God and staying it selfe vpon his authoritie Or Acquired which is produced by the light of reason discourse and created testimony The latter is to bee found in the diuels for they beleeue and tremble And in the Papists for their faith is no better according to their grounds and principles My reason is this briefly for I will deliuer my selfe of this point in a word The Iesuites by their iugling haue cast themselues into a circle about the faith of the truth and diuinitie of Scriptures and that is this Ask any Papist in this land how he beleeues Scripture to be the word of God and diuinely inspired he will answere Because thâ— Church deliuereth it so to be And why beleeueth he the testimonie of the Church Because it it is infallibly guided by the spirit And how doth that appeare Because it is so contained in Scripture as in Iohn 16. The Spirit will leade you into all truth And how shall wee know this scripture of Iohn to bee the word of God and diuinely inspired Because the Church deliuereth it so to bee and so they must needs run round in this circulation Now I would propose to the Papists the choice of these three one of which they must of necessitie accept First whether they wil run round in this circle wax giddy and fall and sink into that pit where Poperie was first hatcht or they wil break the circle at the authoritie of the Scriptures and so by consequent they must fall to our side and the truth or they will breake it at the testimonie of the Church and so all their faith as I told you must needs be onely acquired because it depends on a finite and created testimonie and consequently comes farre short of saluation I doubt not but the Papists will acknowledge and approoue that difference betwixt infused and acquired faith consented vpon by the Schoolemen That infused faith relieth immediately vpon an increated authoritie but acquired vpon a finite and created testimonie I know the Iesuites a kind of men inspired with a transcendencie of Antichristian imposture labour busilie to passe plausibly and handsomly out of this circle but if their shifts be thorowly sisted they followed with force of argument it is certaine they will either be driuen into the circle againe or enforced to start out at the one of those breaches I told you of Becaâ—us one of them after hee had long tired himselfe in this circle and at last by the helpe of Gregorius de Val. and former Iesuites got out but with shamefull absurditie and inconuenience in a poore reuenge to relieue himselfe he threatens vs with another circle and so writes a Treatise de Circulo Caluinistico but very weakely and falsly as might be demonstrated euen out of the sounder Schoolemen in their question of the last resolution of faith But I intended no discourse of controuersie but of sanctification and therefore I proceed and take the formall hypocrite along further towards the state of grace For besides knowing and assenting to the truth of Gods word by an historicall faith hee may by the vertue of a temporarie faith adde three degrees moe That is He may moreouer professe it in outward seruices of religion He may inwardlie reioice in it He may bring forth some kind of fruit But these things are onely found in him so long as they do not mainely crâ—sse but are compatible with his worldly peace wealth libertie and other delightfull contentments Here therefore I must leaue him and acquaint you with those workings and degrees of sauing faith which qualified as I shall propose them are peculiar to Gods child and so distinguish and diuide the regenerate man from the state of formall hypocrisie They are these A feeling and speciall approbation of the word of life and promises of saluation a most feruent expetition and thirsting for the enioyment of them an effectuall apprehension a particular application a full perswasion a delight and ioy thence rising sound and vnconquerable That you may vnderstand these you must conceiue that the soule of Gods child comming fresh out of the pangs and terrors of his new-birth a mysterie to the formall hypocrite humbled vnder the mightie hand of God by a sight and sense of his sinnes lookes vpon the whole body of diuine truth as vpon a precious iewel wherin Christ his gratious promises shine vnto him especially as a stone of inestimable worth and valuation whereupon with a peculiar dearenes he sets such a liking that with it hee holds himselfe an heire of heauen without it a child of endlesse perdition Hence followes an expetition and desire of it enforced with groanes vnutterable and a gasping for it as the dry and thirstie ground for drops of raine Thirdly hee apprehends it with a fast and euerlasting hold Fourthly hee applies it closely and particularly to his owne soule Fifthly he is truely and fully perswaded by Gods good spirit out of a consideration of his vniuersall change that it is his owne for euer Lastâ—y he lies downe in peace that passeth all vnderstanding He is filled with ioy that no man can take from him He delights in the grace apprehended as in a treasure farre more deare vnto him then the glory of infinite worlds or life it selfe From the power and workings of this inward grace spring outward actions both in his generall calling of Christianity and his particular vocation which by the mercies of God are faithfull constant vniforme impartiall resolute vniuersall comfortable Whereas those which are produced by the more weake and inferiour degrees of temporarie faith incident to the formall hypocrite are weake wauering many times interrupted variable guided much by occasions the time forced by hope or feare swayed by secret respects to priuate ends and worldly contentments But these more inward markes of difference howsoeuer by a sweete and gratious experience they be felt and acknowledged of the child of God yet generally and to the vnregenerate they are hidden mysteries and vndiscernable to the brightest eye of the naturall man Therefore I will come to those markes of difference betwixt the state of formall hypocrisie and sauing grace which are more outward familiar and more generally and casilie discernable Of which one may be this The power of grace doth beget in a regenerate man a watchfulnesse care and conscience of smaller offences of secret sins of sinfull thoughts of appearances of euill of all occasions of sinne of prophane companie of giuing iust offence in indifferent actions and the like whereas the formall hypocrite taketh not such things as these much to heart but either makes no conscience of them at all holding it a point of precisenes to be too conscionable or else proportions it to serue his owne turne or to giue satisfaction to others And in forbearance of sinnes he hath an especiall eye onely at those that may notoriously disgrace him in the world entangle him in danger of law or vexe his conscience
the practise and actions of true and sound regeneration and therefore it is transcendent to his most happie naturall capacitie to the depth of his worldly wisedome and to the greatest height of his speculations though otherwise neuer so vniuersall and profound Now as concerning other parts of diuine knowledge and other points of religion hee may be furnished with store of rare and excellent learning in Fathers Schoolemen Commentaries Cōtrouersies he may be endewed with suttletie in disputing and defending the truth of God yea and in resoluing cases of cōscience too so far as a formal obseruatiō and Popish Doctors can leade him For their resolutions in that kind are only busied about cases incident to their Antichristian Hierarchy about perplexities arising out of their wil-worship and bloudy superstition and determination of some particulars in the Commandements which may fall within the capacitie of an vnregenerate man but their profession I meane the Papacie cannot possibly reach vnto the heart of godlines the mysterie of regeneration and the sauing power of the life to come Nay yet besides this the formall hypocrite may be made partaker of some degrees of the spirit of illumination in vnderstanding and interpreting the book of God for the good of his Church and children For I doubt not but many haue much light of iudgement that haue little integritie of conscience and are inspired with the spirit of illumination for the good of others that haue no part in the spirit of sanctification and sound conuersion for their owne happinesse But yet me thinks there may be conceiued some differences betwixt the child of God and the formall hypocrite in the very speculation and knowledge of Gods truth and in apprehension of things diuine in the vnderstanding Which I take to be such as these First the light of diuine knowledge in the formall hypocrite doth onely discharge his beames and brightnes vpon others but neuer returnes and reflect◠on his owne soule to an exact discouerie of the darkenesse of his owne vnderstanding the disorder of his affections the slumber of his conscience the deadnesse of his heart but euery child of God is euer in some measure both a burning and shining Lampe he is both illightned and inflamed inwardly in his owne vnderstanding heart and affections and also the brightnesse of his Christian vertues are euer dispersed and working vpon others Wheresoeuer hee liues he shines as a light amid a naughtie and crooked generation in the sight and censure of God the blessed Angels and good men though to the iudgement of the world and eye of prophanenesse his glorious graces euer did and euer will appeare to bee nothing but darkenesse and dissembling You may conceiue this difference thus The sun beames you know are not onely cast and shed into the inferior Orbs and aire but are first rooted in the sunne and doe inwardly and vniuersally fill with light that faire and glorious body It is otherwise in the moone for howsoeuer she receiue light for the cheering and comforting other bodies yet she remaines darke within and in respect of her selfe it serues onely to make her spots more conspicuous It is iust so in the point wee haue in hand The light of diuine knowledge in the child of God doth not onely shine vpon the soules of others for their instruction and refreshing but doth first fully illuminate his owne though not to an excellencie of degree for that is reserued for heauen yet to a perfection of parts of which only our mortalitie is capable But in the formall hypocrite howsoeuer it may sometimes dispell ignorance and errors from the minds of others yet within he is darkenesse in the Abstract in respect of sauing light as is euery vnregenerate man Ephes. 