A TREATISE OF MANS IMAGINATIONS SHEWING His naturall euill thoughts His want of good thoughts The way to reforme them Framed and preached By M. Wil. Perkins Matth. 12. 33. Either make the tree good and his fruit good or els make the tree euill and his fruit euill PRINTED BY IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniuer sitie of Cambridge 1607. And are to be sold in Pauls Churchyard at the signe of the Crowne by Simon Waterson ¶ To the right worshipfull S. Thomas Holcroft knight with the vertuous Lady Elizabeth his wife grace and peace THat waightie charge of Salomon Right worshipfull to euery sonn of wisdome for the keeping of his heart aboue all watch and ward may well perswade vs that some matters of great importance depend thereon Among many because my gates may not be great before so small a citie I will touch one There is a strange desire not of earthly but of spirituall powers after the possession of mans heart God saith my sonne giue me thy heart and to him indeed the right belongs Yet thorough mans transgressioÌ„ Satan hath got such hold therof that vnlesse it be by diuine power hee will not be kept out though we heare not Satans voice yet his dealing bewraies his meaning that aboue all things in man he desires the heart Once hee stroue about a dead mans body but doubtles his purpose therein was to haue set vp an Idoll for himselfe in the hearts of the liuing But what is mans heart that it should be so desired Surely in substance little but for imployment almost infinite It is a Treasure whereout man bringeth all his actions good or evill It is a temple wherin is either the Arke of God or Dagon for the Deuill Yea it is a pallace wherein dwelleth and a throne whereon sitteth either Christ or Satan the king of glory or the prince of darknes and he that keeps possession will there excercise dominion Neither may we thinke that one heart wilsuffer both these no man can serue two masters God will haue all or none if any part be shared from him in high dispeasure he leaues the rest and so the whole falls to the deuil Now sith the case standeth thus with mans heart doth it not neerly coÌ„cerne euery one to know his owne estate in this behalfe to wit what kind of treasury whose Temple whose pallace and throne his heart is that if all be wel he may reioyce so keepe it for the Lord if otherwise then seeke redresse betime To this purpose serues this present treatise wherein as in a glasse may first be seene the fearfull state of mans naturall heart full frought with euill thoughts void of good consideration and so most fit for Satan Then after doe those blessed meanes appeare whereby mans naturall heart may be reformed to become the temple of God the seat of grace and a bed of spices for the welbe loued to feed vpoÌ„ And these are points of that importance that whosoeuer neglecteth them may say farewell grace bid adue to god himselfe for in the hart if at all in man â—ust these be seated Now the publishing hereof being coÌ„mitted vnto me I present the same vnto your worships and vnder your protection desire to commend it to the church of God It would too much enlarge my gates to annex the manifold reasons which mooue me to this choise on your behalfe onely this I pray that seeing it is the first fruits of my labours in this kind wherein I had full power of free choise in my dedicatioÌ„ it may intimate to you both mine vnfained hearts desire of that ever-lasting good I wish vnto your soules and also testifie in part my thankful mind for your manifold fauours to me and mine who depend vpon you Now God Almighty blesse your worships with your children and familie according to your seuerall necessities of his mercie and goodnes for soule and body in this life and for euer Cambridge Aug. 20. 1606. Your worships in the Lord Thomas Piersonn To the Reader KNow good reader that for my furtherance in the publishing of this tract at I had the authors owns draught of the plat-forme of it beside two perfect copies of all his sermons I haue for plainesse sake devided it into Chapters and sections for the better effecting whereof I was constrained to transpose two of the vses otherwise I doubt not but euery one that heard it preached will iudge me to haue dealt faithfully with the Godâ—y author The Lord blesse it to thy good ¶ The Contents of this treatise CHAP. I. The vnfolding of the text whereon the treatise is grounded pag. 1. CHAP. II. The Illnesse of mans naturall thoughts and how they may be knowen pag. 19. CHAP. III. Mans naturall euil thoughts concerning God pag. 30. CHAP. IV. Mans naturall thoughts concerning his neighbour pag. 101. CHAP. V. Mans natural thoughts concerning himselfe pag. 122. CHAP. VI. Mans naturall want of good thoughts or consideration with the fruit thereof pag. 152. CHAP. VII The vse of the doctrine of mans natural ImaginatioÌ„s pag. 165. CHAP. VIII Rules for the reformation of evill thoughts pag. 184. CHAP. IX Of spirituall considerations concerning God pag. 201. CHAP. X. Of spirituall consideration concerning our selues pag. 218. Gen. 8. 21. And the Lord said in his heart I will henceforth curse the earth no more for mans cause for the Imagination of mans heart is euill euen from his youth CHAP. I. The vnfolding of the text by way of preparation to the Treatise IN the former part of this chapter Moses hath faithfully related the drying of the waters after the stood and Noahs sacrificing vnto God with Gods acceptance thereof Now in this verse and the next he recordeth such lawes and decrees as God made with Noah touching the restauration of nature perished by the flood as well for the sparing of the creatures from such like destruction as for the continuance of his prouidence in needefull times and seasons meete for their future preseruation These wordes containe the first of these lawes wherein we may obserue three points Moses his preface to this law the law it selfe and the reason thereof I. The preface And the Lord said in his heart These words must not be taken properly for God hath not an heart as man hath neither speaketh he as man doth but hereby is meant that God determined and set downe with himselfe this law and decree In this phrase of speech note this one thing If it had pleased him God could haue spoken to man by a voice the hearing whereof would haue confounded him but as here we see he doth abase himselfe and as it were lay aside his honour and might and speaketh vnto vs after the manner of men euen to the capacitie of the most simple Which teacheth vs that it is the good will and pleasure of God that not onely the learned but euen the vnlettered
