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
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
and most ignorant should knowe and vnderstand the holy Scripture for els he would neuer haue penned them in a phrase style that doth so well accord to the capacitie of the simple II. Point The decree it selfe I will henceforth curse the ground no more for mans cause This is the peremptorie lawe of God touching the restauration of nature wherein are contained two things first what God hath done secondly what God will not doe hereafter The thing that God hath done is the cursing of the earth for he saith I will curse no more implying that he once cursed it In this obserue that God may truly be said to be a cause of curses and to curse his creatures not onely for that he doth ordaine and decree all curses but also because he inflicteth them vpon the creatures yet so as the same is alwaies most iustly deserued by sinne before it be inflicted of the Lord. And so must Gods cursing of the earth be vnderstood in this place as a fruit of his wrath for the sinne of man accordingly God is said directly to create euill because whatsoeuer afflictions curses and punishments are in the world they are ordained and inflicted by God vpon the creatures for the sinne of man This plainly confuteth the common opinion of ignorant people who hold that all good things as peace wealth ioy and felicitie come from God but all euill as affliction calamitie curses iudgements come from the deuill and God onely suffereth theÌ„ This is a most erroneous and blind conceipt which filleth many a soule with much anguish and impatience for what comfort can he haue in the time of trouble that is perswaded it commeth wholly from the deuill and the hand of God is not therein We therefore must learne to reforme this opinion and know that crosses and troubles come from God This Dauid knew well and therefore when Shemi cursed him and railed on him he forbad Abâ—shai to touch him because saith he what if or it may be God hath bid him curse Dauid so Ioseph telleth his brethren who most traiterously sold him into Egypt that the Lord sent him before them Secondly here consider the impulsiue cause that moued God to curse the earth by a flood it was not in the earth but in men I wil henceforth curse the earth no more for man that is for mans sinnes In the newe Testament there are two especiall sinnes recorded for which God sent this curse first carnall securitie They were choaked with worldly cares and drowned in earthly pleasures in the daies of Noah they did eat and drinke marrie and giue in marriage Matth. 24. 38. Secondly the contempt of the Gospell in the ministerie of Noah who preached an hundred and twentie yeares vnto them while the Arke was in building but they were disobedient as S. Peter saith following their owne pleasures and delights Whereby it appeares that these two sinnes Securitie and contempt of the Gospel are most grieuous sinnes for these brought destruction not onely vpon all mankind Noah and his familie excepted but euen vpon all creatures that liued by breath Now looke as these sinnes were in the old world euen so are they rife in this last age according to the prophecie of our sauiour Christ as it was in the daies of Noah so shall it bee in the daies of the son of man and as this is the state of the whole world so it is the state of this our Church most men are drowned in the pleasures of this world choked with the cares thereof for howsoeuer they will heare the Gospell preached yet few apply their hearts to beleeue the same shewing forth the power therof by repentaÌ„ce froÌ„ dead works amendment of life in new obedience But we must know that if these two sins brought a curse euen destruction vpon the old world then no doubt they will bring a fearfull curse vpon this age though not by water yet some other way that shall countervaile the flood and therefore we must lay these things to our hearts that vnles we abandon securitie and worldly lustes and withall doe repent and beleeue at the preaching of the gospell we shall see that gods heauie curse will fall vpon vs for if we match the old world in sinne wee must not looke to come behinde them in iudgements The second thing in this decree is what God will not doe hereafter Namely curse the earth any more this must be vnderstood of that particular curse which the Lord laide on the earth by waters when he drowned the world for the generall curses that were laid vpoÌ„ the ground and on mankind for Adams sinne remaine still and shall not be taken quite away till the end of the world so that the meaning of this lawe is that the Lord will no more drowne the whole earth for the sinne of man by a flood Here then wee see the cause why the sea being as raging and stirring as euer it was doth notwithstanding keepe it selfe within it boundes and not ouerflow the world and why the clowdes beeing as full of water as euer they were doe not powre downe more floods vpon the earth to destroy it Surely it is by vertue of this particular lawe and decree of God whereunto the sea and clowds become obedient I will henceforth curse the earth no more And here we haue iust occasion to take knowledge and veiw of our owne wretched and damnable estate how we are sold vnder sinne for howsoeuer we were created blessed and happie yet by our fall in Adam we are become far worse then any earthly creature for each creature in his kind as the sunne the moone and starres the sea cloudes all other obey the commandement of God but man of all creatures hauing lawes giuen him of God to keepe rebelleth in breaking the same and to him it is meate and drinke by nature to liue in the transgression of gods commandements Thus by comparing our selues with the brute creatures we may learne to humble our selues and to be abashed when we see them which were made to serue vs to goe before vs in obedience to the lawes of our creator III. Point The reason of gods decree in these words for the Imagination of mans heart is euil euen from his youth At the first this reason may seeme very strange that God should no more curse the earth for man because the Imagination of his heart is euill In all likelihood God should haue saide the contrarie I will still curse the earth because the Imaginations of mans heart are euill for so he saith Chap. 6. vers 5. 6. that seeing all the Imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart were onely euill continually therefore hee would destroy the man from the earth and from man to beast euery creeping thing Howe can both these stand together Ans. Thus In the sixt chapter the Lord saith he wil once destroy the world by water because of the