5.8 And his light of knowledge in respect of himselfe serues onely to make his sinnes more soule and sinfull his damnation more iust and himselfe more inexcusable For he that knowes his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Secondly the knowledge of diuine mysteries in Gods child is entertained and enioyed with a peculiar kind of sweetnes with an impression of incomparable ioy and pleasure It is far sweeter vnto him then hony and the hony combe Hee hath more delight in it then in all manner of riches It is more precious vnto him then gold yea then much fine gold It begets and stirres in him flagrant desires and affections correspondent to it pretiousnesse and excellencie But it is not so with the formall hypocrite for his earthly-mindednesse by which his affections are as it were glued vnto the fashions of the world if he were sensible of it would tell him that it is many times not so sweete vnto him as his pleasures His close couetousnes or other vnconscionablenes in his calling if his conscience were illightned would informe him that many times it is not so deare vnto him as gold Thirdly the child of God hath an humble and gratious resolution a sweet and willing submission euer mixt with his diuine knowledge of being mastered guided and gouerned by it though against the violent bent of his owne inclination and the current of the time but the formall hypocrite if he deale faithfully with his owne heart may feele in himselfe a secret subordination and subiection of his vnderstanding therein to his wealth honours and worldly preferments Fourthly in apprehension of diuine truth in the formall hypocrite the power of naturall discourse and light of reason beares the chiefest sway and therefore hee stickes as it were in the bone and barke in generalities and vncertainties but in the child of God the sacred illustration of Gods spirit doth plentifully concurre and therefore hee is able to prie into and pierce the marrow and pith of Gods holy truth the particular veines and the sauing sense thereof I come now to the other habit which the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall prudence by which the word and faith take no root in the vnderstanding of the formall hypocrite This habit I told you is a spirituall prudence or a sanctified vnderstanding in the practicall affaires of the soule by which a regenerate man is inabled with a iudicious sinceritie to deliberate and determine in cases of conscience in the perplexities of tentations in all straites ambiguities and difficulties incident to the consideration and cariage of a Christian and with spirituall discretion to guide and conduct all the actions of grace and euery particular both in his generall and speciall calling This wisedome as I take it is an attendant vpon iustifying faith and onely and inseparablie annexed vnto sauing grace and therefore the formall hypocrite though I place him in the highest perfection that is attaineable in the state of vnregeneration is vtterly vncapable of it and a meere stranger vnto it as he is vnto the life of God By this holy wisedome Dauid Psalm 119. vers 99. is said to be wiser then his aduersaries that is then Saul and
ciuill honestie makes no great conscience of smaller sinnes as lying lesser oathes gaming prophane iesting idlenesse and pastime on the Sabbath day and the like But righteousnesse of faith hauing a sensible feeling of the heauie weight of sinne from those anguishes which the conscience felt before the infusion of faith and being still stung with a checke and smart for all kind of transgressions doth seasonably and proportionablie hate and make resistance to all knowne sinnes Sixthly ciuill honestie doth not vse to make opposition against the sinnes of the time but is euen willing to be caried with the streame onely vpon more faire and probable tearmes then notorious sinfulnesse and therefore will goe on and encourage a man in godly courses and good causes vntill he meet with either a wound to his state a disgrace to his person a disturbance to his pleasures an imputation to his forwardnesse a stop to his preferments losse of friends imminencie of danger or any such crosse and discouragement and then it teacheth him to step backe as a man ready to tread vpon a serpent and to start aside like a broken â—ow But righteousnesse of faith doth stand out for the honour of God and ordinarily goes thorow stitch in good causes come what come can crosses or calumniations good report or euill report men or diuels For it is compleatly armed with confidence of future happinesse and hath sixt the eye vpon the crowne of immortality which if heauen and earth conspired they were not able to pull it out of his hand that reserues it in the heauens for all those that sight a good fight that keepe the faith and run with constancie the race of sanctification The next point of the negatiue part of my doctrine is formall hypocrisie Which that you may more cleerely vnderstand consider with me three kinds of hypocrisie priuy hypocrisie grosse hypocrisie formal hypocrisie Priuie hypocrisie is that by which a man makes profession of more then is in his hart And this somtimes doth mixe it self euen with the fairest and most sanctified actions of Gods dearest children and doth soonest insinuate into a hart stored with the rich treasures of true godlines For Satan if he cannot detain a mans soule in notorious sinfulnes in meere ciuil honestie or formality but that by the sacred inspirations of Gods good spirit it is pulled out of the mouth of hell from the slauery of sin and courses of darkenes into the glorious light liberty of Christs kingdom he is inraged with fierce and implacable furie doth euer certainly with eager pursuit persecute that soule both by his owne immediate malice and by the cruell agencie of prophane men And if so be he cannot procure a scandalous relapse into grâ—sse sins yet that he may in some measure worke the dishonour of God and the discomfort of his noblest creature the two maine ends of all the policies of hell hee doth labour to distaine the pure streames of diuine grace in the soule puddle of our corrupted nature and at least to fasten the spots of priuie hypocrisie vpon the best actions and the very face of innocency This hypocrisie as I take it ariseth from spirituall pride For when a godly man by the great worke of regeneration is become more excellent then his neighbour as indeed he incomparablie is howsoeuer the worlds estimation be otherwise Because the one is as yet a limme of Satan receiuing from him the cursed influence of scule pollutions of vncleannes and lying of malice and reuenge of pride and prophanenes c The other is already a blessed member of Christs mysticall body continually inspired with holy motions and the life of grace The one lies polluted in his owne blood encompassed with the menstruous clouts of loathsome corruptions of all natures except onely the diuell and his angels the most wretched and woefull of the familie of hell heire of horrour and desolation The other by the immortall seed of the pure and powerfull word of God is made partaker of the diuine nature clothed with the rich and vnualuable robe of Christs iustice guarded with an inuincible troope of heauenly Angels iustly intituled to a kingdome of vnconceiueable glory and pleasures moe then the starres of the firmament in number The one is a wrongfull vsurper of the riches honours and preferments of this life for which hereafter hee must be condemned to chaines of eternall darkenes and a dungeon of endlesse miserie and confusion the other while he continues in this world is a rightfull owner and possessor of the earth and all the creatures and blessings of God and when hee departs hence he shall bee made a glorious inhabitant of those sacred mansions where constant peace vnmixed ioyes and blessed immortality euen for euer and euer doe dwell Which great difference when the godly man perceiues and his owne prerogatiues he is filled with a strange and ioyfull amazement and admiration at his owne happinesse which Satan seeing who is perfectly experienced in all aduantages and opportunities for spirituall assaults and working vpon the reliques of mans proud nature doth cunningly draw him to aduance aboue that which is meet within himselfe in his owne opinion the worth of his owne graces and vertues Which that he may conuey and reprâ—sent to the view of the world with an excellencie proportionable to