submit my selfe vnto his lawes Christ shall not raigne ouer me This is plaine and manifest by mens behauiour when they are reprooued for their sinnes Tell the couetous man of his auarice the swearer of his blasphemy the druÌ„kard of his drunkennes c. will he humble himselfe in conscience of his sinn Nothing lesse but his heart will swell against thee as his furie and impatience will soone be wray and the reason is because he neuer thinketh of his owne estate how by creatioÌ„ he oweth homage vnto God as to his creator for his purpose is to goe on in sinne and when he is reprooued for the same his desire is crossed which he can not abide and therefore rageth shewing thereby manifestly that in his heart hee saith he will not obey Gods commandements For the examination of our hearts touching this thought whether did we euer thinke thus with our selues I will not obey Gods commandements Doubtles euery man wil answer for himselfe that he abhors this thought And yet after iust triall it will appeare that generally this thought is rife among vs for though we heare the word and receiue the Sacraments the pledges of our saluation and will be counted the meÌ„bers of Christ yet what 's the cause that there is so little knowledge of God and obedience to his word And why doe men in their callings shew forth so small loue so little mercie iustice and good conscience The truth is that though some haue these things in them in some measute yet the bodie of our people is generally void of these good vertues and fruits of the spirit he that hath but halfe an eye may see it for where is that religious keeping of the Sabboth that should be where is that serious performing of worship vnto God which ought to be All which argue that the heart is corrupt and deceiueable and saith indeed to God I will not obey thy word Lord depart from me What man almost is there that saith with himselfe Oh miserable man what haue I done The Vse By this wicked imagination we may see how hard a thing it is truly and soundly to conuert a sinner vnto God and how easily a man may deceiue his owne soule and beguile the world by hypocrisie for a man by long exercise in the word may haue a great measure of knowledge and withall good wit and memorie and with them vtterance and by a common gift of the spirit be ableâ—e we mustâ— word truly and to conceiue prayer to good purpose and withall haue a cankred heart towards God poisoned with this damnable thought I will not obey the word of God for euery man that hath inwardly in him a purpose to liue though but in one sinne his heart is not vpright with God neither be Gods graces as faith and repentance sound in his heart for true repentance is a purpose and resolution to leaue all sinne and to please God in all things Sect. 4. Of this thought It is a vaine thing to worship God The third wicked imagination of maâ—â— heart concerning 〈…〉 thing to worship God This Iob sheweth to be true bringing in the wicked man saying what profit shall I haue if I pray vnto God we must not thinke that hee said thus with his mouth but in his heart And the prophet Malachie bringeth in the Iewes saying It is a vaine thing to serue God and what profit is it that wee haue kept his commandement that we walked humbly before the Lord of hostes Yea righteous Dauid a man after Gods owne heart was ouertaken with this euill thought when he said certenly I haue cleansed my heart in vaine and washed my hands in Innocencie whereby it is plaine that this is a naturall evill thought in every man Yet here we must remember that this evill thought comes not into the mind of man at all times but onely at such time when occasioÌ„ is offered as namely when a man is called on to the seruice of God which vpon some occasion he is desirous to omitte Then will his mind range about for libertie from Gods seruice and so will he bethink himselfe of the wicked mans estate who neuer serued god and yet is in better case outwardly then the godly man is And herevpon hee begins to say in his heart doutbles It is a vaine thing to serue God For the examination of our hearts touching this thought after iust triall it will be found among vs as the state of all sorts of families will declare Among the poorer sort you shall see men labour from morning to Evening and take great paines to prouide for the world but in the meane time where is the worship and seruice of God where is prayer and thanksgiuing morning and euenning Surely it is neglected the reason is because they thinke thus in their heart so that I may haue prouision for the world it is no matter whether I serue God or not Come to the rich mans house there you shal see them spend their time in eating drinking gaming and such delightes but the worship of God is not regarded for thus they thinke with themselues If they may haue their pleasure all is well Come reason with ordinary men and exhort them to vse the meanes of saluation and shew forth loue vnto religion sincerely Their answer is they will doe as they haue done and as their forefathers did before them they trust their soules are as good to God-ward as the best And for ought they see none are worser then those that haue so much preaching and therfore they hope to bee saued though they doe not follow it so much And this also coÌ„meth froÌ„ this euill thought It is in vaine to serue God Marke also in those places wher the Gospel is preached If any seeme to make more conscience of sinne and of seruing God then others they are made a by-word and a mocking stock and their profession is turned to their reproach which argues plainely that mans thought is this It is a vaine thing to serue God Nay take a vew of the whole world and you shall see euery wher men giue themselues to will-worship No nation is so barbarous as to denie vnto God all worship but doe they giue vnto him that which he commanded in his word Nothing lesse It is either the meere invention of men or altogether stayned therewith This is most euident with the Turke the Iew and the Papist yea our common sort of protestants haue their will-worship for generally they content themselues with the mumbling ouer the words of the Creede the Lords Prayer and tenne Commandements perswading themselues that by the bare rehearsall of the words they haue sufficiently serued God Now would wee know the cause hereof as also why men are so slack and cold in praier so carelesse and vnreuerent in hearing Gods word Surely it is nothing but this vile Imagination bewitching our soules that it Is a vaine
of the damned which the Lord preuenteth in his children by temporall chastisements in this life for when we are iudged wee are chastened of the Lorde that wee might not be condemned with the world And so labouring to bee humbled for sinne and to lay hold on gods mercy in christ through whom all things euen afflictions worke together for the best no doubt he will bee able to say I will beare the wrath of the Lorde because I haue sinned against him and why art thou cast downe oh my soule why art thou so disquieted within me wayte on God for I will yet giue him thankes he is my present helper and my God Thus much of mans euill thoughts concerning himselfe CHAP. VI. Of the want of good thoughts in euery man naturally Sect. I. Good thoughts about temporall things be much wanting HAuing spoken of mans naturall euill thoughts concerning God his neighbour and himselfe we come to the second point to be observed in the text to wit That there is a want of good thoughts and consideration in euery â—â—an naturally for the Lord here faith his thoughts are evill from his youth and Chap. 6. 