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
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
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
judgeth as Man cannot most by what is in-most 6. Conscience Gods Deputy judgeth us by our Thoughts Chap. 5. Right Thoughts how to be known not thoughts of but in our selves Conscience the Lords Candle to search Tryal 1. By their Original not from Nature but Grace The occasion and season of Gods first working them A Scheme of a Converts first thoughts agree with natural motions in 1. Facility 2. Frequency 3. Perpetuity Tryal 2. By their Radication when good thoughts are deepest Rule explained Reason of the Rule Instances in good and bad Godly at lowest excel Hypocrites at best Bodily temperament how considerable in this tryal Tryal 3. Right thoughts operative in a Right Conversation Thoughts without Works vain and dead Right application of this Rule Tryal 4. Right Thoughts are Regular Here 1. Think there is a Rule for Thoughts 2. Have Right Thoughts of the Rule RIGHT THOUGHTS The Righteous Mans EVIDENCE A Discourse upon Proverbs 12.5 The Thoughts of the Righteous are Right The I. Part. CHAP. I. Sheweth how Self Discovery is to be had and made bewails Self-Ignorance Perswades to Self-studying and Self-acquaintance Sect. I. COgito ergo sum Thinking the Evidence of Being is a prime Conclusion with the modern and ingenious Philosopher Thinking is the surest proof of Being For since Operation doth certainly suppose Essence Man doth most certainly conclude his Being from that Operation that he is most certain of I cannot so surely conclude I am because I walk or talk or eat or drink or see or hear for I may be deceived as to these Operations senses are not seldom deluded Phantasie obtrudes falsity A man dreams and thinks he eats saith the Prophet and awakes and his soul is empty Isa 29.8 Man is not so sure he eats when he thinks he eats as he certainly knows he thinks when he thinks he thinks and if he be sure he thinks he is sure he Is for Thinking is an Operation and flows from Being Right-thoughts of a right-Spirit Acts 8.21 Psal 51.10 Prov. 23.7 And as naked Thinking is the surest argument of meer Being so is well-thinking if our Text be true an Evidence of Well-being Right Thoughts as this Scripture calls them of a Right Heart and a Right Spirit as other Scriptures call it for saith the Holy-Ghost As a man Thinketh in his heart So is He. Sect. II. Self-sight how to be had 1 Cor. 2.11 Ephes 5.13 NOw this Self-sight or Self-discerning as it is only to be had and made in the Looking-glass of thine one Thoughts so only by the Eye of thine own soul for what man knows saith the Apostle the things of a man save the Spirit of man that is in him Yet must that Light that makes manifest be held rightly to thee even the Word of God which is quick and powerfull and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Hebr. 4.12 2 Cor. 2.10 so also must that Spirit that searcheth all things give thee visive power and help thee in the search as David saith Ps 193.23 Search mee O God and know mine heart try me and know my thoughts For this is the Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation saith the Apostle not only in the knowledge of God Ephes 1.17 and 18 but also for our selves that the eyes of our understandings being enlightned we may know not only what is the hope of his calling but also what is his working in us Wherefore Reader though the Author know not what thy spiritual state is yet for the loves sake he bears thy soul which he knows to be inestimably pretious most earnestly desirous he is to meet and help those self-discovering Thoughts of thine by these few Thoughts of His here presented to thy view and to thy value no farther than they carry the Evidence of that Word which shall judg thee at the last day Jo. 12.48 Praying that as thou readest 1 Jo. 2.20 thou may'st receive an unction from the Holy One that knowing all things thou mayest not be ignorant of thy self Sect. III. TH Scripture saith Eccles 2.14 Pro. 17.24 The wise mans eyes are in his head but the fools eyes are in the end of the earth How many How do â—ou's do many make for which they will one day make a sad account without bestowing one poor hour in a Moneth or year in a profitable How do You upon their own souls which if thou thy self neglectest though I might say with the Prophet Who shall pitty thee Jerem. 15.5 who shall bemoan thee Who shall go aside to ask thee How thou do'st yet me thinks it greatly pitties me for the multitude of Our Wandring Jews miscalled Christians that gad like Dinah Gen. 34.12 or rather flee from themselves and the presence of the Lord like Cain whose feet abide not in the house their own heart Pr. v. 7.12 Psal 78.33 nay scarcely their own home but their dayes are consumed in vanity as the Psalmist speaks betwixt making and shewing themselves fine and brave But Oh have not such heard Jude 13 have they not known that for wandring Stars though they glitter like them for a season there is yet reserved a blackness of darkness for ever surely the Lord will say to such as now depart from themselves depart from me to such as know not themselves Mat. 7.23 I know you not O how diligent is the Tradesman in his Counting-House Pro. 27.13 and the Country-Man in knowing the state of his Flocks How anxious are Thousands about Titles Evidences Bills Bonds in matters of dirty Mammon yet prodigiously careless as to what Scripture calls pretious Faith 2 Pet. 1.1 Promises 2 Pet. 1.4 Souls Psalm 49.8 Christ 1 Peter 2.7 Never so much as asking themselves or others for any Evidences for Heaven