned Prayer is as Thunder and Wind they purge the ayre this the heart 5. The heart is to be kept in Faith Heb. 10. 22. Habak 2. 4. Three things help to keep the heart in Faith 1. To eye Gods promise this Faiths food and the life of the life of Faith 2. To eye and remember Gods past providences and our Experiences 2 Cor. 1. 10. He hath delivered and doth and will deliver 3. To study Gods alsufficiency Rom. 4. 21. What he promiseth he is able to perform 6. The heart is also to be kept in due fear The Child is well kept when kept in awe so is the heart This is the great heart-keeper and Covenant keeping grace Jer. 32. 40. Three things help to keep the heart in holy fear 1. A due sense of Gods dreadfull Name and Majesty Deut. 28. 48. 2. A due sense of Gods goodness Hosea 3. 5. 3. A continuall sense of our own weaknesse Prov. 28. 14. The child that fears a fall escapes a fall Vis in timore esse securus in securitate time as Bern. Fear in time of security makes secure in time of fear 7. In readinesse and willingnesse 1 Chron. 28. 9. Exod. 35. 2. Gods people are a ready and willing people And as it is a commendation to a man or woman to be handy and ready to be able to take our work and leave it so it is here Three things help to make us more ready and willing 1. Frequency and familiarity with duties Use makes perfectnesse By praying thou wilt learn to pray An instrument daily used is soon fit to play upon long disused asks much time to tune it How unfit must they needs be for prayer that pray not from sabbath to sabbath 2. To consider that God accepts a willing mind for the best deed 2 Cor. 8. 12. 3. All other service is unacceptable to God 1 Chron. 28. 9 10. Unprofitable for us 1 Cor. 9. 17. 8. In steadinesse Psal 108. 1. Act. 11. 23. Cleave to God with full purpose of heart Three times when we should look to keep the heart steady 1. In state of fullnesse The full vessel evenly carried tries the steady hand and head Phil. 4. 12. I can abound and not be proud be lifted up yet not be lifted up A hard lesson 2. In time of straits Psal 112. 8. His heart is established and doth not shrink and warp as unseasoned timber Job said I will not curse God is where he was I am where I was my faith where it was and my integrity I will not let go This another hard lesson 3. In earthly businesse to have the heart steady eying God I am in my calling God sees me This a high lesson The wicked his heart is steady and fixed on the world when at prayer he cant get the world out of his mind the godly have heavenly minds in earthly businesses 3. Wouldst thou be free from evil thoughts then get thy mind filled he which hath his chests his shop and his house filled but his mind empty is a poor man We must not do with our hearts as with our houses have the lower rooms furnisht and have nothing in the upper garrets but trash but have our upper roomes especially furnished Satan comes into the house that is empty swept and garnished But Jesus Christ chuseth to keep his feast in an upper room that is furnished Luke 22. 12. Take some good meditation promise Scripture read next thy heart to keep out wind every morning An empty addle heart is a fit bayt for Satan 4. Get a heart fixed as well as filled that thy spirit sit not loose about thee Keep thy loynes girt this bow continually bent arcum intentio frangit animum remissio It is too much looseness or unbending that breaks the mind as too much bending breaks the bow We love not a garment too big or shoes to slop about our feet We get our armes fixt get thy mind so and be ever and anon saying sursum corda The way of life is above to the wise that he may depart from hell beneath Prov. 15. 24. How safe was David when he could say O God my heart is fixed my heart is fixed Psal 108. 1. And the stable Psal 51. 12. spirit is that he prayes for as well as the right or new spirit The devil makes as good sport with an unfixt spirit as children do with light airy toyes the squibs bubbles and empty hoops which they drive before them or the paper Kite driven with the wind which though never so high mounted they can pull to them when they will these are taken captive by Satan at his will as the Apostle saith 2 Tim. 2. 26. 5. See the Lords eye still upon thee

