so much the more on the New Covenant and surely thou canst not but cry Heb. 8.8 Of GRACE Zech. 4.7 Math. 22.8 Chap. 11.28 1 King 21.16 Verse 6. grace grace unto it O this is that where none are excluded but self-excluders nor counted unworthy but those that are unwilling where the worst are invited and the most heavy laden best welcomed where Sinks of Sin as Manasseth an Idolater and a Conjurer who filled Jerusalem with blood are made vessels of mercy prepared unto glory where Mansion-Houses of Devils as Mary Magdalen become Temples of the Holy Ghost Mark 16.9 Acts 9.15 Isaiah 11.6 Habitations of God through the Spirit where Persecutors as Saul become Preachers of Righteousness and the Wolf dwells with the Lamb and the Leopard lies down with the Kid and the Calâ— with the Lyon and the little Child doth lead them c. Acts 2.23 Where cruel Jewes are saved by the Blood that they shed and by putting forth an hand of Faith to take hold on him whom themselves had taken before 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. and by wicked hands had Crucified and slain And where Sinners of the Gentiles Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers Effeminate persons Abusers of themselves with Mankind Theeves Covetous Drunkards Raylers Extortioners are washed are sanctified are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Where blemishes are no bar to admission to the Marriage-Supper of the King but the Poor and the Maimed Luke 14.11 Verse 23. and the Halt and the Blind are entertained yea the very Hedge-rows are searched and the very Vagabonds and High-way-men are compelled to come in Isa 35.5 6 8. Where the eyes of the Blind see out of obscurity and the ears of the Deaf are opened and the Lame Man leaps as an Hart and the Tongue of the Dumb doth sing Where the way-faring Man though a fool doth not err and they that erred in spirit come to understanding Isaiah 29 24. Job 33.27 28. and they that murmureâ— to learn Doctrine Where God looketh upon men and if any say I have sinned and perverted that which was Right and it profited me not He will deliver him from going down into the pit and his Life shall see the light Where Light is given to them that sit in Darkness Luke 1.79 and in the shadow of Death and where Iniquity is forgiven and Sin is Remembred no more Heb. 8.12 Free Grace In the First Covenant God was good to Mans Righteousness in this New Covenant He is merciful to his unrighteousness In that He was Preserver of the Innocent Hâ—sea 14.5 Rom. 5.8 in this a Restorer of Revolters an Healer of Back-sliders a Lover of Enemies a well-willer to Evil-doers O this is Mercy tender mercy of our God whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us Luke 2.14 Luke 1.78 79. Rom. 3.12 16 17. Verse 24. Verse 25. to guide our feet into the way of peace who were all gone out of the way and were altogether become unprofitable but destruction and misery were in our wayes and the way of Peace we knew not O this is Grace Free Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation c. willing it seems to gain all sorts of Buyers though without money and without price Isaiah 55.1 as the Salesman is who sets forth his Wares to invite Customers whom He hopes most to get by whereas all that He expects from us is but our taking what he tenders and receiving what he gives O this is Mercy and rich Mercy Eph. 2.4 R câ— Grace Verse 7. and Love and great love whereby he loved us O this is Grace and Riches of Grace and exceeding riches of Grace in his kindness towards us The Apostle speaks of it as if he could never speak enough of it or high enough of it and it was not his study alone but that about which he declares that all Saints are thoughtful how they may be able to comprehend what is the breadth Chap. 3.18 19. and length and depth and height and to know this love that passeth knowledge Bredth of Love covering the multitude of sins as it must needs be a broad Plaister indeed that must cover all our Sores Isaiah 1.6 Psalm 130.1 who from the sole of the foot to the head are nothing but wounds and swellings and putrifying sores Depth of love reaching us in the Deeps of sin and misery And 40.2 the horrible pit and miry clay Length of Love stretching its wings from Eternity to Eternity Eph. 3 11. 1 Cor. 15.45 47. and Height of Love beating sinners up from Hell to Heaven and to a more blessed and glorious state in the second Adam than they fell from in the first And O what a Theme for Thoughts is here Here is Height for the Highest Covenant of GRACE the â—â—mplest Theme 〈◊〉 thoughâ— Depth for the Profoundest Bredth for the largest Length for the longest Thoughts Man can possibly have and indeed Thoughts are the largest things in the World Sect. XXX THis this was that Ephes 1 9. With 3.11 that took up Gods own Thoughts from all Eternity this good pleasure of his goodness which He purposed in Himself The Lord possessed me saith Christ in the beginning of his way CHRIST before his works of old or ever the Depths or the Fountains or the Mountains or Hills were settled or the Earth made Prov. 8.22 The object of Gods Eternal Thoughts Verse 30.31 or the Clouds confirmed or the Heavens prepared Then was He with God as one brought up with him rejoycing alwayes before him and was daily his Delight even he whose Rejoycing is in the habitable parts of the Earth and his delights are with the Children of Men that is to say with Fallen Man or as it is expressed in the Psalmist even the Rebellious Psal 68.18 that God might dwell among them The Lord possessed me saith Christ Now the Thoughts as we have formerly said are the possessions of the heart This was that And of all good men in the first Ages of the World Of Adam Gen. 3.15 that took up the Thoughts of all the best in the first Ages of the World when they had but a little hole to see day at when this Infant Covenant of Grace was wrapt in the Swadling-band of that short and single Promise the Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head Wherefore when that Son was born of whom Christ was to come Gen. 4.25 Eve calls him Seth a FOUNDATION and how glad were they when God did but never so little further open it and make a way for their further Thoughts about it 'T was a little plainer to Abraham Abraham Gen. 12.3 Job 8 56. Job 10.25 26 27. In thy sâ—ed shall all the Nations of the World be blessed And saith Christ of Abraham He saw my
as a Builder and as an In-dweller to mortifie and to quicken to Convince and to Comfort to teach and to bring to remembrance to guide into the way to uphold in the way and lead to the end to be the earnest of their Inheritance and the Witness of their Son-ship the seal and the sealer wherewith and whereby they are sealed unto the day of Redemption by whom they have an access to the Father who are also an habitation of God through the spirit Such are the undoubted Operations of the Spirit in those that shall be saved for hereby we know that we dwell in Him and He in us because He hath given us his Spirit And therefore take heed good Reader of reviling any of these workings or of scoffing at the words for surely we cannot but think that the Holy Ghost knows best how to express his own workings O think of this Hebr. 10.62 that despight done to the Children of Grace supposeth a Trampling under foot the Son of God And truly one would think one might say in this Case as Ahasuerus did in another who is he and where is he that durst presume in his heart to do so Hestr 7.5 O Tremble good Christian at the very Thought of such a thing that the Holy Spirit of God should be grieved or vexed by the sons of Men Eph. 4.30 Isaiah 63.10 but especially that any should presume to Blaspheme him And let this serious thought dwell with thee That it is the Sin against the Spirit of Grace that excludes from Grace to Repent of SIN Thou therefore that bowest the knee at Our Father and at the Name Jesus Remember that there is a Third who together with the Father and the Son is to be worshiped and glorified Sect. XLIII High thoughts of our Obligations to the Spirit TO proceed He that hath Right Thoughts of the Spirit thinks himself alike beholding to the spirit as to the Father and the Son in the business of his salvation for to the working of the Father and the Son both which are Great and Glorious in Mans salvation there must be added the supply of the spirit For God hath chosen us to salvation Phil. 2.19 as well through sanctification of the spirit 2 Thes 1.13 John 14.16 as through the Belief of the Truth And therefore saith Christ I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that He may abide with you for ever even the spirit of Truth c. And again It is expedient for you that I go away And 16.7 that I may send Him to you It is expedient that 's a great word He saith not onely it will be as well