pleasures and are full fraught with cogitations desires thereof 10 And if wee doe obserue that cōmon condition of ordinary Proselites that eyther they worshippe they know not what through the wilfull ignorance that is in them or else through pride and curiosity they are still to seek how to worship God each day and example prouing an occasion to change their iudgements in the mater or maner of diuine worship at the least and that because hereby they would still take some occasion of carnall liberty as imagining they are not bound in obedience to what they are not resolued of and so they will neuer bee resolued how to serue God that they may not serue him at all as this necessarily occasioneth much staggering in what they doe so by reason of this staggering in their minds how can they chuse but be pestered with multitudes of wandring and disturbing thoughts of Feare of themselues iudging of others c. 11 Hereunto furthers that manner of Preaching in these dayes among some suiting by the diuine iustice with the common ayme of the baser people Which being onely to retayne the credite and forme of Religion to deny the power thereof to rest in what may giue contentment to the flesh reiecting that which may abase the same and therefore willing to grace and countenance what may sort therewith hating those that rebuke in the Gate and aduancing such as crye peace eyther by not medling with sinne at all or else by making a mock of it with their politicke and carnall glancings at the same Is it any maruell if now in steade of powerfull teaching they are fitted with the enticing wordes of mans wisedome eyther with such matter as may bee mysticall and profound exceeding to their capacities or with such as may nourish sinne by it colde reproofe thereof And doth not this proue a means to nourish vaine Thoughts eyther that it is not the word of God or that the Lord is like vnto them That Preaching is but policie c. 12 Especially that which encreaseth and confirmeth these vaine and wandring Thoughts in diuine worshippe Is our customarie and carnall keeping of the Sabboth Wherein seeing the Lord requireth the whole and entire concurrence of the whole man of his Thoughts wholy to delight in him of his Wordes to speake altogether of heauenly things of his actions sutable thereunto the Naturall man beeing not able to conceiue this spirituall worshippe or if he doe yet thinking it impossible or vnreasonable to bee so restrayned measuring the worshipppe of God by the acceptance of man who sees and regards the appearance not the hart doth therefore content himselfe with bodily seruice willingly giues way to the vanity of the mind and so the bridle is let loose to its own corruption and Sathan fostering the same by furthering variety of obiects hereunto and casting moreouer into the heart multitudes of carnall and prophane Thoughts Is it any maruell if the like liberty be taken in other dayes at other times that the heart in the performance of them may roue and wander after vanitie 13 And hereunto further the false conceit of that Liberty which the Lord hath giuen as to follow out owne affayres on the sixe dayes Wherein seeing we presume that wee now are exempted from seruing of God or else that wee may serue him onely so farre as that our owne times must bee first serued wee must serue him for our owne sakes and not for his glory As this hath proued an occasion to the most to renounce altogether the worshippe of God on the other dayes as if now they had no leasure they should wrong themselues and disobey Gods will so if any such duties bee performed yet the conceit of this libertie for the world so cuttalls and subiects them to any worldly occasions as that it is no maruell that as they are begun vpon such groūds rather that wee may prosper in the world then God may bee honoured so they are suited with carnall matter as rather for thinges of this life then those of a better and so they are performed in carnall manner with worldly Thoughts carnall affections and so haue no better then a carnall issue God may giue vs our desire and yet send leannesse into our soules Psal 1. to 15. Wee may haue our reward in this life profite pleasure credit c. Math. 7.8 God will not bee beholding to vs for his seruice but giues vs our wages in hand but as for the things of a better life as wee doe not principally seeke them nay do but conceit them for our present vse so no meruayle if wee misse of thē in the end as hauing our portion in this life 14 And doth not the conceit of our Abilitie to serue God of our selues a thing incident to euery naturall man to thinke hee is man good enough to doe God seruice of his owne libertie and power and that rather God is beholding to him for his seruice then hee any whit indebted to God for the same doth not this conceit I say