5. They are onely euill euery day now looke where euill is onely and continually there good must needes be waÌ„ting altogether This want must be considered either in respect of temporall or of spirituall things By Temporall things I meane such worldly affaires and actions as concerne mans naturall life wherein though good consideration be not taken quite away yet wee must know that the same is corrupt and very weake and imperfect even as reason is and there is much want in euery man in this behalfe There is one alone saith Salomon and there is not a second which hath neither sonne nor brother yet there is none end of his travell neither can his eye bee satisfied with riches neither doth hee thinke for whom doe I travell heere behold a notable example of this want of good consideration about earthly things that a man should spend both his wit strength in heaping vp riches and knowes not to whom he shall leaue them But we need not be inquisitiue for examples for we may daily obserue in our selues and others apparent want of good consideration in these worldly affaries which must not seeme strange vnto vs seeing that reason it selfe the ground of coÌ„sideration is greatly blemished through the corruption of nature about these earthly things Sect. 2. Good thoughts in matters spirituall be altogether wanting In things spirituall which concerne the kingdome of God there is in our nature an absolute want of good consideration herein of our selues we haue no good thoughts we are not of our selues saith Paul sufficient to thinke any thing that is any good thing as of our selues The whole bodie of the Gospell is therefore called a mystery because the things therein contained and revealed are such as neuer came into mans heart to thinke This want we may obserue especially in foure things 1. in respect of Gods presence and prouidence 2. of Gods Iudgements 3. of our owne sinnes 4 of our dutie to God First man by nature doth not thinke of or consider Gods presence and prouidence to behold and to remember all his waies in thought word and deed hereof the Lord complaines against Ephraim and Samaria saying they haue dealt falsely and they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickednes And the same is the state of euery naturall man beeing left to himselfe for all by nature are equally corrupt with originall sinne and so are destitute of this good thought which yet may appeare the more plaine by this that naturally mans heart is possessed of the cleane contrary to wit God shall not see God will not regard as hath beene shewed before And indeed it is a worke of grace to haue the heart rightly affected with this thought God beholds all my waies he considers and remembers euery thing I doe flesh and blood can not attaine vnto it Secondly a man by nature doth not consider or thinke of the Iudgements of God temporall and eternall due vnto sinne This thought was wanting in the men of the old world though Noah preached vnto them an hundred and twentie yeares of the gecerall deluge yet the consideration of it tooke no place in their hearts and therefore it is said they knew nothing till the flood came and tooke them all away from the want of this thought it came to passe that Lotts sonnes in lawe thought their father had but mocked when he told them that God would destroy Sodom Hence it was that the Rich foole blessed himselfe in his heart saying soule soule take thine ease neuer bethought himselfe of any danger till it was said vnto him O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule And shall wee thinke this thought is now wanting at this day seeing Christ hath said as it was in the daies of Noe so shall it bee at the comming of the sonne of man Thirdly a man naturally doth neuer bethinke himselfe of his owne sinnes he hath no purpose of heart seriously to examine his life past or to repent of such sinnes as he findeth in him This appeareth by the Lords own complaint against the Iewes who were so farre from turning froÌ„ their sins that not one would say in his heart what haue I done nay when they had coÌ„mitted most sottish Idolatrie in making an Idoll God of one part of a tree with the other part thereof they had rosted their meate and warmed themselues yet they considered not this in their hearts neither had they knowledge or vnderstanding to say I haue burnt halfe of it in the fire I haue baked bread vpon the coales thereof I haue roasted flesh and eaten it and shall I make the residue thereof an Abhomination Fourthly a naturall man doth not consider what duty seruice he owes vnto God his mind is wholly bent to his owne waies but the Lords taleÌ„t lies hid in the ground wrapt vp in a napkin Hereof the Lord complaines against the Iewes that they sayd not in their hearts let vs feare the Lord our God hence it was that the foolish virgins did content themselues with the blasing Lamp of an outward profession and neuer be-thought themselues of that oyle of grace which God required in all those that would enter with Christ into his bride-chamber till it was too late And the sleight seruing of God at this day declares the generall want of this coÌ„sideration Sect. 3. The fruit of this want of good thoughts Heere further wee must know that this want of good consideration is a grieuous evill and a mother sinne from whence as from a fountaine streames of corruptions and transgressions both of heart and life doe issue forth first hereby we are disabled from yelding vnto God that obedience of heart which his
heauen or earth can immediately and directly know the thoughts of man this Salomon confesseth in his notable praier to God 1. king 8. 39. Thou onely knowest the thoughts of all the children of men Ierem. 17. 9. The heart is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things who can know it ver 10. I the Lord search the heart and trie thereines The second way to knowe mens thoughts is indirectly and by meanes which be three by instinct from God by reuelation from the Scripture and by signes First by an extraordinarie instinct so did Elisha disclose the king of Syrias counsell to the king of Israell and by the same meanes he tolde his seruant Gehezi what he did behind his back when he tooke gifts of Naaman the Assirian And so did Peter tell Ananias and Saphyra of their false conueyances with the money that they tooke for their possession And yet here we must vnderstand that when God reuealed these secret thoughts to men it was onely in some things at some times and for some speciall causes wherevpon Nathan was faine to reuoke his counsell which hee gaue to Dauid for the building of the house of God when he knew the will of God more perfectly And so was Elias deceiued when he said he was left alone of all Israel that serued God for God told him hee had reserued seuen thousand that neuer bowed the knee to Baal which Elias knew not Secondly mens thoughts may be known by Revelation from Scripture for therin that spirit speaketh euidently which knoweth the frame of the heart and hence it is that in the ministerie of this word the thoughts of naturall men are made manifest 1. Corint â—4 25. Thirdly mans thoughts are knowne by signes as speeches and actions thus Peter knew the heart of Simon Magus and Paul the heart of Elimas And thus may any maÌ„ know the thoughts of another eueÌ„ as he may know the tree by his fruit and the fountain by his streame Besides these three are two other meanes added whereby to know mens thoughts one by the Papists and an other by the Astrologians The Papists say the Saints in heaueÌ„ know mens thoughts not directly of them-selues but by reflectioÌ„ in the glasse of the Trintie But this is a meere forgery of their own which Isaia neuer knew saying thus of the Saints departed Abraham is ignorant of vs and Israel knoweth vs not but thou Lord art our redeemer And the Saints vnder the altar crie How long Lord how long wilt thou not iudge and auenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth giuing vs to vnderstand that they are not