passion then to say win● water passion is in a man he is overcome of wine drowned in the water full of passion as the like phrases To be in darknesse to be in the flesh signifie to be wholly so full of darknesse nothing but flesh c. 4. Baptisme hearing joyning and continuing in the best and purest Church Exstasies Raptures admirations greatest Expressions of affections nay faith yea the Holy Ghost too in many common gi●ts and the greatest Liberality and contribution of the largest summe of mony put into the best handes nay the greedie●t desire and t●irst of the most eminent gifts and to be a Communicator of them profit nothing but are all in vain where wicked thoughts lodge and are harboured All those soremmed were in this soul Hypocite Magus yet was he in the gall of birternesse he was baptized beleeved and seemed to be so far affected and transported above the common sort that he was in an Extasie or Rapture so the word signifies He had also the Holy Ghost as it may seem for divers had who could say Lord have not we propl esied in thy name and in thy name cast out Devils and done many mighty workes yet will Christ professe to them I never k●ew ●ou Besides it is said when Mat. 7. 22. Heb. 6. 4. Peter and John came they bid their hands on them that they might receive the Holy Ghost and this Magus was one of that number And again Simon offered mony not that he might receive the Holy Ghost for that he had already but that he might have like power to give or confer the Holy Ghost Therefore look well to your selves you Professors and look well to your he●rts and to your thoughts 5. Nothing but deep Solemne and Particular Repentance Repent of this thy wickednesse and hard praying and beginning all anew will help where these evil thoughts have taken root in the heart All the prayers of the Church without thine own Pray ye unto the Lord for me said he all thy own prayers without Repentance all General re●entance without a particular bitter bewayling of this evil in the heart will leave thee but in a doubtfull and desperate state 6. Nay it is well if any prayer and all the repentance in the world will be accepted in such a case He gives no absolute promise nor yet so much as a conditionall But a b●re perhaps if perhaps thy sin may be forgiven thee q. d. I will not say what true Repentance ●ccompanyed with e●rnest prayers may do for they do much with God and have saved many a poor soul But in this case I say Look well to thy Repentance and how thou prayest that it be not common and slight prayer and overly Repentance for if thy after-Repentance be no better then thy former faith and thy future prayers no better then thy present profession all is desperate The man and his mony his faith and repentance his prayers and profession will all perish together 7. The malignity of evil thoughts is as witchcraft Rebellion is as bad as witchcraft 1 Sam. 15. 23. these worse it seemes These make the case of a professor worse then sorcery witchcraft or any other sin in time of our Ignorance Simon the Sorcerer may be pardoned and received into the Church when he beleeves Simon the Professor is cast out for his evil thoughts and left in a hopelesse condition without repentance Here I say again look to it Professors look more narrowly to your hearts and thoughts after conversion then on all your evil wayes before 8. From what he Replies Pray ye for me c. where evil thoughts are entertained they deaden prayer There is no prayer used where these are harboured nor can such in their greatest distresse when they are put upon it and pressed earnestly to it and when their life and salvation lies upon it know how to go about to pray But like an Image or stock he stands and all he saith for himself is Pray ye for me q. d. I can't pray if my life lay on it what ever comes on it if other good peoples prayers will not help me I am a damned person I have never been used to this duty of prayer that you so presse me to And here ye Prophane ones and Professors both look to it 1. Ye Prophane Job 15. 4. ones who cast off fear and restrain prayer before God you who will not use to pray in peace and do not ordinarily cannot pray in distresse nor when you should Extraordinarily But this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would-be this great one stands like a great block and saith Pray ye for me But it is our own meat which nourisheth our own faith that saveth our own prayers that are heard The child shall not dy for his fathers transgression nor shall he live for his fathers obedience and holinesse The child haply may be nourished by what the mother eates but nature inableth the little Infant to draw that nourishment from the mother and make it his owne But the child is not saved by the parents faith unlesse it joyn and make the parents faith and holinesse his own 2. Look to it ye Professors that ye begin not at the wrong end with common and General faith and baptisme resting there and neglect