be demonstrated is this that evil thoughts are directly against the Law of nature they are transgressions of that naturall Law that is written in every mans heart this appears most clearly 1. In the men of the old world the great sinne which is laid to their charge and that chiefly for which they were destroyed was their evil thoughts as you may read in Gen. 6. 5. 6. 7. and Gen. 8. 21. The thoughts of their hearts were evil continually from their childhood Quer. But what Law of God did these men violate in their thoughts What Law was there then that did forbid and condemne evil thoughts every sinne is a transgression of some divine Law by what Law did they perish there was no positive written Law in the dayes of the old world the written Law was given by Moses many ages after the flood Answer that Law which those giants of the old world did transgresse in their thoughts was the Law of nature implanted in their hearts there was no Law then in being but what was written in mens nature there was no divine Scripture in the dayes of Noah but that which was written in every mans heart by the finger of God so that the first Law that was broken by mans thoughts was natures Law therefore evil thoughts are transgressions of the Law of nature 2. It appears as clearly in the sinners of the Gentiles vanity of thoughts is the Capitall crime for which they are indicted and condemned by the heart-searcher Ephes 4. 17. This I say and testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind this vanity of mind in which the Heathens walk is the vanity of their Thoughts and thus the Syriack version reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye walk not as the rest of the Gentiles Eph. 4. 17. Quae ambulant in vanâ—tate cogitatiouis suae Tremellius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cogitatio who walk in the vanity of their thoughts thus Tremellius and Trostius render the Syriack 2. As Thoughts are the actings of the mind so the vanity of the mind is the impiety impurity childishnesse and emptinesse of mans thoughts so that the Gentiles walked after their own vain thoughts they were acted by the imagination of their own evil hearts this is that great sin which is laid to the charge of those wicked ones in Jer. 31. 10. They walked after the evil thoughts and imaginations of their own hearts Deut. 29. 19. Jer. 16. 12. 2. The Heathens are more expresly indicted for their vain thoughts Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 21. They became vain in their imaginations or thoughts the scope of this 21. v. is to prove that which was affirmed in the last clause of the former verse namely that the Gentiles were left without excuse and could have no cloak for their sin because they sinned against the light and Law of nature this the Apostle demonstrates 1. Negatively 2. Affirmatively 1. The Gentiles did not worship and glorifie God according to that natural light and knowledge that was implanted in their minds Rom. 1. 27. they knowing God did not glorify him as God 2. They became vain in their thoughts thus the Syriack reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Infidel Gentiles were full of vain ungodly thoughts 1. In their worshipping of God they turned the true God into an image of their own fancy conceiving God to be like to the creatures verse 23. 2. They were full of vile unclean foolish filthy thoughts in their common conversation Hereby it is manifest that vain thoughts were the radical leading sin in the Heathens But what Law of God did they transgresse in their thoughts it is evident by the Scriptures that the Infidel Gentiles knew nothing of Moses Law in the letter of it Psal 147. 19. 20. He he hath declared his words to Jacob his Psal 147 19. His words that is the Ten Commandments or Moral Law Exod. 20. 1. called the Ten words Deut. 10. 4. 2. His statutes that is Decrees and constitutions of Gods worship 3. Judgments that is the Judiciall Laws for punishing offenders Exod. 21. 1. Psal 79. 10. statutes and Judgements to Israel he hath not done thus to any Nation that is to the Gentile-Nations as the words imports and they have not known his laws the Gentiles had not the knowledge of any of Gods written Laws either morall ceremonial or Judicial Rom. 2. 12. 14. it is expresly said that the Gentiles have not the law that is the Law of Moses and the Prophets but they had a Law written in their hearts and this is that Law which they transgressed now when the Apostle would demonstrate that the Gentiles sinned against the light of Nature he mentions their vain thoughts as their grand sin Rom. 1. 21. So then 't is most apparant that vain thoughts are transgressions and violations of the Common-Law of nature therefore thoughts are not free Secondly evil thoughts are expresly condemned by the Royall Law of love published in the holy Scriptures 1. The written law is spirituall extending to the inward thoughts of men intending a heart service and sanctity and binding every thought and imagination to obedience as is most evident by the exposition of the great Law-giver himself Matth. 5. and by the certain knowledge and experience of all his people Rom. 7. 14. Saint Paul speaketh in the person of all regenerate men we know that the law is spirituall requiring a spirituall angelical obedience a doing the will of God with our spirits and internall thoughts as it is done by those angelical spirits in heaven It is the glory and excellency of Gods Law to be spiritual reaching to the inmost thoughts and imaginations and binding the whole inward and outward man with all its actings The Law is spirituall in its nature office and end 1. It layes bonds upon the internall thoughts of men as well as upon their externall works it gives rules to the heart and over-rules the thoughts which no earthly powers can do 2. The holy Law forbids and condemneth all evil thoughts arising in and out of mans heart in all the kinds and degrees thereof The motions of sinfull corruption in mans mind or thinking faculty are of two sorts The first motions or the second motions 1. The first vitious motions are those stirrings of corruption in men whereby their minds are first instigated and moved to think evil but these have not deliberate consent of their wills these the School-men call Concupiscence unformed Concupiscentia informis 2. The second corrupt imotions that arise from the hearts of men are those evil thoughts which gain lodging in their minds and consent in their wills these they call formed and perfect concupiscence Concupiscentia formata Now both these are condemned by the Royall Law it forbids the first movings of sinne in the thoughts of men coming from within from their naturall corruption though never accepted
with notionall Doctrines and empty enticing Discourses 2. Others crying peace peace do altogether publish the pardons of free grace but they never presse the power of renewing grace upon the heart and thoughts of men whereas the aim and principal work of Gospel-preaching is to cast down the imaginations and heights of mans heart and to captivate every thought to the obedience of Christ as the Apostle clearly shows 2 Cor. 10 4 5. all our Declarations of Gods grace and mercy must tend first and chiefly to the subduing and sanctifying the thoughts of mens hearts 3. A third sort of Teachers make it their whole work to cry down visible exorbitances and scandalous sinnes and to perswade to external duties of Religion and a moral conversation this was the way of the Pharisees preaching 4. Some soar aloft in Seraphical notions high speculations and strange expressions which serve onely to feed the fancy and to fill mens heads with whimsies So that the heart and thoughts of men being altogether neglected by a great number of Teachers and the wickednes of mans natural imaginations not being faithfully and effectually laid open What wonder is it if men do flatter themselves with a groundlesse conceit of the goodnesse of their heart and so give credit to this deluding Principle that thoughts are free because preachers do not strike at their thoughts nor discover any danger in them Query 2. How doth it appear from Scripture that thoughts are not free Answer Evil thoughts are expresly forbidden and condemned by a threefold Law of God 1. By the common Law of nature 2. By the Royal Law of Love 3. By the Evangelical Law of grace 1. It is evident by the Scriptures that evil thoughts are condemned by the Law of nature written in every mans heart for the clearing of this truth three things must be demonstrated 1. That there is a Law of Nature 2. That the Law of Nature is 3. What evil thoughts are directly against this Law of Nature 1. That there is a Law of nature the Scripture testifies Rom. 2. 14 15. for when the Gentiles who have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves who shew the work of the Law written in their hearts c. In these words the Apostle proveth the being of this naturall Law by two effects flowing from thence even in the Gentiles themselves 1. Their doing of the things contained and commanded in the law of Moses verse 14. Rom 2. v. 15. 2. The testimony and inward conflict of Conscience the naturall accusing and excusing of their thoughts verse 15. Their Conscience also bearing witnesse or conscience witnessing with them and their Thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another so far as their actions were evil their conscience accused and so far as they were well done it excused These fruits do plainly demonstrate that there is a law of nature and a natural knowledge of this Law bubling up in mans nature the Gentiles who knew nothing of the letter of Moses Law yet they carry the work of the Law written in their hearts that is a Law agreeable to the morall Law Observe here 1. The Gentiles had not the written Law of Moses and yet they did the things prescribed and contained in the written Law as the Apostle Paul testifies Here is their practise and the Principle of their practise 1. Divers things prescribed in the Law they knew and practised some worship they performed unto God 2. Divers of the Heathen abhorred the making and adoration of Images 3. They were strict observers of Civil Justice and honesty as appears both by the Laws enacted for observance of both and by histories recording the excellent vertues of many Heathens 2. There must necessarily be some inward divine Principle in the Gentiles to discover the things of the Law unto them and to move them to the doing thereof this principle of their fact is expresly called nature they do by nature the things of the Law Rom. 2. 14. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Naturali judicio naturali instinctu atque impulâ—u naturali ratione eis dictante quid honestum quid â—urposit Piscator nature that is by the light and Law of nature implanted in their hearts Nature is here opposed either to Scripture or to grace and may thus be understood 1. that the things that they did that were materially good they did them by the dictate instinct and impulse of natural principles naturall Reason making known what is good and what is evil and that without any direction from Scripture or special revelation 2. Or else thus by nature that is by the power of nature or naturall principles without any assistance of renewing grace But the first sense I conceive is chiefly intended in the Text therefore the Syriack by way of explanation Rom. 2. 14. renders it thus the Gentiles who had not the Law they did the Law from their own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 2. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nature that is from those naturall principles they carried in their own hearts 3. The Scripture declareth the Gentiles to be sinners under sin and wrath Gal. 2. 15. they are called sinners of the Gentiles and sinners by way of notoriousnesse 4. There is wrath threatned to be poured out upon the heathens that know not God and it was actually poured out upon divers of them in the Prophets dayes 5. Their own Conscience is said to accuse them of sinne Rom. 2. 15. These Reasons prove undeniably that there is a Divine Law written in the hearts of the Gentiles which is fitly called the Law of nature for punishment is properly the fruit of sin and sin is the transgression of the Law 1 John 3. Quest What is thâ—s Law of nature Ans 1. Nature imports two things 1. An essentiall being it is being it self 2. the actings operations of a being 2. A Law is a righteous Rule and immoveable measure of moâ—all Acts ordained for the gâ—od and welfare of rationall creatures sufficiently made knowne by the Law-giver Lex est regula menâ—ura actuum agen 〈…〉 omittendorum Aquinas 3. The Law of nature is a Radicall light shining from the Candle of the Lord powerfully making known certain practicall principles agreeable to the eternal Rule of Truth and Righteousnesse which God hath planted in the mind of man to be a testimony to man that there is a God who ruleth over all and judgeth the actings of all men 1. The Law of nature is internall and essentiall to the nature of an intelligent creature it is a Law that is as necessary as the being of such a creature it is connaturall to a rationall creature so that as such a creature it cannot be imagined to be without a Law for rationall beings as creatures have a supream Lord to whose will they must be subject and by whose Laws they
and Law-giver who in so much wisdome and goodnesse did put this Law into mens hearts and oblige them to observe it for their own good 2. So far as men decline and depart from this Law so far they run into misery and expose themselves to punishment and perdition this is most evâ—dent Rom. 2. 12. for as many as have sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without â—aw shall also perish without law and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the Law Ob. They that have sinned without the law c. this seems a Paradox no law and yet transgression Rom. 4. 15. every sinne is an anomie the breach of some law 1 John 3. 4 Answer It is true where there is no Law at all neither written nor unwritten neither naturall nor positive there can be no transgression but of the laws of God we may thus distinguish according to the different manner of their delivery There is a Law written unto man in the Scriptures and there is a law written in mans nature by his maker there is the law publisht to man by Moses and the law proclaimed in man by the voyce of reason these agree in substance but differ in circumstance in manner of delivery every man hath a law written in his heart The meaning of the words is this they that sinne without the written Sine lege scilicet scripta quae dicitur lex Mosis Piscator Law of Moses shall perish without the written Law of Moses that is without imputation of the writing of that Law that shall not adde to the weight of their sins nor lay a greater guilt or aggravation on their consciences in as much that God did not vouchsafe that mercy to them he requires no more of any than he committed to them Quer. By what Law then shall the Heathens perish who have sinned without the Scripture Law Answer They shall be condemned by that Law which they have transgressed namely the Law of nature or that Law written in their hearts 10. The Law of nature is so exact that it obligeth the whole man it binds men to do service to their Creator with their whole mind will and affections with all possible freenesse and fervency chearfulnesse and complacency intensivenesse and integrity Natures Law is not content with a visible bodily exercise but calls for obedience in our most inward thoughts and affections 2. It binds men to do good and to do it well all the strength and binding vertue of this Law dependeth upon the Soveraign power and authority of the Lawgiver 11. This Law of nature is so equall that it is not capable of any abatement mitigation or alteration in the least Tittle 1. Because there is not the least rigor in the principles and precepts of this Law they are pure equity 2. Natures Law is conversant about such Acts as are most intrinsecally and inseparably such 1. There is such a naturall beauty and intrinsecall lovelinesse in some good Acts and Objects as must needs assure and attract a rationall being 2. There is such an inherent deformity and inseparable malignity in some evils that the light of reason must needs Quaeâ—am sunt mala quia prohibentur sed alia prohibentur quia sunt mala say the Shcool-men loath and abhor them insomuch as if there were no externall written Law yet a rationall being that walks up to the light of reason would abhor and flie from sundry evils and close with dives good Acts. Quer. How is this Law of nature made known to men Answer God hath set up an intellectual lamp in their souls by the light whereof they can read the Law written in their hearts there is the light of reason implanted in mens mind which manifests certain practicall principles and is to warn them in the name of their maker to flie from such irregular inordinaâ—e Acts which have an inseparable blacknesse and ilnesse in them and to close with those Acts and objects that have an internal beauty and native lovelinesse For this end God hath lighted up his Prov 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aqu sâ—m Theod. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sic ali◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usurpatur de homine tantum animam hujus ratione â—â—aeditam denotat Schindler The Hebrew Doctors dostill look upon this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that that does expresse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animam rationis participem Candle in the soul Prov. 20. 27. The understanding of a man is the Candle of the Lord the pâ—oper meaning of this place I take to be this that God hath breâ—thed into all men reasonable souls which are as so many Candles and Lamps of light to discover their Creator and his Royall Law of Nature to them Question When are these Principlss of natural light put into men Answer At their coming into this world as is evident John 1. 9. Christ is the true light that lightens every man that cometh into the world that is every man who is born into this world This cannot be be meant of the spiritual light of grace that light of life that hath eternal life in it John 17 3. for the elect onely receive that new light at their new birth that is a light from the Lord and in the Lord Ephes 5. flowing from their union with Christ But this Text John 1. 9. speaks of the light of nature which is a common benefit that men receive by and from Christ thus Cyril took this light for the light of nature and natural reason because of the universal Enunciation and so do many of our Reformers following him it is universally and necessarily of true the light of nature which is in infants radically Christ lightens every man Jew and Gentile without respect of persons with natural light which shines upon both with an impartial beam I grant that the great things of Gods written Law and the divine light flowing from thence was the peculiar priviledge Rom 9. of the Jews 2. That by means of those beams of of heavenly truth that shined more peculiarly upon them the Jewes had even those natural notions much clarified and refined from those clouds and mists which mans originall corruption casts upon them but yet they have no greater portion of the light of Nature than all men have so that Jew and Grecian Barbarian Scythian bond and free men all these are one in respect of nature and natures Law and natures light There are three things wherein Jews and Gentiles are one 1. In the darknesse of corrupted nature Rom. 3. 2. In the light of natural principles John 1. 9. 3. They are one so farre as they partake of a new nature in Christ 3. It is evident that this natural light is a common gift that every man receiveth by and for Jesus Christ though none but believers have eternal life and salvation by him John 3. 16. 3. The third thing to