or what they might do to be saved like those that prepare a table for a Troop but forget Gods Holy Mountain Isaia 65.11 Luke 10 41 43 Our thoughts are with Martha cumbred about many things But O when shall we make choice of Maries part What looking amongst others of the naturall face in a glass Mean while Gods glass thrown by James 1.23 the Souls complexion never enquired after Its state not searched into even though the most offensive excrements of nature are diligently examined for the discovery of the vile bodies condition Phil. 3.21 when threatned with the least hazarding distemper and the Soul the Soul of man drudging at all this Cant. 1.6 Ah poor Soul who made thee the Keeper of all these Vineyards wh le thine own is unkept What spending of time amongst others Acts 17.21 Athenian like in hearing and telling some new thing who mean while are never acquainted with the Old Man Eph. 4.22 who hath so long dwelt in their own bosoms What looking like the Mother of Sisera out of their windows and like that cursed woman the wife of Ahab yet not in at
all the week as St. Paul saith to me to live is Christ Phil. 1.21 for 't is one thing to prove our parts to men and another thing to approve our hearts to God neither are we so much to desire to evidence to others a Proof of Christ speaking in us as the Apostle speaks as to find a proof of Christ living in our selves least while we preach to others 1 Cor. 13.3 Chap. 9.22 We our selves prove 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is unapproved So then for a man to think that his Thoughts are Free that is that he is unaccountable to God for his thoughts according to which God especially judgeth men is to admit a contradiction not only to all Scripture but to all Right Reason Sect. III. Evil thoughts like Devils LEt me freely tell thee O Reader whosoever thou art whose thoughts are not right thine heart is but an hell and thy thoughts are but so many Devils and worse then Devils to thee for First In their Original As Angels the most Excellent of Gods Creatures became odious Devils by departing from God so that our Thoughts that in their own nature are the Off-spring of the noble and most excellent Mind of man should become Iniquity to us Isa 59.7 Prov. 15.26 Hebr. 3.12 and an abomination to God This is from our evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God Nature spiritual wickedness Eph. 6.12 Luke 22.3 Ezek. 18.10 Mat. 23.27 In high places And as Devils for their nature are called spiritual wickednesses can enter into men 't is said Satan entered into Judas and fill their hearts as in Ananias his case why hath Satan filled thy heart so also Evil thoughts are said to come into mens minds and fill their hearts Inwardly they are full of rottenness saith Christ And as Devils for their pride and power are called spiritual wickednesses in high places so also evil thoughts are said to be those high things that exalt themselves against God 2 Cor. 10.5 and against Christ Casting down Imaginations and every high thing c. and bringing into captivity every thought of the heart c. Number Legions Mark 5.9 Luke 8.30 Mat. 17.34 And as Devils for their number made the possessed man cry out My name is Legion for we are many so may Evil thoughts say for these are called the abundance of the heart Like the swarmes of Flyes in Aegypt as if they were of Beelzebubs Army who by the Etymology of his name is Lord of the Flyes and by the account of the Pharasees Prince of the Devils And as Devils for their agility Agility made answer to God when he demanded Satan whence comest thou From going in the Earth to and fro Job 1.7 and from walking up and down in it Just so may evil Thoughts say for the wandring of the desire is by the Thoughts they go where we cannot Israelites in the Wilderness Eccles 6.9 Acts 7.39 yet in heart went back to Aegypt And as Devils for their Vigilancy Vigilancy 1 Pet. 1.8 Psal 104.20 21. are said to walk about as roaring Lyons which are stirring when we are sleeping as the Psalmist observes Therefore saith the Apostle be vigilant so the worldlings thoughts are at work while himself is asleep for as his dayes are sorrow so his heart taketh not rest in the Night Eccles 2.23 Chap. 5.8 for a dream comes through the multitude of business And oh how often cause have we to be troubled when we awake for the Thoughts of our sleep Daniel 4.1 as Nebuchadnezzar was with his Thoughts in his sleep And Devils for disturbing in good Duties Disturbing in Good Mat. 13.4 1 Sam. 1.13 are called the Fowls of the Air that steal away the word such are evil thoughts and so do they As when Hannah was a Praying Elie's thoughts were running upon that that was neither charitable nor true viz. that she was drunk And when Simon should have been minding what Christ was a saying his Thoughts were wandring He said within himself Luke 3.37 if this man were a Prophet he would have known who and what manner of Woman this is that toucheth him for she is a sinner Vain thoughts can dog us when and where vain company cannot come at us even in our closest places and performances And as Devils are signalized for disturbing us in what is good so for tempting to evil Tempting to evil Math. 4.3 James 1.14 therefore Satan is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tempter so every man is tempted saith the Apostle when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed so that Evil Thoughts are our Tempters as much as He and we should belie the Devil should we say otherwise for they have made ready their heart like an Oven Hoseâ— 7.6 saith the Prophet What though Satan bring the Fewel yet men put it