repentance and solemne prayer least ye find your own faith false faith and outward priviledges to deceive you and others prayers unable to help you 9. Lastly Consider how vain and foolish these evil thoughts received and harboured make and leave the heart to dream of separating sin and punishment as inseparable as night and darknesse as winter and cold he is only troubled at the punishment not at all sensible of his sin Pray ye for me saith he that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me But in vain it is to presume we may Eat the forbidden fruit and not dy and to pray that though we hold on in sin God should hold off the punishment Thus shall we leave Magus as we found him bound in the bond of iniquity and leave those reasons which we have from him and from the Text and call in some other from other Scriptures CHAP. III. Sundry other Reasons of the Point from other Scriptures Reas 1. THE evil thought is the Original sin or the original of sin They are Originale peccatum or at least Originale peccati They are the little sparkes of Hell by which the whole world is set on fire The spawn of which all sin is bred The seed of the Serpent The Egge of the Cockatrice or Crocodile Strange it is that so great a monster as the Crocodile whose body is sometimes Thirty foot long and his taile as long as his whole body whose Throat so wide that he can swallow an heifer whole should yet be bred of an Egge no Heylia bigger then a Turkies But more horrid it is that the worst monster sin is bred of a lesse egge an

care is 1 Cor. 7. 32. This C●refullnesse is evil 1. When Inordinate 2. When Immoderate 1. When Inordinate when we care for the body more then the soul when more for what we shall eat drink and how we shall live then how we shall be saved When we are more carefull of our own things then of the things of the Lord When we take more care to double our state and stock then to double our Talent These are Inordinate Cares 2. When Immoderate Luke 21. 34. Take heed your hearts be not overcharged with surfeiting and drunkennesse and cares of this life Our Saviour ranks immoderate care with immoderate eating and drinking Eating is good and drinking good and necessary when with moderation so of care we may say Modicum non nocet But immoderate eating is surfeiting and immoderate drinking is drunkennesse and immoderate care is as bad as either And Immoderate they are 1. When Solicitudo est aegritudo animi cum cogitatione Tully the heart is oppressed and overloaden with them In that place last named Luke 21. 34. First Let not them come near your heart Secondly Let not your heart have more than you can well bear a little meat and drink lightens and refresheth the body so moderate care is good but when one hath loaded his stomack with meat and hath more drink than he can bear What is he fit for so is the man overloaden with cares 2. When they distract and divide the mind hinder our close and individed cleaving to the Lord 1 Cor. 7. 35. And when they get between God and us that his service is neglected The farm oxen marchandise and family businesses following marririage take up the man that he hath no leisure to attend matters of soul-concernment 3. When they are distrustful cares tending to damp Faith and to weaken duties but so much care as sets Faith and prayer awork are good cares Melanchthon said his cares taught him to pray Si non curarem non orarem No care no prayer A due measure of care to the soul is like water to the mill so much as drives it about doth well but when flouds of water come down so great that they cannot passe that the Mill stands with a back water it is ill so when care drives prayer about it is well when it makes prayer stand still it is ill 4. When they are extended beyond their bounds Care is but for the present as the Manna for the day if it be kept till the morrow it stinketh Care not for the future Let the morrow care for it self Mat. 6. 34. The evil of them appeareth 1. In their Causes 2. Properties 3. Effects 1. The chief Causes and Roots whence they spring are 1. Diffidence and distrust or ignorance of the Care and Providence of God whence such say Care I must for I have none to care for me They consider not Gods care of them therefore cry out as they Mar. 4. 38. Carest thou not we perish So Luke 10. 41. Carest thou not that I am left alone to look after all Where our care ends Gods begins and when we think his ends there must ours needs begin 2. They spring from an Over-high and false opinion of some Excellency in outward things The ●ich mans riches are his Castle men are apt to think had they so much they might then sing a Requiem to their souls and then they were out of the fear of Evil Hab. 2. 