iustly prouoke the Lord to leaue vs to our owne counsels that in his worship our hearts being puffed vp with conceits of their worth shall be iustly confounded therin by these carnall imaginations and ends which ayme at no better then this life which sauour onely or principally of earthly things euen when they are worshipping the God of heauen 15 And doth not that conceit of Merite which bewitcheth vsually the naturall man vpon the former false ground of his ability to worship God doth not this I say robbe God of his glory and Christ of his merite and so prouoke the Lord to leaue vs to such carnall and bodily seruice thoughts therevnto that so wee may bee confounded in our confidence and reape the whirlewinde of mens prayses and worldly contentment while we sow the winde of our owne prowd and vaine glorious hearts 16 Lastly whereas the worship of God being spirituall is therefore principally performed with the heart affections and so with the outward man onely furthethering thereto and expressing the same Hereupon many conceiuing that bodyly seruice profiteth nothing as indeede it doth not of it selfe nay rather that the letter killeth or at least wise hindereth our spirituall worship haue therefore growne to strange conclusions and practise as that the word is too scant a rule for holinesse or too base a string to tune the same That the seruice of the bodie is either altogether needlesse or combersome in the worship of God who must bee worshipped in the spirit and so haue vanished into fearefull courses of singularitie and separation Of singularitie as fancying to themselues strange dreames reuelations in steade of the word or adding their owne inuentions and fancies to supply the same And so of separation as forsaking the societie that submit to the ordinances of God as Nouices or carnal worshippers as time-seruers and wil worshippers as a prophane people that
Iustifying of God and his righteous iudgements against him to the abasing and confounding of the pride of the flesh and the aduancement of the merite of Christ as being onely auaileable for his recouery onely sufficient to the perfection of his Sanctification that God may haue the onely glory of all his mercy And this I lay downe as a Description of Tâ—oughtes in generall because naturally they are onely euill continually the best are not without some mixture of corruption sufficient without Gods rich mercy to conuince and confound not onely all naturall but euen all spirituall inherent righteousnesse that so all pride of flesh may be abased and the Lord only aduanced in his free goodnes mercy CHAP. II. Vses to be made in generall of our Thoughts 1 VVHereas Hypocrisie vsually makes a fayrer shew in Religion then doth sinceritie in regard of outward shewes and and actions yet herein is the honour of Sinceritie this the triall hereof euen by making conscience of Thoughts this is the prerogation of Grace to keepe rule in the inward man to captiuate the imaginations and subdue the Thoughts to the obedience of Christ 1. Cor. 10.4 Onely the Regenerate man makes conscience of the 10. Commandement concerning lustful thoughts and desires and so herein makes conscience of all the rest Math. 5. 2. Whereas in regard of the varietie and intricatenes of our thoughts yea indeed their infinitenesse in a manner we cannot take notice of them and so neither of our owne hearts howsoeuer this to the carnall man may be an occasion of prophanenesse and hypocrisie yet to the regenerate it proues a gratious means to deny our selues and renounce our owne righteousnesse that we may be found in Christ Ioh. 9. 3. Phil. 10.11 3. Seeing securitie is the most damnable and feareful delusion that Christians may bee subiect vnto as nourishing all cursed hypocrisie and preparing by the ripening of sinne to sudden and vnauoydable vengeance There is not a better helpe to preuent the same then the meditation and obseruation of our thoughts as yeelding continuall matter of feare humiliation c. 4. Whereas the Lord vseth meanes to the preuention of euill and therefore not onely hath so left the minde of man as that it is a continuall fountain to yeeld such strange and monstrous thoughts but further also leaues it to Sathan who pestereth it ofttimes with worlds of horrible imaginations and temptations to euill And this to preuent the actions of sin and custome therein Therefore this vse may wee make of our Thoughts either to recall sinne past vnrepented of or to preuent some sinne we are subiect vnto or to stir vp to some such dutie as we haue neglected and growne cold in 5 Whereas the Lord is the searcher of the hearts reines hee knoweth our Thoughts long before therefore as this may settle the heart against that secret Atheisme that saith in his heart there is no God so it may further vs to sinceritie-to