into the Oven and stir it about by their own Thoughts in their own hearts so that if He like a cunning Baker seem to sleep all night as 't is there expressed yet he knows that they will tend it and so look to it that in the morning it shall burn like a flaming fire And then accusing And as Devils when they have been Tempters will be sure to be Accusers so that as many men are called by such a name Alias such a name so Satan is called Tempter Rev. 12.10 alias the Accuser so also are Evil Thoughts Their thoughts mean while accusing c. as the Apostle speaks Rom. 15.2 And tormenting Mat. 18.34 Luke 16.25 And as Devils are Tormenters as well as Tempters and Accusers so also the Thoughts of the damned shall be a principal part of their torment Son remember c. saith Abraham to Dives that is bethink thy self c. And thus have we seen that Evil Thoughts are as bad as Devils Yea worse then Devils to us yea that they are worse then so we shall now make appear in a few lines and so conclude this head And that In themselves First in themselves in some respect Let me tell thee O Reader that thy thoughts may be guilty of such a sin as Satan himself is not nay cannot be guilty of Psalm 14.1 For saith the Psalmist The Fool hath said in his heart that there is no God whereas the Apostle saith expresly James 2.10 that the Devils believe and tremble And Oh that we could tell how to bewail it sufficiently that there should be more Atheisme in one heart upon Earth nay in one thought than in all the Devils of Hell We pitty others when possessed with Evil Spirits how much more should we lament bitterly over our own selves when possessed with Evil thoughts in some sort worse then the worst of spirits II. As to those whose thoughts they are And to us For these are the Heifers wherewith Satan Ploweth whose Temptations could only diâ—turbâ—
went out to meet God God will take notice whether our hearts set rightly out with him though after in the journey we may for some season loose our way Thus saith the Lord I remember thee the kindness of thy youth the love of thine Espousals when thou â—entest after me Psalm 110.7 c. Christ hath a dew of youth in a gracious heart as well as Holy Church and this Divine and early dew of pretious thoughts is fairest when freshest Coin fairest out of the Mint-house as from the Womb of the morning Gods Coin is brightest when it first comes out of the Mint-house of mans heart for such is mans Mind a Mint-house for thoughts when it passeth farther it comes to be discoloured to contract blackness especially by lying for some time in the Earth and so sometimes to grow suspicable to others perhaps hardly discernable to our selves without much rubbing c. Repentance and Reformation yet if it were right for mettal and stamp at its first setting out when we our selves dare hardly trust it yet God that knows its Original will own it It is said of King Asa 2 Chro. 15.17 that his heart was perfect all his dayes perfect with the Lord yet the poor man took many a wrong and wretched step 1 King 15.14 for a man of a right heart yea how was Gods stamp sometimes as it were worne off little left of his Image or Superscription to be seen for besides that the high places were not remoâ—ed which was a blot upon his Government In the business of Baasha 2 Chron. 16. Verse 8.19 He relyed on the King of Syria and relyed not on the Lord his God And when he that had eminent experience of God in the business of the Ethiopians and Lubims had done thus foolishly and Hanani the Seer had reproved him faithfully Verse 10. he was wroth yea in a rage with him and put him in Prison and oppressed some of the people at the same time nay in the very evening of his dayes and towards his very Eâ—â—t 't is said that in his Disease he sought not to the Lord Verse 13. â— but to the Physitians yet there was something found at bottom notwithstanding all this Contrariwise 2 Chrâ— 25.2 Amazia did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but saith God not with a perfect heart Like some counteâ—se pieces now abroad that being â—ased or plated over with Silver are observed to have fewer cracks and flaws in the Edges perhaps than the Kings own Coin and yet they are but Copper-hearted The gratious soul is the Spouse of Christ Cant. 6.8 who as she is attended with a number of Holy and Royal affections as so many Queens so also with pure thoughts as with Virgin without number And our Heavenly Solomon eyes them most that wait next and immediately as it were upon his Queens person now our thoughts as you have heard they he next to our hearts Sect. XIII Fifthly IT cannot but be granted that God judgeth as man cannot We look at each others outsides God judges as man cannot therefore by the thoughts Luke 6.45 Prov. 26.23 1 Sam. 16.7 and oftentimes are not deceived for ordinarily the abundance of the heart will break out either some tiâ—e or other by the tongues clinking what the heart thinks as the Proverb hath it or some way or other so that the wary observer may come to discern the Potsheard notwithstanding the covering of Silver dross oft times I say but not alwayes That 's Gods Prerogative so the Lord seeth not as man seeth How then for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart We hear mens words He seeth their thoughts we weigh their Actions and Appearances Prov. 24.12 Chap. 16.2 the Lord ponders their hearts and weigheth their spirits as the wise man speaks In the Levitical Law the Swan was pronounced unclean a Bird whose Feathers are excceeding white Lev. 11.18 God judges most by what is in most 2. Cor. 11.14 Maâ— 23.27 Verse 28. Verse 25. but her Skin black