or allowed by them 2. Evil thoughts against our neighbour are either thoughts with consent or without consent 1. Evil thoughts with consent of will are such as men conceive in their minds against their neighbour and do also really desire and purpose in their hearts to practise these are directly forbidden in the fifth sixth seventh eighth and ninth commandements 2. Thoughts without consent are the evil motions of mans heart against first his neighbour to which his will never gives consent these are condemned in the tenth Commandement the whole Law is spirituall in every branch thereof but this last precept hath a height of spirituality There be two special sinnes which are directly forbidden in the tenth Commandement Thou shalt not covet 1. All thoughts of mind wishes and desires of heart after that that is anothers contrary to contentation it condemns the very first risings of our desires after any thing that God hath given to another though we would have it without fraud or violence as by giving him the full worth of it in money or otherwise 1 Kings 21. 2. The former Commandements doe forbid together with the outward Act the inward desire of another mans goods to his hurt or dammage for as desire after another mans wife is adultery Matth. 5 28. so the desire of any others house or beast wrongfully is stealth 2. This tenth precept condemnes the first motions of concupiscence arising in and from our hearts though not consented to it is purposely set in the last place as conducing to the exposit on of the former precepts which do condemn the outward facts and inward motions of Concupiscence rising with consent whereby they are really distinct from the last Commandement which must forbid something not directly forbidden in the other Commandements Thirdly evil thoughts are condemned by the Evangelical law of grace and faith as may evidently appear by these seven arguments 1. The Gospel commands sinners to forsake their own thoughts and to turn to Jehovah in their Thoughts and works Isa 55. 7. this Repentance is a Gospel duty it is often joyned with Remission of sinnes which is a Gospel benefit 2. The Gospel Word being accompanied with the holy spirit convinceth men of their evill thoughts 1 Cor. 14. 24. 25. 3. It censures and condemns mans thoughts as a judge Heb. 4. 12. This Word of God that is so full of power and life that worketh so efficaciously Heb. 4 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word of God is quick convenit hoc vorbo Dei sed praecipue evangelico Dicebantur critici nomine etiam a latinis usurpato homines acris judicii c Estius on mens hearts and thoughts which judgeth the thoughts of the heart must needes be the glorious Gospell of Christ 1 Because it is the Gospell that is the. Ministry of life and the ministration of the spirit 2 Cor. 3. 6. 8. It is called the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jâ—sus Rom. 8. 2. it is a quickning word John 6. 63. the Savour of Life This gospell word of God is living efficiently it hath a soul-reviving soule-raising virtue instrumentally it is the outward meanes whereby the Spirit of Life infuseth life into our dead soules James 1 18. Joh. 17. 17. The Law of Works cannot make alive dead men Gal. 3. 21. 3. 'T is the Gospell that discovers and directs in the way to eternall life This Evangelicall Word is sayd to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Critick a curious Judge and observer of the Thoughts of mans heart it censures very sharply 4. The Gospel of Christ conquers and casts down the thoughts from their Throne in mans heart 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. 5. True Gospel faith casts out all evil thoughts as enemies to King Jesus it purifieth our hearts from the power and pollution of vain thoughts Acts 15. 9. 6. It captivates the Thoughts of men to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. 7. In the Gospel-Covenant there is a giving of Laws to the thoughts of sanctified persons Heb. 8. 10. I will give my laws to their thoughts saith the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus the words are in the originall 4. Evil thoughts are condemned by the concurrent consent of the whole Scripture 1. They are condemned by Moses and the Prophets Gen. 6. 5. and chap. 8. 21. Deut. 15. 9. Psal 10. 4. and 14. 1. Psal 94. 11. Psal 119 113. 118. Prov. 12. 20. and 15. 26. Prov. 24. 9. Eccles 4. 8. Isa 55. 7. Isa 57. 11. Jer. 4. 14. and 18. 18. Eezch 11. 2. Hos 7 15. Micah 2. 1. 2. Evil thoughts are condemned by our Lord Jesus and his holy apostles Matth. 9. 4. and chap 15. 19 20. Matth. 16 7. Mark 7. 21. and 8. 17. Luke 1. 51. Mar. 16. 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. James 2. 5. Fifthly it will appear that thoughts are not free if mankind be considered in a threefold estate 1. In the estate of originall purity 2. In the state of original pravity 3. In the apparition of grace 1. If we look on men in their paradise perfections 1. As creatures they ow all possible service and subjection to their gracious Creator in their spirits as well as in their bodies both being framed by his omnipotent hand for himself 2. As good creatures made after the Image of Gods wisdome and righteousnesse at first in Adam they were filled with glorious power and perfection in their spirits and fitted to perform a spirituall obedience to the Law by a compleat conformity of all their thoughts and works 2. If men be considered in their originall guilt and filth it will appear that their thoughts are bond slaves and captives to sin and Satan they are not sufficient to think a good thought of themselves 2 Cor. 3. 5. 2. All the thoughts of naturall men are altogether evil from their childhood Gen. 6. 5. and 8. 21. 3. These evil thoughts do bind them over to condemnation for the violation of the holy spirituall Law so that the thoughts of carnal men are so far from being free from sin that they are free to nothing but sin 1 Cor. 3. 20. 3. If mankind be considered in the apparition of grace in Christ it will be evident that thoughts are not free 1. The Lord Christ suffered for us in soul and body yea his greatest sufferings were inward and invisible that thereby he might satisfie divine justice for our soul sins and thought-thought-transgressions the iniquities of our thoughts and works were laid upon him Isa 53. 2. As our Thought sinnes had the greatest hand in the death of Christ so the death of these grand radicall sinnes was chiefly intended in the death of Christ he dyed to redeem us from our vain thoughts which are the chiefest part of our vain conversation 1 Pet. 1. 3. As we desire that our whole man should be glorified by Christ we must give up the whole inward and outward man with all
that which is devised and plotted in the thoughts of mans heart so Salomon speaking of an heart which God hateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Finxit formavit finxit mente cogitavit imaginatus est Vnâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fictio aut figmentum cogitatio Munster sayth it is framing or thinking thoughts of wickednesse Prov. 6. 18. Whereby t is evident that the meaning of this Text is plainly this The whole frame and fabrick of mens thoughts every thought framed and formed by their hearts was evill 2. They were altogether wicked there was no good in any of their thoughts these Giants of the old world had not one good thought in their mindes like those in Psal 10. 4. 3. All their thoughts were altogether wicked every day col-haiom all day long 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all the dayes of their life that is perpetually without ceasing and it repented Jehovah that he had made man c. God hath no passions nor contrary affections for he is unchangeable but this grieving and repenting are spoken after the manner of men and the intent of these speeches is to hold forth these two things 1. That mans evill thoughts are exceedingly offensive and provoking to God 2. That God would now destroy his creatures that he had made This is cleerly expressed in vers 7. And the Lord said I will destroy Man whom I have created from the face of the earth botb Men and Beasts For as the Gen. 1. 26. Gen. 3. 17. Rom. 8. 20. Beasts were made for man so they became subject to vanity and destruction through mans iniquity The sense and intendment of the words being thus cleared I will now endeavour through the light and assistance of the great searcher of the thoughts to open the mysterious qualities of the Thoughts and 1. the mystery of iniquity which worketh in every mans thoughts untill they are really renewed This Scripture that I have opened doth clearly discover the horrid hatâ—full iniquity and impiety of mans naturall corrupt thoughts and the deadly effects and fruits therof In the opening of this first mystery I will discover and demonstrate the iniquity of mans naturall thoughts 1. In certain generall positions 2. In sundry particular actings wherby the manifold mysterious ways of sin working in mens thoughts will more evidently appear 1. Position The thoughts of every man and woman by corrupt nature are exceeding sinfull and profane For the full understanding of this position there be two things that I must demonstrate 1. That there are thought-thought-transgressions 2. That the thoughts of all unregenerate men are full of wickedness and vanity 1. There are thought-sins much sin is acted in our thoughts carnal thoughts are sinfull evils The Scripture tells us expresly that the thoughts of mans heart Gen 6. 5. and 8. 21. Jer. 4. 14. are evill vain and wicked That there is sin enough in mans thoughts to provoke God to destroy a whole world and to curse the earth We have a full Text Prov. 24. 9. the thought of foolishnesse or of a foolish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thing is sin 1. The thought of the fool is sin Thus Piscator reads it that is all the thoughts of ignorant unsanctified men are sin 2. The thought of a foolish thing that is of that which is vain empty unprofitable is sin thus things that are vain and unprofitable are said to be foolish Ephes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. 4. foolish speaking which is there condemned is vain unprofitable talk So Titus 3. 