9. 2. Their Properties are evill 1. Because senselesse absurd and irrationall We take Gods work out of his hand where it is much better 1 Pet. 5. 7. As if a Child of seven years age should say to his Father let me mannage the businesse of the Family Poor Child Thy shoulders are not for such burthens 2. They are needlesse your heavenly Father doth it for you Mat. 6. 3. Fruitlesse you cannot with all your care and skill add a cue or doit to your state or a cubit or inch to your stature Mat. 6. 27. 4. Endlesse Life hath an end and Riches have an end onely Cares have no end The rich man had as many cares when his riches increased most as when he had lesse The ten thousand pound man hath more cares then the ten pound man Eccl. 4. 8. There is one alone and there is not a second yea he hath neither child nor brother yet is there no end of all his labour nor is his eye satisfyed with riches neither saith he for whom do I labour and bereave my soul of good This is Vanity and a sore evil Unus Pellaeo juveni non sufficit Orbis All the World can stand in a mans heart and he desire never the lesse 5. They are easelesse and restlesse breaking the sleep Eccles 5. 12. They cause a continual head-ach or heart-ach or are like those wormes bred in children which gnaw and torture them make them lose their fresh colour look like earth smell like earth they start in their sleep and rest unquietly Old age is more troubled with these wormes than childhood with the former and more die of these than of them 6. But they are not faultlesse and sinlesse for consider the Effects 1. What a strange alteration they make in man 1. They turn man into a clod or stone as some springs and grounds turn wood into stone These cares turn man into stone so was Nabal 2. They turn man into a serpent who lives on the dust goeth on his belly and cleaveth to the ground these bring the serpents curse on the soul 3. Turns a Christian into an heathen Mat. 6. 32. after these things the heathens seek and if you take not heed will turn thy family into an heathen family where is no care of the worship and service of God 4. At best turn a Christian into a Meteor Luke 12. 29. Who hangs between heaven and earth and is never like to get higher He hath somewhat of heaven in his Conscience more of earth in his Affection therefore at last fals down to earth in his Conversation Earth being the predominate part 2. These destroy the life of Faith and love whereby we should cleave to God without distraction 1 Cor. 7. 35. 3. These keep from duties Luke 14. The farm and merchandize keep from the Lords supper The great husband hath devoured the good Christian 4. These distract in duty Martha could not stay by it when our Saviour was speaking Luke 10. 42. These hinder our attending on a duty and watching in it 5. These choak Grace and all good motions Mat. 13. as the thornes choak the seed The mines of gold and silver are noted to be in the barrenest earth where these cares are there is greatest barrennesse of grace The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saint signifies an unearthly man therefore as some observe 6. These keep out and banish Soul-peace Phil. 4. 6 7. Be carefull for nothing c. And the peace of God which passeth understanding shall guarde your

THE SINFULNESSE OF Evil Thoughts OR A DISCOURSE Wherein The Chambers of IMAGERY are Unlocked The Cabinet of the HEART Opened The Secrets of the INNER-MAN Disclosed IN The particular Discovery of the Numerous Evil Thoughts to be found in the most of Men with their various and severall Kinds sinful Causes sad Effects and proper Remedies or Cures Together with Directions how to observe and keep the HEART The highest hardest and most necessary work of him that would be a Real CHRISTIAN By JO. SHEFFEILD Pastor of SWITHINS London London Printed by J. H. for Samuel Gellibrand at the Golden Ball in Pauls Church-Yard 1659 To the Worshipfull THE MASTER WARDENS ASSISTANTS And the rest of THE Right Worshipfull Society OF SALTERS His Honoured PATRONS Much honoured Gentlemen THE many Favours I have received from you ever since my coming to this place and especially your bestowing so freely of late the first fruits of your Patronage a Presentation for my continuance upon the unanimous and concurrent desires of my loving Neighbours of Swithins after many years conversing together hath deeply engaged me in duty and thankfullnesse to you and them And having nothing else to return in way of requital besides my humble thanks