God judgeth most by what is In-most God can easily discern the trans-formed Devil under the Angel of Light the rottenness within through the whited Tomb and painted Sepulchre Wee unto you Hypocrites saith Christ for ye make clean the outside of the Cup and of the Platter but within they are fâ—ll of Extortion and Excess Even so ye also appear outwardly righteous unto men but within ye are full of Hypocrisy and Iniquity Oh what horrid Spectacles were the most of men even of many that desire to make a fair shew in the flesh Gal. 6.12 as the Apostle speaks if their Insides were but turned out-side But alas They are all out-side to him that is All eye Sect. XIV Conscience Gods Deputy judgeth by our Thoughts Rom 2 13. Verse 16. LAstly That God sentenceth and Dooms us by our Thoughts is hereby evident in that Conscience that is Gods Vicegerent in mans brest doth so which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience bearing witness and their Thoughts the mean while accusing or excusing one another it follows In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel God and Christ and the Gospel they will judge men by their Consciences and their Consciences they will judge them by their Thoughts in the great day Judge we therefore our selves now as then we must be judged CHAP. V. Disc vers what those Right Thoughts are that are the Righteous mans Evidence and how to be known Sect. I. Objection Psal 64.6 Jer. 17.9 BUt alas may some one say Is not Mans heart a great deep and desperately wicked and deceiptful above all things I am afraid of Judging my self by my Thoughts of my self least I should Mis-judge of my self finding my self so apt to think amiss doth not the Apostle speak of some that measuring themselves by themselves are not wise 2 Cor. 10.12 Prov. 16 2. and 21. 2. There is so much Pride Partiality and Self-love that almost every way of man will seem clean and right in his own eye if his own Thoughts may but be his Judges Why all this is true Solution Not what Thoughts we have of our selves but in our selves Gal. 6.3 4. yet all that hath been said before true also We never said that every mans Case is as his thoughts are of himself but yet by his thoughts that are In himself he may come to discover his own state For if a man Think himself to be something saith the Apostle when he is nothing he deceiveth himself But yet let every man prove his own works and then he shall have rejoycing In himself alone and not in another This he speaks in respect of Sincerity not of Righteousness or Justification in the sight of God for of the later he saith we rejoyâ—e only in Jesus
God hath grown up in thy heart or to deny what God hath done for thy Soul But yet withall this I must add that as it is observed that the coming of the Cup into the Sack in an unknown way left them in the more trouble and perturbations afterwards though it came from a friendly hand And those women that have less fore-pains then others have many times greater After-pains as they call them So they that have less signal Spiritual troubles preceding their conversion and have known least of the terrours of the Lord are by so much the more full of Anxiety many times almost all their dayes 2 Cor. 5.11 full of doubtful thoughts whether they were ever savingly wrought upon because not wrought upon as such and such Haunted many times with Hideous thoughts and Temptations to Atheism Blasphemy c. which make them even weary of life and afraid of death and yet may be very pretious in the sight of God and dear to Jesus Christ Sect. V. ANd as Gods usual Season is the time of trouble of spiritual trouble to bring men to Right Thoughts Psal 77.2.3 Verse 16. To remember God to Consider the dayes of old to commune with their own hearts to make diligent search into their own spirits to take notice of their Infirmities Verse 10. Verse 11. to Remember the years of the right hand of the most High to Remember the works of the Lord and to meditate of his doings c. All which is Right-Thought-work and which the Psalmist was set upon in the day of his Trouble Psal 77.2 Gods ordinary method to bring to right thoughts by setting home some particular sin So the Method that God ordinarily useth Is to bring to their thoughts some one particular Sin and to present it to their Souls view in all its ugly shape and monstrous deformity with its heightening circumstances and hellish horrour that like the tail of a Prâ—digious Comet it draws after it now as Ghosts are most terrible and confounding when they appear in the Dark so is Sin when it stares a man in the face in his time of trouble Thus the Patriarchs were struck with the appaling thought of their savage cruelty to their innocent Brother when themselves were in Distress Gen. 42.21 no doubt they had other Sins to trouble them but this first flew in their face Saul with the thought of his furious persecuting of Jesus Thus some for telling a known Lie Acts 9.4 others for some Theft or known Fraud others for prophaning the Lords-Day others for some prophane Oath others for Disobedience to Parents And some though few like Mary Magdalene for the foul sin that brings a wound and a dishonour and a repâ—oach that is hardly wiped away Prov. 6.33 So that as men ordinarily single out some one special Sin to set their heart upon though they entertain and practice all the rest Rom. 7.8 with 24. so God singles out some special Sin to fix their thoughts upon and thereby to bring them in due time to sight and sense of the whole Body of Death nay sometimes when men by a blameless appearance and moral conversation have got the good thoughts of other men