labour trueth in the inward man to do all things as in Gods presence to approue the heart in al things vnto God 6 Whereas the Lord hath so estated vs in this life as that we haue no abiding Citie here but as strangers are trauelling to what is aboue hereunto especially furthers the consideration of our Thoughts As being continuall matter to vnsettle vs in any repose of this life and gratious meanes to prouoke vs to hunger after perfection glory in the life to come where wee shall bee free from these inborne neighbours and noysome companions haunting vs in all occasions places and times being present with vs wheÌ„ we should do good and alwayes conuincing vs of euill when wee do our best who shall not now desire to be rid of this body of sin that wee may more freely and intirely serue our blessed God 7. Lastly this Doctrine of Thoughts will proue an excellent spurre for our encouragement to all conscionable holinesse For as our Thoughts are so will bee our words and actions labour we to rectifie them and all will be conformable CHAP. IV. Of good Thoughts and such temptations as are incident hereunto VVHat good Thoghts are Namely The sole and immediate Motions and Operations of the Spirit of God illightning the vnderstanding with knowledge of good things and so stirring vp Thoughts and Motions to affect and embrace the same and so to constant practise herein I say they are the sole immediate motions and operations of Gods spirit thereby to distinguish them from all euill motions which arise from corrupt Nature and so to strip Nature of any interest in them and to giue the Glory of all good in vs vnto God in whom we liue and moue and haue our being whose it is to giue the will and the deede of whom is our sufficiency euen to the thinking of a good Thought 1 Cor. 3.5 2. I adde how they are wrought in vs by Gods Spirit namely by illightning the vnderstanding with the knowledge of good things Expressing therin the materiall cause of these thoughts Namely that they are bred of the knowledge of good and holy things not that naturall diuine knowledge remayning in corruption which neither at all reacheth to the Deere knowledge of the true good neither enable the knowledge of what it tenders to bee particularly conceiued and applyed of vs but a spirituall knowledg from the perfect light wherby it conceiues the will of God and what concernes the same and so As it followeth prouokes the Thoughts to an actuall constant approuing and practising of the will of God And herein they are differenced from all the Thoughts of Hypocrites which are but Flashes and Tasts neuer enabling to action at least not to constancie therein Of the diuers kinds of good Thoughts These are generally Two 1. Extraordinarie such as were occasioned by Reuelations Dreames as to the Prophets and Apostl s of old and these either concerning their owne estates or the generall condition of the Church as to Esay Ieremie c. And also to peculiar and priuate men as to Princes Dan. 2. and 4. Genes 41. so Ioseph Luk. 1. Mat. 1. And these good Thoughts are common to good and bad As being sent of the Lord either to warne them and bring them to repentance or else to make them without excuse as may appeare in the case of Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar Ieremie c. Secondly these Thoughts are ordinarily raysed by the blessed Spirit of God guiding the heart and stirring vp therein good motions and these also are diuers according to the different working and measure of the Spirit in diuers subiects For either the Spirit onely illightens the minde with some supernaturall knowledge and so thereupon offers motions and stirs vp Thoughts and so desires and affections to the truth And these may bee in the wicked and vnregenerate as seruing to puffe vppe to entertaine worldly ends to benefit others and happily further their saluation to make our selues without excuse Or else
vpon pretence to better themselues and avoyde these offences forsaken our assemblies and refused their true guide and light to know God and themselues by and so indeed by the iustice of God haue bene giuen vp to all vanitie and peruersnesse of error and endlesse wandrings Not onely condemning our Communion as abominable and monstrous and yet still chopping and changing their iudgements therein sometimes we are a Church sometimes no Church but a Synagogue of Antichrist heare vs they will but not ioyne with vs But herein also iustly condemning themselues in condemning vs as renouncing that conuersion which if euer they had any as themselues vndertake they had they had it among vs And so condemning all truth of Gods former graces in them as no better then hypocrisie and so beginniâ—g againe with Rebaptization New constitutions And â— t still as wee to beginne as euer not knowing what to hold euery day