his owne ouerweening conceite he is forced to admit the secret and insensible poyson of priuie hypocrisie which he doth more easily at the first entertaine because the pestilencie and bitternesse thereof is not discernable by reason of the predominancie and sweetnesse of the fresh present graces of Gods spirit in his soule But when by afflictions or disgraces by some extraordinary temptation or particular checkes from the Ministery of the word the vglinesse of it is discouered to his conscience hee for euer abhorres it as a consuming canker that would fret out the very heart of grace and extinguish the life of sincerity and therefore with much humiliation and feruencie doth pray against it striue against it and by the mercies of God preuaile against it This kind of Hypocrisie belongs not to my present purpose onely by the way let mee giue aduertisement to the child of God for to him onely I speake in this point to the end he may keepe his heart vnblameable in holinesse and preserue the true relish and sound ioy of good actions entire and vndistempered that he would strongly fence his heart with a gracious and vnfained humility against priuie pride the mother of this hypocrisie as against a close vndermining and a most dangerous enemie and the more seriously and watchfully for these reasons partly drawne from the nature of the sinne and partly from the state of his soule From the nature of the sinne First other sinnes grow from poysonous and pestilent roots as Adulterie from idlenesse Faction from discontent Murder from malice Iesting out of the word of God from a a prophane heart the
obiect of his reuenging iustice the most base and vnnaturall Opposite to so pure a Maiesty and the most notorious and transcendent instrument of Satans deepest malice This kind of hypocrite belongs not to my present purpose and therefore I leaue him without sound and timely repentance to some strange and markeable iudgement euen in this life Or if he passe these few daies honourably and prosperouslie as it is many times the lot of the wicked lot him expect vpon his deaths-bed the fierie darts of Satan empoysoned with hellish malice and cruelty to be fastned deepely in his soule and such pangs and anguish of conscience that will possesse him of hell before hand Or if he depart out of this world without sense of his sinne or else at the best with some formall and perfunctorie shew of penitencie yet let his heart tremble for the feares that it shall feare at the great and terrible day of the Lord when the vizard of his hypocrisie shall certainely be pulde off his face and he ashamed and confounded in the presence of the blessed Trinity of Angels and all the men that euer were and irrecouerably abandoned from the face of God and from the fruition of his ioyes to the most consuming flame of the fire of hell and the lothsomest dungeon of the bottomlesse pit The third kind of hypocrisie is Formall hypocrisie by which a man doth not onely deceiue others with a shew of piety and outward forme of religion but also his owne heart with a false conceit and persuasion that he is in a happie state when as in truth his soule was neuer yet seasoned with sauing grace and the power of religion And I beseech you marke me in this point it is of greatest consequence to euery one for a sound triall and examination of the state of his conscience whether he yet liue the life of God and stand in the state of grace or lie enthralled in the setters and slauerie of sinne and Satan For herein I must tell you how farre a man may proceed in outward profession of the truth in supernaturall decrease of sinfulnesse in some kinds and measure of inward graces and yet come vtterly short of true happinesse and without an addition of the truth of regeneration and a sound conuersion shall bee cut off for euer from all hope of immortality and shall neuer bee able to stand firme and sure in the day of the Lord Iesus For a more perspicuous explication of this point conceiue with me those perfections which may befall a man as yet vnregenerate and in state of damnation We may suppose in him first all those gifts which the possibility of nature can conferre vpon him all ornaments of Arts and knowledge of wisedome and policie not onely that which is purchased by experience obseruation and imployment in points of State but also the spirit of gouernment as Saul had To these wee may adde gentlenesse and fairenesse of conditions an exactnesse of ciuill honesty and morall iustice immunity from grosse and infamous sinnes And thus far the heathens may goe And thus far we proceeded in our last Discourse But in these times of Christianity a reprobate may goe farre further then euer the most innocent Heathen that euer liued could possibly though some of them were admirable for their mild and mercifull disposition some for their vertuous seueritie some for integritie of life some for constancie and resolution in goodnes some for preferring the vnspottednesse of their life before most exquisit tortures For to all these he may adde a glorious profession of the Gospell a performance of all outward duties and exercises of religion many workes of charity and monuments of his rich magnificence Nay besides all this he may be made partaker of some measure of inward illumination of a shadow of true regeneration there being no grace effectually wrought in the faithfull whereof a resemblance may not be sound in the vnregenerate This last point will more clearely appeare vnto you out of the 8. of Luke and the 6. to the Hebrewes In the 8. of Luke the hearer resembled vnto the stonie ground is the formall hypocrite who is there said to beleeue for a time and therefore by the inward though more generall and inferior working of the spirit may haue a temporarie faith begot in him In which faith we may consider these degrees First he may be endewed with vnderstanding and knowledge in the word of God He may be perswaded that it is diuinely inspired and that it is most true He may see clearely by the Law of God the grieuous intollerablenesse of his sinnes and the heauie iudgements due vnto them He may bee amazed and terrified with fearefull horror and remorse of conscience for his sinnes He may giue assent vnto the couenant of grace in Christ as most certaine and sure and may conceiue that Christs merits are of an inualuable price and a most pretious restoratiue to a languishing soule He may be perswaded in a generalitie and confused manner that the Lord will make good his couenant of grace vnto the members of his Church and that he will plentifully performe all the promises of happinesse vpon his children He may be troubled in mind with grudgings and distractions with reluctation and scruples before the commission of sinne out of the strength of naturall conscience seconded with a seruile apprehension of diuine vengeance but especially illightned with some glimmerings of this temporarie faith Much adoe was there euen with Pilate inward trouble and tergiuersation before he would bee brought to giue iudgement on Christ. Herod was sorie before he beheaded Iohn Baptist. And these men I hope were farre short of the perfections attaineable by the formall hypocrite After a sinne committed besides the outward formes of humiliation by the power of this temporarie faith he may bee inwardly touched and affected with some kind and degree of repentance and sorrow I meane not onely that which is a preparatiue to despaire and hellish horror but which may sometimes preuent temporall iudgements as in Achab and with a slumbering and superficiall quiet secure the conscience for a time And from this faith may spring fruits Some kind and measure of hope loue patience and other graces It is said in the Euangelists that that hearer which we call the formall hypocrite receiues the word with ioy Whence may be gathered First that with willingnesse and cheerefulnesse hee may submit himselfe to the ministerie of the word With forwardnesse and ioyfulnesse hee may follow and frequent Sermons With a discourse of the sufferings of Christ he may be moued euen vnto teares for compassionate indignation that so glorious and infinite innocencie should be vext with al manner of indignities and torments for the grosse and willfull impieties of sinfull men He may loue and reuerence giue countenance and patronage to the Ministers whom he heares with gladnesse For it is the nature of man to be kindly and louingly affected vnto him