for you if He come to you as if I had stayed with you but it is expedient for you that I go that He may come As in works that must pass through more hands then one it is Expedient that the First hand be taken off that the Finishing hand may come The finishing work in mans Salvation the Spirits work And therefore the Finishing work is the Spirits work The Father by his Mercy The Son by his Merit and Mediation and the Spirit of the Father and the Son by his Indwelling as these Three are One in themselves so in Mans salvation which Scripture saith is in the Son 1 John 5.11 John 3.16 John 15.21 given us by the Father but sent us home by the spirit When the Comforter is come saith Christ whom I will send to you from the Father even the spirit of Truth He shall testify of Me. The Grace of Our Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 13.14 and the Love of God is brought home to us and We to it by the Communion of the Holy Ghost The Son by his Incarnation which was the Work which his Father gave him to do brought Heaven Down to us John 17.4 and the spirit in our Regeneration wherein we are said to be Born of the spirit makes us his Temples and Gods Habitations and builds us up to Heaven John 3.8 Eph. 2.21 22. Hebr. 9.14 Ephes 1.6 The Son Offers up himself and makes us acceptable to a just God through his comliness that is to say his Righteousness put upon us And there is also an Offering up of us a making of us amiable to an Holy God by the Holy Spirit Rom. 15.16 That the Offering up of the Gentiles saith the Apostle might be Acceptable being sanâ—tified by the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 6.8 Hebr. 8.6 The Maker of the New Covenant is the Father The Mediator of it is the Son And the great Matter of it is the Spirit for this is the sum of All I will put my spirit within you Ezek. 36.2 who is therefore called the holy spirit of Promise Eph. 1.13 Holy Spirit the great New Testament promise Luke 2.25 Acts 1.4 Verse 7.8 For as the Coming of the Messiah was the Great Hope and Expectation of the Fathers of the Old Testament which is therefore called a waiting for the Consolation of Israel so the coming of the Holy Ghost in the New and therefore called a waiting for the Promise of the Father And therefore when the Primitive Disciples were curiously inquisitive and desirous of the Knowledge of the Times and Seasons Our Gracious Saviour who best knew what was best for them confines them to and comforts them with this Expectation that the Holy Ghost should come upon them And Oh that many whole vehement Desires run out that way viz. after knowledge of times and seasons would endeavour more for the sweet Influences and Incomes of the Holy Ghost Fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 23. whose Fruits saith the Apostle are Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance against which there is no Law Sect. XLIV Blessed fruit O Blessed Fruit of the thrice-Blessed Spirit for this was the Blessing of Abraham come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ Gal. 3.14 even that we might receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith The Fruit that undid us was Forbidden Fruit Gen. 3.17 Chap. 2.17 Rom. 8.2 and 6.22 Fruit against Law but against such there is no Law Man Eating of that Fruit was to die the Death but this Spirit of Life makes us free from the Law of Death so that now We have our fruit unto holiness and the end Everlasting Life Sweet Fruit. 2 Cor. 3.17 Sweet Fruit may I well say if Life be sweet or Liberty for where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty or if Peace be sweet or Love lovely or Joy joyous Or if these be not enough here is Temperance Meekness Faith Goodness c. We may say here as 't is said in the Canticles at our good are all manner of pleasant fruits Cant. 7.13 Here I am sure I may say and not beguile my Reader Gen. 3.6 are fruits pleasant to the Eyes and good for Food for the Kingdom
of God is not meat and drink but Righteousness and Peace Rom. 14.17 1 Cor. 2.11 and Joy in the Holy Ghoâ—t and truly to be desired to make one Wise for the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Verse 12.13 now we have received not the Spirit of this World but the Spirit which is of God that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God which things also we speak not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual and therefore He is called the spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Eph. 1.17 18. that We might know the hope of his Calling and the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints The Fruit forementioned was of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil Gen. 2.19 Eph. 5.7 In all goodness and truth but the Fruit of the Spirit is in all GOODNESS Righteousness and TRUTH Here is ALL Good and No Guile So then if Goodness it self be Good if Righteousness be Desirable for We through the Spirit wait for the hope of Righteousness by Faith if Truth be amiable Gal. 5.5 for He is also called the Spirit of Truth John 15.26 and 16.13 Eph. 3.16 2 Cor. 3.18 Phil. 2.1 and said to guide into All Truth In a word if according to the Riches of the Glory of God We are strengthened with might in the inner man by the Spirit changed into the same Image from glory to glory by the same Spirit If there be any Consolation in Christ or comfort of Love joyned with the fellowship of the Spirit If God be a good Guest for Ye are the Temple of God if the Spirit of God dwell in you 1 Cor. 3.16 Or if Heaven be worth having or that it be good for us that dwell in this Tabernacle to be clothed upon 2 Cor. 5.4 that Mortality might be swallowed up of Life the Earnest whereof is the Spirit Verse 5. Surely well may the Fruit of the Spirit be said to be in All Goodness As Mony answers All things in temporal Respects Eccles 11.19 Spirit answerâ— all good things so where one Evangelist saith how much more shall your Father give good Things c. The other reads How much more shall he give the holy Spirit to them that ask him so that the Holy Spirit answers All good Things Drunkards quench this Spirit Isaâ—ah 28.1 2 Thes 5.19 Hosea 4.11 Eph. 5.18 Luke 21.38 And here I cannot but lament the Drunkenness of our Ephraim who by abusing good things sin away the Best Thing quenching the Spirit with strong Drink which as it takes away mans heart so it keeps away Gods Spirit as Scripture saith be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess but be filled with the Spirit for that clean Spirit can not dwell in an Heart especially overcharged with Surfeiting Drunkenness and odious excess Sect. XLV Pray for the Spirit Psal 143.10 51.11 12. Acts 1.4 Survey his Workings Rom. 8.20 WHerefore good Reader say as David Thy Spirit is good and Pray as David O take not thy holy Spirit from me but uphold me with thy free Spirit Pray and wait for the Spirit having put the Promises in suit by Prayer Survey his daily workings and work thou with him for the Word himself useth as to his helping our Infirmities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Metaphor taken from two that lift together one over against another at the same stone or piece of Timber to lay it in the Building Prize his Witnessings Verse 16.17 Acts 9.31 Moreover prize his Evidence for as he worketh so he witnesseth with our Spirit that We are the Children of God and if children then Hens c. walk in the comfort of the Holy Ghost as Scripture speaks even of his Evidence who is both Earnest Seal and Witnesse Listens to his motions Revel 22.10 Listen to the Spirit who never bids us to our hurt the spirit saith come take of the water of Life freely His Charmings are Wise his Reproofs an excellent Oyl his Convictions Kindness and all his motions James 3.17 Rev. 2.7.10 29 Chap. 1.6 13 22. Dictates and Counsels are first pure and then peaceable He that hath an Ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches 't is six times over in two Chapters it seems We are dull of hearing when Our best friend is speaking We could hear the Serpents first hissing listen to Satan when he doth but whisper to us but when the Spirit speaks so loud that All should hear even to the churches He finds deaf ears growing upon our Hearts and when he comes unto us by his sweet insinuations we treat this Heavenly Messenger as Hanun did King Davids 2 Sam. 10.4 cutting off his motions in the middle and so we send him grieved back to the high provocation of God that sends him But the Spirit is as his Fruit is Long-suffering or else He would not so long strive with Man with froward and stubborn man but yet think He will not alwayes do it as God roundly told the Old World But Wo Wo unto thee if thou Sin away the Spirit Psal 51.11 for casting away from Gods presence is inseperably annexed to the taking away his holy Spirit