affoording a new conceit according to the giddines of their spirits and iustice of God especially giuing them vp to endlesse mazes and coyning of new fangled conceits and so insteed of broaching conceits of puritie and perfection haue bene giuen vp to fearefull errors of Atheisme and Libertinisme and so thereby giuen vp to all licentiousnes and grosse prophanenesse As herein the iustice of God is admirable in meating vnto them such recompence of error as is meet so hath it bin my instruction to bee wise with sobrietie And finding sufficient in our Churches to saluation to set vp my rest herein in all humilitie and thankfulnesse and so to labour the improuing of such gifts and meanes which are plentifully offered herein for the seruing of my selfe and others And thus the rather haue I bene resolued in when I obserue others though at the first stumbling at corruptioÌ„s in regard of the tendernesse of conscience and happily being carryed through ignorance with the faire shewes of such as haue gone out froÌ„ our societie haue the rather conceited of their way least they should proue vncharitable in iudging them by not siding with them yet now vpon some experience of their way better discerning of things haue grown by Gods mercy to a setling of their iudgements in subiectioÌ„ to the light that shines amoÌ„g vs so by the blessing of God vpon their labors persons haue bene approued therein to God and to the Churches As this hath bene a further confirmation vnto me to labour the Peace of the Churches and submit with all conscience thereunto so it hath affoorded much more peace to my soule and comfort in my labours And therefore as I haue found that wauering and vnsetlednesse of iudgement is a principall ground of all such vanitie and peruersenesse of thoughts that do pester vs in diuine worship so I may safely conclude that where the minde once is setled in what it should doe and how to perform the same this is a gratious euidence of the cleansing of this corrupt puddle This shall make our thoughts affections more pure and intentiue in the worship of God And therefore howsoeuer we may yet be troubled with the same when wee know what we do endeuour after the best manner to perfâ—rme the same yet herein is our comfort that the Lord will not be seuere to mark what is done amisse if there bee a willing minde in his seruice that we iustifie God in doing his will thogh therein we iudge our selues for our fayling therein As considering that in this life wee are labouring to peâ—fection and haue not yet attained and therefore as it is our perfection then to see our Imperfection because thereby we euidence our hold in Christ and not in our selues who is our righteousnrsse and sanctification that hee that reioyceth may reioyce in the Lord 1. Cor. 1.30 So by the dayly sense of our faylings conuinced by the imaginations and dayly rebellions of our hearts wee shall bee prouoked dayly to renue our â—ight in Christ Iesus and so receyuing daily new strength and grace from that fountaine we shal bee enabled thereby to proceede in grace and in euerie good worke that so wee in him may attaine to perfection and follow hard after the marke for the price of our high calling in Christ Iesus our Lord Phil. 3.12.14 As remembring that this life is the Time of combating and wrastling with corruptions not of full victorie ouer them And therefore if wee striue lawfully we shall obtaine if we giue not ouer them they in the end will giue ouer vs. And therefore if now we can still groane to bee disburthened of these trouble-houses and sigh to bee pertakers of the heauenly communion where wee shall bee freede from all these noysome guests This is our Euidence that already wee haue got the better of them and in the end shal be quite ridde of them Especially for the healing of this Fluxe of vaine and wandering thoughts labour wee to receiuc the Word and all other duties as the Worde of God as in the presence of God propounding the maine end which is our conformity to God our obedience to his Will being wise to trye the Spirites and holde that which is good so shall our hearts bee set vpon the Lord in holy duties so shall they not roue at any by-obiects eyther of the Minister his faylings to stumble at therein or at any other vaine complement that may distract vs. Aboue all bring faith to the practise of all Gods ornances namely a perswasion that God commaunds them 2. an euidence that wee doe them not to merite but in obedience to God in thankefulnesse to him for his vnspeakeable loue in Christ that by the power of Christ wee are enabled thereto that through the merite of Christ we shal bee accepted and so shal this immoderate Fluxe be graciously healed Vses of these wandring thoghts both for The tryall of our mastery ouer them and also for our comfort in regard