and my hearty prayers whereof the one are fit to be proclaimed upon the house-top the other more fit to be in silence and secrecy presented unto God I was willing to give unto you and to the world a publick and solemn testimony of the honour and Christian respect which from my heart I bear to your whole Society in generall and to your selves in particular by presenting this ensuing Discourse into your hands It treateth of the Thoughts and inwards of the Heart the greatest businesse we have to look unto if we would be Christians indeed not in the Letter but inwardly in the Spirit and have our praise not of men but of God Many others I confesse have to their deserved praise and to the great benefit of the Church written of the same subject but none that I know so particularly as here you will find yet am I not commending my self or this Discourse while I say this being not so much a stranger to my own tenuity unlesse to your Candor and favourable acceptance If you shall please at your best leisure to peruse and read it I hope you will not altogether repent your time and paines bestowed But if your selves or any other any one soul shall reap any benefit hereby I shall rejoyce and blesse God for my poor paines and time so well bestowed Now that it may as the seed upon the ground or the rain from heaven upon the seed prosper to that which it is sent abroad I shall follow it with my prayers for a plentiful and effectual blessing upon you and it as being Yours ever engaged to serve You JO. SHEFFEILD THE EPISTLE TO THE READER READER MAny Learned in their several Professions have put forth profitable Discourses One De occulta Philosophia another De secretis naturae another De morbis secretis a fourth of Stratagems of War a fifth of Policies of State others of the Anatomy of mans body of the Circulating of the bloud c. Usefull and profitable all But the Proper subject of a Divine is to handle the Mysteries of Godlinesse and withall to detect the Mysteries of ungodlinesse Solomon in his great wisdom did not onely Contemplate the Excellency of Wisdomes pathes and precepts but gave his heart also to understand and find out the wayes of folly sin and madnesse Here have I undertaken as hard a task as any I would I could say I had as well performed it To will was present propounding to my self to write of this occult Mystery of iniquity the secret diseases of the soul the Stratagems Policies and depths of Satan the Anatomy of the heart and the Circulating of flesh and bloud in our hearts and thoughts I hope I have undertaken a task not more hard and painfull to me than profitable and usefull to thee Some have travelled far into unknown Lands to shew thee the fruits of their paines travel and expences I shew thee onely thy self Some have compassed Seas and Lands and given thee the Longitudes Latitudes the dangers of passages my designe is to bring home my travels to thy self and to shew thee the dangers of thy own heart that as in water face answers face so in my heart thou mayst see thy own the Methods of Satan the Gulphes of sin the Straits to heaven the various and uneven ebbings and flowings of this sea or lake in thy heart Some have told us in their Travels they have discovered strange Countries Creatures Fruits They relate of Terra del fogo Insulae Latronum they have seen Mountains flaming with Brimstone Dens of Lyons the Lake of Sodom Fountaines of pitch Dead Seas Scalding springs Frozen lakes Here is the Land of fire Island of Robbers Brimstone mountaines Sodoms Lake a Fountain of pitch in thy own heart Thou needst not go into far and remote Countries to see strange and fearfull sights In the Map and Microcosme of thy heart thou mayst see all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The 1 Joh. 5. 19. whole world lies in this wicked one Orbis in Urbe was said of Rome once Orbis in Corde may be said of this Mysticall Babylon A world of wickednesse lies in this narrow heart yet are there none that seek to make discoveries of this New unknown World Man is the silliest of all Creatures they all preserve themselves destroy their enemies Man destroyes himself and spares his enemies those of his own house Man though he pretend to all knowledge yet is of no understanding but bruitish in his knowledge knowing J●● 10. 