as it is in the Psalmist and those Spirits are sad proofs of it 1 Pet. 3.18.19.20 to whom God went and Preached by this Spirit in the dayes of Noah for being then disobedient they are now in Prison And sure We cannot but think it just and reasonable that we carefully hearken to him when ever he comes on Gods Errand to us Who if ever we would speed must go on Our Errand to God and make Intercession for us Rom. 8.26 Grieve not the Spirit Eph. 4.21 to 25.26 How that may be By Commissions And oh how disingenuous and injurious must we needs think it on the other hand to grieve him that Comforts us which the Apostle saith we do when we put not off concerning the former Conversation the Old Man which is corrupt according to deceiptful Lusts and put not on the new Man c. when we put not away lying corrupt Communication undue courses for a Livelihood instead of diligence in our lawful Calling anger Bitterness Evil-speaking and all Malice even by All such undue Affections Words and Actions Nay that We should Vex yea Resist him Isai h 63.10 Acts 7.51 as the uncircumcised in Heart and Ears nay quench the Spirit with excess of Wine c. as is said before put him quite out as Saul said God is departed from me 1 Sam. 28.15 and answereth me no more now Fire is put out as effectually by not putting on of Fuel as by putting on of Water and the holy Spirit quenched by Sins of Omission as of Commission Omission by Contempt and wilful neglecting of holy Duties Means and Ordinances
yet was alive once without the Law and gives this as the Reason He did not by all their Doctrine know LUST He knew not that thought-sins were such sins untill the Commandment came in another manner and by another kind of teaching then ever he had from them For this was our Saviours great business in that Incomparable Sermon upon the Mount to vindicate the Spirituality of the Law from their carnal and corrupt Dotages they put the great stress of the Rule upon the outward man He puts it upon the Heart also Poverty in spirit he begins with that He layes the breach of the Sixth and Seventh Commandments in heart and thought as well as outward Act He condemns carking cares Anxiety of Thoughts 'T is strange indeed they should be so blinded seeing the very last of Gods Ten Words goes down to the very bottom of the mind and thought Thou shalt not COVET so that when the scales were but fallen from the Apostles eyes He could easily-see in the light of that Law that THOUGHT was Sin He knew LUST to be SIN then He knows now that the Law is Spiritual Yea and thus he Schools others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That ye might learn not to think above what is written Gods written WORD is the measure of mans Right THOUGHTS yet even some Heathens had some glimmerings of this Deut est animus therefore mente colendus God it a Spirit and requires mental worship and conformity to his will And this is indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our reasonable Service when the Internal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THOUGHT and mind serve the Law of God Sect. I. Secondly AS a man must have a right Rule for his Thoughts Right thoughts of the Rule James 4.11 1 Cor. 2.14 so he must have Right Thoughts of the Rule The Apostle speaks of some that Judge the Law Take we heed that we do not misjudge it Therefore it is necessary that we look on the Spiritual Law with a Spiritual eye To carnal Thoughts the Right wayes of the Lord seem crooked and unequal Gods right Rule why seems crooked to men not that the Law is so but because the medium is such through which it is looked upon as if a man put part of a strait staff into the water it appears crooked because of the inequality of the medium All Gods Rule to David Psal 119.228 All right But now a right heart hath right thoughts of the Rule I esteem all thy Precepts concerning all things to be right So we Read it but the Text is I esteem all thy Precepts to be all right every one and every way Right 'T is true There may be some kind of approving the things that are excellent Rom. 2.18 Some approve some excellent things As Herod Mark 6.20 And yet the Heart not be Right But if there be not an approving of excellent things the Heart cannot be Right A bad Heart may think good of many good wayes as Herod but a good heart thinks good of every good way as David Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments Psal 119.6 But David all Gods Laws Universal respect fair evidence 1 Tim. 3.16 Men may have a fair respect to many of Gods Laws yet have hard Thoughts of some But an universal respect is a fair Evidence of Sincerity For ALL SCRIPTURE is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness c. THE Second Part. Contents of the II. Part. AN Introduction of particular Instances of Thoughts suited to their several Subjects according to Scripture Rule .. 1. In thinking of Scripture it self 2. Of Our Selves 3. Of others 4. Of Creature-comforts 5. Of Ordinances 6. Of Sin 7. Of Holiness 8. Of Afflictions 9. Of Temptations 10. Of Persecutions 11. Of the present Condition of Life 12. Of the present Time of Life 13. Of Death 14. Of Judgment 15. Of Eternity 16. Of Angels Evil Good 17. Above all in Thinking of GOD. To have High Thoughts and Sweet Thoughts but in all points Regular and Scriptural Of his Being Highness Holiness Unshangeableness Unity yet Trinity in Unity Eternity Omnipresence Omniscience Omnipotence Invisibility Terribleness and just Severity Truth Verity Loveliness and Goodness not only in his sparing Mercies and means of Grace but even in His Judgments and Destruction of the ungodly in the First Covenant especially in the New Covenant of Grace richest Theme for thoughts CHRIST the Objeâ—t of Gods Eternal thoughts and of all good mens of Old and of Angels though Men otherwise concerned in Him than They. Immanuel God with us makes All in God Ours Justice Holiness Highness c. Gods Love in Christs Incarnation Suffering The Necessity and Excellent Vertue of Christs Death Right thoughts of Christs righteousness Imputed High thoughts of Christ sweet thoughts of Christ Holy thoughts of Christ as tho great Enemy of Sin though Friend of Sinners right thoughts of God the Holy Ghost High thoughts of God the Spirit in his Essence Subsistence and Operations Sweet thoughts of him and our high Obligations to Him the finishing work in mans Salvation the Spirits Holy Ghost the great Promise of the New Testament as Christ of the Old Fruits of the Spirit sweet Thoughts For God must be Scriptural as well as Of God Conclusion Exhorting to Self-reflection by and upon Our thoughts Giving Motives and Rules for keeping thoughts RIGHT THE Second Part. WHICH Contains an Induction of particular Instances of Thoughts suited to their several Subjects according to Scripture-Rule and concludes with an Exhortation to self-Reflection and Motives and Rules for keeping Thoughts Right NOw then supposing a Man have a right Rule for his thoughts and right thoughts of the Rule The great inquiry for the tryal of thoughts is whether they be suited to their several Subjects according to that Rule Right thoughts of Scripture Adoro Scripturae plenitudinem Tertul. cont Hermog See B. Tayler's Dissuasive from Popery 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. John 5.39 As for Example Sect. I. IN thinking of SCRIPTURE that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All divinely inspired and a sufficient Rule in all things pertaining to God and our Souls Able to make the man of God perfect throughly furnished to every good work able to make wise to Salvation and therefore to be searched by every one that desires to be Saved Search the Scriptures saith our Saviour for in them ye think to have Eternal Life and they are They that testifie of Me. Now to think otherwise of Scripture then we are taught by it is to think strangely of it which is a thing the great God takes strangely at their hands that do it a dishonour done to our Spiritual MAGNA CHARTA the great Charrer of our Salvation I have WRITTEN to Him saith God the GREAT THINGS of my Law Hosea 8.12 but they counted them as a strange thing Great things indeed