so sharpe sighted as by the glasse of the Trinitie to see into the day of the last Iudgement and therfore not into the thoughts of mens hearts So that there are onely three waies to know the thoughts of men and so they may be knowne CHAP. III. Of mans naturall thoughts concerning God HAuing found that the thoughts of man may be knowne we come now to see what be the naturall cogitations of euerie sinfull man Although they be almost infinite in themselues yet they may be reduced to three heads They either concern God or a mans neighbour or els a mans owne selfe Of this thought There is no God Touching God there be in man foure capitall euill thoughts First That there is no God which as it is first in order so it is the most notorious and vile damnable thought that can be in a naturall man And that this is one of the thoughts of man naturally appeareth by the expresse testimonie of God himselfe who knoweth the thoughts of man better then man doth The wicked thinketh alwaies there is no God And againe The foole hath said in his heart there is no God Touching this thought obserue these foure points First in whome it is Secondly how a man by thinking should denie God Thirdly what is the fruit of this thought and fourthly the examination of our hearts touching this thought For the first we must not thinke that this wicked thought is onely in some notorious and hainous sinners but it is in the corrupt minde and Imagination of euery man that commeth of AdaÌ„ naturally not one excepted saue Christ alone so the foole of whome David speaketh must be taken not for some speciall sinner but for euery man that liueth vncalled without repentance how ciuill so euer his life be other waies though some shame restraine his tongue from vttering it yet by nature his corrupt heart is prone to thinke there is no God This is made euideÌ„t by S. Paul who going about to prooue that al men are sinners by nature aleadgeth for his proofe diuers testimonies of Scripture and particularly out of these two Psalmes before cited whereby he giues vs to vnderstand that the foole there mentioned must be vnderstood of euery naturall man But it will be said that it is ingrafted in mans nature to hold and thinke there is a God therefore euery man doth not denie God in his heart Ans. We must know that these two thoughts There is a God and there is no God may be and are both in one and the same heart the same maÌ„ that by the light of nature thinketh there is a God may by that corruption darkenes of mind that came by Adams fall thinke there is no God for two contraries beeing not in the highest degre may be in one and the same subiect as light and darkenesse in the same house heate and cold in the same body II. Point Howe doth a man by thinking denie God in his heart Ans. Two waies first by turning the true God into an idol of mans braine secondly by placing somewhat that is not God in the roome of the true God For the first the Imagination of euery man naturally without further light from the word of God doth turne the true God into an idoll and therefore Paul saith of the Galatians that before their vocation they did seruice to them which were no gods and of the Ephesians that they were without God in the world euen because they did not in their mindes conceiue of God aright and accordingly worship him though the wiser sort amongst them did acknowledge one God the creator of heauen and earth And therefore David saith plainely that all the gods of the Gentiles are Idols or vanities nay as the Apostle saith deuills 1 Cor. 10. 20. That which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice vnto deuills not vnto God Now mans mind turneth the true God into an Idoll by three notorious thoughts which are the roote of many damnable sinnes in this life first by thinking that God is not present in all places whereby god is robbed of his attribute of Omni-preseÌ„ce for the true God being infinite must be in all places which when the heart of man denieth it imagineth God to be such a one as he
they make thou only of God imperfect by â—â—peâ—cing vp the some with mans merits in the worke of Redemption for Gods mercie is either euery way mercie or no mercie as Paule saith If it bee of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace and if it bee of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke Secondly the Christ of the Papists is a false Christ this will appeare by plaine reason out of their doctrine for first they spoile Christ of his true manhood by their doctrine of reall presence wherein they hould that Christs body is not onely in heauen but really substantially in all places wher the sacrifice of the masse is offered thus they make it omnipotent so quite take away the nature of a bodie Secondly they disgrade Christ from the three offices of his mediatorship first from his kingly office by placing the Pope in his Roome and stead as his deputie in Christs presence for they giue power to the Pope to rule the Catholique Church and to make lawes to bind mens consciences which bee thinges proper to Christ alone where in they doe as much as if they should take the Crowne from Christs head set it on the Popes for to claime regencie in the presence of the lawfull prince is to proclaime rebellion against the prince for commission of vicegerencie ceaseth in the presence of him that appointeth it nowe Christ is alwaies present with his Church Math. 28. 20. And therefore the Pope by his claime must needes thrust Christ out of his office Secondly from his priestly office which consisteth in satisfaction and intercession Christs satisfaction they nullifie by ioyning therewith the satisfaction of mens workes for thereby they make it imperfect And they robbe him of his intercession by communicating the same to Saintes yea they exalt the virgine Marie far aboue Christ in this worke for they praie her to aske the Father to command Christ her sonne by the authoritie of a mother to doe thus and thus for them and so make Christ her vnderling Thirdly from his propheticall office by making the Pope the infallible iudge of all controuersies avowing that they rather desire to knowe the auncient institution of Christian religion from the Popes mouth then from holy writte Nowe thus robbing Christ of his offices they make him a false Christ and so wanting the sonne they cannot haue the father for he that hath not the son hath not the father and therefore popish religion wanting the father and the sonne cannot bee a true religion but meere coloured Atheisme in iudgement The second degree of Atheisme in iudgement is when men place some Idoll in rome of the true God houlding the same for their God thus did the Gentiles sinne in worshipping the sonne and the moone and the starres or other creatures The third degree is when a man doth avouch hould maintaine that there is no God at all this is the highest degree of Atheisme and the most notorious sinne that can bee and all such persons as maintain this cursed thought are vnworthie the common breath of men for if that man shall die the death and that worthilie who shall avouch his lawfull prince to be no prince howe much more ought hee to die the death though hee had a thousand liues that shall affirme the true God to bee no God Thus wee see the fruites of this euill thought whereby the haynousnes of it doth plainly appeare IV. Point The examination of our owne hearts touching