their own much more Heb. 3.1 Luke 18.6 God sometimes suffers civil men to fall into some foul act to discover tâ—â—hem the plague of the heart 1 Kings 8 38. Sometimes thoughts are in an uproar troubled and distinct cares not known Acts 19.32 Verse 40. Yet God sometimes out of this Chaos draws a new Creation As in Genesis Reduceth thoughts to proper places and things to order Rev. 3.20 Prov. 18.14 Acts 2.57 Prov. 38.4 trusting as Christ speaks in themselves that they are righteous God suffers them to fall into some gross act of Sin perhaps Drunkenness perhaps making a mock at Godliness to please vile company perhaps Perjury or some other palpable act of wickedness that by such a rising in the flesh he may bring them to know and to bethink themselves of the Plague of the heart that Scripture speaks of Indeed I have sometimes observed some persons troubled with a strange unusual throng and croud of Thoughts Sermons trouâ—led them and Sins troubled them but their Thoughts wâ—re like that confused concourse in the Acts of which no distinct account could be given and the Assembly knew not why they were come together And as such a croud of thoughts have been thus in an uproar for some space of time and they knew not distinctly why so a little time hath brought it to they know not what nothing for good hath come of it And yet sometimes the All-wise and powerful grace of God even out of such a Chaos of confusion is pleased to draw a New-Creation reducing things to their proper places and thoughts to their right order Sect. VI. BUt generally when Grace first knocks at the door of the heart and finds the Sinner in distress wounded in Spirit that he cannot bear it prickt at the very heart the pressing sense of Sin lies upon him and goes over him as a burthen too heavy for him It brings him to speak within himself Or which is all one to think thus The Scheme of a Converts first thought Lament 3.1 or to this effect I am the man that have seen Affliction by the Rod of his anger and now I stand here a miserable Malefactour before the Lord who perfectly knows all my secrets and infinitely hates all my Sins My Conscience hales me to his Bar for my sin hath found me out Num. 32.23 Gen. 42.21 Prov. 28.13 Job 9.4 And I am verily guilty concerning this thing should I then either hide my sin or harden my self against God who ever did either of these and prospered This then is my proper station though my feet be hurt with setters and the Iron enters into my very Soul though the Chain of Gods Indignation be heavy upon me Micah 7.9 yet I must bear it because it is my own Chain I have sinned against him Excuse my sin Alas I cannot I knew my Masters will Luke 12.57 Rom. 7.12 Malac. 1.6 and knew it to be Holy just and Good and did it not I call'd him Lord yet fear'd him not I knew he forbad the thing I did yet I did it I knew he looked on me and yet I did it I knew he would call me to an account for it and yet I did it Accuse my Master Alas I dare not No no Jam. 1.13 14. He tempted me not but I was drawn away of my own lust and enticed my own lust I may call it so as much as I may call my Heart my own an Heart so vile but yet my own such a Fountain of Poyson such a Cage of every unclean and hateful Bird an Heart nay an Hell yea and worse to me then all the Devils there I should bely them as bad as they be should I say otherwise an heart so desperately
13. who did hinder thee Hath a Nation changed their Gods whi h yet are no Gods but thou hast changed thy glory for that which doth not profit Be astonyed at this and be horribly afraid yea be very desolate O my heart For thou hast committed two Evils Thou hast forsaken the Fountain of living waters and hewed thee broken Cisterns that can hold no water O prophane Heart Heb. 12.16 17. that for a morsel of meat hast sold thy Birth-right How sain wouldest thou now inherit the blessing couldst thou but find a place for repentance Ezek. 37.11 Lam. 3.18 Job 19.10 chap. 8.13 though thou shouldst seek it never so carefully with tears But alas for thy part thine hope is cut off thine hope hath God removed like a tree and indeed what else can be expected but that the Hypocrites hope should pe ish O false heart and flattering hope Exod. 14.13 must I be thus deceived by you both which I so much trusted I said with Moses of my strong corruptions when I thought I saw them drowned in the Red Sea of my Saviours Blood I shall see them again no more for ever and with David in his prosperity I shall never be moved Psalm 30.6 Luke 10.15 and must I now like Capernaum after I have been thus lifted up to Heaven be thrown down to Hell and so everlastingly seperated from the blessed presence of the dear Jesus whom I fondly thought I had loved better then my life but now find I did love him less than my laziness and my lusts and indeed I am convinced that if any man loves any thing more than Christ He is not worthy of him Mat. 10 37. But ah my dear and blessed Jesus must thou and I thus part part Eternally Oh no! not for a World no not for a World of Worlds Why then Psal 88 14. O Lord castest thou off my soul why hidest thou thy face from me Yea rather O Lord why hast thou made me to erre from thy wayes Psal 63.14 Job 10.1 and hardened my heart from thy fear yet will I leave my complaint upon my self and I will speak in the bitterness of my soul I know indeed that God cannot be tempted with evil Jâ—m 1.13 14. neither tempteth he any man But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Therefore Psal 42.6 7. O my God my Soul is cast down within me and deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy water spouts Verse 4. thy