the faithfull Christian. The fifth reason whereby the formal hypocrite doth falsly perswade himselfe to bee truly happie and so by consequent that keeps him short of the state of grace may be this When by some good motion of Gods spirit stirred vp in him by the preaching of the word he begins to set and addresse himselfe to a sanctified vse and exercise of religion and to a faithfull and constant course of true holinesse indeed hee presentlie meets with a sore and strong opposition by his owne inward corruptions by tempâ—ations of Satan and vexation from the world which he perceiuing and being very sensible of such sudden disturbance from his former securitie perswades himselfe that the passage to grace is not so rough and boisterous and therefore retires and reposeth himselfe vpon his formall Christianitie as the best state he sees any possibility of attaining vnto But if hee will saue his soule he must acknowledge and feele by his owne experience the truth of that saying of Isai. 59.15 He that refraineth from euill maketh himselfe a pray For what child of God is there truly conuerted who at the very first step out of the world and the vanities thereof met not with many crosses and discouragements He knowes and may remember full well whosoeuer he bee how his owne flesh fretted when it felt it selfe snaffled and guided by the Law of the spirit how by making conscience of sinne he laid himself more open to the aduantages wrongs and insultations of his enemies how the companions of his former leaudnesse and iniquitie railed and raged against him as against an Apostata from goodfellowship and high resolution And Satan that he may giue edge and vigour to all these vexations hee busilie bestirres himselfe and casts about to hinder our conuersion While a prisoner lies in a dungeon fast in fetters the Iaylor is quiet and secure but if hee once knocke off his bolts breake the prison and escape there is presently a tumultuous clamour in the house the Countrie is raised and he is followed with Hue and Cry Euen so while we lie quietly in the captiuitie of sinne vnder the chaines of eternall death he neither disquiets himselfe nor vs But if by the mercies of God we bee once enlarged and set foot into the libertie and light of grace why then all the powers of hell are presently in armes and vprore and with much malice and furie the instruments of darkenes are set on foot to regaine vs into his kingdome This point appeares in the fifth of the Canticles Our blessed Sauiour is there said to stand at the doore and knocke being full of the pretious dew and drops of diuine grace and waiting patiently in the cold and darknesse of the night but yet we see what ado and stirre there is with the Christian soule before she can get vp out of the bed of pleasures and vanitie the sweetnesse of sinne and sensualitie had so deepely possest and bewitched her that by her excuses and delaies she hazards so great saluation and happines tendered vnto her by her spoâ—se Yea and at length after she is resolued to renounce her pleasures and in some good measure hath conquered her inward corruptions so that shee opens the doore followes Christ besides other troubles and encumbrances she finds abroad the very watchmen that should haue told her the way and directed her after her spouse euen they set vpon her and smite her and wound her and take away her vaile Euery man then that will come vnder the banner of Christ and haue part in the conquest must together with the new man put on a Christian courage both to tame and represse the rebellions of his owne flesh and to withstand and repell assaults and persecutions from abroad The sixth reason whereby the formal hypocrite doth falsely perswade himselfe to bee in state of true happines may be an obseruation of the death and ends of other men whose liues he perswades himselfe come short of those perfections and degrees of goodnesse he findes in himselfe As if he take notice of a notorious sinner who vpon his deaths-bed by a perfunctorie shew of penitencie and some formall eiaculations for mercy and pardon makes the world beleeue he dies a Saint Or if he obserue the end of an honest ciuill man yet neuer acquainted with the power of grace to bee quiet peaceable and confident without impatiency feare or despaire he presently out of a comparatiue examination of his owne state which he finds not onely free from notorious sinnes but besides morall honestie graced with outward religiousnesse I say he presently conceiues his owne workes in respect of theirs to be works of supererogation his owne life certainely to be without all exception and so himselfe without all danger of damnation And this conceit is notably confirmed if there follow some glorious and flattering Panegyricke of funerall commendation For then he holds the assurance of his happinesse to be sealed vnto him by the mouth of the minister and so with resolution and obstinacie sticks fast in his present state and will no further Mistake me not in this last point beloued in Christ Iesus For first I do not go about to confine the boundles and vnlimited mercies of God nor absolutely to exclude repentance from the deaths bed I know that pretious truth registred in Ezechiel At what time soeuer a sinner c. like a Pearle in a ring and a Starre in his Orbe shines amongst many other gracious promises in the booke of God with speciall comfort vnspeakable and glorious vpon the darkened and drouping soule of euerie true penitent at what time soeuer But yet this I say in this point That any man that knowes and is acquainted rightly and truly with the narrownesse of the way to heauen the nature of Gods iustice the cunning sleights of Satan the difficultie of true repentance how fearefully mans heart is hardned by custome and continuance in sin he would not deferre his repentance to his old age or deaths-bed for ten thousand worlds I adde this That As a sudden death in respect of time or a death wherein appeares much impatiencie fiercenesse and vncomfortable behauiour by reason of the qualitie of the disease or some extraordinarie temptation for the time or that God will be so glorified by iustly hardning the wicked may bee the way to euerlasting happinesse so a lingring patient and lamblike death may be a passage to endlesse woe and miserie For that great iudgement is to passe vpon our soules not according to the strange effects symptoms of our sicknesse not according to the short moment and violent passions of our death but according to the actions of our health the former affections of our hearts and the generall course of our life Secondly I would by no meanes be too busie or vncharitable in my iudgement vpon those which haue alreadie stood or falâ—e to their owne master But as I esteeme that crueltie and
with some extraordinarie terror Let those then examine themselues at this marke who howsoeuer shame keepe them from vncleane practises and grosser acts of filthines yet inwardly boyle in speculatiue wantonnesse and adulteries of the heart Those who howsoeuer their indirect meanes speed not for mounting themselues to high estate yet spend their best thoughts all their life long in proiecting and contriuing as though they were borne to aduance themselues and not to honour God in their â—allings Those who though they doe not enclose oppresse and grind the faces of the poore yet haue their hearts exercised in couetousnes Those who though they haue forsakeÌ„ some sins yet maintain in themselues one known sweet sinne Those who though lawes and feare of danger restraine from railing with open mouthes against our State yet harbour secret repinings murmurings vnthankfulnesse and discontentments Euen a contemptuous thought of a king or lawfull authority is a sinne of high nature and me thinkes for the miraculousnesse of the discouerie is paralleld in Ecclesiastes to the bloodinesse of actuall murther That which hath wings saith the Preacher shall declare the matter Lastly let those examine themselues at this marke who offer themselues to those sinfull occasions breeders of many strange and fearefull mischiefes I meane prophane and obscene Playes Pardon me beloued I cannot passe by those abominable spectacles without particular indignation For I did euer esteeme them since I had any vnderstanding in the waies of God the Grand empoysoners of grace ingenuousnes and all manly resolution Greater plagues and infections to your soules then the contagious pestilence to your bodies The inexpiable staine and dishonour to this famous City The noisome wormes that canker and blast the generous and noble buds of this land and doe by a slie and bewitching insinuation so empoyson all seeds of vertue and so weaken and emasculate all the operations of the soule with a prophane if not vnnaturall dissolutenes that whereas they are planted in these worthie houses of Law to be fitted and enabled for great and honourable actions for the publicke good and the continuance of the glory and happinesse of this kingdome they licentiously dissolue into wicked vanities and pleasures and all hope of their euer doing good either vnto God the Church their Countrie or owne soules melteth as the winter ice and floweth away as vnprofitable waters These infamous spectacles are condemned by all kind of sound learning both diuine and humane Distinctions deuised for their vpholding and defence may giue some shallow and weake contentment to partiall and sensuall affections possest with preiudice but how shall they be able to satisfie and secure a conscience sensible of all appearance of euill How can they preserue the inclinablenesse of our corrupt nature from infection at those Schooles of leaudnes and Sâ—nkes of all sins as to omit Diuines Councels Fathers Moralists because the point is not directly incident euen a Polititian calleth them Alas are not our wretched corruptions raging and fierie enough being left to themselues dispersed at their naturall liberty but they must be vnited at these accursed Theaters as in a hollow glasse to set on flame the whole body of our natural vitiousnesse at once and to enrage it further with lust fiercenesse and effeminatenes beyond the compasse of nature Doth any man thinke it possible that the power of sauing grace or the pure spirit of God can reside in his hart that willingly with ful consent seeds his inward concupiscence with such variety of sinfulll vanities and leaud occasions which the Lord himselfe hath pronounced to be an abomination vnto him How can any man that euer felt in his hart either true loue or feare of so dreadfull a