14. nothing of what he ought to know in vain doth he professe all Arts when he knowes not his own heart Scire tuum nihil est nisi te scire hoc tibi scire est Et tua mens nequam si noverit omnia sequam In vain doth the Grammarian teach Congruity of speech while he corrects not the incongruities of his own heart The Logician studieth Syllogismes and the way of disputing subtilly and is not able to deal with the Sophistry and fallacies of his own heart The Astronomer casts his eye up to heaven as if he had perfectly passed all lower studies he numbers the Stars takes the height of heaven observes the motion of the severall Planets but knowes not the uncertaine motion of this one Planet this little lowest Planet The Geometrician measures both Seas and Lands and hath not yet the measure of his own heart The Mathematician by his instruments measures Circles Squares or Angular figures hath no measure for this Center cannot measure this Triangle much lesse bring it into Square The Traveller seeks to know all Kingdomes Cities Nations Languages habits manners customs Laws and knows none of these in his own heart Tecum habita nec te quaesiveris extra Man mind thy self there

health thereby 3. Dividing between the body and his convenient rest he is working or watching or plodding when it is more then time he were in his bed 4. Between rest and sleep by night his body is laid down to rest but his sleep departs from him or when he begins to sleep his cares make him turn himselfe upon his bed and raise him up before his time Eccle. 2. 23. 5. Between the mind and Cheerfullnesse Pro. 17. 22. or contentednesse the cheerfull mind is as good as a medicine the carefull mind is as a consumption in the bones 6. Between labour and delight the Lord Deut. 12. 18. would have his people to rejoyce in all the workes of their hands and to joyne labour and delight together as those who serve a gracious master these bereave themselves of allowed outward comfort disquieting themselves in vain and onely eat the bread Psal 127. 2. of carefullnesse and drink the water of affliction Now though there be no comparison between worldly joy and Godly sorrow the least drop of Godly sorrow is more worth then the whole sea of worldly joyes yet between even naturall and worldly joyes and sorrowes there is a great difference joy and delight as much exceeding naturall or worldly sadnesse as the light doth darknesse or health doth sicknesse an ounce of Godly sorrow is more worth then a pound of carnall and sinfull joy but an ounce of naturall and honest joyfullnesse in thy labours is more worth then a pound of affected sadnesse and heart pinching carefullnesse 7. Between industry and piety God would have us both industrious and religious not slothfull in businesse fervent in spirit Ro. 12. 10. serving the Lord The worldling thinks businesse goes not forward if Religion and piety be not laid aside The Christian goes to schoole to the Ant and to the spider too The one labours for her food The other seeketh to get into the Kings houses The good houswife described Pro. 31. as shee eateth not the bread of idlenesse so she is Pro. 31. 20. 27. full of good workes of piety and charity 8. Between diligence and dependance The Codly Christian hath learned to joyn diligence and dependance together because he reades in one chapter these two Proverbes set near together The hand of the diligent maketh rich Pro. 10. 4. and v. 22. The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich The worldling saith away dependance sancta diligentia ora pro nobis and help me saint diligence he throwes away the keyes of heaven with Julius the second and trusts onely in his arme of flesh and as Esau lives by his sword not his faith Gen. 27. 40. 9. Between providence and providence divine and humane as if I could not shew my self provident unlesse I destroy and distrusted Gods providence or could not be Curatus unlesse Episcopus also or nisi sublato Episcopatu a Curate unlesse Gods Episcopacy and oversight be removed I must take care for my self faith the worldling whom have I to take care for me besides my self Beast who takes care of the fowles of the heaven and beasts of the earth and shall he not as much care for thee oh Ma● 6. 30. thou of little faith 10. More and worse divisions yet They divide between the Christian and his duty Be carefull for nothing but in all things by prayer supplication intercession and giving Phil. 4. 