waves and thy billows are gone over me When I remember these things I powre out my soul in me For I had gone with the multitude I went with them to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise I call also to remembrance my song in the night Psal 77.6 and commune with mine own heart and my spirit makes diligent search Job 16.12 I was at ease but God hath brokâ—n me asunder He hath also taken me by the neck and shaken me in pieces and set me up for his mark Job 29.3 4 5. Oh that I were as in moneths past as in the daâ—es when God preserved me when his Candle shined upon my head and when by his light I walked through darkness when the secret of God was upon my Tabernacle and when the Almighty was yet with me Psal 42.3 But now alas my tears are my meat day and night while my returning Corruptions and prevailing Lusts say to me continually where is thy God As with a Sword in my bones do they reproach me Verse 9. while they say daily to me where is thy God But wâ—ll the Lord cast off for ever will he be favourable no more Is his mercy clean gone for ever and doth his Promise fail for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious hath â—e in anger shut up his tender mercies 2 Sam 23.5 Surely this is my infirmity but I will remember the â—ears of the right hand of the most High Although my heart be not so with God yet hath he made with me a Covenant an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure I will therefore say unto God Psal 42.8 9. my rock why hast thou forgotten me why go I mourning because of the oppression of the Enemy Yet the Lord will command his loving kindness in the day-time and in the night his song shall be with mo Verse 11. and my Prayer unto the God of my Life Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet Praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God O Lord though mine iniquities testifie against me do thou for thy Name sake for my back-slidings are many Jerem. 14.7 Verse 20. and 21. Psal 42.2 Psalm 63.2 I have sinned against thee But I acknowledge O Lord my wickedness Do not abl or me for thy names sake Remember break not thy Covenant with me For truly my Soul thirsteth for God for the living God to see his Power and his Glory so as I have seen him in the Sanctuary Be watchful therefore O mine heart Rev. 3.2 and strengthen the things that remain and are ready to die for here is yet a Pillar of Fire before thee Neh. 9.12 19. Jer. 3.24 the token of a Divine presence with thee Hath not God said Return ye back-sliding Children and I will heal your back-sliding Behold I come unto thee for thou art the Lord my God But surely if God will allow me to set my hope on high He will yet have me to keep mine Heart low for though he be still saying Hâ—sea 14.4 Jerem. 3.14 I will heal thy back-sliding and love thee freely and again Turn O back-sliding Child for I am married unto thee yet he still feeds me like the Israelites in the Wilderness as it were from hand to mouth The water of his Rock not my Cistern must supply me and I be undone if it do not follow me 1 Cor. 10.4 I must fetch my food by daily Faith my Manna out of the Heaven of his Promises not by Plowing for it is in the earth of my sâ—lf-Righteoâ—sness and legal performances and my Medicine too for all venomous bitings by all sorts of fiery temptations from him only who for that end was lifted up upon the Cross Johâ— 3.14 and still is on the pole of the Gospel and still must be in the THOUGHTS of my heart as my only strength my health my life my All And if at any time he allow me but a touch or taste of the hoped for Clusters Numb 13.23 't is to feed not my high but my diligent Thoughts Phil. 3.12 13. and to mind me that I have not already attained either am already perfect but that I press forward forgetting the things that are behind towards the mark for the price of the high Calling of God
which is in Christ Jesus What shall I then say to these things The Lord hath both spoken unto me and himself hath done it Isaiah 38.15 I will go with him though I go but softly all my years even in the bitterness of my Soul So then the Thoughts of the Righteous pick up encouragement Numb 14.9 as the Good Spies from their very difficulties They are Bread for us I will go with this man saith Rebeckah I will go with this Jesus saith the fixed Thought of heart Though I go sadly yet I will go I will go though but softly in my souls bitterness all my years Isaiah 38.16 But yet O Lord by these things men live And in all these is the life of my spirit so wilt thou recover me and make me to live so saith the gracious Heart And thus is the soul fed with Manna aad led about many years it may be in the Wilderness of Anxiety Deut. 8.2 And all this to humble to prove to know what is in the heart and to do it good in the later end The end of the draught or scheme of Thoughts 1. Wrought in conversion And thus have I given you as briefly as I could though more largely then I thought a Scheme or draught of such Thoughts in man as do ordinarily flow from the Grace of God as I have received from that sure Word that is a discerner of the Thoughts and a discoverer as well as a discerner and as I have known and perhaps felt in some small experience And the Holy Ghost Prov. 27.19 that knows all hearts saith expresly As in water face answers to face so the heart of man to man Regenerate mans thoughts flowing from a new nature agree with other natural motions in three things Sect. XII NOw because as I have said The Regenerate mans thoughts are sparks from a new Fire fruits of a new heart stirrings of a new Nature Therefore it must needs be that they partake