wickednesse that thou mayst be saved how long shall thy vaine thoughts lodge within thee as dirt cast upon the face takes away the beauty of it So the beauty of our soules is stayned and defiled by wicked thoughts that common proverbe was certainly invented by the divel that thoughts are free for God more respects the heart then outward performances Rebellious evill thoughts for the manner are such as having a good object yet are conversant about that object after an evill maner these againe when a man is either conversant after an evill manner about things that are holy or that â—re civill About holy things as first about God either when a man thinkes there is â—o God and these are most blasphemous thoughts or when a man conceives not â—right of God Thus â—oore silly people â—hinke God to be an â—ld man sitting in â—eaven Secondly â—bout the word of God and his attriâ—utes when a man is not perswaded aright concerning them These evill thoughts againe are two-fold either they are manifest such as men perceive to be in themselves such rebellious thoughts the Pharisees had concerning Christ and Simon Magus concering the buying of the holy Ghost with money or else they are simple and not reflexed such as men perceive not to be in themselves and yet in truth are in them as may be discovered by their lives and courses He that lives a presumptuous life shewes that he hath a secret rebellious opinion of the mercy of God he that lives a desperate life shewes that hee conceives amisse though it may be he sees it not of the justice of God Those that are of civill things are of three kindes the first is when a man thinking of some civill thing thinketh that he can of himselfe with his own power compasse the same such the Apostle blames who say not with their mouthes but rather in their heart we will go into such a Citie and there wee will buy and sell and get gaine Iam. 4. 13. After he addeth vers 16. that they did rejoyce in their boastings that is in that which they thought they were able to doe but indeed were not Now oftentimes the man that hath such rebellious thoughts if he misse of his expectation hecomes impatient The second kind is when we make our selves the ends of our own actions these kinde of rebellious thoughts the Prophet Zachaâ— blameth Chap. 7 ver 6 When yee did eate and when yee did drinke did you not eatâ— for your selves and drinkâ— for your selves Thus men sinne when they eate onely to satisfie their hunger and to strengthen them foâ— the fulfilling of some â—ust Both these kindes of evill thoughts are â—oyned together in that proud speech of Nebuchadnezar Dan. 4. â—0 Is not this great Babel which I have built for the house of the kingdome by â—he might of my power â—nd for the honour of my Majestie The third kind is when wee â—hinke of civill things with putting some â—rustin them chearing up our selves in regard of them this the rich man doth wheâ— he makes his wealth his strong Citie as Salomon speakes Pro. 10. 16. that is when he thinkes himselfe as safe by reason of his riches as a man doth when hee is in a strong and well fenced City Thus the rich man in the Gospell did Luke 12. When his barnes were fulâ— then he bids his soule take her rest not before although God was as neere him before as then so then his trust was in his riches but if we consider his sudden destruction we shall see the folly of that his trust The second kinde of the rebelâ—ions of the heart are â—n the affections and â—hese are two-fold eiâ—her manifest earnest and boyling affections such are commonly the markes of the wicked such a boyling lust after honour was in Haman the like was in Ahab after Naboths Vineyard the like affection is worldly griefe which makes many pine away or else they be more secret such as are not yet stirred up into act This secret thirsting after riches was in Balaam see Numb 22. 18 The like secret affection was in Hazael which the Prophet told him of though he little thought it to be so yet it afterwards proved true as appeares 2 King 8. 12. that these secret lustings are rebellious and therefore odious in Gods sight is evident because his spirit never dwelleth in any heart where they are because they defile the heart according to that of our Saviour out of the heart proceed evill thoughts murders c. these are the things which defile a man Math 15. 19. 20. Now the spirit delights not to dwell in a polluted heart and though wee see not these secret lusts in our hearts yet Gods Spirit sees them for he sees not as we see God knowes the secret good motions of his spirit in our hearts Rom. 8. 27. and therefore also the secret corruptions of our hearts although we see them not our selves It concernes us therefore especially to looke to our hearts the thoughts and affections thereof The hypocrisie of Amasia and Ioas was manifest at last because their hearts were not upright The rebellions of the outward man follow which are either in speeches or actions Both these are expressed Isa. 3. 