is above the Heavens and be dapled Psal 113.4 5. like Heaven with Love and Holy Joy because of his loving kindness and with Reverence and Godly Fear for his Judgment and Righteousness and with delight in all these the Exercise of all which is his Delight For though the Lâ—â—d be High Psal 138.6 yet hath he respect unto the Lowly and as He condescends to think of us so also provided we do it regularly to be thought of by Us. High thoughts God most HIGH Heb. 11.6 Gen. 14 18. Isa 57.15 Eccles 5.8 Isa 40.18 25. Psal 76.12 Psal 135.6 Jâ—b 33.13 Psal 97.9 Psal 113.4 Psal 16 2. Neh. 9.5 No thought of God high enough Job 11.7 8 9. But that God is above all thoughts Yet minds the least and least thingâ— To begin then at the beginning of all things we are instructed by Scripture to think that GOD IS and that he is the MOST HIGH and therefore to have High Thoughts of him as of the Holy One that inhabiteth Eternity HE is higher then the Highest To whom there is none like no equal none to be compared That cuts off the Spirit of Princes That is terrible to the Kings of the Earth That doth whatsoever pleaseth him in Heaven and in Earth in Seas and all deep places That giveth no account of any of his matters That is high above the Earth and exalted far above all Gods High above the Nations yea His Glory above the Heavens High above our Services for our Goodness extendeth not to him High above our Praises nay above Blessing and Praise Mens or Angels And therefore that we can never think high enough of God but in Thinking that he is too high for our Thoughts Canst thou by searching find out God Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection It is high as Heaven What canst thou do Deeper then Hell What canst thou know The measure thereof is longer then the Earth and broader then the Sea And yet they think amiss that think Him as some do too high to mind the lowest matters non vacat exiguis Some think it a disparagement to his Highness that He should mind and order every minute action motion inconsiderable worm or sly the stirring of the hand or moving of the foot c. but all these must be left without particular providential concourse and all in respect as they think to his Highness But Scripture teacheth us to think that not only in him we live but move Acts 17.18 Psalm 36.6 Mat. 10.29 Psal 104 29.14.9 and 139.16 Mat 10 30. Psal 147.5 as well as have our being Nay that He preserveth Man and Beast that a Sparrow doth not fall without him That he takes away their breath when they die gives them their Food while they live Nay that not onely our members book'd by Him but even our Hairs the very hairs of our head numbred and all this no difficulty nor diminution to him whose understanding is infinite Sect. XVIII TO have Holy and Reverend Thoughts of Him Right and Reverend Thoughts Psal 111.9 Isa 8.13 Gods eyes pure and piercingâ— Hab. 1.13 for HOLY and REVEREND is his Name and therefore to Sanctifie the Lord God in our HEARTS that he be our Fear and that He be our dread as He was the FEAR of Isaac To think Him a God of purer Eyes then to behold Evil or that He can look upon Iniquity viz without loathing And yet to think Him a God of such piercing Eâ—es as that he beholdeth the Evil and the Good Job 24.21 22. for his Eyes are upon the wayes of Man and He seeth all his goings there is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of Iniquity may hide themselves Dan 10.6 Psal 139.12 for his Eyes are as Flames or Lamps of Fire and unto him the night shineth as the day Neither is there any Creature that is not manifest in his sight Heb. 4.13 But all things are naked and open in his sight with whom We have to do Sect. XIX God unchangeable Iames 1 17. Ordering all changes Psal 106.20 TO think him God UNCHANGEABLE without Passion Perturbation Variableness or so much as shadow of turning Though as a Vesture he shall change both the Foundations of the Earth laid by himself of old and the Heavens the work of his hands and they shall be changed and mean while orders all Changes under the Heavens and in the Earth He prevaileth against man for ever Job 14.2 Chap. 23.13 and he ceaseth He changeth his Countenance and sendeth him away But as for Himself He is of one mind and who can turn him Do Sinners provoke me to anger Jerem 7 9. Job 35 6. saith the Lord Do they not provoke themselves to the Confusion of their own faces so that If thou sinnest what dost thou against him or if thy Transgressions be multiplyed what dost thou unto him though thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art c. Yet seems as moved with sin Psal 1â—6 32 and 43. Heb. 3.10 Isaiah 63.10 and 43.24 Amos 2.13 Ezek 6.9 Sâ—â—â— suffering Deut â—â— 36. Jer. 31.20 Isaiah â—2 9 Yet withall to think him a God so holy hating sin so infinitely that He is said to be angred to be provoked to be grieved to be vexed to be made to serve to be wearyed to be burthened nay even to be broken by it I am broken saith God with their whorish heart yea a God so gracious as that He repents himself for his Servants His bowels are troubled for them and in all their Afflictions he is Afflicted with them Sect. XX. Onely God John 17.3 2 Cor. 16.26 Gal. 4 8. Rom. 16.27 1 Tim. 6.15 16. Levit. 16.4 Mat. 19.17 Deut. 6.4 Unity yet TRINITY Psalm 2 7. Heb. 1.5 John 1.14 Chap. 15.26 1 John 5.7 TO Think Him the ONELY true GOD and the Gods of the Heathen but vanity Idols and by Nature no Gods The Onely Wise God The blessed and onely Potentate who onely hath Immortality who Alone is Holy And there is none good but HE And therefore no GOD but HE Hear O Israel the Lord thy God is but ONE GOD. That the Being is One the Substance undivided and yet the Subsistonce distinguished so that the Father is not the Son but Begets him The Son is not the Father but Begotten of him The Holy Ghost is neither the Father nor the Son but proceedeth from both The Spirit that proceeds from the Father whom I will send saith Christ yet these three are God and yet God is but One for these three are One without Division Composition or Confusion And O how High and Holy High thoughts Reverend ought the Thought to be that receives this Mystery And therefore to help his weak Thoughts in this The Believer perhaps fixeth his Thought on the Sun in the Firmament where he finds light heat Sun and Soul of man short shadows of this Mystery and motion
Rev. 6.15 16 17. and the great men and the rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty Men and every Bond man and every Free man shall call to the Rocks and the Mountains to fall on them to hide them from the face of him that sitteth upon the Throne and from the WRATH of the LAMB for when the great day of his Wrath is come O who shall be able to stand O think of this ye Loose Licentious Caution to loose Christians Rom 2.24 Sacrilegiously so called CHRISTIANS through whom the Sacred Name of Christ is blasphemed among the Gentiles what thanks will He give you that a TURK should say as they are ordinarily observed to do What do you think I am a CHRISTIAN that I should break my Oath or falsifie my Faith Or that an HEATHEN should say as that Indian Prince did to the Spaniards who being about to put him cruelly to death but in Ghostly Charity perswaded him to turn Christian before his death He asked them what he should get by that they told him he should go to Heaven with the Christians He demanded whither went Indians when they dyed They said to Hell He shortly Replyed He would die as he was for he had rather go to the Indians Hell then to the cruel Spaniards Heaven 'T was severely said by one Aut hic non est Christus pudet haec opprobria nobis dici potuisse non potuiste refelli aut hi non sunt Christiani Either He whom you profess is not the CHRIST or You are not the CHRISTIANS Men and Brethren let me freely speak to you if CHRISTS coming into the World be signalized by Bacchanalian Rites and Revellings what shall a Jew or Infidel think either of Christ or else of Us 'T was truly said Peccatis nostris fortes sunt Barbari Christians sins make Barbarians more barbarous Homil. against the peril of Idolatry 3 P. pag. 45. Jerem. 7.12 Turks more Turkish Jews more Jewish as our Homilie hath observed that Popish Idolatry gives the great fixation to Turkish and Jewish Infidelity But as of old God sent the old Jews to Shilo where He first set his Name to see what he did to it for the wickedness of his people Israel so may I send the now Christian World to the once seven flourishing Churches of Asia Revel 1.11 for if Christ be not glorified by Us He will glorifie Himself upon Us and therefore let every one that thinks of a Christ think of this 2 Tim. 2.19 Let Every One that nameth the Name of Christ depart from Iniquity Sect. XXXIX Right thoughts of God the Holy Ghost ANd as our Thoughts of the Father and the Son are onely Right when Regulated by Scripture so also of the Blessed SPIRIT For as the Sun is not to be seen as we have said but in its own light which yet is but a finite Created Emanation from God the Father of Lights much less can we conceive aright of the Holy Ghost Must be Scriptural 2 Pet. 1.21 1 Cor. 2.14 Thoughts of the Holy Ghost strange to the carnal mind but by Conceipts congruous and harmonious to that Word which holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost For if the Natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit He cannot surely conceive aright of the Spirit himself without both a spiritual light to discover and eye to