Maiestie as the Lord of heauen and earth endure to be present especially with delight and contentment at Oathes Blasphemies Obscenities and the abusing sometimes of the most pretious things in the booke of God whereat wee should tremble to most base and scurrill iests Certainely euery child of God is of a right noble and heroicall spirit and therfore is most impatient in hearing any wrong indignitie or dishonour offered to the word name or glory of his Almightie Father A second marke of difference may be this The power of sauing grace doth subdue and sanctifie our affections with a conscionable and holy moderation so that they become seruiceable to the glory of God and for a more resolute cariage of good causes and zealous discharge of all Christian duties But the bridling of passions in the formall hypocrite is not so much of conscience as artificiall politique for aduantage and by the guidance of morall discretion so that if they be tempted by strong occasions and violent obiects they many times breake out to the dishonour of God the disgrace of a Christian profession and the discouery of their hypocrisie Let euery man then examine himselfe at this marke and with a single eye and vpright heart take a view of his affections whether his ioy be inward and spirituall that is in the assurance of Gods fauour in his word in his children in prayer and a continuall practise of godlinesse or outward and caâ—uall that is in the attainement of greatnesse and woâ—dly pleasures in the increase of his corne and wine and oile Whether he loue the peace of conscience farre more deâ—rely then the fauour of men or his owne life Whether hee bee more zealous for the honour and praise of God then his owne Whether he be more affraid of secret sinnes then open shame of offending God then outward afflictions Whether he be more angry in the cause of religion and concerning Gods glory or for his owne priuat wrongs And so thorow out the rest of his affections Let the fierce and desperate gallants consider this point which vpon euery light occasion and termes of disgrace are ready out of a graceles vngrounded opinion of declining cowardize to sheath their swords in the bodie of their brother And let them assure themselues that the meeke and mercifull spirit of God will neuer consist with such bloodie and vntamed affections his holy motions will not come into their secret neither will his sauing grace be ioyned with their assembly For in their wrath they will kill a man and in their selfe-will they will destroy the image of God Cursed bee their wrath for it is fierce and their rage for it is cruell Oh that they would but marke and foresee into what an ineuitable and endlesse maze of certaine misery and vengeance they enter when they enter into the field vpon either offer or acceptance of challenge If they be slaine they are accessaries to their owne vntimely murder They violentlie and wilfully pull themselues from the land of the liuing to the abhorred regions of death They cruelly and irrecouerably rent their owne poore soules from time of grace and repentance They extinguish all hope of posteritie and perhaps their house and family determines in
sanctification from the state of formality then words actions and all outwardnesse of cariage For in these many times is much cunning and enforcement artificiall and fained behauiours counterfeit and formall conueiances disguisements and hypocrisies They are liable to the lawes of men open and obuious to the eye and iudgement of all and therefore feare of punishment reproch and base reputation shame speech of the world hope of reward and rising desire of maintaining a good opinion for honesty and religion of holding some gainfull coherence with Gods children are of great power to restraine them and to keepe them within good compasse and moderation So that a mans words and actions may be faire ingenuous and honourable whose thoughts are base prophane and abominable But thoughts are the free immediâ—â—â— and inuisible productions of the heart neuer taken within the walke of humane iustice by their naturall secrecie exempted from mans most priuie search and all executions of State Their aberrations are onely censurable by the searcher of all hearts no eye pries into these secrets but that which is ten thousand times brighter then the Sunne And therefore millions of thoughts many thousand formes of imagination spring continually out of the harts of men which without feare or maske without restraint or reseruation doe vndissemblingly resemble and represent the true state and disposition of the heart So that from them we may be euer sure to take infallible notice whether the heart as yet onely worke naturally in framing them in it owne sinfull mould and feeding them with consent and delight or else be taught and guided by a supernaturall power to compose them according to the light of Gods word and holy motions of his sanctifying spirit Let vs then consider what deepe roote the word of God doth take and what speciall soueraignty it doth exercise in the thoughts of a sanctified man whereby hee is cleerely differenced from all states of vnregeneration euen that of formall hypocrisie which I place in a degree aboue ciuill honesty and in the highest perfection attainable by an vnregenerate man We will then for our present purpose conceiue these differences betwixt the child of God and the formall hypocrite in this point of thoughts First in respect of their nature forms maner of working Streames doe resemble and expresse the nature and propertie of those fountaines whence they spring so ordinarily thoughts and imaginations follow the temper and constitution of the heart wherein they are moulded I say ordinarily for as wee doe not passe our iudgements of the depth of a riuer or quality of the water when by suddennesse of inundation or incursion of neighbor brooks it is growne into a torrent and becomne muddie for a while so neither are we to censure or take measure of our thoughts by some vncouth motions and extraordinarie stirrings we somtimes feele in them but according to the ordinarie current and generall sway they commonly hold and exercise in our hearts For sometimes euen the vnregenerate may haue good purposes and inclinations towards sinceritie earnest longings for the happinesse of the Saints and the heauenlinesse of their latter end some flashes of comfort and perswasion though from false grounds that the spirituall state of their soule is safe and sound but such thoughts as these in such men spend their life in their birth as they rise so they glide and passe away without all fruit true comfort or profit to their owne soules On the otherside the calmnesse and serenitie of sanctified thoughts in a good Christian may sometimes be fouly disquieted and interrupted either by some sudden eruption of the relikes of our owne sinfull nature by violent inuasion of some enticing obiect from abroad or by the malicious and immediate iniections of Satan But because such thoughts as these oppose against the general and settled purpose of Gods child hee well knowes out of his spirituall wisdom and holy experience how to repell and bridle them how to repent of them and pray against them how to bee humbled and bettered by them in setting a stronger guard and more narrow watch ouer his heart for afterward left he be vnawares surprized the second time Sith therefore the heart of a notorious sinner is hardnesse it selfe for besides naturall obduration it is yet further and more fearefully hardned by a desperate extinguishment of those lesser sparkes of a generall inclination to ciuilâ— honesty by a long custome in a dissolute course by the contagious company of leaud and gracelesse companions by the curse of God vpon his wilfull continuance in sinne therefore I say his thoughts are all continually and resoluedly sinne and that in a high and horrible degree Wickednesse hath so enwoouen it selfe into his heart that within he is very corruption And whereas amongst all other comforts of life sleepe doth most sweetly feed and refresh nature yet the humour of sinning is farre more naturall vnto him and more dominant in his affections then desire of sleep For he cannot sleepe except hee hath done euill and his sleepe departeth except hee cause some to fall He imagineth mischiefe vpon his bed Psal. 36.4 When he is encompassed with the feares and darknes of the night an image and representation of his graue and of the horror of that great day when his mind is retired from worldly affaires the noise and tumult of men when it is most actiue powerfull and fitted for diuine contemplation euen then are his thoughts as blacke as hell and deepest in the works of darkenesse then is he plotting and contriuing mischiefe How to compasse his pleasures and accomplish the lusts of his heart where to crowne himselfe with fresh Rose-buds by what meanes to set forward the trade of drunkennesse and to enlarge the number of Satans reuellers that with more contentment and companie he may leaue some tokens of his pleasures and swaggering in euery place how to supplant his brother oppresse his neighbour grieue and disgrace Gods seruants indeed how to become an absolutâ— villaine vpon earth and the foulest fiend in hell You see what are the thoughts of the notorious sinners obdurate heart which is as full of hardnesse as the Moone of light and therefore inforced as it were to emptie and discharge it selfe of some stonines by transfusing an iron sinew into the necke and a brasen brow into the face Neither iudgement nor mercie will bend and encline him to grace no admonition or ministery of the word wil make him blush at his open and profest impietie So that his heart doth not onely greedily entertaine what leaudnesse doth ordinarilie spring from corruption of nature and is suggested by others but being past all sense both of shame and sinne becomes one of the diuels new inuentours and sets the thoughts busily on work for the deuice of strange villanies and mischiefs and for addition of new formes fashions and circumstances of sinning No better are the thoughts of the grosse hypocrite another kind