Abraham did circumcise not onely those that were borne in his familie but also those that were bought for money Both Parents and Maisters are carefull to preuent diseases to breake off sicknes at the beginning in their children and seruants which by continuance might bring bodily death oh then howe carefull ought they to bee to stop betime the course of naturall Imagination in them which without the speciall grace of God will bring eternall condemnation both to soule and bodie And the rather must this course be taken in youth and that betime because custome whether in good or euill is a second nature for teach a child in the trade of his way and when he is old he will not depart from it But can the blacke-Moore change his skinne or the leopard her spots then may he also doe good that is accustomed to doe euill herein the vices of the minde are like the diseases of the body by longer continuance they grow more incurable Yea all that studie and read the Scriptures either for their owne priuate or for the publike good must seeke by prayer to God for the sanctification of their mindes from this euill corruption least beeing left vnto themselues they become vaine in their imaginations David a man according to Gods owne heart praied at least ten times in one psalme for the teaching of God in the vnderstanding of his lawe oh then what great cause haue we so to doe whose mindes are naturally set in euill workes beeing blinde in the things of God not able to perceiue them but on the contrary wholly prone to inuent and to embrace that which is euill Sect 4. Of repentance for euill thoughts The fourth last vse shall be for practise to euery child of God for if the Imaginations of mans heart be euill from his youth then there must be repentance for secret thoughts which neuer come into action yea though we neuer giue consent of will thereto When Ioell proclaimed a fast and called the people to humiliation hee biddes them rent their he arts not their garments and Peter said to Simon Magus repent of this thy wickednes and pray God that if it be possible the thought of thy heart may bee forgiuen thee both which places doe plainly shewe that true repentance is not outward in change of speach or attire but inward in the change of the thoughts of the minde and affections of the heart And hence it is that Paule prayeth for the Thessalonians that they may be sanctified throughout in soule in bodie and spirit that is in the minde where is the framing of the thoughts Nowe if sanctification bee required in the minde then must there be repentance of the sinnes that are therein This dutie the Lord himselfe vouchsafeth to teach and therefore we must make conscience to learne and practise it if we would be truly turned to the Lord. And to mooue vs hereunto consider the reasons following First the curse of God euen the pangs and torments of the damned both in this life and after death are due to the person of man for his wicked thoughts for cursed is euery one saith Moses that continueth not in all things that are written in the law to doe theÌ„ so that hee which breaketh the law but once and that in thought only is accursed because he hath not done all things that are written therein Now wicked thoughts are a breach of the law for Salomon saith Doe not they erre that imagine euill and againe The thoughts of the wicked are an abhomination to the Lord yea the want of good thoughts is a breach of the Law for Christ saith Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy thought and therfore wicked thoughts must needes deserue this curse The fall of the deuills was most fearefull and irrecouerable though it be not certen yet most Diuines agree in this that their sinne was first in thought and therefore wicked thoughts are deadly euills Also to shew the wickednes of euill thoughts God hath set this brand vpon them since the fall of Adam that by them not onely mans body but also his minde and memorie are far sooner confounded then by outward accidents this was not so by creation and therefore it is the heauie curse of God vpon them Secondly these wicked thoughts be the roote and beginning of all â—uill in gesture word and deede there cannot be an action before there be a thought for this is the order whereby our actions are produced first the minde thinketh then that thought delighteth the affection and from that commeth consent of will after consent of will commeth execution of the action after executiou commeth trade and custome by often practise and vpon custome if the worke be euill commeth the curse which is eternall death How great a cause therefore haue we to repent vs of the wicked Imaginations of our hearts The old world indeede was drowned for their actuall abhominations but no doubt the Lord had great respect in that iudgement to their wicked thoughts which were the roote of all and therfore he mentioneth them as a cause of the flood Gen. 6. 5. In this repentance three things are required first a due examination of our heartr concerning these imaginations which we may take by the knowledge of those points before handled of mans naturall thoughts concerning God his neighbour himselfe And to further vs herein we must remember that all the euill thoughts before mentioned be in vs naturally so as if we be left to our selues when occasion is offered we will conceiue them in our mindes as that there is no God that the word of God is foolishnes c. Againe we must heare Gods word preached attentiuely apply not onely our outward senses but our mindes also thereto that so it may enter into our hearts for the word of God working in the heart will discouer vnto a man what be his thoughts This word saith the holy Ghost is mightie inoperation and sharper then any two edged sword it entreth through euen to the deuiding a sunder of the soule and the spirits the ioynts and the marrow is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart At the preaching of this word the secrets of the heart of an infidell are discouered if all prophecie saith Paul and there come in an infidell or one vnlearned he is rebuked of all men and iudged of all and so are the secrets of his heart made manifest whereupon he falleth downe and worshippeth God saying plainly God is in the prophets indeede Secondly after examination wee must pray for the pardon of our euill thoughts A plaine commandement of this duty Peter giues to Symon Magus pray to God saith he that the thought of thine heart may be forgiuen thee And vndoubtedly he that hath not grace to pray for the pardon of his evill thoughts