discern him Otherwise He must needs be both out of his sight and out of mind For Scripture saith that such a mans very Mind is carnal and speaks of the Spirit of this World as directly opposite to the Spirit which is of God 1 Cor. 2.12 We are great strangers to our own Spirits John 14.7 Alas what strangers are We to our own Spirits How little is our knowledg and how few are our Thoughts of them How strange then must the Knowledge and Thoughts of the Holy Spirit of God be unto Us This is that Spirit whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not Thoughts of God the Father neither knoweth him The Thoughts of God the Father do more easily occur to the natural mind for Heathen Poets and even the light of Nature teach us Arat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 17.28 that We are All his Off-spring as the Apostle speaks out of the Poâ—t and so to seek the Lord if happily we may feel after him and find him though the light that Adams Fall hath left in us is little less then Darkness so our searching after God our Father Verse 27. is called a Feeling as blind men use a Gropeing as they that have much darkness and but little light And as God the Father is not very far from every one of us as 't is there said so the Thoughts of God the Son are the more obvious to us And of God The Son more obvious then of God the Holy Ghost because by his Incarnation he is come so near us and there is a true Humane Nature in his Blessed Person for humane Thoughts to employ themselves upon 1 Cor. 12.3 And yet it is said that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord that is make any right acknowledgment of the Son but by the Holy Ghost How then can any man have any Right Knowledge or Thoughts of the Spirit Right thoughts of the Holy Ghost Acts 9.31 Are Reverend Iohn 16 7. The Holy Ghost GOD. but by the Spirit who speaks by the Scriptures And here as before we are taught to Rejoyce with trembling walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Ghost For who can but Rejoyce in the Thoughts of Him whom the Scriptures call the COMFORTER and can but tremble before the SPIRIT who as He is One with the Father and the Son for there are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word 1 John 5.7 and the Holy Ghost and these three are One so is He to be considered and Thought upon with one and the same joyful Reverence and awful Rejoycing A SPIRIT in his Eâ—sâ—nce As to his Essence the Scriptures declare Him to be a Spirit in declaring Him to be God for God is a Spirit and declare him to be God John 4 24. 2 Tim. 3.17 2 Pâ—â— 1 2â— in declaring themselves to be the Word of God for whilest one Text saith that All Scripture or the whole Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is given by Inspiration of God or God Inspired and another that holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Isaiah 62.2 the Natural Conclusion from the premisses is this Therefore the Holy Ghost is God And if we ought to tremble at the Word how much more before him that inspired and gave it forth Agreeable hereunto it is Isaiah 6.1 2 3 5 8 9. that when the Prophet Isaias in that tremendous Text describes the Lord sitting upon a Throne
high and lifted up and Seraphims crying one to another Holy holy holy is the Lord God of Hosts which made the holy Man cry out Wo is me I am un lone because I am a man of unclean lips c. and mine eyes have seen the King The Lord of Hosts The Apostle Paul expresly saith that this holy Lord God was God the Holy Ghost I heard the voice of the Lord saith the Prophet and he said go and tell this people here ye indeed but understand not c. now saith the Apostle Acts 28.25 26 27. well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the Prophet unto our Fathers saying Go unto this people and say hearing ye shall hear and not understand c. So one while 't is said the Holy Ghost spake by the mouth of David Acts 1.16 Chap. 4.24 25 Another while 't is said Lord thou art God which hast made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all that is in them who by the mouth of thy Servant David hast said c. and so Ananias his lying to the Holy Gho t is called a lying unto God Therefore the Holy Ghost is God Again Scripture and Reason saith that He that built all things is God Acts 5 3 4. Hebr. 3.4 Job 33.9 Now the Spirit of God hath made me saith Elihu and if he made man the Master-piece Man the Microcosme well may it be said Job 26.13 that by him were the Heavens garnished and by the sending forth of Him All things else were Created which Text by the after clause of renewing the Face of the Earth refers to works of Providence Psal 104.30 Therefore the Holy Ghost is God And as he made All things 1 Cor. 2.10 Isaiah 40.13 he knows All things The Spirit searcheth All things yea the deep things of Goâ— for who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord or being his Counsellour hath taught him And as He is Omniscient he is Omnipresent Psal 139.7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit saith David or whither shall I flee from thy presence In a word He that prepared Christ a Body at his coming into the World is God Heb 10.5 for saith Christ a Body hast THOU prepared me then said I Lo I come to do thy will O GOD. But saith the Angel to the blessed Virgin Verse 7. Luâ—e 1.35 The HOLY GHOST shall come upon thee and the power of the higheâ—t shall overshadow thee Therefore also the Inference is most full to our purpose That Holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the SON OF GOD. Therefore the Holy Ghost is God Sect. XL. The Holy Ghost called the SPIRIT as to his subsistence Joh. 4.23 24. Hebr. 1.3 Heb. 9.14 ANd as the Holy Ghost is a SPIRIT in respect of his Essence being One glorious God with the Father and the Son for as God the Father is said to be a Spirit the Father seeketh such to worship him as may do it in Spirit and then it follows God is a Spirit and God the Son who is expresly said to be the express Image of his Fathers Person through the Eternal Spirit that is to say his God-head offered up himself So the Holy Ghost is The Spirit in respect of his wonderful Subsistence in the blessed Trinity by way of ineffable Spiration between the Father and the Son Mat. 3.16 17. betwixt whom He carryeth and re-carryeth the mutual and Eternal expressions of Divine delight and complacency which the Father and the Son have naturally necessarily and unchangeably each in other Gal. 4.6 Job 33.4 Rom. 8.9 who therefore said both to proceed from the Father and yet to be the Spirit of his Son and called in the Old Testament the Breath of the Almighty and in the New the Spirit of Christ His Mysterious Subsistence being most nearly shadowed out to our weak apprehensions by our breathing Rom. 3 8. Mat. 3.11 Isaiah 44.3 which is the Going and Coming Efflux and Reflux of our Breath and so he is compared to the three fluid and moving Elements of Air Fire and Water but never to the dul fixed Element of Earth for as the personal property of the Father is to Beget of the Son to be Begotten so of the Holy Ghost John 15.27 to Proceed And now how awful should the Thoughts of Him be unto us who is a SPIRIT in his ESSENCE THE SPIRIT in his SUBSISTENCE in both Uncreated Infinite and Eternal who dictated and Indited the Word built the World garnisheth Heaven furnisheth and reneweth the Face of the Earth made Man Knows all things fills all Places Col. 2.16 and is every where present at all times whose peculiar and stupendious Work it was to Sanctifie the Womb the Fruit whereof was to be the Saviour of the World Mat. 28.16 and prepare him a Body in whom the fulness of the God-head was to dwell bodily 2 Cor. 15.14 in whose Name together with the Fathers and the Sons we are Baptized and whose Communion together with the Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ Hebr. 7.4 and the Love of God we do Implore Of whom therefore I may say as the Apostle of Melchisedec Now Consider how great this man was Consider how great this Spirit is Sect. XLI The high Reverence we ow to the Holy Spirit ANd yet Wo is Us What slight and low and mean Thoughts are the Carnal Minds of Men apt to have of the holy Spirit of God which the Scripture foreseeing in Deep wisdom as in Parental Relation the Mothers fear to be most easily and usually neglected and forgotten by Children It sets a special Guard upon it Levit. 19.3 saying Ye shall fear every Man his Mother and his Father though her Order be Lust because the Fear of the Mother is ordinarily too much the least so in the cause of the Third Person whose Order of Subsisting is after the Father and the Son though in Honour he be Co-equal and in Essence Co-Eternal Sin against the Holy Ghost I say It sets a most dreadful Guard upon that Awe and holy Fear that We owe to the Holy Spirit when it saith All manner of Sin and Blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men Mat. 12.31 32 but THE BLASPHEMY against the HOLY GHOST shall NOT be forgiven unto Men And whosoever shall speak a word against the son of man it shall be forgiven him But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in his world neither in the world to come which last words are no Indication that there is any Forgiveness of any Sin in another world that is not pardoned in this But a vehement assertion that there is no forgiveness for this Sin in any world Luk. 1â— 10 Mark 3.29 Therefore where S. Luke saith plainly It shall not be Forgiven S. Mark explains this Phrase of S. Matthews saying It hath never Forgiveness And so in the mouths of