of sinner but fully as soule and abominable For if we could look into his heart though his outward life be ordered smoothly and ciuilly yet we should see within a bloody slaughter-house of malice crueltie and reuenge an hateful stewes of impure imaginations and adulteries of the heart a forge of much mischiefe of furious and fierie rage against the power of grace an insatiable gulfe of greedie desires for wealth and riches for vndeserued respect and reuerence in the world indeed a cage of all vncleane and rauenous birds Here is only the differeÌ„ce the notorious sinner dares act and execute the abominations of his hart in the sight of the Sun but the grosse hypocrite would gladly sinne vnseene and go to hell with as little noise and notice of the world as may be and therefore he drawes a curtaine of cosenage and hypocrisie betwixt the sight of the world and foulenesse of his sinne In the hearts of Ahab and Iezebel was nothing but blood and murder couetousnesse oppression and mercilesse enclosure onely vpon the vgly visages of these soule fiends they put a vizard of a fast formall witnesses and legall proceeding The ordinarie thoughts then of the grosse hypocrite are the same as vile and hellish as those of the notorious sinner Nay he doubles his iniquitie and addes waight â—o the vengeance preparing for him in that he straines the vtmost veine of his wit and founds the depth of his damned policie to clothe them with faire pretences and colourable shifts as they passe and present themselues vnto the world in words and actions and in that he labours to seeme a Saint while he is in truth an incarnat diuell But the thoughts of the formall hypocrite for with him I am specially to deale I haue onely added in this point the notorious sinner and grosse hypocrite for further distinction and illustration I say his thoughts as they come certainly short of true sanctification so they are farre better then these now mentioned For we suppose his heart to be seasoned with goodnesse of nature and ciuill honesty to haue tasted of the generall graces of Gods spirit and in some sort of the powers of the world to come and therefore his thoughts are more faire ingenuous sober and moderate then those soule and hateful ones of the notorious sinner and grosse hypocrite His heart will rise and be affrighted with suggestions of infamous consequence and markeable horror as those of Atheisme Crueltie Drunkennesse Adulterie Herâ—sie and such like but notwithstanding because it is not softned and sanctified by speciall grace without much scruple or conscience it will let the imaginations loose to much idlenesse and vanitie to many fruitlesse conceits impertinencies and prophane wandrings but especially into the endlesse maze of worldly cares earthlymindednes For he doth in some sort in his practise approue and iustifie that wicked and pestilent prouerb Thoughts are free They are free indeed in respect of obnoxiousnes to humane iustice in respect of discouerie and danger from any creature but the eie and vengeance of heauen takes first and speciall notice of them and holds them punishable as the principals and chiefe plotters of al transgressions Words and actions are as it were sinnes at second hand the very first life and freshest vigour of all ill is immediately receiued and inspired into the thoughts Hence it is that Peter aduiseth Simon Magus to pray God if it were possible that the thought of his heart might be forgiuen him as though there lay the greatest guilt and deepest staine before God By the way before I passe to the thoughts of Gods child obserue one speciall marke of difference in this point betwixt the true Christian and formall hypocrite The formall hypocrite doth euer harbour and maintaine in himselfe one sweet pleasing bosome sinne or other as voluptuousnes worldlinesse a greedy pursuit of temporall felicitie an excessiue desire of greatnesse and note in the world an opposition to sinceritie a delight in good fellowship or some such like carnall contentment or secret sinne on which his mind most runs whereupon the best and the flower the feruency and dearenes of his thoughts are spent Gods word honor and seruice checkes of conscience motions of the spirit ministrie of the word admonition of friends saluation of soule by an vnreasonable and inconsequent discourse of his sensuall reason are all made subordinate and seruiceable to this Idoll To which with much delight he daily sacrificeth the noblest and immediate workes and issues of his soule As for the state of his conscience spirituall affaires care of heauen that One necessarie thing these things take vp his thoughts but at reuersion by starts by accident and when they come into the heart their entertainement is very cold and strange their abode short and while they stay they are apprehended and enioyed with much wearinesse and weaknesse I conceiue this to be the reason Hee hath a full taste and present feeling of the pleasures of his sweet sinne hee hath sensible and certaine possession of worldly contentments but no reall and sound assurance by sauing faith and his forsaking all sinne of the ioyes and comforts aboue and therefore doth greedily follow and feed vpon the present with consent of his erring iudgement delight of heart the best of his affections and most of his thoughts And as for hereafter sith he is conscious to himselfe of an honest ciuill life of a sober formall cariage in the affaires of religion and that he is not infamous with any notoriousnesse in the world but as good as the best a few precise fellowes of purer straine onely excepted whose pretence and profession of extraordinary sanctity is nothing in his conceit but humour and hypocrisie he therefore I say for hereafter referres himselfe at all aduentures vnto the mercy of God and to the lot and condition of many thousands which are in the same case and state with himselfe But it is otherwise with Gods child For by the power of sanctifying grace as hee hath also mortified all other so specially he hath broke the very heart of the sweete sinne of his vnregeneration And as in a besieged citie where the greatest and most dangerous breach is made there the inhabitants concurre with chiefest care and highest resolution to fortifie and make resistance euen so sith he knowes and feeles that before his calling his delightfull and darling sinne most fearefully wasted his soule and wounded his conscience hee makes sure to imploy his thoughts with speciall edge and indignation to countermine preuent resist abominate and abandon all thought of that sinne And now by the grace of God sitâ— the heart the fountaine is purged and sanctified the streame and heate of their intention and delight is caried another way For he hath found that rich and inestimable Treasure in the Gospell and therfore he sels all that he hath he parts with euery pleasure he casts out of his conceit whatsoeuer hath beene formerly deare
and pretious vnto him and lets all his thoughts with loose raines greatest ioyfulnesse and oftenest meditation run after it and sweetly refresh themselues with the glory and comfort of it If a man vpon the way should find some pretious orient pearle hardly could he keepe his eyes from gazing vpon it his excesse of ioy would easâ—ly command and confine the sight to so rare and hopefull an object vntill hee meet with some skilfull Lapidarie or come where hee might thorowly bee acquainted with the worth and fully enioy the wealth of it Euen so after a man by the illightened eye of his soule and the hand of sauing faith once seaze and lay sure hold vpon the pearle of great price the graces of Gods spirit and eternall life the heart is presently so filled with loue and admiration that for euer after it spends the most the dearest and the noblest thoughts vpon it and they once set on foot are so cheered and rauished with the heauenly beautie thereof that they follow with continuall increase of feruencie and longing vntill they come vnto the cleere vision and full possession of it at the right hand of God in the endlesse ioyes of the world aboue The thoughts then of a true Christian are of a farre more heauenly temper diuine nature and higher straine then the largest heart of the best vnregenerate man can or doth possiblie comprehend The formall hypocrit may haue his mind worthily busied in points of deepest learning in the mysteries of State affaires of kingdomes in the best and highest considerations which nature art moralitie or policy can afford nay he may sometimes entertaine into his thoughts with ioy the promises of grace the happinesse of the Saints the ioyes of heauen and the like though these haue neuer any root or long residence in him But that the word of grace should so emplant it selfe into the inner man that the thoughts should neuer be so well or welcome to the heart as when they are wading in the great