5. thankes let your request be known to God Cares and Prayers dwel not together Though Melancton said once Si non curarem non orarem If I had not many cares I should have made but a few prayers yet commonly the Christian saith otherwise Si non orarem magis curarem If I had prayed lesse I must have cared more Prayer either weakens cares or cares drive out prayers So he that hath most cares of the world hath as we say no care in the world of spirituall duties hearing reading meditation The Epicure makes short graces we say and long meales The worldling short graces and meales too and onely long daies workes He feares undoing no way but by serving and trusting God And gives more credit to the worlds Cursed proverb then to all Solomons divine proverbs viz. He that is religious shall dye a begger 11. Worse divisions yet between the duty and the heart in duty The duty is slubberd over but the heart hath been otherwise employed he is like a child who asketh blessing and lookes another way He heares without attention he prayes without affection his heart goes after his covetuousnesse all sermon time and when will the Sabbath be gone is his constant Sabbath meditation He likes Amen better then all the prayer and the grace of our Lord Jesus above the whole sermon 12. Between a spirituall seed time and harvest The thorny ground had a most lovely and hopefull seed time better by far then the high way ground yea then the stony that heard with joy and beleeved Mat. 13. 20. 22. early These go very far yet come to no maturity and perfection These never persevere up spring the thornes of worldly cares and all is choaked he is a knowing man he was a great hearer he continues a civil man but the world comes in upon him and his heart is set upon it he never holds out but the great husband hath spoiled the good Christian The Asses are cared 1 Sam. 10. 2. 1 King 2. 40. 46. for till the Son is lost with Kish The servants are sought for till thy self art lost with Shimei more ado for a lost groat Lu. 15. then a lost soul 13. Yea not to multiply particulars they divide between many things that are of affinity and should joyn to help each other 1. They divide between cares and cares 1 Cor. 7. 34. 2 Cor. 7. 11. 1. Cares of the world lawfull and moderate cares which are allowed and commended and carefullnesse for the soul and for the things of the Lord which are more commended 2. Between Gods cares and our cares 1 Pet. 5. 7. There is both Gods care and ours Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you The world casts in care upon you you are to cast it out It is Gods worke to care for you this burden will break your back if you cast it not upon the Lord. 3. Between Calling and calling Thy generall calling and thy particular which are made to be mututall helpers of each other but here the general calling of Christianity is neglected that the other may be more attended Hag. 1. 9. 4. Between Labour and labour that for bread which perisheth is preferd before that for bread which endureth to eternall life Jo. 6. 27. when as both are in their place and measure to be laboured for 5. Between Rest and rest he either takes away the sabbath out of the decalogue and resteth not or he separates spirituall rest from bodily his body rests it may be a Church time

oh that I had a treasure a stock a spring of such thoughts I should never be weary of them Lastly good desires concerning which we shall make a particular digression in the next chapter CHAP. XXXIIII Of Good Desires THE Desires do as much discover the heart and thoughts as any thing else And because oft Hypocrites are apt to shroud themselves under this pretence of their good hearts because of some good desires and to think themselves to be much better then they are The wicked boasteth of his hearts desire and the covetous blesseth himself in Psal 10. 3. this respect when the Lord abhorreth him And on the other side godly ones not taking notice how much good is in a right good desire think themselves worse then they are I shall take a little paines 1. For the incouraging of the one to tell him how much good is in a good desire 2. For the undeceiving of the other to tell him what desires are good and when And the first I shall lay down in Eight Conclusions 1. There is so much good in good desires that it is almost all the godly have to speak and reckon of Make an Inventory of a Christians State and search every room if you find not these you find nothing and if you set these down you set down all he is worth Inprimis In his heart a few good desires Item In his best duties and prayers a few good desires Item In all his acts dealings and whole life a few good pious and honest desires Lastly the Summatotalis is so many good desires Hence the godly have oft mentioned their desires Esa 26. 8 9. They are mentioned twice as if they had nothing else to set down Nehem. 1. 11. Psalm 38. 9. As Daniel was called a man of desires so may Dan. 10. 11. every Christian being wholy made up of good desires 2. Of these God taketh speciall notice he Psal 10. 17. 