8. Ierusalem is ruined and Iuda is fallen because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord to provoke the eyes of his glory Rebellious speeches consist either in the vanitie or rottennesse of them First there must be no vanitie in our speeches we must as the wise man speaketh ponder our words not speake any thing till having pondered it we find it to be of sufficient waight worth the uttering Did we seriously consider that we must give account of every idle word that every idle word is a rebellion we would surely make more conscience of idle words then wee doe Secondly rotten speeches are such wherewith there is joyned some corruption Ephes. 4. 29. the contrarie to these are called gracious speeches Col. 4. 6. Now there are two sorts of either kind a speech is called gracious either because it proceedeth from some inward grace that is called a zealous speech which proceeds from the affection of zeale or else because it ministers some grace to the hearers or stirres up some grace in them which lay dead before So those are corrupt speeches which either proceed from some corruption in the speaker or stirre up some corruption in the hearer Our speeches should be poudered with Salt Col. 4. 6. unlesse they be seasoned with grace they are like unsavoury meate which for want of Salt becomes putrified Pro. 10. 20. The tongue of the iust man is as fined silver that is his words are pretious as silver and like fined silver they have no corruption joyned with them but the heart of the wicked is little worth and therefore his words cannot be gracious Rebellions in actions are either the omitting of some good commanded or the committing of some evill forbidden the
without offence till the day of Christ being filled with the fruites of righteousnesse Wee must labour to have this fulnesse of grace in our hearts For as inke sinkes into wet paper and runnes abroad upon it but when the paper is covered with oyle it slideth and sinkes not so when the divell offers his snares to any empty heart they enter in and foile him but when the heart is fortified with the fulnesse of grace Satans baites cannot take hold nor enter in Wee may discerne when this fulnesse is there is no roome for vaine thoughts for unchast desires for any immoderate affections One would think an empty heart could not bee discerned so well as wee know an empty barrell by the sound so wee may discerne whether there be this emptinesse in men or no by their speeches and actions VVee must have this fulnesse of Conversation wee must alwayes be exercised in the fruites of godlinesse never without some good speeches actions thoughts or affections When we are not busie in Gods service the divell takes an occasion to tempt us to serve him when wee are not doing some good the divell tempts us to some evill But whether is any man able to have this fulnesse of Conversation here required It is sure every Christian ought to have this fulnesse Secondly it is sure every true Christian hath the same in some measure which may thus be expressed all the actions of a Christian life may bee reduced to these three heads Either they are actions of his generall Calling as he is a Christian so they are all good or secondly they are actions of his particular Calling which if not done for any by-respect but all for a good end in obedience to God they are good also Or thirdly they are such actions as further a man in doing his duty in either of these Callings which doe either strengthen him as eating and drinking which being used without excess make us fitter for our Callings being good actions or else they are recreations to refresh us which also used as the former are good actions If all these actions may be good as wee see they may seeing a Christian may be alwayes performing some of them hee may alwayes bee doing good according to the substance of his actions though there be many imperfections in them and so may have the fulnesse of conversation VVhen wee are idle Satan takes hold of us and looke how much we are empty so much roome the divell takes up in our hearts VVe must therefore take heed that we be neither idle nor ill occupied we must put on the whole armour of God we must not onely put on the brest-plate of righteousnesse and leave off the sword of the spirit but wee must put on the whole armour of God if there be but one part left naked and uncovered there the divell will bee sure to wound us The second means whereby wee are to resist Satan is to remove all false friends our lusts and corruptions which lye in our mindes and like tinder are ready to take fire by the least sparke of tentation Therefore S. Iames tels them it was their lusts which caused contention amongst them It may be spoken to our comfort that Satan hath not power to compell any to evill Daemon non dicitur iussor sed incensor vitiorum he cannot move the will and affections onely by Gods permission hee may somwhat move â—he phantasie by cerâ—aine objects but it â—s mans corruption which yeeldeth to his tentations thaâ— makes him so much prevaile with meâ— This is plainly shewâ—ed Iam. 1. 14. Every maâ— is tempted when hee iâ— drawne away of his ownâ— lust and enticed Act. 5. 3â— Why hath Satan filled thâ— heart saith Peter to Aâ—nanias to lye to the holâ— Ghost and to keepe backâ— part of the price of thâ— land So that Sataâ— doth no more theâ— if a man should perâ—wade to evill onely is â—perswasions are â—â—ronger and farre â—ore subtill therfore Peter asked Ananiasâ—hy â—hy he suffered the â—ivell to fill his heart â—hich implyes it was â—is yeelding to him â—hich caused the diâ—ell to prevaile So â—hen David returned â—â—om the slaughter of the Philistims and the woâ—en came out of all the Ciâ—â—es of Israel to meet Saul 1 Sam. 18. 