mysterie of godlines and with an holy wisedome plotting for the inlargement of Christs glorious kingdome in himselfe and others That it should make all other discourses of the mind subordinate and contributarie to such heauenly meditations and to this end set bounds and limits to the millions of imaginations that daily arise and erect an holy regiment amongst them I say this is the speciall prerogatiue of a sanctified man For he alone because of his truth sincerity and vprightnesse in the inner parts makes conscience of idle vaine and wandring thoughts of which the formall hypocrite either takes no notice at all or not much to heart Hee is as much cast downe vext and grieued with their disorder and exorbitancie as with the errors and infirmities of his words and actions and therefore establisheth as it were a gratious gouernment amongst them to keepe out confusion idlenes and rebellion He confines them to a reuerent and feeling meditation vpon Gods word and workes to a care of conscionable managing the affaires of his calling onely sometimes but sparingly with many cautions exceptions and seasonablenes letting them out to honest recreations Whatsoeuer thought is wandring without this compasse or within it vnsincere is sinful so that if he take any stragling without these limits any enticers to vanities and impertinencies any obtruders and disturbers of so happie inward peace he presently apprehends them by the watchfull eye of his spirituall wisedome examines them by the law of God arraignes them in the consistorie of an illightened conscience and so cuts them off in time by the power of grace and sword of the spirit that is by opposing against them at the first rising in the heart by present repentance prayer and after-watchfulnesse he blessedly rids himselfe of the miseries and distraction of prophane and troublesome thoughts That this is no Idea I now propose vnto you howsoeuer it so be to euery vnregenerate man and so when hee heares it he conceiues of it for little knowes hee what adoe euery child of God hath with his thoughts I say that this is no Idea or idle abstraction appeares pregnantly and plentifully in Dauids practise who for all the strong enticements ordinarilie incident to the pleasures of a Court and naturall libertie of Princes although the cares and waight of a kingdome lay vpon him and that his Royall innocencie was still haunted and assailed with such indignities and vexations which might almost haue swayed the blessed and quiet thoughts of a glorious Angell to distraction and discontentment yet for all this the law of God did still principally take vp his heart and that day and night Gods word and workes his statutes and iudgements were meate and drinke vnto his mind and his meditation continually as is more then plaine in many places of the 119. Psalm Oh saith he in the 13. portion how loue I thy law it is my meditation continually So vnexpresseable here was his pang of holy loue vnto Gods law that hee prefixeth a particle of zeale and extraordinarie passion Oh saith hee And where the heart hath once truely and sixedly set it loue there all the thoughts feast themselues with dearest apprehensions and with greatest impatiencie of all other imployment This is the verie case then of all Gods seruants they meditate on the word of God most contentedly and continually because they loue it farre before and aboue all earthly things and so dearely doe they loue it because in it with speciall security are conueied vnto them all the rich treasures of mercy remission of sinnes spirituall comfort and eternall life and particularly sealed vnto them by 〈◊〉 Spirit of the same word Salomon confirmes this worthie 〈◊〉 of his Father by his testimony Prou. 12.5 The thoughts of the iust are right iudgement or iustice for so the word signifies in the Originall but the suttle deuices of the wicked are deceit The thoughts of all vnregenerate men are commonly either rooting in the earth or drowned in pleasures or running after preferment or ranging vp and downe idly and prophanely or fruitleslie melancholike or if sometimes they glance or settle themselues vpon good things they are still as a menstruous clout and abomination to the Lord because their consciences are not renewed their hearts purged their persons sanctified and accepted But the thoughts of euery child of God are ordinarily working for the maintenance and furthering of Gods glory and good causes for procuring true good to their brethren especially in spirituall things for increasing grace in themselues and their store of comfort against the day of triall And if so be which sometimes befals the best they be crost by sinful motions in themselues or suggestions of Satan yet by their surprizing and suppressing them at the very first rising and assault and by present repentance they are vndoubtedly euer pardoned vnto them in Christ Iesus Giue me leaue I pray you to illustrate this varietie and difference of thoughts which I haue
comfort and heauenly matter enough to worke vpon a pleasing contentment and satisfaction arising from an humble and sober remembrance of a well spent life doth infinitely more refresh them then all the reuellings and pleasant deuices of merrie companions nay manie times in their seasonable solitarinesse diuine graces are more operatiue and stirring and raise inflamed motions of delight and ioy Now in a third place we are to consider that the child of God is yet further very much differenced from the formall hypocrite by his skill and dexteritie in ruling by his holy wisedome and godly iealousie in watching ouer his thoughts The heart in which Gods spirit is not resident with speciall grace and sanctifying power howsoeuer the words may be watched ouer and the outward actions reformed lies commonly still naked and open without speciall guard or settled gouernment For the best naturall man is too impatient of restraint and seuerity ouer the power of imagination and freedome of his thoughts they being naturally exempted and priuiledged from all humane and created soueraignty and the vncâ—ssantnesse of their workings and perpetuall presence in the mind would make the abridgement of their libertie more sensible and distastfull It may be out of the natural grounds of ciuill honesty some generall apprehension of the power of the world to come he may be so farre solicitous about his thoughts thaâ— if any start vp of more soule and monstrous shape enticing him to some grosse and infamous sinne which would disgrace him in the world or breed extraordinarie horrour in his conscience he presently sets against it disclaimes abandons and expels it He may bee of experience and skill to conquer and suppresse thoughts of heauinesse and melancholie although in this point he many times fearefully deceiues himselfe taking the holy motions of Gods spirit enclining him to godly sorrow for his sinnes to be melancholicke thoughts tending towards too much strictnes and vnnecessarie discomfort So grieuing the good spirit and stopping against himselfe the verie first and necessarie passage to saluation Thus the formall hypocrite may haue sometimes and in part a sleight misguided and generall care and ouersight of his thoughts But because the depth of his deceitfull heart and the many corruptions that are daily and hourely hatched in it were neuer ript vp and reuealed vnto him by the power and light of sauing grace he cannot hold that hand ouer his heart as he ought hee doth not keepe a solemne particular and continual watch and ward ouer his thoughts which is little enough to keepe a Christian in sound comfort and inward peace he hath no heart with such anxiety and care to looke vnto his heart he doth not so often and seriously thinke vpon his thoughts holding it the last and least of a thousand cares But euery child of God certainly makes it his chiefest care and one of his greatest Christian toiles to guard his heart and guide his thoughts Hee followes in some good measure by his practise that holy counsell of Salomon Prou. 4.23 Aboue all watch and ward keepe thine heart The word in the Originall is borrowed from the affaires of warre Let vs imagine a citie not onely begirt with a strait and dangerous siege of cruel and blood-thirstie enemies but also within infested with lurking Commotioners and traitors to the State how much doe you thinke would it stand that citie vpon with all vigilant policie to stand vpon it guard for preuention of danger It is iust so with the heart not onely Satan is euer waiting opportunitie to throw in his fierie darts and sensuall Obiects from abroad like false Simons to insinuate themselues but also it feeles to it much vexation many rebellious stirrings within it owne bowels The tender conscience of a true Christian is verie sensible of all this danger and by his owne experimentall and practicall knowledge hee is acquainted with the many breaches and desolations made in the soule both by these open enemies and secret rebels and therefore furnisheth himselfe daily with much holy wisedome and watchfulnesse with experience and dexteritie in this great spiritual affaire of guarding and guiding his hart We may take a view of this his sanctified and Christian wisedome in gouerning his thoughts in these foure points In a timely discouerie and wise defeatment of Satans stratagems and policies whether hee deale by suggestions raised from the occasions and aduantages of his temper and naturall constitution of his temporall state either happinesse or contempt of