three Evangelists you have this dreadful Word established and this Guard set like that terrible Cherubim and Flaming Sword to preserve that High Reverence that Mortals owe to the Holy Ghost All other Blasphemies saith Christ wherewith soever they shall Blaspheme shall be Forgiven Mark 3.28 and indeed have been so I was a Blasphemer saith S. Paul 1 Tim. 1.13 But I obtained mercy But whosoever shall wittingly wilfully and malitiously Reproach the Holy Ghost as the Pharisees here did Mark 3.30 they said of Jesus He hath an unclean Spirit whose works did testify of him That he cast out Devils by the SPIRIT of GOD Luke 11.47 Mat. 8.12 and that the Kingdom of God was come unto them as himself speaks Ten Thousand Woes shall be the Portion of such an One. Sect. XLII ANd here once for ever let me caution this Impious Age of coming near unto any thing that looks like or comes near the sin that is unto Death Caution against Reviling the Spirit Numb 26.16 even as Moses charged the Congregation of Israel concerning Corah and his Complices 1 John 5.16 that they should not come near those wicked persons Let me charge thee O Man whosoever thou art in the fear of God that thou entertain not a Contemptuous thought In Scripture much less utter a word against the written word of God for it is as you have seen the Dictate of the Holy Ghost And here I cannot but make an Honourable mention of that Honourable Person Mr. R. Boyl la his late piece of Scripture style who hath made Himself truly so by that most serious and ingenious complaint of his of the Prodigious folly of the Times whose onely wit seems to lie in a prophane and scurrilous abuse of Holy Scriptures But it may be observed as of Our Saviours so of these Scripture-scoffers that as they were part of our Saviours proof that He was the Prophecyed Messiah for even those scoffs as we have seen were part of what was fore spoken concerning him Eight and twenty Generations before he was born so are these part of the accomplishment of the Prophecies of that Book which told the World of these Men sixteen hundred years almost before they came unto it Be mindful saith the Apostle of the words which were spoken before by the Holy Prophets 2 Pet. 3.2 3. and of the Commandment of Us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour knowing this first that there shall Come in the Last dayes Scoffers Wherefore We revere in our Thoughts what they revile with their tongues and so much the more Because They do so Matth. 18.7 But as Our Lord saith Offences must needs come yet they bring their woe with them so let me say to these Men in the Prophets words Isaiah 28.22 Be not Mockers lest your Bands be made strong Further Take we heed that our THOUGHTS despise not any of the Operations of this Holy spirit 2 Sam 6.26 In Prayer Jude 20. Eph. 6.16 Zech. 12.10 Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.26 as prophane Michal did holy David in her heart S. Jude speaks of Praying in the HOLY GHOST and S. Paul of Praying alwayes with all Prayer and supplication in the Spirit The Old Testament speaks of a spirit of supplication and the New of a spirit of Adoption crying or whereby we cry Abba Father The spirit helpeth our Infirmities for we know not what to pray for there 's matter as we ought there 's the manner but the spirit it self maketh Intercession for us with Groanings which cannot be uttered Verse 27. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the spirit c. Preaching Rom. 12.6 Verse 7.8 So likewise saith the Apostle having gifts differing according to the grace that is given us whether Prophesie let us Prophesie according to the proportion of Faith or Ministry let us wait on Our Ministring or he that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation Now the manifestation of the Spirit saith he is given to every man to profit withall 1 Cor. 12.7 so that where there 's no manifestation of the Spirit in the Preacher there can be no profit to the Hearer for to One is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom to apply Verse 8. to another the word of knowledge to explain some excel in one thing Verse 3. some in another but all by the same Spirit And saith he I give You to understand that no man speaking by the spirit calleth Jesus accursed Verse 4. John 15.26 and 16.14 Acts 2.4 1 Cor. 2.4 Now there are diversities of gifts but the same spirit 'T is the Spirit when we meditate that must take of Christs and shew it unto us And when we speak 't is the Spirit that must give us utterance and Preaching must be not in the inticing words of Mans wisdom Sanctificationâ— 1 Pet. 1.2 Rom. 8.9 Every true Christian is a Saint 1 Cor. 1.2 2 Cor. 1.1 Chap. 6.11 Eph. 1.1 15. Rom. 1.7 Mock Saints Revel 2 9. and 3.9 No ground for reviling the True Gen. 34.30 Gal. 4.29 Dan. 7. Mat. 24.24 All the godly have Gods â—spirit Rom. 8.15 Verse 5.9 Gal. 5.16 25. and 6.18 Rom. 1â— 15 1 Cor. 6.19 Gal. 5.22 Rom. 8.2 Ephes 2.22 1 Cor. 3.16 Rom. 8.9 11 13. John 16.7 8. 14.26 and 16.13 Psalm 51.18 and 143.10 Eph. 1.13 16. Rom. 8.14 Eph. 4.3 2.18.22 1 John 4.13 but in the demonstration of the Spirit Sanctification moreover is a peculiar work of the Spirit in every true Christian For if any man have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his The Corinthians were made Saints when they were Converted and made Christians To the Church of God which is at Corinth c. called to be Saints And such were some of You saith the Apostle to them but now you are sanctified by the spirit of our God so the Apostle salutes the Saints in Achaia Rome Ephesus c. We have known indeed the Blasphemy of too many who have said they are Saints and are not but do lie but are of the Synagogue of Satan like those Brethren in Iniquity who troubled Israel and made him stink among the Inhabitants oâ— the Land who shall bear their own judgment yet this shall no more excuse those Ishmaels who persecute those that are truly born after the spirit and Revile the very Saints of the most High as the Prophet calls them then it doth the Indignities done to the True Christ because as was Prophesyed False Christs do arise The Scripture saith expresly That the Children of God are led by the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit are after the Spirit do walk after the Spirit are in the spirit must walk in the spirit do sow the spirit do reap the spirit have received the spirit who is in them whom they have of God as Fruit-bearer Law-giver yet a Liberty-giver and Life-giver
and therefore Pray without ceasing give thanks in every thing is put into the front and Despise not Prophesyings comes up in the rear of that Apostolical grand Caveat Quench not the Spirit 1 Thes 5.17 18 19. Revel 5.10 Rather let us as made by Christ Priests unto God keep alwayes burning upon our Hearts this holy Fire and stir it up by meditation How to cherish the Spirit Psalm 39 3. Psal 143.10 Revel 1.10 while I was musing saith David the Fire burned and blow it up by Prayer Teach me to do thy will O God thy Spirit is good c. Especially let us Pray and watch and wait as the Primitive Disciples for the Lords Spirit on the Lords Day And let us add the Fewel of diligent and industrious Observation to all his fervent motions when we hear the sound of his goings 1 Sam. 5.24 Hebâ— 5 3. then let us bestir our selves When the Holy Ghost saith to day if ye will hear his voice let us not harden our hearts nor put him off till to morrow for the Spirit is as the Wind that bloweth where and when he listeth John 3.8 Rev. 2â— 17 Harbour no base thoughts of the Spirit Acts 8.19 20. Acts 5.9 when the Spirit saith Come let the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come Let us not harbour any Carnal Low base Thoughts of this glorious Spirit this was Simon Magus his sin Especially let us not by close Hypocrisie or secret dissimulation agree to lie to the Holy Ghost and so to temâ—t the Spirit of the Lord this was Ananias and Saâ—hira's sin and it cost them dear and they are peculiarly said to tempt the Spirit because it is his peculiar work to search