9. foolish questions are such as are unprofitable and vain The law of God is broken not only by vile filthy thoughts but also by vain foolish idle thoughts It is an Hebraism as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vir iniquitatis 3. A thought of foolishnesse that is a foolish thought a vain empty thought thus the Scripture calls a wicked man a man of iniquity Esay 55. 7. 4. A foolish vain thought is sin that is a great sin thus in the Scripture phrase sin is often put for a most sinfull and damnable act as Deut. 15. 9. Joh. 15. 24. If I had not done among them the works that none other man did they had not had sin that is so great sin and James 4. 17. To him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin a very great sin Now because men usually think that they may take more liberty in their thoughts then in their visible works I will therefore give in Reasons from Scripture whereby it will more evidently appear that all irregular thoughts are sinfull evils 1. Evill thoughts are transgressions Reason 1 of the holy Law of God which commands and calls for the love and service of our thoughts as well as of our words and works Mat. 22. 37. Jesus said unto him thou shalt love the Lord thy God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marc. 12. 30. Luk. 10. 27. withall thy heart and with all thy thoughts thus the words are in the originall and thus learned Passor reads them If God must be loved with our whole mind then certainly he must be honoured and served with all our thoughts which are the actings of the mind The Royall Law is spirituall binding our thoughts to obedience Rom. 7. 14. as strictly as our words and works 2. Mans thoughts are censured and Reason 2 condemned by the word of God Heb. 4. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. It is a Iudge of the thoughts of the heart it passeth sentence upon them as a Judge 2. The word rebukes and sentenceth the sinner for his thoughts 1. Cor. 14. 24 25. The Vnbeliever is rebuked and judged of all that prophecy for what for the secret thoughts of his heart which are made manifest by the searching Ministery of the Word The Law reproving mans thoughts clearly proveth that thoughts are transgressions of the Law yea the Lord Christ who first gave the Law and best knew the true intent and extent of his own law doth sharply rebuke the Scribes for their evill thoughts Mat. 9. 3. 3. Evill thoughts are abominations Reason 3 which are exceeding hatefull unto God Prov. 13. 26. tis expresly said that the thoughts of an evill man are abomination unto Iehovah He hates them with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 height of hatred as the word properly imports Nothing is the object of Gods hatred but sin Salomon speaking of a heart which God hates saith it is framing or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aversari abominari significat omnibus sensibus ab aliqua re Mollerus thinking thoughts of wickedness Prov. 6. 18. Reason 4. Man 's own thoughts are defiling evils They make him guilty and filthy in the sight of God Every vain thought arising out of our hearts fastens filth upon our minds and guilt upon our Consciences this the great Law-Giver himself declares in Marc. 7. 22. from within out of the heart of men proceed evill thoughts
by those that understand the Hebrew it signifies Gyants and mighty men Hence t is used to express those mighty Gigantive people in Gen. 14. 5. Chedorlaomer smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth Gen. 15. 20. c. That is the Gyants as they are called by the Greek and Chaldee Paraphrast and the Hebrew word is used expresly for Gyants Deut 2. 11. Rapha Deut 2 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Josh 15 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 6. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the name of a Gyant in Nob who had foure Sons Gyants in Davids daies 2 Sam 21. 16. 22. But these Rephaims were now a people in Canaan Ashteroth was a City in Basan where Ogg the Gyant after Raigned Josh 13. 31. 2. This word Rephaim is by our English Translators rendred Gyants Deut. 2. 11. 20. Which also were accounted Gyants as the Anakims that also was accounted a Land of Gyants of Rephaims Gyants Rephaims dwelt there in the old time Josh 1. 58. The valley of the Gyants North-ward Thus our English Bible renders the word Rephaim 3. Hell or the place of the damned is Rabbi Bech scribit Deut 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Id est vocantur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propterea quod quicunque eos aspiceret manus ejus remissae si erent metu se unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vocantur nec est Incredibile homines in mundo primaevo plerosque grandioris staturae fuisse Pareus Gigantes monstrosae magnitudinis isti 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declarantur fuisse potentes viri nominis Pareus very fitly called the Congregation or place of the Gyants or Rephaims 1. Because those Gyants of the old world were sinners of the greatest Eminency in those daies They were men of name 1. For height of stature they were men of vast bodies terrible to all Beholders Such as Goliah is described to be the Sons of the Anakims Their stature was so horrid that the hearts and hands of those that beheld them did fall with fear therfore they are call'd Rephaim and Emims Yea there is that Enormous talness ascribed to Gyants Num 13. vers last That the Spies of Israel looked on themselves as Grashoppers in comparison of them It is credible that most men in those daies of old were of a very grand stature for many ages After the Flood we read of whole Nations People and Lands that were Gyants tall as the Anakims Gen. 14. 5. Deut 2. vers 11. 20. People great and many tall as the Anakims 2. These Gyants of the old world were men of name and fame for height of all impiety and cruelty for they trusting in their Gigantive strength and hugeness of stature trod down all things under their feet They were a monstrous cruell Cyclopicall kind of men fearing neither God nor man They were full of violence and Villanies in their works filled with vanity and vileness in their thoughts which was the root and top of all their wickedness 2. These impious Gyants would be accounted men of name for Religion and Piety as the Pope Cardinals and his Bishops being really Antichristian cruell and unholy yet will be call'd most holy reverend and men of Clemency as Luther observes 3. The multitude of those Gyants and their wickedness was so great â—hat the Flood was sent purposely and principally to destroy these Monsters though the corruption and calamity were universall 4. There was such a world of these cursed Gyants that went down to Hell in one day that Hell it self may fitly receive its denomination from them The Hellish prison was almost empty till these Rephaims came in the companies of Gyants that were gathered at once into Hell and there met together were so many that the place of damned sinners is properly called the Congregation of the Gyants Prov. 21. 16. These had the preheminence in naming the place of eternall suffering as they had preheminence in sinning They that are cast into that prison since the Flood are their fellow Inhabitants such as are daily added to the Congregation of infernall Gyants Now t is remarkable Job 26 5 that the chiefe capitall sins which were layed to the charge of these damned Gyants were their evill thoughts therfore for their thoughts chiefly were they cast into the flames of eternall vengeance 10. Mans evill thoughts are the strong holds of the evill one all unrenewed Position 10. Matth. 12 43 44. Act. 26. 18. men are under the power and possession of the Devil This strong man hath his strong holds whereby he holds men under his power 2 Cor. 10. 4. In these Forts is Satans greatest trust and triumph these strong holds are mainly mans mountainous thoughts as 1. High thoughts of self-righteousness 2. Strong conceits of self waies 1. Many poor Souls are strongly possess'd with thoughts of their own righteousness this is the great strong hold wherby Satan possesseth their Souls we are apt to think that there is somthing in our prayers and performances that may be our righteousness life acceptance and attonement before God These raised thoughts are those Mountains that must be brought low before we can see the Lord to be our Salvation A Fort is a Mountain raised up or a Luk 3. 4 5. Castle raised upon a Mountain or Hill 1. These self-exalting thoughts are that strong hold wherin men do shelter themselves against the storms of wrath they are much in duties and far from open defilements therfore wrath shal not come neer them at the great day of wrath and revenge as they conceive 2. These high thoughts that men have of their owne righteousness are that strong hold which keeps them from submitting to the righteousness of God Rom 10. 3. Men naturally have strong conceits of their own waies of the goodness of their owne spirituall Estates They are alive in their own apprehensions and this is another strong hold of Satan Prov 14. 12. There is a way that is right in the sight of man but the last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 end therof are the waies of death So Prov 16. 23. All the waies of a man are clean in his own eyes Every way of a man is right in his own eyes There be thousands Prov. 11. 21. 2. of Souls that think their waies are right in Gods sight and themselves in the right way to Heaven yet at last it appears to be the way of Hell meer moralists legall and formall Professors do frame presumptions principles and premises in their own thoughts to build conclusion of Salvation upon This was Pauls case before the Law came in power and spirit unto him he thought Phil. 3. himself blameless and in a state of light and life that if any living went to Heaven it should be Paul a Pharisee See what himself speaks Rom 7. 9. I once was alive without the Law but when the Commandement came sin revived