of such remaindure as will necessarily accompany vs in this our Pilgrimage Howsoeuer we haue vndertaken to prescribe a remedie against these wandring thoughts encumbring of vs in the worship of God yet lest wee might bee discouraged in the vse of the remedie as imagining it to be altogether ineffectuall so may question the truth of Gods grace in vs. Consider we first that as it is impossible so long as corruption remaines to bee quite free from such noisom guests but that whatsoeuer meanes we vse we shall bee molested with them continually because our life is a conâ—inuall warfare between the flesh and spirit wee are yet in the state of growing so of imperfection so wee are not therefore to dispayre that we haue done no good because wee haue not attayned what this life cannot affoord Onely herein may bee our comforte that in obedience to Gods will wee maintaine the combate vsing such remedies as are prescribed thereunto and this shall bee our euidence that wee still walke within our bounds and so may bee sure of Gods
outward behauiour vpon presumption that we may think loosely should hereupon breede security and putting the euill day farre from vs. Is not this the next way to vnavoydable destruction 1. Thess 5.3 To conclude As the Law so the Prophets haue condemned euill thoughts Pro. 12.20 It is an argument of deceite to imagine euill Ecclo 4.8 hee that deuiseth to doe euill shall be called a mischieuous person Es 29.16 57.11 Ez. 11.2 Ie 18.18 and 48.2 Os 7.15 Psal 94.11 and 119.118.3 Zeph. 7. Mich. 2.1 Lastly that Thoughts are not free appeares out of the Gospell 1 For our Sauiour Christ reproues the Iewes and his Disciples for their euill thoughts Math. 9.4 Math. 16.7 Mar. 8.17 2 Sheweth that from the heart proceed euill thoughts adulteries fornications and murthers Mark 7.21 3 Accepteth of the thoghts and purposes and his Saints that they fayle in Act and so on the contrary condemneth the thoughts of the wicked 4 Sheweth that men are iudges of their owne euill thoughts Iacob 24. 5 And seeing the spirite doth ascribe vnto loue the bond of perfection that it thinketh not euil what doth it else hereby but condemne euill thoughts 1. Cor. 13.5 6 Are not the thoughts of the Idiot conuinced by the power of the word 1. Cor. 14.25 therefore they are sinne 7 The spirit reproueth the world of sinne but what the spirit reproueth is sinne The spirit reproueth the thoughts Therefore they are sinne Ioh. 16. 8 Can any clean thing come foorth of that which is vncleane the fountaine of our thoughts is vncleane therefore that which flowes there from Iob. 14.5.6 9 And seeing inquisition shall be made for our thoughts seeing God shall iudge the thoughts of our owne hearts by his word Therefore certainely they a e euill and abominable before the Lord. 10 Lastly those manifold absurdities which doe ensue vpon this conceit are plaine euidences that thoghts are not free As that Gods gouernment in the heart is denyed and so God who is a spirit renounced The right Nature and vse of the Law abolished as being spiritual and reaching to the thoughts The fall of man disclaymed The combate betweene the flesh and Spirit denyed c. Ro. 7. Answer to the Reasons And therefore though the Law of man punish not all but only such as tend to the preseruation of gouernment yet this rather argueth that mans Law is partiall and defectiue theÌ„ that our thoghts are exempted therefroÌ„ Nay seeing the Law of man pretends it descent from the law of God and subordination thereunto therefore seeing the Law of God reacheth to the thoughts therefore either the law of man must also extend thereunto or else it comes short of that perfection which is in the Law of God But if wee obserue the iudiciall proceedings euen of mans law wee shall find that it chalengeth some soueraintie ouer the thoghts In that it not only by oaths requires an answer to what may bee demanded for the clearing of the truth where as by a consequent the thoughts and purposes of euill may be often scanned as seruing either to aggrauate the fact or to diminish the same but as in case of treason so also in many other meeteth as well with the thoughts of euill as the actions thereof Howsoeuer let God be true and euery man a lyar Let it bee the glory of Gods Law to bee spirituall reaching to the inmost thoughts to procure sinceritie And let it be the humiliation of mans law that while it onely or principally binds the outward man it may proue hereby in some an occasion of hypocrisie And yet if we shall obserue that euen the law of man bindes the conscience in it subordination to the law of God euen in all things that are commanded thereby doth it not hereby also chalenge some power ouer the mind and thoughts according to which the coÌ„science is enformed so tied And therfore as it is an argument of sinceritie