this thought whether it may be found among vs or not doubtles every one will labour to cleare himselfe hereof And the reason wherewith many doe sooth vp themselues is this because they neuer felt in themselues any such conceits as this that there is no God But wee may easily deceiue our selues herein for a man cannot alwaies discerne what bee the thoughts of his owne heart There be in man two kinds of cogitations or as one may say reasons the first is a single cogitation whereby a man simply thinketh or knoweth or iudgeth this or that and this is properly called the mind The other is a reflex cogitatioÌ„ or reason whereby a man iudgeth that he knoweth or thinketh this or that and it is commonly called Conscience Now since Adams fall the conscience is corrupt by originall sinne as be all other powers of mans soule wheÌ„ce it commeth to passe that conscience can not doe his dutie in giuing true testimonie concerning mans Imaginations but a man may thinke euill and yet his conscience not tell him and therefore wee may nor say because wee feele not these euill thoughts in vs therefore we haue them not or we are free from them But that we may the better examine our hearts wee must come to the signes whereby this euill thought is best discerned Dauid in the 14. Psalme setteth downe three signes hereof first A disordered life secondly not calling on the name of God by praier thirdly contemning of them that put their trust in God Looke where these are to be found there is this euill thought That there is no God Nowe if wee examine our selues by these signes we shall finde this wicked thought to be amonst vs for first many indeede are content to heare Gods word but where is that man that reformeth his life according to that he heareth Certen it is as their conscience can witnesse few turne vnto God vnfainedly fewe doe breake of their course in sinning Now this vnreformed life is an infallible token of this damnable thought Secondly the exercise of praier and inuocation on the name of God is rare among men no doubt many a touched heart doth euery day vnfainedly call on God for grace but yet generally this is true men goe on from day to day and from yeare to yeare and neuer pray vnto God for supply of grace Indeede men plead for themselues that they vse to pray for they say the Lords prayer the Creede and the tenne Commaundements but wee must know that with many this practise is nothing but a vaine repetition of words for prayer is an action of the heart and not the labour of the tongue and lippes onely so to say the Lords prayer is not to pray for the words thereof may be repeated with the heart of an Atheist And thirdly the contempt of them that put their trust in God is rise among vs for who is so much scorned and reproched as he that maketh profession of religion Now may that complaint be iustly taken vp by the seruants of God Isai. 8. 18. Behold I and the children whome the Lord hath giuen me are as signes and wonders And He that refraines from euill makes himselfe a pray to the euill tongue Isa. 59. 15. Yet let these scoffers know what euer they be that seedes of Atheisme doe possesse their soules To come yet more particularly to the
thing to serue God This quencheth the spirit and hindreth all good motiōs that be in our hearts Sect. 5. Of mans thought of distrust The fourth euill thought concerning God is a thought of distrust thus framed in the minde God doth not regard me God will not helpe me God will not be mercifull vnto me This thought made entrance vnto the fall of our first parents for first Eue looked vpon the fruit saw that it was beutifull and then entred into her heart a thought of distrust after this manner It may be it is not true which god hath said to vs concerning this fruit and it may be God regardeth vs not as we thinke he doth in that he denieth vs this fruit heere vpon her will and her affections were carried to the breaking of Gods commandement and so shee sinned by disobedience and Adam also sinned When the people of Israel murmured in the wildernes a Moses sinned a sin for hee was debarred entrance into the land of Canaā Nowe what was Moses sinne for both he Aron prayed to the Lord and checked the people saying heare oh yee rebells c. And at Gods commandement he brought water out of the rocke Surely his sin was secret euen inward vnbeleefe and distrust in Gods promise for when hee smote the rocke he might thinke thus with himselfe it may bee that God will not nowe giue water out of the rocke this seemes the more probable because hee went beyond his cōmission in smiting thrise vpon the rock whē God bad him onely to speake vnto it This euill thought takes hould of religious David also I sayd in mine hast I am cast out of thy sight as though he should say Heretofore I haue found Fauour with God but nowe in mine aduersitie I am vtterly reiected Againe I said in my feare all men are lyers that is when feare of death tooke hould of mee then I thought that Samuell lied vnto mee when he saide I should come to the kingdome ouer Israell The children of Israell did often bewray this thought of distrust when they were pinched with hunger and famine in the wildernes they say can God prouid a table for vs in the wildernes can he giue bread and flesh for his people As if they should say we thinke he cannot nor will not Yea the Apostle Peter was not free from this thought for when Christ walking on the waters commanded Peter to come vnto him hee came out boldly and walked towards Iesus but when hee sawe a mightie wind he began to sinke whence came this surely from a thought of distrust which hee had in his heart to this effect It may be god wil not support me in this my walking that this or some such thought was in his heart appeareth by Christs answer to him saying h oh thou of little faith why diddest thou doubt By all which it is euident that this is a naturall thought in the minde of man which at some time troubleth the most righteous man that is Now touching this thought of distrust two things are to bee skanned first the time when it taketh place in mans minde and secondly the daunger of it For the time This thought doth not alwaies take place in the minde of man but onely in the time of some daunger affliction and temptation and especially in the time of sicknesse and in the pangs of death Thus in his grieuous affliction was righteous Iob troubled with this thought of distrust for then hee complained that i God did hate him and gnash vpon him with his teeth and as his enemie sharpned his eyes against him yea that hee made him as his butt and marke to shoote at And Dauide in a greiuous trouble of minde thus complained Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer And will hee shewe no more fauour Is his mercie cleane gone for euer Doth his promise faile for euermore hath God forgotten to be mercifull c. Whereby appeareth that in his affliction hee was greatly troubled with this distrustfull thought and there is no man liuing but when trouble and affliction comes hee shal feele in himselfe these thoughts of distrust Indeede while peace and ease continue presumptuous thoughts possesse the minde but when the daies of peace bee gone troublesome times approach then presumptuous thoughts giue place and thoughtes of distrust come in their roome stead II. Point The daunger of these thoughtes of distrust is verie great as the fruits thereof declare for hence