6 7 8. It is sayd that Saul beingâ— exceeding wroth thaâ— the singers ascribeâ— to David tenne thouâ— sand and to him buâ— one hee had an eyâ— that is an evill eyeâ— on David from thaâ— day forwards and iâ— is added on the morâ— row this his corrupâ—tion of envy having made place for it thâ— evill spirit came upoâ— him Thus in Iudaâ— the strength of his covetousnesse made way for the divels â—entation if the same â—entations had beene offered or cast upon â—ny other of the Disciples they would never have taken â—lace because they wanted this corrupâ—ion of covetousnesse which was in Iudas This advantage Satan â—ath of us he knowes what sinnes all men are most given to by reason of their corruption Therefore when hee tempts them with objects answerable to their corruptions hee knowes they cannot or if they can very hardly resist them Hee tempts the drunkard with company which wil draw him to fall into that sinne because hee knowes the drunkard cannot refuse such company being offered The lascivious hee tempts with an unchast object which he knows hee cannot resist Thus he makes mens corruptions betray them although some corruption and lust may be still and dead in a man for a while yet when a fit object is offered if it be not fully mortified it will take hold and shew it selfe But by what means may these corruptions and lusts lying in a mans heart be removed Onely by repentance when our hearts are hardened and made senslesse with these corruptions and with the custome of sinne the sorrow of repentance can onely humble the heart and mollifie it againe and make it fit to take another impression as waxe when it is melted loseth the stampe it had before and is plyable to take any other so the heart being softened throughly by the sorrow of repentance loseth the former stamp which sinne had left upon it and is â—â—dy to take another But a little sorrow is not sufficient to mollifie the heart enough it must be a deepe sorrow and continuall Wee may perhaps by a little sorrow cut off the tops of sinne but unlesse the ground of our hearts bee sufficiently broken wherein sinne had taken roote the rootes of our sinnes will still remaine How shall a man know whether his lusts bee sufficiently rooted out of him This may be a speciall signe that they are when any such objects are offered which prevailed with him before if now there bee in his heart a true hating and loathing of them so that they cannot prevaile with him againe but if the like objects work on him againe it is sure his lusts remaine still in him The third meanes whereby
regenerating of a man to be the renewing of Gods image in him This gracious frame of heart God hath promised to his people as wee may see Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and will give you an hart of flesh the fulfilling of this promise we may see Rom. 8. 29. This image of God therefore must be restored in the soule as appeares 1 Cor. 15. 49. As wee have borne the image of the earthly so shall we beare the image of the heavenly Ephes. 4. 23 24 it's required that Christians should be renewed in the spirits of their minde and that they should put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holinesse Now in Adam this image was perfect in us it 's imperfect in him it was as the light in the ayre at noone day when the Sunne shines in his strength in us it 's as the light in the aire at the dawning of the day then the light is in every part of the aire though not in the same degree but it increaseth more and more untill the perfect day Hence those words of Salomon Prov. 4. 18. The path of the iust is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day This renewing of Gods image is also called the new man the new birth Ephes. 4. 24. Now we know that a child in the wombe hath all the parts that a man hath but onely there wants the strength of these parts so it 's likewise in the new regenerate man Here it will be objected that no man is able to come to this perfect renewing of Gods image To which I answer that a man may and every man must attaine to it otherwise all his labour is in vaine the heart had as good never a whit be changed as not wholly an instrument unlesse all the strings be in tune wil make no good harmonie one string out of tune will marre the harmonie as well as more The reason why there must be this whole change is because God will either have the whole heart or nothing The holy Ghost will not dwelâ— in the heart unlesse it be a polished Temple and the whole frame set up No man will dwell where there are but a few postes and studdes set up towardes the rearing of the building Object If the heart must be renewed how comes it to passe that there are many rebellions both of heart and life in the best men Ans. There are so indeed but their rebellions differ from the rebellions of the wicked for first their rebellions are betweene the flesh and the spirit between their spirituall reason and their Carnall reason betweene Carnall affections