all by nature equally under sin and wrath therfore Ephes 2. there is no cause of swelling one against another 5. Let us cry mightily unto God to arise and scatter these proud enemies that rise up against him and to preserve us from the prevailings of these haughty thoughts Thus did David Psal 19. 14. Keep back thy servant from prides that is from al proud insolent thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that they have not dominion in me then shal I be upright and I shall be clean from the great prevarication From hence t is evident 1. That the best men are much inclined to thoughts of pride hold back thy servant from prides our natures are exceeding apt to rush into this sin if we be not bridled and held back by a divine power 2. The raign and dominancy of pride in mens thoughts is most contrary and inconsistent with uprightness Then shall I be upright when I am kept from pride that it do not domineer in me 3. Pride of thoughts is great Rebellion against God the Hebrew word that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kimchi in Psal 25. explicat per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated offence or transgression Psal 19. 14. signifies Rebellion Defection and prevarication 6. Let us suspect our own hearts upon all occasions and with the watchfullest eye of our spirituall wisdom be alwaies jealous and feaâ—full of the subtleties and windings of this insinuating sin of privy pride 7. Let us be much ashamed abased and afflicted in our spirits for the daily elevations and risings of our thoughts Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride I am tandem â—ruhescat homo esse superbus propter quem factus est humilis Deus Augustin of his heart both he and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the daies of Hezekiah 2 Chron 36. 26. 8. Out of the heart of men proceeds a self justifying thought There be three speciall thoughts of self-righteousneâ—s which do strongly prevail in the hearts of naturall men 1. They fancy and conceive a righteousness made up of their own works keeping of the Law Prayers and good meanings that there is a proness to this thought in every man appears by that strict command that God gives to the people of Israel to take heed of this evill thought when they were placed in the promised Land Deut. 9. 4. speak not thou in thine heart Saying for my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this Land Thoughts are properly the speakings of mans heart hereby God shews us what are the thoughts of men by corrupt nature yea what thoughts will be ready to rise in his own people Luk. 18 9 10 11 12. This self-justifying thought was predominant in the Pharises who trusted in themselves that they were righteous the Pharisee prayed thus O God I thank thee that I am not as other men are unrighteous nor as this Publican I do this and that good c. I fast twice in the Thus Drusius week upon the first day of the week because Moses on that day went up to Mount Sinah on the second day because he then came down he pleads his own righteousness before God 1. Negative he is no extortioner nor unjust c. 2. His positive righteousnes of both Tables he was much in prayer and fasting duties of the first Table he paid Tithes gave Almes duties of the 2d Table 3. His Comparative Justice he was far more righteous then all other men in the Church it self that were not of his form This Pharisee thinks himself sufficiently righteous even to stand before God These Pharisees as they justified themselves in their own thoughts so they sought to be justified in the thoughts of all others 2. Men are apt to conceive a kind of Luk. 16. 15. Innocency in themselves and that they need no repentance Of these Christ speaks Matth. 9. 13. when he saith That he came not to cal the righteous but sinners to repentance Quest Who are these righteous ones An. Such as were so pure and spotless in their own presumptuous conceits that they thought that they did not need repentance They are opposed to sinners such as are exceeding guilty and filthy in their own sense that this is the meaning is clear Luk. 15. 7. I say unto you that joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth more then over ninety nine just persons that need no repentance Quest Are there indeed any so just that they need no repentance no amendment Answ O no that cannot be the meaning for the best men are taught by Christ to confess their daily Trespasses to God and to ask forgiveness but this is spoken according to that opinion Matth. 6. and conceit which some have of themselves who think themselves righteous and therfore not to have use or need of repentance such were the Pharisees who could charge sin enough upon others but no sin upon themselves Luk. 18 10. 11 12. Paul in his Pharisaical Estate thought himself to be without blame in respect of the righteousness that is in the Law Phil. 3. 6 When Jeremiah rebuked the people for their sins they sayd they were innocent and guiltless they had not Jer 2 35. sinned 3. Men are apt to think that there is some worthiness in their own righteousness wherby they may gain eternall Rom. 10. 2. life Phil. 3. 6 7. they thiâ—â—â—o ascend into Heaven by their own good works to attain life in the old way do and live Thus do the present Romanists and all legall Professors and Pharisaical Moralists amongst us This Popish pestilent self-justifying thought prevails exceedingly in these times 1. For ignorant persons they conceive that they are able to keep the Law they think to be saved by their good meanings prayers and serving God 2. Some others that profess more light do think to make their peace and ro procure acceptance with God by their humiliations prayers tears c. wheras Christ Jesus is our All in respect of righteousness peace and acceptance He is our Peace and Peace maker We grant that prayer humiliation and works of holy obedience are necessary duties and precious fruits if flowing from justifying faith in Christ but they cannot be our righteousness peace or acceptance with God 9. Out of the hearts of men proceed thoughts of carnall security in daies of worldly prosperity so long as they enjoy outward peace and freedom from troubles they are full of secure thoughts speaking thus in their hearts I am in a good Estate free from all the Judgments of God and so shall ever be I am in no danger of death or hell but have hope of Heaven c-Psal 10. 6. Esa 28. 15. Sinners are brought in speaking this in their thoughts We have made a covenant with death and with hell are we at agreement when the overflowing scourge shall passe through it shall not
Ephraim thought of his sinne he was ashamed and repented 2. It declares men to be far from repentance when they can think upon sinnes past with new sweetnesse and delight For first reall repentance is a turning from all practicall and speculative wickednesse from inward and outward actings of sinne 2. True penitents think upon former sinnes with far greater grief and bitternesse than ever they had pleasure and sweetnesse in the committing of them 3. They hate all appearances of old sinnes and fly from all occasions allurements and tendencies thereunto 3. This speculative acting of sinne in the thoughts of men doth highly provoke God against them For 1. As often as they think of their former sinnes with delight they are guilty of committing the same sins again and do justifie their first wicked works 2. They hereby make themselves guilty of piercing and wounding the Lord Christ afresh 3. They provoke God to remember their old sinnes by inflicting new wrath upon them when they recall them in their Thoughts with new pleasure 4. This delightfull musing on sinnes past is more abominable than the first committing of them 4. Men do act this speculative wickednes in their thoughts by way of meere supposals they frame and feign suppositions to themselves of sensual satisfactions thus sinners that are frighted by the power of the word from the outward actuating of their bosome-lust yet their hearts do wallow in wicked speculations and wanton suppositions they suppose themselves to be acting their fleshly desires they imagine themselves enjoying such and such sensual pleasures and delights thus men are partakers with adulterers drunkards and sensualists in their thoughts and fancies sinners that have spent their former years in acting their lusts Psal 50. of uncleannesse and now their bodies through age are like a dry tree yet they will act their filthinesse in their imaginary suppositions and their hearts shall act what their bodies cannot actuate 18. Out of the hearts of men proceed thoughts of childish vanity they act the part of children in their thoughts they have foolish childish imaginations children will suppose themselves Kings Queens Nobles c. they will act the parts of mothers and nurses they sport themselves with babies and toyish vanities this is their childish folly They that are men in years are children in thoughts they act as vainly in their thoughts as children thus men of ambitious affections will imagine themselves in the highest places of honour and preferment they will suppose themselves great persons Nobles Statesmen Judges of the Land 2 Sam. 15. 4. Men of covetous spirits will suppose themselves rich raised to great estates Lands possessions c. whatsoever carnall contentment hath chief room in mens affections though there be not the least appearance of probability of ever attaining the same yet they will with much delight imagine themselves injoying what they would have their thoughts shall draw up a platform of State Station and Condition of life which is most suitable to their carnal affections This is the surest signe whereby we may know what is that particular sinne whereto we are most enclined observe which way our fancies and thoughts do stream out most This fancying and supposing our selves in a height of earthly injoyments 1. Is the height of Childishnesse it is absurd for men to solace themselves in these Childish thoughts and fancies it is time for men to put away Childishnesse 1 Cor. 13. 2. It is the height of vanity because in these imaginary suppositions we feed our thoughts with that which is not earthly things themselves in their fullest enjoyment have no reality in them they are but empty nothings painted shadows they are not whiles they are but to solace our selves with meer suppositions this is vanity of vanities worse than vanity 3. It is the height of foolishnesse to feed upon ayry windy imaginations Prov. 15. 