euen wherein it bindes man therein not of fashion or custome but euen of conscience to submit thereto so let it be the glory and priuiledge of sinceritie to obey God aboue man to make coÌ„science of thoughts which the law of man doth not reach vnto yea making conscience of all things agreeable to the will of God Answere to the second Iustifying the Lord euen to the confusion of it selfe That though it cannot auoyde euill thoughts yet herein not to sit down and giue way vnto them as if it were bootelesse and impossible but seeing through God wee are able to doe all things and we are the souldiers of Christ and therefore must dayly fight against our sinnefull lusts shall wee not then endeavor what we cannot seeing the Lorde accepts our purposes and will crown his own worke with a gracious ordering holy curbing of our rebellious thoughts that they shall rather be spurres to well doing then quench the spirite of God Answer to the â—hird And therefore in regarde of their suddennesse and vnseasonable importunitie howsoeuer no reason can bee giuen of them yet as herein they are condemned by the law because they are exorbitant and reasonlesse so the wise heart will not fayle to nippe them as hee can single them out or in generall to be humbled for their corruption and exorbitancie that so he may not bee iudged of the Lord for them Answer to the fourth And that because though they seeme to hurt none yet are they aberrations of the law from God they are the greatest galls to an holy heart that would shine intirely solace it selfe in it God And they hurt also others many wayes as hindering vs from doing that good vnto them which wee ought and prouoking to many euils of Anger couetousnes murther slaÌ„der c. to the endangering of the lifes good name yea the soule of our brother Yea in that they generally hinder the doing of much good and indeede are the grounds of all euill are they not therefore more especially to bee iudged and reformed Answere to the fifth As for Poâ—ish resting in bodily seruiceâ—â— not so much as requiring tâ—e heart much lesse ordering the Thoughts thereof Let this bee their glory that reioyce in the Flesh and haue their reward in this life yea let this bee their shame that whereas they stand onely vpon making cleane the outside of the Platter not regarding the inward man Are they not iustly confouÌ„ded in their fayre shew in the Flesh giuing libertie thereto with all greedinesse while they seeme to haue it in no estimation and abolishing all order and gouernment amongst men while they seeme especially to aduance the same while they vndertake the protection thereof Is not the Lord iust to take these fooles in their craftinesse that while they stand onely vpon complement and formality vpon conformity of the outward man they breake out to all desperate wickednesse for the rooting out of mankind and desolation of Gouernement The like may wee answere to the ciuill honest man and formall
again into the same sinnes as Abraham and Sarah did though they should fall fâ—â— one grosse sinne into another through the deceitfulnesse of sinne and violence oftentation as Dauid did and so make a foule bread euen into the synceritie of their hearts yet herein also may they haue some tryall of their sinceritie by the power of their thoughts As that they are more sensible of sinne the more they are deceiued by it 2 They are more humbled for it and testifie greater hatred and detestation of the fame 3 And are more tender compassionate in iudging of others 4 Yea more wise to auoyd the occasions therof 5 And more profitable in teaching forewarning others to do the like Psa 51.6 More weaned from the loue of the world more desirous of prepared to their dissolution Lastly because often falling into the same sinnes against light of conscience and experience of Gods grace in preuenting or mastering the same prooues an occasion to offer violence euen to the purest thoughts and holyest purposes and so to chalenge the sincerity of the heart and thereby proues a meanes of wounding the conscience and affecting yea swallowing vp the same with intollerable griefes and horrors yea with hellish and desperate pangs whereby our estate in sincerity is specially questioned because there appeares no hope of recouery in that hereby there will follow a refusall of meanes which may recouer or a peruerting of them to our deeper plunging in this horrible pit of despayre Yet herein also may wee raise vp vnto our selues many euidences of our sinceritie euen by the holy temper and swaying of our thoughts And that first by returning our thoughts to what experience wee haue formerly had of the goodnesse and faithfulnesse of our God refreshing vs with sound peace of heart and ioy in the holy Ghost Whereby as we may make this collection that seeing the graces of