and spirituall which shall get the preheminence But the rebellions of the wicked are between one lust and another one carnall affection and another their rebellion is against the providence of God and the light of nature which is in them Secondly there is difference in regard of the end of their rebellions the Godly â—are to rebell against God least they should displease him and â—oose their sweet Communion with â—im but the wicked 〈◊〉 rebelling feare onâ—y the punishment which will follow â—â—ey feare God as the malefactor feares thâ— judge Secondly it follow in the descriptioÌ„ thaâ— by the gracious framâ— of the heart thâ— whole man be madâ— subject c. by thâ— whole man we arâ— to understand the inward man and thâ— outward First the inward man must be made subject that 〈◊〉 the heart For Goâ— especially requireâ— the obedience of the heart see therefore the Wise-mans counsell to this purpose Prov. 4. 23. and the Apostles Heb. 3. 12. The reason hereof 〈◊〉 because God sees â—ot as man sees he â—udgeth not as man â—udgeth according to the sight of the eyes God especially looks to the heart because that is the spring-head â—â—om whence all the streames of our speeches actions flow Now we know iâ— the spring-head bâ— slimie and muddie the streames flowing from it must needeâ— be slimie muddie but if that be faire cleare the streames will be so also thus it 's with the heart the heart is as the chiefe wheele in a clocke which sets all the resâ— on going an unskilful man cannot judge of the clocke but by â—he sound the artificer lookes to the â—â—ward workmanâ—hip of it so likewise God especially â—ookes to the heart The like wee see â—en in some sort use â—o doe for when a â—an hath injurie offered him he presently lookes with what heart the oâ—â—er did it if he did it ignorantly or against his will hee who hath received the wrong will better beare with him 〈◊〉 but if the other did it of malice then he takes it more heinously We shall finde therefore in Scripture that God lesse esteemes faire performances with aâ— corrupt and crooked heart then an upright heart with weake performances The first of these was in Amasia 2 Chr. 25. 2. the latter in David who though â—e had many great â—lippes yet was a man â—fter Gods owne heart now the rebellions of the inward man or of the heart are either in thoughts or affections rebellious thoughts are either â—aine or such as are wicked First vaine thoughts are rebellious for it's rebellion as well not to doe that which is commanded as to doe that which is forbidden If a Prince should come to a subjectes house and he instead of entertaining him should continue vainly talking and prating with some base fellow it would be counted wonderfull neglect and contempt the like offence doe they commit who when they should entertaine God in their hearts have them filled with vain thoughts and so banish God from them None indeed are free from these rebellions yet we must continually strive against them for here is the difference the wicked have them with delight or at least without reluctancy the godly although they have them yet it is with much striving against them and continuall sorrowing for them so that they get daily more and more strength against them The second sort of rebellious thoughts are such as are wicked and that either for substance or manner evill thoughts for substance are all those whose objects are evill as when a man thinkes how he may fulfill any particular lust These evil imaginations are one of those seven things that are abomination to the Lord. Pro. 6. 16. These six things doth the Lord hate yea seaven are an abomination unto him a proud looke a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent bloud an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations c. Such evill thoughts have the covetous man the malicious man the envious man for the fulfilling of their particular lustes If we would have God delight in the beauty of our soules wee must wash our hearts from wickednesse according to Gods Counsell Ier. 4. 14. O Ierusalem wash thy heart from
soules and hearts the reason is because God only is able to search the heart and find out the corruptions thereof it is he that made the heart and not man therefore it is too deepe for him to search the wisedome of God is contained in his word hence the word will helpe us in the searching of our hearts here by the way we may note why so many suddenly fal into despaire God doth suddenly kindle a cleare light within them whereby they come to see the foulnesse of their sinnes and the multitude of them which having never looked into before they deeply apprehend that it 's impossible for them to obtaine mercy and so despaire The second means after we have set our sinnes before us with their aggravation is then to stay long in the consideration of them many at the ripping up of their sinnes will be ready to say Lord have mercy upon me but this is not sufficient Hence is that usuall doctrine that repentance is a continued act A sparke of fire under wet wood will not at the first flame out yet with continuall blowing at length it may burne that sparke of grace which is smothered in a mans hart at the first sight of his sinnes will not kindle his affections but at length with continuall meditation it will breake forth and may work much remorse The Prophet blames the people that in their humiliation they did but hang down their head like a Bulrush Isa. 58. Is it such a fast that I have chosen a day for a man to afflict his soule is it to bow downe his head as a bulrush c. they did wel in humbling thēselves but their fault was in that they did not continue the same but were like the bulrush which whilst the storme or blast of winde lasteth hangs downe it's head but after lifts it up againe David in his repentāce had alwayes his sins before him Psal. 51. 