14. The mouth of fools feeds on foolishnesse The mouth of unconstant fools 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feedeth upon foolish things thus the words are in the Hebrew the mind of man is the mouth of the soul Thoughts are the speeches thereof it is a sure sign of foolish wicked men to spend their thoughts upon empty notions 4. It manifests the height of dangerous discontent with our present condition when we shall imagine and suppose great things to our selves in this world 1 Tim. 6 7 6 8 9. 10 c. whereas we ought to be contented with our present estate and station Heb. 13. 3 4. Thus I have opened the mystery of mans carnal corrupt thoughts by way of explication and demonstration I will now make some usefull application to our selves Seeing this is a most clear truth that Vse 1. thoughts proceeding from mans corrupt nature are such polluting provoking damning evils This may convince us that thoughts are not free it is a pestilent principle of atheisme which by the deep delusion of the devil prevails strongly in the hearts of men and women that thoughts are free it is the common conceit of carnall prophane persons 1. That thoughts are of an indifferent nature neither good nor evil in themselves but as they are approved and consented to by mans will 2. That it is impossible for any man to order over-rule and regulate his thoughts by reason of their infinitenesse varieties and wandring nature in which respect they claim a priviledge of invincible freedome 3. Carnal men do imagine that they have a licentious liberty to think what they please and that they need not make conscience of their thoughts 4. They apprehend that thoughts are free from pollution and punishment and free from the reach of Gods glorious eye and that they shall not be accountable for them This is a strong and dangerous delusion whereby the Devil draws multitudes of souls into hell continually 1. It is an universal delusion it takes and prevails with the whole world which lieth wallowing in wicked thoughts this cursed Principle that thoughts are free is rooted in the hearts of all those who are strangers to the power of grace for though morall persons and formall Professors may abhor blasphemous thoughts and those grosser thoughts which have an intrinsecal inseparable blacknesse and malignity in them yet they are far from hating all kind of evil thoughts as for vain idle worldly impertinent unprofitable and roving thoughts they look upâ—n them as no sinnes or small veniall scapes which carry their pardon with them and do not bind men over to condemnation This wâ—s the cursed conceit of the Pharisees and their followers for it is manifest by the Sermon of Christ in Matth. 5. that the Pharisees were wont to interpret the Law of an outward discipline onely and meere externall duties and that they did not reckon the inward impurities and exorbitancies of mans heart and thoughts and inordinacy of desires for sinnes their care was for the outside onely but within they were full of thought-uncleannesse See Matth. 23 25. 26 27.
its actings to be governed by Christ 4. In the restoring and renewing of our nature by the spirit of Christ the change and cleansing of our thoughts is the first and great work wherein the exceeding greatnesse of Gods power puts forth it self 2 Cor. 10. 4. 5. Rom. 12 2. 2. There is an universal newnesse put into our souls by the new Creation all old things passe away and all things become new 2 Cor. 5. 17. which necessarily imports a reall Reformation and reducement of our thoughts to the service of God as well as our affections and actions 3. In this new Creation the Royall spirituall Law is given and engraven in our minds whereby we are inclined and inabled to serve and love God with our thoughts Heb. 8. 10. Vse second 2. Seeing there is so much sinne and iniquity acted in our thoughts continually we should strive to be deeply humbled for all the evils and vanities of our thoughts we must humble our selves for our thoughts as well as our words and works yea chiefly for these leading radicall sinnes this is pressed upon us in Prov. 30. 32. If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thy self or if thou hast thought evil lay thine â—and upon thy mouth The thinking of evil is here joyned with self exalting which is the greatest folly and fighting against God when we have thought evil we must lay our hands upon our mouths that is our hearts must be filled with sorrow and shame for the same from a clear conviction of our guiltinesse This laying the hand upon the mouth argues and signifies these two things 1. A spirituall and plenary conviction of the extream sinfulnesse of evil thoughts in their aggravations and of the great wickednesse that men have acted in their thoughts so that their mouths are now stopped and they have Rom 3. 19. nothing to say by way of excuse extenuation or self exoneration they dare not say that thoughts are free nor that themselves are free from the highest thought pollution but now they will freely joyn with the Law in charging and condemning themselves 2. It argues a height of shame and depth of self abasement and soul humiliation in the sight and remembrance of the great evil of their thoughts that they are vile in their own apprehensions and very much ashamed and afflicted in their spirits for their thought-defilements Ezech. 16. 65. Job 39. 27 28. Now there is great reason and cause why we should be deeply humbled for our thought-sinnes 1. Evil thoughts are sinnes against all divine Laws they are violations of the Law of nature of the law of love and grace 2. They are grand enemies of God 2 Cor. 10. 4 5 Rom. 8. 7. and the great disturbers and defilers of all the good that we do 3. Man 's own evil thoughts are the first begotten of the old man the fiâ—st born of the Devil the begetters of all other sins the beginners and first movers in all evil they are leading misleading evils 4. The sinnes of our thoughts are in number like the sands of the sea in their nature out of measure sinfull how great a cause then have we to be greatly humbled and to sorrow bitterly for the evil thoughts of our hearts oh therefore let us look much into our Thought-sinnes and consider them in their hatefull nature and numberlesse numbers that we may be throughly abased and ashamed and may loath and abhor our selves for the same let us duly and daily search our hearts and survey our thoughts in their severall kinds 1. Examine what Thoughts of atheisme blasphemy spirituall idolatry pride unbelief security and sensuality speculative filth and folly vanity and vilenesse what thoughts of impierity and iniquity against God and man do rise out of our hearts daily and how far they have prevailed over our hearts Let us remember that all those evil thoughts before mentioned yea the worst of them all are in all of us by corrupt nature and if we be left to our selves when occasion is offered our corrupt hearts will presently conceive them and give them a compleat being and birth 2. We must examine our thoughts by the word of God this straight righteous Rule will manifest the obliquity and iniquity of our thoughts Heb 4. 12. the word of God is mighty in operation and is a discerner of the thoughts of the heart at the preaching of this word the secret thoughts of an Infidel are made manifest 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. oh therefore let us exactly and throughly search our thoughts by the light of Gods word and strive to find out the manifold exorbitances vanities and defilements of our thoughts 2 We must freely and faithfully confesse our thought-transgressions to God and thereby give glory to the great heart-searcher 3. We must be deeply displeased with our selves for displeasing God by our thought-sinnes it must be the greatest grief of our souls that we have grieved Gen. 6 5 6. God by our thoughts 4. We must judge and sentence our selves for our loose prophane proud ungodly impertinent and unprofitable thoughts acknowledging that we are most worthy to be destroyed for the sinnes of our thoughts 2. We must condemne our selves for secret evil thoughts which never came forth into action there is a world of sinne acted in mens thoughts which doth not break out into their visible conversations 3. For those evil thoughts that proceed out of our hearts whreunto our wills never give consent 4. We must passe sentence upon our selves for the want of holy heavenly spirituall thoughts the Law of Christ commands us to be free from all evil thoughts and to be filled with all good thoughts Mark 12. 30. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy thought so that the want of good thoughts in us is a breach of the Royall Law and makes us liable to that heavy curse in Deut. 27. 29. 5. We must be humbled for the evil that cleaves to our good thoughts Our best thoughts as they come from us are not without some mixture and adhesion of sinfull corruption which is sufficient without Gods covering mercy to cast and condemn us 5. We must seek unto God for the pardon of our evil thoughts this duty Peter presseth upon Simon Magus Act. 8. 21. pray to God saith he that the thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven thee Simon Magus had many foul crimes to be pardoned but yet the first and great sinne for which he was to beg forgivenes was the thought of his heart see how earnestly David petitioneth for the pardon of his thought-sinnes Psal 19. 13. Who can understand his errors cleanse me make me guiltlesse from my secrets thus the words are in the Hebrew and in the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 19. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Signifies to cleanse or make innocent guiltlesse empty to absolve The Arabick thus explains it cleanse me O my Lord from my secrets which are