1 King 8. 18. Cant. 1. 6. and 4. 7. heareth the desire of the humble he saith in as much as it was in thy heart it was well when we say I am black he saith thou art all fair thou hast good and fair desires As the new wine is found in the cluster and one saith destroy it not there is a blessing in it so will I do for my servants sakes that I may not destroy them Esa 65. 8. all in the cluster of good desires there is a great deal of good new wine put into the bottle of the new heart And God will not have one good desire destroyed but hath a blessing in store for it 3. These if the heart could be lookt into be ript open do shew better what is there of grace or sin then any thing else A wicked man is better known by his desires then words or deeds he may keep in ill words forbear evil acts is never free from ill desires Neither he nor Satan do alwaies tempt ly steal murder commit adultery but dost thou desire So many sinful desires so many sins a man may be guilty but of one act of murder or adultery ye● be a thousand times a murderer or adulterer because of so many such desires Pharaoh had slain Moses Haman Mordecai Saul David Amnon had ravished Tamar long before if they could have had their desires God doth set them down so many times a murderer incestuous c. So is the godly man measured by his desires Dost thou desire to pray repent believe mortify sin honour God benefit his Church This is to have done so much as thou desirest yea the godly is a thousand times better in his desires then he can be any other way He aimes at the mark in his desires though he shoot still short or wide By his good will he would have every duty performed perfectly every sin destroyed might he have his will had his sins all one neck as Caligula wished of the Romane Senators he would give the blow and he makes that vow that Israel did Num. 21. 2 3. If the Lord will deliver these Canaanites into his hand he will destroy them utterly and call that day Hormah that is utter destruction 4. Good desires are ever the first preparations unto grace to let it in As the day comes in by the breaking of the cloudes so grace by the breaking of good desires Psal 10. 17. Thou hearest the desire thou preparest the heart 5. They are not the preparations onely for but the first buds and blossomes of grace The first beginning of grace and the appearance of it is seen in the change of the desires as the woman conceived with child yet knows not whether she be with child or no but she observes there is a change in her somewhat is the matter she hath less stomack to former diet she long 's and desires that which formerly she cared not for and never thought off So the godly now begin to loath sin and to desire grace 6. Yea further These are the very life and soul of grace as the flame is of the fire as natural life is preserved in the appetitive faculty it begins and ends with it so spirituall life in the spirituall appetite and concupiscence Gal. 5. 17. The spirit lusteth against the flesh and the flesh against the spirit The life of sin is preserved not in the continuall acts of sin but in the continuall love of it So life of grace not alwaies continued in the apparent acts and exercises of it but in the desires after it 7. To go yet higher These are the very perfection and the highest pitch of grace on earth Divines speak of many perfections here on earth 1. Of parts not degrees 2. Comparative not absolute 3. Inchoated not attained Poor perfections all God knowes But the 4th Of desires is above them all Parts Comparative Inchoated fall short as Caro concupisci●a ●versus spiritum spiritus adversus carnem c. ut ●on quod volumus facimus Quare quia ve●mus ut nul lae amnino sint concupisentiae sed non passumus Aug. well as Degrees absolute attained but desires rise higher My duties parts graces are imperfect saith the godly soul my desires are perfect duties low desires high duties smoak desires flame my duties creep of all four and cannot go my desires have four wings like that creature Dan. 7. 6. that had four feet and four wings my performances do but creep and leave me on the ground my desires are winged and carry me up to heaven Yea higher yet what will you say if we tell you desires are the best perfection of heaven where there is nothing of imperfection and that not onely among the spirits of just men now made perfect but among the Angels themselves who were never lesse then perfect There are many perfections in heaven of degrees absolute compleat There is perfection of knowledge love joy peace of all grace and glory all perfections Yet I may safely say this