All things 1 Cor. 2.10 Sect. XLVI The wonderful condesceâ—tion of the Holy spirit in the work of Mens salvation Mat. 6.9 3. Rom. 16.24 1 Cor. 16.23 Gal. 6 13 Phâ—l 4.23 ANd now to shut up all what Holy Fear and Love of this Holy Spirit may at once fill Our THOUGHTS when we consider that although HOLINESS be the â—eculiar Attribute of the Spirit from which he receives his Denomination even as Greatness is peculiarly ascribed to the Father who is therefore said to be in Heaven and Kingdom Power and Glory to be his and Grace to be the Sonâ— in respect of which special property of the Spirit All sin against God is said in a special manner to Vex the Spirit 2 Thes 3.18 yet such is the rich Mercy of this Holy Spirit in Condescention to poor mans Salvation that He undertakes it as his peculiar Office and Work to come into mans Heart unsitted and unfurnished when Zijm Ochim and lim have dwelt there when vain Thoughts have lodged there into a very sink of sin a house without windows a heap without order a very Hell of cursed Confusion and of every hateful and hurtful lust and that when there was none to go before him or to prepare for him Whereas though herein God commended his love to us in that while We were Enemies Christ dyed for us yet would not the Son be born to die or lodge in a Womb or come into the world till this Spirit went before him Hebr. 10.5 As in the Margin to prepare a place for him and to fit a Body to him for so may the word be rendred a Body hast thou prepared me or a Body hast thou fitted me O sweet spirit what Tongue can praise or heart prize thee according to thy glorious Grace to poor sinners Genesis 2.7 When God first breathed into man the breath of Life He was a lump of innocent Clay but when thou comest to breath the breath of New Life into sinful man thou breathest into a noysome Carkasse an heart full of Rottenness 1 King 8 28. 2 Chron. 6.29 and takest up thy Dwelling in that very part where his Plague sore runs And now seeing Thou dost not shun those that have the Plague of the heart Come in thou blessed of the Lord to this Heart of mine Mat. 3.11 Isaiah 44.3 Thou art a Fire that can purge my Dross and not be impaired a Water that can wash away all my filth and not be defiled Now to thee Blessed spirit with the Father and the Son be Glory for ever Amen Sect. XLVII FINALLY As our Thoughts of God Thoughts for God must be by Scripture Rule See Bp. Andrews on the second Commandment Image and Imagination Cogitation Col. 2.23 Mat. 15.9 Sâ—e Bishop Taylors Dissuasive pag. 48. Isa 29.13 14. 2 Sam. 7.2 2 Chron. 3.3 and 29 25. so our Thoughts For God are onely Right when agreeable to Scripture Rules For as the second Commandment forbids all IMAGES so also all IMAGINATIONS in the things of God that are not warrantable by the Word of God The Hebrews express both by one word for Thoughts are the Images of things in our minds What the Apostle calls Will-Worship Our Saviour calls Vain-Worship though the things may have a shew of wisdom and humility where the fear towards God is taught as in Popery by the Precepts of Men. When David took up thoughts of Building God an House he consulted Nathan the Prophet which when Solomon was allowed to accomplish it is said Now these are the things wherein Solomon was instructed for the Building of the House of God which when Hezekiah did restore 't is said also he set the Levites in the House of the Lord with Cymbals with Psalteries and with Harps according to the Commandment of David and of Gad the Kings Seer and of Nathan the Prophet for so was the COMMANDMENT of the LORD by his Prophets Rom. 10.2 Zeal without Knowledge is Heat without Light which is so like Hell that it cannot be pleasing to the God of Heaven Mark 9.44 Mat 25 3â— for Hell is a Fire that never goes out and yet Outer Darkness Wherefore Reader when ever thou thinkest to do any thing for God Ask his Word first whether it will be well taken How lamentable is it to think how perniciously Our Thoughts for God may miscarry for want of this John 16.2 Acts 26.9 2 Sam. 6 6 7. Bp. Taylors Preface to his Dissuasive The Roman Church can never justifie her self from Idolatry yet if it were but suspitious God is jealous and will not endure any causes of suspition or motives of jealousy Things like Idolatry can no wayes be excused Bp. Tay ors Dissâ—asive from Popery pag. 57. Some kill Gods Saints yet think they do God good service and saith Paul I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus of Nazareth Poor Uzzah no doubt thought to do God a good piece of service when He put forth his hand to stay the Ark when the Oxen shook it but God smote him for his Errour that he died A severe punishment may some man think and a slender errour especially considering that the Man
Lord JESUS Gal. 6.17 As 't is said Callis might have been read in Queen Maries heart if it had been ript up And here methinks I could even forget my self and run along in my Thoughts with this sweet Apostle but that I must not forget my Reader for 't is time to be hastening towards a Conclusion III. Motive AGain 3. Motive Keep Right Thoughts and they will keep thee right Consider that to keep thy Thoughts Right is the way to keep Thee so My Life for thine He that keeps his Thoughts Right shall never die Traytour to God or the King Not to the King for Curse not the King no not in thy Thought saith the Rule of Righteousness Not to God for Right Thoughts will yield the Fruits of Righteousness Fruits of the Lips Psalm 45.1 My heart is Inditing a good matter I will speak of the things I have made touching the King Psalm 119.15 my Tongue is the Pen of a ready Writer so saith the Psalmist And the Fruit of good living I will meditate saith He in thy Precepts and have Respect unto thy Wayes and again I have remembred thy Name and have kept thy Law Verse 55. IV. Motive 4. Motive Right Thoughts will yield peaceable Fruit. Mal. 3.16 Verse 17. ANd lastly Consider That Right Thoughts will yield as the Fruits so the Peaceable Fruits of Righteousness For these are thy fair Evidences that thou art in Gods Books as we say proverbially of One highly favoured that Thou art one of his Jewels for a Book of Remembrance was written before him for them that Thought upon his Name And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels And how should We count and keep that as Our peculiar Treasure in respect of which God counts Us so And therefore in the II. place to Direct thee I. Practical Rule 1. Practical Rule Repent of evil Thoughts Acts 8.22 THe First Practical Rule for the Keeping of Right Thoughts is Diligent and daily Repentance of Evil Thoughts what saith the Apostle Repent and pray God if perhaps the Thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven Thee And O what cause of deep Humiliation for our Thought-sins is here that the very Thought of a mans Heart may bring a Man to a peradventure or a Perhaps whether ever He may be forgiven Matth. 3.8 What saith John Baptist Bring forth therefore Fruits meet for Repentance and think not to say within your selves c. Hence thus much is Evident that where Fruits meet for Repentance are brought forth Evil Thoughts are expelled and cast forth Now as nothing can banish Darkness but Light so can nothing expel Evil Thoughts but Good Thoughts And as the Ablaqueation and laying of the Roots bare in the time of year is the way to make Trees bring forth Fruit well in their season so the laying Our hearts bare in the sight of God by Confession Compunction Contrition deep Humiliation for our Evil Thoughts is one way to be fruitful and abounding in Good Ones II. Practical Rule 2. Practical Rule 2 Sam. 13.20 Make the evil of thine heart subservient to thy good thoughts NExt as the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen every man his Share and his Colter and his Axe and his Mattock because they would not suffer a Smith in Israel So deal with the Corruption of thy Nature that would not suffer One good Thought in thy Soul Whee thy Thoughts for good by that very Contrariety that is in thee to good For instance Thou complainest that such is the corruption of thy Nature that thou canst not of thy self think one Good Thought Why Think then of the Corruption of thy Nature and even this Thought well followed shall be a Good Thought in Thee and a Good Thought for Thee Thou complainest that thou canst not think of Heaven for the thoughts of Earth and of things below why think of these things onely think of them aright viz. as Gods Word and thy Reason and thy Sense tell thee as what God hath placed under thy feet as the Psalmist speaks Let me tell thee Psalm 8.6 that Right Thoughts of Earth and of things below may help not hinder thy thoughts of Heaven In Nature the ambient Winter-cold makes Springs in the Bowels of the Earth they say the hotter Mans heart is