humbled souls in believing the pardon of their thought-pollutions 3. Gods thoughts of mercy to repenting sinners are as far above their highest thoughts and apprehensions that they have of Gods mercy as the heavens are above the earth this is evident by the testimony of the God of mercy Isa 55. 8 9. as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my wayes higher than yur wayes and my thoughts higher than your thoughts It is spoken of Gods thoughts and wayes of pardoning mercy to returning sinners as is apparant by verse 7. there Jehovah promiseth to show mercy and to multiply pardons answerable to the multitudes of their thoughts and evil wayes Now there be two grand objections that some sorrowfull souls are apt to make against their closing with mercy offered 1. Their Thoughts have such an heighth of malignity and sinfulnesse by reason of their horrid nature and numberlesse swarms that they cannot think how God should pardon them 2. That their wayes have been so highly injurious and offensive to God that if any man should do but the thousand part of that trespasse to them that they have done against God they could not forgive them how hard is it for us to passe by small injuries c To both these objections God answers my thoughts of pardoning mercy saith he are as far above all your apprehensions thereof and my wayes of mercy are as far above all your wayes of forgivenesse to men as the heavens are above the earth When ye think thus with your selves we could not possibly forgive any man in case of so great wrong and ye cannot conceive any reason why I should forgive you yet know that my thoughts and wayes of mercy are as infinitely above all yours as the heaven is above the earth Men are revengefull in their dispositions and will not forgive but Jehovah is a God of mercies and ready to forgive he hath the mercies and power of a God an infinite incomprehensible mercy and power and therefore he can pardon where men cannot yea beyond what they can possibly think and conceive Jer. 3. 1. The heart of man being inlarged and raised by divine grace is able to think of high and admirable mercies yet when the most inlarged hearts have gone as high as is possible for a created heart to rise in conceiving of Gods mercies yet even then Gods thoughts of mercy to Repentants are infinitely above and beyond their largesthoughts It is very observable that God sayes not that his wayes and thoughts of knowledge and wisdome but his wayes and thoughts of mercy are as far above mans as the heavens are above the earth indeed as God is above men which is infinitely The great God argues from the immense heighth of his mercy purposely to heighten and strengâ—hen the faith of bruised souls who cannot think how God should pardon such a world of wickednesse as they have acted in their thoughts oh therefore when our thoughts are at a stand in apprehending and conceiving mercy let us learn to believe above all our own thoughts 4. The mercies of God have a heighth above all that is or can be written of them exceeding high and glorious things are spoken of Gods mercies in the holy Scriptures but the heighth thereof is above all that tongue or pen can possibly expresse as there are Curses written and not written for disobedient sinners Deut. 28. that is the curses and miseries prepared for wicked men are farre greater than are written in the Scriptures so there be mercies written and not written the Scriptures cannot hold and contain all that mercy that is in God for his people because his mercy is infinite and incomprehensible Secondly there is an unsearchable depth in the pardoning mercy of God beneath the deepest guilt that can be found in mans thoughts Psal 86. 13. Thy mercy is great towards me and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes David The heavy weight of our thought-wickednesse sinks our souls as deep as the lowest hell in respect of demerit but the great depth of Gods mercy raiseth believing souls out of the deepest hell to the highest heavens The judgements of God are a great deep Psal 36. 7. but his mercies are a greater depth they are a bottomlesse sea sufficient to swallow up mountains of thought-pollutions as well as mole hills Micah 7. 19. Gods pardoning mercy is compared to the depths of the sea he will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea 1. Observe There are many depths in this sea of mercy if we fear that one depth will not be enought let us consider that there are manifold depths 2. God promiseth to bury all the sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In profunda maris of his people in the depths of mercy which must needs include all the sinnes of their thoughts and wayes though never so many and great Thirdly there is a boundlesse breadth in the mercy of God a latitude beyond all limits Psal 103 12. as far as the East is from the West so far hath he removed our Transgressions from us by his pardoning mercy What a vast distance is there betwixt the East and the West of all visible latitudes this is the greatest now suppose that there be an exceeding great breadth of evil in our Thoughts yet there is a breadth in the mercy of God beyond it there is a latitude and largenesse of power in his mercies to remove all this evil farre from us Fourthly the mercy of God hath an immeasurable length beyond all times mercy is extended and stretched out at length Psal 36. 10. extend thy mercy to them that know thee draw out thy mercy at length as the word in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Extraxit protraxit protendit signifies and as it is in the margine in this sense the word is used Psal 85. 6. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever wilt thou draw out thine anger to generation and generation 1 God extends and draws out his mercy towards his people unto thousands of generations as is evident Exod 20. 5. 6. compared with Exod. 34. 7. Doing mercy unto thousands of them that love me c. that is to the thousand generation yea to many thousand generations the Hebrew word is plural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Generation is not in the Hebrew neither Exod. 20. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. in the fifth or sixth verse but is supplied in the Greek and Chaldee version There is the like phrase in Exod. 34. 7. keeping mercy for thousands that is as Thargum Jerusalemy explains it for a thousand generations Luk. 1. 50. his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation Here generation is expresly mentioned This world shall not continue to thousands of generations we are now in the last dayes of this
4. 14. The house whereinto the unclean spirit Matth. 12. 43 44. re-enters is said to be swept some grosser evills are swept out but this house whereinto the King of Glory enters and takes up his dwelling must be washt 1 From those darling thought-defilements which stick so close to our affections 2 From all unprofitable loose wandring thoughts 3 From every thought that may any way defile our minds The hearts of Moralists and Formall Professors are onely swept not washt they may sweep out thoughts of Atheisme Blasphemy and such like black and bloody thoughts but they take no care to wash their hearts from vain roving and earthly thoughts So then 't is evident that evil thoughts may rise in the hearts of good men but they doe not rest there they will come in but they are not welcome they enter in but are not entertained they will break into their hearts but their hearts are for ever broken off from them There are two corrupt Fountaines from whence evill thoughts have their originall rise That old adversary Satan from without and the old man Sin within both which have a continuall influence upon the best men living 1 The Devil delights to suggest and inject evill into the Saints rather then others he knowes how torturing and terrifying unholy thoughts are to holy men 2 There are in renewed men remainders of corruption which sends out Armies of vaine corrupt thoughts which war against the new man Now whiles the cause remaines the effect cannot totally cease So that the purest souls cannot be free from the rising of impure thoughts Yea multitudes of vaine impertinent thoughts may violently enter into the hearts of good men and much disturb and distract them in prayer and holy performances by their eruptions interruptions knocking 's and breakings in but they doe not lodge in their soules they cast them out of doores with horror and hatred as Thieves that come to rob their soules There be three speciall Considerations that may support the Saints in their continuall conflict and combate against evill thoughts First That 't is not the coming in of vaine thoughts and their passing thorow the heart but their lodging and Jer. 4. 14. resting there which is inconsistent with sanctifying grace Secondly Evill thoughts rising up and breaking into the hearts of the Saints if they doe not consent to them but abhor and repell them with hatred and humiliation and faith in Christ they shall not be laid to their charge neither should they hinder their chearfull and comfortable walking I grant the first stirrings of evill in the mind proceeding from within out of our hearts though not lodged nor allowed of yet they are our sins and must be our sorrowes because they are the fruits and actings of sinfull corruptions remaining in us But when we are carefull to crush these evill motions at their first rising and to confesse them to God in our daily prayers and doe fly to the righteousnesse of Christ for covering they shall not be imputed to us neither should they interrupt our spirituall joy and peace Thirdly Though evill thoughts may break into the hearts of good men and often over-power them yet there is a vast difference between the evil thoughts of men regenerate and men unregenerate There are three maine Differences 1 Evill thoughts in carnall men come from naturall corruption acting in its full strength vigour and violence They spring from a superfluity or over-flowing fullnesse of sin within them James 1. 21. As a Fountaine casts out her waters so a corrupt heart casts out wickednesse Jer. 6. 7. A Fountaine being over-full must have a vent so the over-abounding fulnesse of sin which is in the hearts of carnall men will break out into their thoughts Gen. 6. 5. Psal 14. 