3. the more he considered it the more humiliation it wrought in him The third means is we must have the spirit of God to soften our hearts or else all our labour will doe no good an hard stone while it so continues will not be bruised with a blow but being changed into flesh a little blow wil bruise it Our stonie hearts must be turned into flesh before they can be broken with consideration of our sinnes which is only the worke of Gods spirit this point is gathered out of Zach. 12. 10. Those who have had the greatest measure of sorrow for their sins it hath bin wrought in them by the spirit of God But how shal we attaine to this spirit will some say our Saviour tells us the way is to aske and pray for it and confirmes the same by an argument Luk. 11. 13. If yee being evill know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy spirit to them that aske him Obj. If we were children indeed as our Saviour there argueth it is likely God would heare us but we are not For answer hereun to marke the parable beginning at the 5. vers and continued to the 9. verse the conclusion is verse 8. I say unto you though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth God is our friend if we could so perswade our selves if we cannot If we continue constant and fervent in asking God will at length heare us for our importunity and give us as joyfull an answer as the woman of Canaan had after her repulse this may the more comfort us the longer we expect an answer with patience the better and more comfortable answer shall at length be given us Many think that they want not this humiliation for sinne but let such examine whether they have left off their course of sinning which they lived in before this will be a speciall signe of their repentance If a man have done thee an injurie and pretend that he is very sorry for it yet if he offer thee the same wrong againe and againe thou wilt judge that he did but dissemble So he doth but dis dissemble in his repentance that doth continue in sinne sorrowed for that keepes the same course of sinning still Another use may be of exhortation to our selves to our whole man inward ond outward that we rebell not any longer but submit our selves unto the Lord. For the farther enforcing hereof let us consider First some signes of this our submission Secondly the motives to it Thirdly the means to attaine it For the first the signes of this submission The first may be respect to Gods word and delight in it if we neglect his word and are not moved with the judgements and promises therein contained then are we rebells That Subject that heares the Proclamation of his Prince read with the punishment annexed to be inflicted upon such as breake it neglectes the same regards not the punishment but manifestes his contempt of them shewes that he will not obey that law of his Prince but rather rebels against it That neglect of Gods word is a signe of rebellion is most evident Isa. 30. 8 9. 10. Now saith the Lord by his Prophet Goe write it before them in a Table and note it in a booke that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever that this is a rebellious people lying children children that wil not heare the Law of the Lord which say to the seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not unto us right things speake unto us smooth things prophecy deceites A common excuse of simple people is that they are not booke learned though they delude their owne consciences yet God is not mocked he that made the eye shal not he see he that made the understanding shall not he know God knowes that this is but an excuse and that sloath and negligence is the true cause that they have no more knowledge in Gods word these thinke they have knowledge enough and therfore need no more but this will be tried if they examine their desire to know more their delight in Gods word which alwayes accompanies knowledge Thus the Apostles reason stands 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. If they had tasted how gracious the the Lord is then as new horne babes they would desire the sincere milke of the word that they might grow thereby Act. 20. Paul tells them that he had revealed to them the whole Counsell of God intimating that he had bin in fault if he had kept the least part thereof secret although the Pastour if he be not diligent to teach be in fault yet that excuseth not the people though God requireth the blood of the people at those Pastours hands that doe not feed them yet the people perish notwithstanding God oftentimes complaines that his people perish for want of knowledge but poore silly people perswade themselves