with all natural motions in these Three points I. Facility Natural Acts and Motions 1. Facility Good thoughts delightful if from a right principle Prov. 2.10 If Nature be not oppressed as sometimes the New nature seems to be are facile yea pleasing and delightful as to eat to drink to sleep c. So are right Thoughts to a Righteous person When wisdome entereth into thy heart and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul c. A naughty heart is like a vitious stomach those very thoughts that are as an hony Comb Prov. 27.7 or as pleasant bread to others do make it turn as it were at the very sight of them Go thy way Paul for this time I have no stomach to think of Righteousness or Judgment to come No no Acts 14.25 Felix his Thoughts were another way suitable to his Corruption He thought saith the Text there was no money coming Verse 26. and 't was the thought of money that made Musick in his Mind But saith David of his God not of his Mammon My meditation of HIM shall be SWEET Psal 124 34. I will be glad in the Lord. When the Miser receives his Mammon Oh how it glads him nay he loves the Thought of it when he cannot come at it Nay he can Think with delight of the Bills or Bonds he can lay them in his bosome that do but Name it Money is his God and Worldliness his Nature So doth a gracious heart with sweetness entertain the Thought of his God nay hide his word in his very Heart Psal 119.11 It goes down with him with delight as his food when he is most hungry Thy words were found and I did eat them Jer. 15.16 and they were to me the joy and rejoycing of mine Heart The Bar drinks in words but it is the heart that eats them by setting the Thoughts to chew upon them And as it is with a man that is in health if he want his set meals so is it with a good Heart kept in good order without many gripes and secret gnawings it cannot want its set MEDITATIONS And surely it would be better with most Christians then it is were they but careful with Isaac to set a part some little time of the day for Meditation who are so little able to say with David O how love I thy Law Psal â—19 67 It is my MEDITATION all the day And this leads me to the Sect. XIII Frequency Davids thoughts good all the day Psal 119 97. How to be understood II. ANd that is Frequency A good pulse strikes many a good stroke in a day and so doth a good heart as you may see in David when he was in a good state of soul health you cannot think that he thought of nothing but Gods Law in the whole day when he sayes It was his Meditation all the day his Crown was lined with Cares And his Head with Thoughts as other mens But he would allow no Thought in the day contrary to the Law He would order all his Thoughts in conformity and subordination thereto And his Thoughts thereof were better pleasing to him then all other Thoughts He was in his Element when in such Meditations and reckoned so much of the day lost as wherein he was hurryed by Temptations to any contrary cogitations If a Bird fall into the water 't is not her Element she neither useth nor delighteth to be there If a Mole get above ground he is not where he would be or is wont to be Tryal what Thoughts thy Element Psalm 77.5 Ask thine heart seriously what Element it is that thy thoughts most use and with most ease My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness when I think upon thee when I remember thee upon my bed and meditate upon thee c. And thereby discern whether it be a Bird of Paradise or a meer Mole for to be carrnally minded is death but to be Spiritually minded is life and peace Romans 8.6 A bad man may have a Thought of God now and then and a Thought for God or the most are very much mistaken But a David can say of his divine Thoughts how great is the sum of them Gods Thoughts of him and his Thoughts of God and the reflection of his Thoughts upon Gods Thoughts Psalm 137.17 for Sect. XIV III. 3. Perpetuity THere is Perpetuity as well as Facility and Frequency in Natural acts and motions The pulse beats not only all the day but all a mans dayes so do good thoughts in a Godly mind What a blessed frame was holy David in when he could never awake but he found his pulse beating Heaven-ward when I awake I am still with thee Psam 139.18 Psalm 1.12 The blessed mans delight is in the Law of the Lord and therein doth he meditate day and night O happy He whose Thoughts are holy day and night that is continually I know Grace is lyable to
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
in respect of them as Jacob I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies yet not to think them the chief good or the best of them good enough for the precious soul to sit down with Many will say who will shew us any good But Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance c. Yea doubtless and I account all things but loss and do count them but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dogs meat not Mans meat All things of all sorts civil advantages Church priviledges c. as nothing for the Soul without Christ that I may win Christ These I say were his thoughts of the highest humane attainments of Outward Church Priviledges of Creature Enjoyments in the World And so not to think Him happy that hath them but that hath a sanctified title to them and sanctified use of them If they be sanctified by the Word and Prayer If I rejoyced because my Wealth was great and because my Hand had gotten much and my Hand hath been secretly enticed or my Mouth kissed my hand He did not think himself to be the better or the happier for being the wealthier 't was the gain of the heart Heavenly treasure true Job 23.12 