2. continually filling and defiling all their imaginations But evill thoughts in renewed men are the issuings forth and stirrings of corruption conquered and crucified and in a dying condition this corrupt fountaine dryes up more and more 2 Evill thoughts proceeding out of 2d Difference the hearts of carnall men are not resisted and rejected with detestation but received with delight But gracious soules maintaine a continuall combate and fight against all corrupt thoughts I grant there may be some kind of resistance of wicked thoughts in men unsanctified But it is 1 Either a meer naturall resistance proceeding from naturall conscience which abhors and fears some kind of black thoughts as thoughts of Blasphemy Atheisme Self-murder and such like or else it is the meer fruit of common grace and temporary perfections such as is found in formall Hypocrites 2 It is a particular resistance Unregenerate men may resist some particular thoughts some grosse notorious thoughts but they harbour sundry carnall sensuall thoughts which they feed upon with delight 3 Their resistance of sinfull thoughts is selfish and servile it is because of some externall misery and dishonourable issue whereunto they lead they know that the strength of wicked thoughts may produce wicked works and wicked works may produce shame and suffering in the world But in all sanctified persons there is a strong constant spirituall and radicall resisiance of all unsanctified Thoughts 1 'T is Vniversall they resist every Thought that resisteth the law of God their heart riseth up against every imagination that riseth up against God 2 It is radicall the frame and bent of every sanctified heart is strongly set against all evill both in thought and affection 3 It is spirituall The Saints resist all evill thoughts 1 Because they dishonour God and hinder the shining of his glory in their Thoughts 2 Because they hinder and hurt them in his glorious service 3 They fight against their soules 4 Their spirituall love to God and his Law moves them to hate vaine Thoughts Psalm 119. 113. 3 Corrupt Thoughts acting in carnall men add more strength to their 3d Difference corruption they increase the strength and activity of sin But evill thoughts rising in good men doe tend to the further subduing and weakning of corruption in them The more they feele themselves assaulted by sinful thoughts the more they seek unto God in the 2 Cor. 12. use of all holy means for the further mortifying of their sinfull corruption They pray more fervently their cryes and groans are heightned and encreased and when they have been overtaken with vaine thoughts they double their after-vigilancy Sixthly Sanctifying grace inables and inclines us to that spirituall obedience and service that God requires in our thoughts it formeth and conformeth our thoughts and imaginations to Gods will and keeps them in continuall subjection thereunto This conformity and captivation of the thoughts of our hearts to the Soveraignty and rules of Grace is of speciall and precious consequence Men will grant that their words and works must be in subjection to God but how few doe rightly understand and really practice thought-obedience â—f we search the Scriptures we
hearts so far as they are renewed to holy spirituall meditations it brings in heavenly principles which are the seeds of heavenly thoughts and thereby the minde is actuated and inclined to godly meditations 2. Grace fills our hearts with sanctified thoughts Every good man hath a good Treasure in his heart that is a Mat. 13. 35. Treasure of Grace to supply his thoughts a stock of precious Truth to fill and furnish his thoughts continually Psal 1. 2. It is made the property of a godly man That his will is in the law of Jehovah and in his Law he doth meditate Psal ◠or shall meditate that is usually meditateth day and night or by day and by night that is continually The Hebrew word here for meditate imports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 study and exercise of the minde in musing 1. A gracious mans will is in the Law of God by way of conformity and holy affection 2. His minde is upon Gods Law and Doctrine by continual meditations he spends much time day and night in thinking upon the precious precepts and promises of God the purity and excellency of his word and the marvellous mysteries manifested therein The thoughts of sanctified men are of a farre more heavenly temper and higher nature then the largest heart of the best unregenerate man doth or can possibly comprehend formall professors may have their mindes busied in the highest considerations which nature art morality or temporary perfections can attaine unto they may sometimes with joy think upon the promises of life the happiness of the Saints salvation that is in Christ the glory of Heaven and the like though these thoughts never have any roote or long residence in their hearts they quickly glide away the word of God is not rooted and implanted in their thoughts they are far from making it their exercise to meditate upon the Law of God day and night The thoughts of formall hypocrites doe feed most upon the comforts of this present world and the sweetnesse of their darling sinne they have a full tast and present feeling of the pleasures of their sweet sin and present posession of earthly contentments but no reall and sound assurance by saving faith and universality of spirituall obedience of the joyes and glorious things of Heaven and therefore they doe greedily follow and fix upon the present things of this life with consent of their erring judgement delight of heart and most of their thoughts but as for spirituall affaires the glory of God that one necessary thing the state of their soules c. These things take up the thoughts of hypocrits but at reversion by accident and very seldome and when they they come into their hearts their entertainment is very cold and strang their abode short and while they stay they are apprehended and injoyed with much wearinesse and weaknesse It is the speciall prerogative of sanctified men to have their hearts fill'd with holy meditations the thoughts are never so well and welcome to their hearts as when they are taken up with the deep mysteries of Gods word and with a holy wisedome studying how they may exalt Christ and inlarge his kingdome in themselves and others That this is no idea or idle abstraction that I now propose appears pregnantly and plentifully in Davids practise who notwithstanding the strong allurements ordinarily incident to Princes Courts though the cares and government of a large kingdome laiy upon him and that he was still followed with troubles and vexations which might much have disturbed and distracted his thoughts yet the Law of God did still principally take up his thoughts and that day and night as himselfe professeth Psal 119. 97. Oh how love I thy Law it is my meditation continually His thoughts did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feast and fill themselves all the day long upon the glorious truths of Gods word with sweetest satisfaction this is the practise of all sanctified men and women they meditate upon the word of Christ most contentedly and continually because they love it far before and above all earthly excellencies 1. They think upon the glorious precepts of the royall Law because therein Gods holy will is manifested 2. Their thoughts doe feed upon the exceeding great and precious promises of the Gospel because in them with special security are conveyed to them all the rich treasures of mercy and forgiveness of spiritual joy and peace light and life Grace and glory 3. They spend their choycest thoughts upon that rich and royall pearle Jesus Christ their daily thoughts with greatest joyfulnes and oftenest meditation run after it and sweetly refresh themselves with the glory and comfort of it If a poore man upon the way should finde a precious orient pearl with what greediness would his eyes gaze upon it his excesse of joy would easily command and confine his sight to such a rare enriching object how would his eyes and thoughts be taken therewith Even so after a man by the hand of saving faith hath laid sure hold upon the pearl of great price Christ with all his fullnesse of Grace and glory the heart is presently so filled with holy affection and admiration that for ever after it spends the most the dearest and the noblest thoughts upon this heavenly pearl and the thoughts once one the winge are so cheared raised and taken with the spirituall beauty thereof that they follow and fly up with continuall encrease of fervency and longing untill they come unto the clear vision and plenary possession of it in heavenly glory and those endlesse joyes of the life to come 4. The Saints doe solace and satiate their hearts with thinking on that surpassing great love and superabundant Grace of God appearing to their soules in Jesus Christ they are never so sweetly satisfied as when they are meditating upon the excellent beauty of Gods glorious being his infinite goodnesse and immeasurable greatnesse and those bottomlesse treasures that are hidden in Christ 5. They are much in the fore-thoughts of the glorious things to come That honour holinesse and happinesse that the Saints shall have with Christ in the world to come those rivers of heavenly pleasures and plenitude of joy that they shall enjoy in Gods presence for evermore But the thoughts of all unregenerate men are earthly sensuall and sinfull they are commonly either rooting in the earth or drowned in pleasures or running after preferment or ranging up and down idlely prophanly or fruitlesly melancholly Wherein doe the good thoughts of Quest sanctified men mainly differ from the good thoughts of formall professors and all kinde of unsanctified ones It is evident that unsound professors Answ may have good thoughts sometimes as well as good affections and speeches which proceed from the thoughts they may have thoughts materially good but not spiritually good Men may begin to have better thoughts of the Saints and of the holy path then formerly worse thoughts of themselves and their own wayes yea