arise first all horrours and terrors of conscience all feares and astonishmentes of the heart For when the minde saith though falselie God doth not regard me God will not saue me then the trembling heart is full of horror and dread Secondly hence commeth desperation it selfe wherby men cōfidently avouch that God hath forsaken them and cast them of and that there is no hope of life but present death remaining for them this thought troubleth the minde of the wicked and of the repentant person also for desperation is nothing but the strength of this thought of distrust Thirdly this weakneth the foundation of our saluation which standeth in the certentie of Gods promises for this thought of distrust denieth credite to Gods promises and maketh them vncertaine Among all other euill thoughtes this doth most directly hinder saluatiō for it is flat against faith as water is to fire for true faith makes a man say with good cōsciēce Christ died and shedd his blood for mee God the father will bee mercifull vnto me and saue me But this distrustfull thought causeth a man to say the clean contrarie Christ died not for me God will not saue me so that where this thought prevaileth true faith is not neither can take place Vse Considering the danger of this distrustful thought is so great we must be admonished in the feare of God to vse all good meanes while the daies of peace doe last that it take no place with vs in the daie of trouble and temptation The meanes to represse it are the preaching of the worde and the sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords supper For the first the word of God preached is a speciall meanes ordained of God for the true applying of Gods promises of mercie to our owne soules and therefore a most soueraigne remedie against this thought of distrust for whē the promises of mercie in Christ are offered vnto gods people in the preaching of the worde by a lawfull minister it is as much as if Christ himselfe in his owne person should speake vnto them by vertue of Gods ordinance If God from heauen should say to any man mercie belongeth to thee hee would beleeue if God say to Cornelius boleeue thou and my mercie belongs to thee Cornelius will beleeue if hee say to Peter beleeue thou and my mercie belongs to thee Peter will beleeue and if hee say so to Marie Magdalen shee will beleeue Loe
them off from beeing a people And let the name of Israell be no more in remembrance Now as this was their thought so is it the thought of all men naturally for that which was the disposition of Babel Edom Moab and Amnon against Gods Church is the disposition of all men naturally for looke how generall the hatred of man is so generall is the purpose of mischiefe against those that professe religion for all men by nature are haters of Gods Church people so Christ saith to his disciples yee shall be be hated of all nations for my names sake Yea whosoeuer killeth you shall thinke that he doth God good seruice and therefore this thought of doing mischiefe is as general euen in the minde of euery man by nature This further appeareth by the continuall persecution that hath euer beene raised agaiust Gods poore Church since the beginning of the world It began at Abell soone after the giuing of the couenant of grace to our first parents and hath continued to this day shall abide vnto the end so that if carnall men could look into their owne hearts they should there behold this murdering thought against Gods people This murdering thought commeth from another wicked imagination set downe by S. Peter who bringeth in the wicked of this world thinking it a strange thing that Gods children doe not as they doe and runne not with them vnto all excesse of riot liuing in drunkennes fornication and such other abhominations for this cause doe they cōceiue hatred and purpose mischeife against Gods people and so will continue till God giue them grace to repent If any shall say this thought is not generall for Nabuched-nezer an heathen man shewed fauour to Daniell and highly aduanced him I answer it is true he did so but that was a worke of Gods speciall providence who procured him fauour and disposed the kings heart to affect him as he did also the heart of the chiefe Eunuch Otherwise Nabuchad-nezzer naturally did nothing but intend mischeife against Gods Church as his rage against the three children did euidētly bewray Dan. 3. 19. A third example of this murthering thought I adde which every minister of gods word may obserue by daily experience and that is this when mens faults are particularly rebuked in the ministery of the word and the quicke as it were touched by applying the word to the cōsciēce then will the heart of a naturall man thus conceiue of the minister that reprooueth sinn This man meaneth me he hath some spyte and mallice against me that he thus reprooveth my particular faults when as the minister knew them not to be his personall sinnes but it is the power of the word that ransaketh the sinfull heart this is the fault of all carnall hearers who will heare quietly till their faults be rebuked but then they thinke maliciously of the preacher Thus Herod dealt with Iohn Baptist he heard him gladly for a while Mark 6. 20. but when he was rebuked for his brother Phillips wife then he cast Iohn in prison Luk. 3. 19. 20. And if conscience might bee iudge many an hearer would be found to haue an Herods heart towards Gods minister Sect. 3. Of thoughts of Adulterie theft disgrace The third thought of man touching his neighbour is the thought of Adulterie which is the thought with consent to any vnchastitie Such a thought had Iudah cōcerning Tamar his daughter-in lawe when he iudged her an whore and desired to lie with her And with such thoughts was Ammons heart so sore vexed that hee fell sicke for his sister Tamar This makes a man an Adulterer in heart before God though actually he commit not the fact Mat. 5. 28. The fourth is the thought of Theft which is the thought with consent of beguyling or wronging another in his goods or substāce This is that Imagining of iniquitie and working of wickednes vpon their beds in coueting of fields against which Micah pronounceth a woe And this thought also possesseth their hearts that with the wicked Israelites wish the time were come wherein they might make the Epha small and the Shekell great that is lessen the measure and inhance the pryce and falsifie the weights by deceit The first euill thought is a thought of disgrace which some way tendeth to the reproach and debasing of our neighbours good name as when a thing is well done to thinke iudge it to bee ill done or when a thing is a misse to iudge it worse then it is Thus Elie thought disgracefullie of Hannah deeming her to bee dronke saying put away thy dronkennes when shee prayed deuoutly from a troubled soule to the Lord Thus Eliab Dauids eldest brother thought disgracefullie of Dauid when he shewed himselfe willing to encounter with Golyah that reuiled the hoast of the liuing God saying I know the pride and mallice of thine heart that thou art come to see the Battell when as indeede the spirit of God put that motion into his heart to take away the shame from Israell as the happie euent declared plainly So when our sauiour Christ spake most comfortably to the sicke of the Palsie saying be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee then the cursed hearts of the wicked Pharisies