his infancie or growth weaknes or strength in Christianity of the condition of his calling companie place where hee liues or the like Or whether he come addrest with his owne more fearefull immediat Iniections which he sometimes presents in his owne likenesse As when he casts into the Christians mind distrusts and doubts about the truth of heauen and of diuine and heauenly truth concerning the certaintie and being of all that maiestie and glory aboue for such thoughts as these are somtimes offered to the most sanctified soule Bernard cals theÌ„ terribilia de side horribilia de diuinitate But marke here the cariage of Gods child hee doth not wrastle with these hel-bred thoughts he sets not his naturall reason vpon them for thence perhaps would follow inclinations to Atheisme desperatenessâ—â— in sinning and other fearefull consequents but at the very first approch abandons and abominates them to the very pit of hell whence they came he praies repents and is humbled by them and thence clearely sees they are none of his and so in despite of such diuellish malice walkes on comfortably in his way to heauen If Satan speed not in this blacke shape he at othertimes puts on the glorie of an Angell and perhaps may bring into his remembrance euen good things but out of their due time that he may hinder him of some greater good As at the preaching of the word he may cast into his mind vnseasonably godly meditations that so he may distract and depriue him of the blessings of a profitable hearer At the time of prayer he may fil his head with holy instructions that so hee may coole his seruencie and bereaue him of the benefit of so blessed an exercise With these and a thousand moe such like vexations in his thoughts the child of God is sore troubled and much exercised Secondly another branch of spiritual wisdome in watching ouer his thoughts is busied about those sinfull pleasures which vpon the remembrance of his former old iniquities may reinfect the soule For a man may commit the same sin a thousand times by renewing the pleasures of it in his thoughts Though the act be past yet as often as the mind runnes ouer the passages and circumstances of the same sin with the same delight so often the soule is polluted with a new staine and laden with more guiltinesse Whereas therfore the sensuall sweetnes of a mans beloued sinnes hath before his calling got such strong hold and hant
way vnto his first sinfull motions Lastly a principall imployment of holy wisedome in guarding the thoughts is spent in giuing a wise and humble entertainement vnto the good motions of Gods blessed spirit and in furnishing and supplying the mind with store of profitable and godly meditations For as vnregenerate men giue commonly easie passage to pleasing worldly thoughts but suppresse gratious stirrings inclinations to godly sorrow repentance sincerity as though they were tentations to precisenes so contrarily Gods child labours by all meanes to stoppe the way to the first sinfull sensuall thoughts but alwaies desires with speciall humilitie and reuerence to imbrace all the motions of Gods spirit warranted and grounded in his word Hee deerely and highly esteemes them cherisheth and feeds them with spirituall ioy and thankfulnesse of heart with prayer meditation and practise For if a man begin once to be neglectiue of godly motions by little and little he grieues the spirit at length he quencheth it at last he is in danger of despighting it if not by profession and directly yet in his practise and by an indirect opposition in slandering and persecuting spirituall graces in Gods children Besides this worthie care of entertaining and nourishing good motions hee is prouident to gather and treasure vp store of good matter and heauenly businesses for the continuall exercise of his mind left that noble power of his soule should be taken vp with trisles and vanitie feede vpon earth or weare and wast it selfe with barren and lumpish melancholie Hee is much grieued and vexed if he find at any time his heart caried away with transitorie delights carnall and vnprofitable thoughts or his mind musing impertinently and gazing vpon the painted and vanishing glory of the world Especially sith there is such plentifull and pretious choice of best meditations obuious to euery Christian able to fill with endlesse contentment all the vnderstandings of men and Angels for euer As the incomprehensible gloriousnesse of God in the infinite beauty of his owne immediate Maiesty and sacred attributes in his word and workes in his iudgements and mercies in his Church and Sacraments The miraculousnesse of our redemption and all the comfortable and glorious passages thereof The great mysterie of godlinesse the power of grace trade of Christianity and course of sanctification matter of sweetest contemplation Concerning our selues there is to be thought vpon all the affaires of our calling the particulars perplexities and cases of conscience incident vnto them Our present vilenesse and fearefull infirmities the miseries and frailtie of this life the traines of Satan the terrors of hell that great iudgement euen at hand In our spirituall state how to preserue our first loue escape relapses grow in grace keepe a good conscience come to heauen And when the â—ie of our vnderstanding is dazled with those higher considerations or wearied with these inferiour it might refresh it selfe with the speculatiue fruition of many inuisible comforts with variety of heauenly things concerning the immortality of our soules the large promises of euerlasting blessednesse the glorious rising againe of our bodies the ioyes and rest of Gods saints aboue and that which is the crowne and conclusion of all our owne most certaine blissefull state of happinesse and eternity in the second world If men had grace and comfort to enlarge their harts to such meditations as these what roome would there be for earthli-mindednes vanities and impertinencies much lesse for proud ambitious couetous lustfull enuious and reuengefull thoughts Thus far of the care and conscience of the true Christian in watching ouer and guiding his thoughts which is a speciall marke of difference from all states of vnregeneration for the regenerate onely keepe the last commandement which rectifies the inward motions of the heart Now lastly in a fourth place and in a word Gods child is distinguished from the formall hypocrite in respect of the issue of his thoughts The most comfortable and sanctified soule is neuer in such perpetuall serenitie but that it is sometimes as it were ouerclouded with dumps of heauinesse and inwardly disquieted with it owne motions or the suggestions of Satan While this flesh is vpon it it shall be sorrowfull and while it is in this vale of teares it must mourne There is not an heart so sweetely and resoluedly composed for heauen but is sometimes dissetled with thoughts of indignation And that especially as appeareth by Dauid Psalm 37. and 73. When follie is set in great excellencie when men neither of worth conscience or ingenuitie are aduanced to high roomes domineere in the world and imperiously insult ouer sincerity when the wicked prosper and spread themselues in fresh pleasures and honours like greene Bay-trees when those haue their eyes standing out for fatnes and more then heart can wish to whom pride and insolencie are as a chaine and who are couered with prophanenesse and crueltie as with a garment But here marke the diffâ—â—ence Discontentfull discourses in the mind of the formall hypocrite either breake out into desperate conclusions and fearefull horrour although this be but seldome for commonly this kind of vnregenerate man liues flourishingly and dies fairely in the eye of the world exemplarie and irrecouerable despaire in this life doth oftnest befall either the notorious sinner the meere ciuill honest man or especially the grosse hypocriâ—e therefore I would rather say that in him such discontentfull debatements are either appeased by some opposite conceit of stronger worldly comfort abandoned by entertainment of outward mirth diuerted by companie pleasures and ioyfull accidents composed by worldly wisedome or the like But heauie-hearted thoughts in Gods child though for a while not vtterly without some aspersion of distrust fretting and discontent yet commonly at length being mingled with faith and managed with spirituall wisedom by the grace of God breake out into fairer lightening of comfort greater heate of zeale more liuely exercise of faith gratious speeches and many blessed resolutions I will but onely giue one instance and that in Dauid a man of singular experience in spirituall affaires Looke the beginnings of the 62. and 73. Psalmes And you shall find Dauid to haue beene in a heauie dumpe and sore conflict in his owne heart with strong tentations vnto impatiencie He recounts the issue of the dispute with himselfe in the beginnings of these Psalmes Yet saith he in the 73. for all this God is good vnto Israel euen to the pure in heart In the 62. Yet let diuels and men rage and combine yet my soule keepeth silence vnto God of him commeth my saluation c. His many wrongs vexations and indignities together with the implacable malice and impotent insultations of his aduersaries had no doubt a little before much run in his mind Let vs conceiue such as these to haue beene his thoughts and that thus or in the like maner hee communed and confered with his royall selfe Lord thinks he with himselfe I haue with lowest humilitie and