God are without repentance therefore hee that hath loued vs once will loue vs to the end Ioh. 13. So hereby may we gather sound assurance for our vpholding in tentation and recouery out of the same A 2. vse of our thoughts in these tentations of despayre is that we think not so much vpon the extremitie of the tentation as vpon the power of God and his promise vppon his word and pledges that he hath giuen vs for recouery out of the same and this shall also gratiously sustain vs in the present brunt and fasten vs vpon the Lord for assurance of his loue A third vse of our thoghts for tryall in this day of tentation is to consider that as the Lord doth not esteeme vs as we are in tentation but as he hath accepted vs in his Sonne more then conquerors so we should not thinke and measure our selues by tentation but by our interrest in Christ 4 Especialiy seeing our mostâ— vile and fearefull thoughts in these cases are Sathans iniections and ten ations not our owne purposes and desires as appeareth both by our greeuing and complaining of them by our disclaimâ—ng of them when wee come to our selues haue we not by this doctrine of thoughts this gracious euidence that though Sathan seeke to aggrauate our affliction and presse vs downe therein by accusing vs of these thoghts as if wee now were vtterly past hope c. yet in that they are not ours they shall not be imputed vnto vs but rather prouoke the Lord by such blasphemies to bee auenged of Sathan who dishonoureth his name and abuseth his workemanship by such odious contumelies and so thereby to deliuer vs out of his hands The last vse of this Treatise is for comfort and that many wayes 1 To those which are not yet called that they may hope for their calling in due time and hasten the same Not that there is in any naturally any true hope of theiâ— calling or any meanes to further the same but that the powerfull and wise Lord for his glory turnes those things about which in them selues hinder the same to be meanes notwithstanding to hope for and hasten their calling As first this doctrine of thoughts discouering hereby our vtter inability to grace prooues a gratious meanes to cast vs wholy out of ourselues and so to prouoke vs to faint for the true remedie And the rather because if once the Lord awaken the conscience by the Law and so discouer what heretofore we were ignorant of namely not onely that lust is euill but that eueÌ„ our very thoghts without consent deserue eternall damnation as this to the naturall man proues a means of further rebellion because the wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God and cannot bee subiect to him Rom. 8.7 So hereby our thoghts become more outragious and vnreasonable setting the whole man on fire with the rage thereof and so depriuing him of all rest and carnall peace Yea for the coÌ„fouÌ„ding all conceit of perfect happinesse in himselfe that hereby hee must necessarily bee constrayned to seeke for peace else where And doth not the law now prooue a Schoolemaster to send him vnto Christ that so by faith in the Son of God he may finde peace to his soule Gal. 3 27. Rom. 5.1 In our Regenerate Estate they also serue for comfort and that many wayes First in regard of our Imperfections and faylings in holy duties As first approuing hereby vnto vs the truth of our Estate in grace by this imperfection of our Sanctification and so comforting of vs that the Lord which hath begunne the worke will perfect it and in the meane time will accept what he giues and magnifie his power in our weaknesse that hee may haue the glory 2 Cor. 12.8.9 Mal. 1.6 Phil. 3.12.13 And so renuing vs hereby dayly in the merite of his sonne that stil we may be found in him not hauing our own righteousnesse that in him we may daily bring forth more fruit Iohn 15.3 and so through his power be kept vnto saluatioÌ„ by the alsufficiency of his sacrifice be dayly presented blamelesse before God and so enabled to attaine perfection 3 And seeing no other thing befals vs herein but what hath happened to the most holy beloued sons of God by adoption as this may comfort that seeing they haue attayned and yet without vs shall not bee perfected therefore wee also shall in due time reape if we faint not If our case were singular from them wee might despayre but hauing now with them the same common way of imperfection wee shall also with them attaine vnto perfection 4 If wee consider that it is not so much the outward worke as the purpose and truth of heart which God respects therefore if there be a willing minde though it bee in weakenesse we haue a certaine promise that God will not quench the smoking Flaxe that is if it be but a mite hee will accept it 2 In regard of our relapses and decayes from former measure of Grace wee may also raise much comfort by the carriage of our thoughs