thought thus in themselues u this man blasphemeth And when the gift of the holie Ghost was sent vpon the Apostles causing them to speake strange tounges to the great admiration of men of diuers nations then some of the malicious Iewes thought they were dronke saying scoffingly they were full of newe wine And this thought of disgrace is in euery man naturally bringing forth continually the fruits of disgrace as Enuie Strife Emulations Dissentions and Debates for loue thinketh not euill but naturally true loue is wanting in all men and therfore they cannot but thinke euill of others We see the fiue euill thoughts of mans naturall heart against his neighbour touching which two things are yet further to bee skanned to wit when these euill thoughtes doe arise in the minde and in whome they are For the first it is true that they doe not at all times arise in mens mindes but then onely when occasion is giuen at which time they arise so soone as it is giuen for mans heart is like to tinder or drie wood which burneth not of it selfe but so soone as fire is put to it then presently it kindleth When you come to talke with a naturall man it may be for the present hee thinketh not to lie but giue him occasion to lie and then hee soone bethinkes himselfe therof will not spare to vtter it if it may make for his aduantage And the like wee may say of malice Adulterie Theft disgrace or any other sinne against our neighbour Doe but minister occasion there about to the naturall heart of man he thinketh of them and without Gods grace restraining or renuing him will bring forth
law requireth for how can we loue the Lord with all our thought and mind our neighbour as our selues as God commandeth when as naturally our hearts are void of all good thoughts towards God and towards our neighbours Againe whence comes sinning with an high hand when men sinne and will sinne whence comes it that men blesse themselus in their sinnes and flatter themselues in their owne eies while they goe on in sinne but from want of consideration of Gods presence and of Gods iudgements This Abraham knew well and therfore saide of the people of Gerar because they wanted the feare of God that is all consideration of Gods presence and of Gods iudgements therefore they would kill him for his wiues sake Whence also comes that sensualitie whereby men addict them-selues wholly to the profits pleasures and honours of this world neuer minding heauen or hell but from want of consideration of their dutie to God If men did vse to call themselues to accompt for their sinnes or did set before their eyes the iudgements of God due vnto them it could not be that there shoud be such want of contrition towards God or of compassion towards their brethren as euery where abounds And the like might be said of many other capitall sinnes all which proceede from the want of good consideration Where by the way we may obserue that our common people doe farre deceiue themselues in this perswasion of themselues that by nature they haue good hearts and good meaning If you charge them with the sinnes of their liues they will straightway plead their good intention and say though they sometime faile in action yet they meane well alwaies But the truth is naturally well meaning and good consideration spirituall thinges is altogether wanting And therfore while men doe soothe vp themselues in their good meaning they deceiue their owne hearts through ignorance of their naturall estate and they must knowe that they can neuer come vnto Christ that they might haue life till they be quite gone out of themselues in regard of such conceits CHAP. VII The vse of the former doctrine Sect. 1. That the Scripture is the word of God Hauing seene what euill thoughts be in euery man naturally what good thoughts be wanting in him it followeth now to make some vse of this doctrine concerning mans naturall Imaginations The first vse shall be against all Atheists who thinke the Scripture to be meere policie deuised by man to keepe men in awe But we are to know that the holy Scripture is no deuise of man but the very word of the euerliuing God which I thus demonstrate out of the former doctrine The Scripture saith in generall that all the Imaginations of euery naturall man are euill and that continually Nowe it doth not onely affirme this in generall but declares it also in particular for elsewhere it sheweth what those particular euill thoughts be which the naturall minde of man frameth concerning God his neighbour and himselfe Againe the same Scripture saith in generall That good thoughts and considerations are naturally wanting in euery man and elsewhere it declareth in particular what those good thoughts be which enter not into the mind of a natural man both these haue bin plainly shewed out of the word of God Nowe herevpon it doth necessarily follow that the scripture is the word of God for let the cunning Atheist shew whence it is that the scripture doth declare mans thoughts hee cannot say of man for no man knoweth the thoughts of another nay he cannot finde out his owne thoughts neither can hee ascribe it to any angell good or bad for the minde of man is hid from them they knowe not mans thoughts It remaineth therefore that as God alone is the searcher of the hearts so that Scripture which declareth vnto man what bee his thoughts is the onely word of the same God Indeed God vsed man for his instrument in the penning and deliuerie of the scripture but hee himselfe by his spirite is the sole author thereof Sect. 2. That man hath no free will to good by nature The second vse shall bee against the Papists who ascribe to mans will a naturall power to that which is truly good as by it selfe to co-worke with Gods grace in the first act of mans conuersion But the charge of euill heere layd vpon the frame of mans naturall heart by God himselfe doth teach vs otherwise for looke howe farre the frame of the minde which is the principall part of the soule is corrupt for thoughts and Imaginations so farre is the will the inferiour part of the soule corrupt in willing But the minde is naturally so corrupt that it can not thinke a good thought and therefore answerably the will by nature is so corrupt that it can not will that which is truly good If it be said that man hath libertie of will in humane actions and in ciuill duties Answ. he hath but yet such actions proceeding from a corrupt fountaine are sinnes in euery naturall man howsoeuer for the matter of the works they may be called good beeing such as God himselfe ordained Sect. 3. Of the timely preuenting and suppressing of wicked Imaginations The third vse shall be for admonition vnto them to whome is committed the education of youth as Parents Masters Tutors c. that seeing the imaginations of mans heart are euill from his youth therefore they must all ioyne hand in hand betime to stop vp or at least to lessen this corrupt fountaine Parents must sow the seedes of grace into the minds of their young children that if it were possible euen at their mothers breasts they might be nourished in the faith Thus dealt Lois and Eunice with their young Timothie for Paul saith he learned the holy Scriptures of an infant Then as their children grow in descretion and vse of reason they must be nurtered in religion and haue the grounds thereof by often repetition driuen into their hearts for this is the best meanes to free their minds though not altogether from naturall Imaginations yet from the force and poison thereof for follie is bound to the heart of a childe but the rodde of teaching that is instruction with correction will driue it away from him yea when as the child set at libertie makes his mother ashamed yet will the sonne that is well instructed giue his father rest yeild delight vnto his soule Further where Parents leaue there Maisters and Tutours must take hold building vp that good foundation which is layde to their hand that by them also the streame of mans naturall Imaginations may bee stopped yea though parents should neglect this dutie towards their owne children as too many doe at this day yet each godly master if hee desire to haue Gods church in his house must in struct his familie as Abrahā did and labour for circumcision of heart both to his children seruants euen as