a Spring and Thoughts are its flowings and thus David we have seen waxed hot with musing while the wicked were before him Psalm 39.1 3. God can make Corruption of Nature subservient to Grace as Joshua said of the Canaanites Numb 14.9 they are Bread for us God can make the very Evil of our hearts to be Food and Fewel to our Good Thoughts III. Practical Rule 3. Practical Rule Heave at thine heart Numb 15.20 NExt Heave daily at thine heart for our Thoughts are our Heave-Offerings Lift at thine heart as they do at a great Stone or piece of Timber which is by raising to be laid into the Building Unto thee Psalm 25.1 O Lord do I lift up my Soul saith holy David But not in thine own strength Pray for the Spirit to help thee to right Thoughts John 14.26 But then still Remember that of thy self thou art not sufficient to think any thing aright as of thy self Therefore Pray in aid of the Spirit whose work it is as in Prayer so in Meditation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to lift with us and to help us to lift And Pray in Faith of that Promise the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name shall bring All things to your Remembrance that is good Thoughts to your minds And here let me desire thee carefully to Remember this That if Gods Spirit do not Satan will be filling thy heart Acts 5.3 The very First Petition in the Lords Prayer teacheth us to pray for Right Thoughts for by these we sanctify the Lord God in our hearts Isaiah 8.13 1 Pet. 3.15 Luke 11.13 And therein also to pray for the Sanctifying Spirit whom God hath promised to give to them that aâ—k him Be thankful for right thoughts Psalm 30.4 And further be sure to be thankful to God when he helps thee to be thoughtful of that which is Good in this sense Give thanks at the Remembrance of his holiness even when he helps thee to Remember it Humble thankefulness for what we have is a cleanly way of begging for more Labour for holy affections And that thou mayest alwayes be full of good thoughts Implore Gods Grace to fill thee with those sanctified Affections that carry the Key and command of the thoughts viz. Holy Fear and Love Fear For the first of these even slavish Fear can carry the thoughts before it the Mariners in a storm can easily think of their Danger Jonah 1.5 And shall not an holy and Filial fear they feared the Lord Mal. 3.16 and
their hearts Judg. 5.28 hearts looking out not looking in 2 Kings 9.2 Isaiah 48.4 John 21.11 Jerem. 8.6 There are open Casements here are brazen shuts and Iron sinews to keep all close even from their own eyes What busie inquiries by unconcerned Idlers after Alien and Forraign things like his in the Gospel And what mâ—st this Man do yet I hearkened and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him saying what have I done or how shall I do Intelligencers from abroad are gladly received those in mens own breasts are checked and choaked What will become of such and such Interests what will times come to what will become of Trade such and the like are frequent Inquiries What will be the issue of this mans Contest and the other mans Law suit Nay of this Cock-Fighting or that Horse-race of this Game at Cards or that Cast at Dice But where shall I meet the Man or Woman that seriously that seasonably cryes out but what will become of my own Soul my immortal Soul to all eternity What will you do in the end Jer. 5.35 this is a Query of Gods putting to us and methinks amid all other our Inquisitiveness and Curiosity we should not neglect to put this to Our selves Alas how deplorable and lamentable a thing it is that Man that would be wise should be so vain Job 11.12 he â—reedily drinks in the knowledge of all about him yet is willingly ignorant of himself If man do but meet a Ghost if his mettle will serve him he presently cries ouâ— In the name of God what art thou yet carries a Spirit about him every day whereunto he never moveth that Question Miserable man that thou art Is thy Conscience such a Fiend to thee and thiâ—e own Soul such a gastly Ghost that thou darest not stay to talk with it Put thy self to it Temptation will put thee to it Affliction will put thee to it Death and Judgment will put thee to it and ask thee plainly what thou art Ask thy self before-hand that thou mayest know what to answer them that ask thee Sect. IV. SUrely that Antient Apostolick Self-knowledge necessary 2 Cor. 13.5 may pass for a Catholick challenge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Know you not your own selves you know your conditions and outward concernments do you not know your spiritual state you know your Herds do you not know your Hearts you count your Coin take you no account of your Consci nces you try your Gold do you not prove your Faith nay more you are acquainted abroad and know others know you not your own selves Must that needs be true of you that is said of the Witch in the Fable that she wore eyes when she went abroad and still laid them by when she came at home you take upon you to judge one another to know the hearts and fore-know the ends and future states of others and know you not your own selves surely God may say to that his Officer though a bribed one that self-discerning power and faculty that he placed in mans breast as sometimes he did in another case Isa 42.19 20 who is blind as my servant or deaf a my Messenger that I sent seeing many things but thoâ— observed not the one thing that more concerns thee than all other things But God knows thee though thou know not thy self and will tell thee what thou art as Ahijah did Jeroborams wife whether thou make or take thy self to be another 1 Kin. 14.6 And that bribed Officer will one day do his office and will make thee too late to know thy self when thou wilt not know what to do with thy self Luke 16.24 Thy tormented tongue will then tell thee what this little Treatise would fain acquaint thee with in a better season and more to thy profit yea and those very thoughts of thine that thou wilt by no means put thy self upon the trouble now to reflect upon will turn upon thee and fly in thy face and gnaw at thine heart as so many never dying worms and roundly tell thee then what they might have told thee before even before thou hadst come into that place of torment Those thoughts that are now thy pulse thou mayst try thy self by them will then be thy pain thou wilt torture thy self with them Son remember Verse 25. said Abraham to Dives Oh thy Memory will then be thy misery and thy thoughts thy tormenâ— Those thoughts of thine that might now make a Jury whilst if thou be cast thou hast time before thee to sue out thy pardon if thou empannel them not for this better service they will then turn thy Executioners when there will remain neither help in thy self nor hope in God Pr. 5.11.12 Jer. 2.5 Psal 50.21 Think now what thy eternal thoughts will be if thou miscarry for thee O then thou wilt think of thy Soul thy Sin thy misery means neglected mercies abused Reader pause here and think of what is past before thou proceed a whet's no let Thou canst not endure to spend a little time now in the unpleasing work of self-Reflection whilst self-reflection might do thee good And can thine heart endure to spend an Eternity in the same work to a worse end save that Eternity can never be spent My heart is enlarged to thee O Reader fearing thine may be straightned towards thy self yet do but promise me that thou wilt well weigh this one word what the work of thy thoughts will be to all Eternity if thou shouldst miscarry I say to Eternity And I will leave the porch of my discourse built larger for thy sake then was intended and so lead thee to its principal parts CHAP. II. Damneth this licentious principle that Thoughts are free Sect. I. ANd now that we might make a right Judgment of our selves by our thoughts Thought 's Free a damned Principle it will be necessary that we first Judg aright of our Thoughts and therefore we must come in the first place to damn that hell-born Principle to the place from whence it came That Thoughts are Free for hardly can I think a more evident token of a Reprobate mind as the Apostle calls it then for a man to think of his thoughts as some will say of their words Rom. 1.28 Our lips are our own who is Lord over us Psal 12.4 But I may say to all those that promise liberty to their thoughts as the Apostle speaks in another case 2 Pet. 2.19 Whilst they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of Corruption for as we shall finde the first stirrings of grace are in thou hts 't is as true that the first motions of Corruption are there also James 1 15 for Lust concerves saith the Scripture and then brings forth sin Thouâ—ht is the Cockatâ—ice Isai 59.49 Egg as the Prophet calls it that Breaks forth into a Viper And thus are they miserably requited by their