hath not true repentance in his heart Thirdly we must seeke to reforme our minde of euill thoughts this is a further matter then reformation of life And it is expressely commanded by the holy ghost Be ye renued in the spirit of your minds that is in the most inward and secret part of your soules euen where the thoughts and imaginations are framed and cōceiued This duty must be remembred for Christian religion consisteth not in outward shewes and behauiour though thereby we may giue comfortable testimony of Gods inward graces but it standes principally in the mind and in the heart which must therefore be reformed with the powers and faculties thereof CHAP. VIII Rules for the reformation of our euill thoughts Sect. 1. Our thoughts must be brought into obedience to God FOr the reformation of our thoughts sundrie rules must be obserued first That we bring all our thoughts into the obedience of God Euery man will grant that words and actions must be in subiection but I say further euery thought in the mind must be conceiued in obedience to God and no otherwaies Salomon saith establish thy thoughts by counsell which may admit this meaning that a man must not conceiue a thought in his minde vnlesse he haue counsell and warrant from the word of God so to thinke And S. Paul saith The weapons of our warrefare speaking of the preaching of the gospell are not carnall but mightie through God to throw downe holds casting downe the Imaginations and every thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ giuing vs to vnderstand that those who submit themselues to the ministrie of the word must be of this mind not onely to be conformable therevnto in word and action but in every thought of their minde euen those must bowe the knee to Christ howsoeuer with men we say thought is free yet with God it is not so And indeed he which hath effectually receiued the grace of Christ will endeauour to yeild obedience as well in thought as in word and action Whatsoeuer things are true saith Paul Whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust pure and pertaine to loue whatsoeuer things are of good report if there be any vertue if there be any praise he saith not onely doe these things but thinke on these things where the commandement is plaine that a mans thoughts must be holy pure iust and of such things as are praiseworthy and of good report that so they may be conceiued in obedience to God Sect. 2. Of the guarding of our hearts The second rule for the reformation of our thoughts is giuen by Salomon keepe or countergard thy heart aboue all watch and ward that is guard and keepe thy heart more thē any thing that is watched or guarded whether citie house treasure or such like and the reason adioyned sheweth the necessities of the rule for out of it come the issues of life In the right guarding of the heart three duties must be performed first we must couenant with our outward senses resoluing fully with our selues by Gods grace that none of them shal be the instruments the beginning or occasion of any sinne in heart or life This couenant Iob made with his eies not to looke vpon a maid to lust after her And David prayed the Lord to direct and keepe his eies from beholding vanitie Now looke how these holy men dealt with their eyes so must wee proportionably deale for all the outward senses of our body bynding them all after their example from being the meanes of prouocation to any sinne This dutie is most necessarie for the outward senses be the doores windowes of the soule and vnlesse good care be had thereto the deuill will enter in by them and fill the soule with all corruption Secondly we must obserue our euill thoughts and at their first arysing stop and restraine them not suffering them to take any place in our hearts this is a speciall meanes to preserue and guard the heart for frō the thoughts proceede all bad desires corrupt affections euill words actions the minde must first conceiue before the will can desire or the affections bee delighted or the members of the bodie practise any thing so that whatsoeuer is of a loose life and bad behauiour it commeth from the prophanesse of his heart in evill thoughts neither can it bee hoped that any man should reforme his life that will not guard his heart and keepe his mind from wicked imaginations the deuill cannot worke his will vpon mans affections or preuaile ouer mans will but by thoughts therefore it is necessarie that the first motions of euill in the minde bee restrayned at the beginning Thirdly wee must with all care cherish and maintaine every good motion of Gods spirit that is caused in vs by the ministerie of the word or by the aduise of Gods children for these are the sparkes and flames of grace which Paul meaneth when he saith quench not the spirit Sect. 3. Of the eleuation of the heart to God Thirdly for the reformation of our thoughts wee must often vse eleuation of minde and heart to heauen where Christ sitteth at the right hand of his father Thus did Dauid vnto thee oh Lord doe I lift vp my soule And Paule saying of himselfe other Christians that they had their conversation in heauen signifieth thus much that not onely their studies and meditations but also their dealings in the worlde were heauenly S. Iames bids vs drawe neere to God nowe which way should a poore wretch here below drawe neere to God but by lifting vp his heart to the throne of grace in heauen that so God in mercie may drawe neere vnto him by grace The Lord hath instituted in his Church the vse of his last supper wherein the giuing and receiuing of bread and wine doth represent and seale vp vnto vs our communion and participation of the bodie and blood of Christ giuen for our redemption Now the principall action on our behalfe therein required is this Eleuation of the heart vnto God as well for the contemplation of Gods infinite mercie in Christ of Christs endlesse loue to vs as for the application of his merits to our owne soules by the hand of faith as also for the spirituall resignation of ourselues in soules and bodies by way of thankfulnes to him that hath redeemed vs. Further touching this Eleuation wee must remember that it ought to be our continuall and ordinarie action vnto God for as it is with him that keepes a clocke vnlesse hee doe euery day winde vp the weights which are alwaies going downeward the clocke will stand so it fareth with vs our hearts are euer drawing towards the earth and the thinges heere below by reason of that bodie of sinne which hangeth on so fast and presseth downe and