not the Gettings of the Hand that Job estimated to be true treasure I have esteemed the words of his mouth more then my appointed portion so the Margin then my necessary Food so the Text. No doubt he accounted that good too but not the chief good Psal 49.8 not a sufficiâ—nt good for his Soul for the Redemption of the Soul is precious It ceaseth for ever And Alas Whole world not worth a Soul Mat. 16.26 thinks a Man that knows the worth of a Soul what is a man profited if he gain the whole world and loose his own Soul Sect. V. Right thoughts of Ordinances what Mat. 23.19 IN thinking of ORDINANCES as the good wayes of God to be gone in not rested in He thinks not so greatly of the Gift as of the Altar sanctifying the Gift of his attendances upon them as they are performances of his own but as appointments of God for the Communication of Himself to the Soul One thing have I desired of the Lord Good wayes to be gone not rested in Psal 27.4 that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the dayes of my life to see the beauty of the Lord c. not the beauty of the House though that was very beautiful and to inquire in his Temple not onely the way to his Temple but to the sight and fruition of him in his Temple Sect. VI. Right thoughts of sin what Greatest evil Job 32.21 Isaiah 33.24 IN thinking of SIN as the only contrary to the Supream good Therefore Jobs Friends would have fastened it on him as a Brand of in-sincerity that he had chosen Sin rather then Affliction The inhabitants shall not say I am sick for the people that dwell there shall be forgiven their Iniquity They shall think all well when sin is done away Sin in a good mans Thoughts is the very Gall of bitterness the very core of all troubles the very sting of Death it self 1 Cor. 15.56 Heart-sin worst Heb. 12.15 1 King 8.38 Jer. 17.9 Rom. 7.23 â—â—rom 9.5 Hibaâ— 2.5 and the very Hell of Hell And as he thinks Sin the worst of Evils so Heart-sin the worst of sins that Root of bitterness that Plague of the heart that desperately wicked thing that cannot cease to Sin that Law in the Members that wearies them to commit Iniquity yet it self is unweariable and unsatiable as Death and Hell and therefore called the Body of death which never saith it is enough 'T is this evil that makes good men cry out of themselvs as of the chief of Sinners Rom. 7.24 For whatsoever they know of others as to other Evils they know more of this by themselves then by all the World 'T is this Evil that makes many a man thought humble by others cry O my pride counted mortified by others Spiritual wickedness cry O my potent passion my strong corruption my unruly Lusts how many a man is there of unblemisht life that is weary at heart of his own Heart yea of his very Life because of the evil of his Heart his spiritual pride filthiness of Spirit Earthly-mindedness 2 Cor. 7 â—1 James 4.1 Spirits lusting to envy with the spiritual wickednesses abroad in the world as Hypocrisie Heresie c. But yet though he think Sin Root and Branch to be the greatest Evil Yet no sin so great an Evil as Christ a good Heb. 7.25 yet not so great an evil as Jesus Christ is a Good nor so mighty though mighty to destroy as He is Almighty able to save He thinks Sins demerits great Christs merits greater whereby he is not only secured from Hell but to be saved in Heaven And therefore He may plead even the greatness of his sin as an argument for his Pardon Psal 25.11 because He thinks the great Salvation to be so much the greater that it triumphs most in the spoils of the proudest sins in the thing wherein they have dealt proudly to be still above them When Sin groweth up unto the Heavens Ezek. 9.6 Psal â—08 4 1 John 4.4 Gods mercy in his Son is above the Heavens As when the wicked one is great that is in World yet greater is he that is in the Saints than he that is in the World Sect. VII IN thinking of HOLINESS Of holiness Isaiah 2.8 not only way to but part of happiness Psal 119.11 Philip. 3.20 1 John 5.3 Mat. 11.30 not only as the high way to as the Prophet calls it but also a principal part of Happiness the Duties of holiness to be the Beauties thereof Its Practise Priviledge Its Performances great Rewards Its inchoation an Heaven upon Earth Its Consummation and perfection the very Heaven of Heaven And therefore Its Commandments not grievous Its Yoke easie It s Burden light Of Affliction not so evil as sâ—â— Good to the good Ps lm 119.67 71. Hâ—bâ— 1.12.11 Verse 10. Profitable 1 King 17.18 Monitors of our frowardness but Fruits of Gods Faithfulness and Love Psal 119.75 Rev. 3.19 John 16.33 Christs Legacy Mat. 10.25 For many good ends Sect. VIII IN thinking of AFFLICTIONS though Evil not so Evil as Sin and therefore their being Sanctified desirable rather and more then their removal Evil in themselves yet good to the good and for the making of them Better It s good for me that I have been afflicted before I went astray but now I have learnt thy Precepts sharp and bitter twigs bearing sweet Fruit peaceable Fruits of Righteousness A Fathers Rod not for his Pleasure but VERILY for our Profit that we may be partakers of his holiness Remembrancers of our Sin yet not so much products of his Justice Power and soveraignty as Fruits of his Faithfulness I know O
Lord that thou in Faithfulness hast afflicted me Tokens of his Love as many as I love I chasten Payments of our Legacy left us by Our crucified Lord a little before his Death in the World you shall have tribulation and confirmed thereby For if they did so in the green Tree If such things befal the Master 't is sufficient for the Servant to be as his Master and as his Lord And all to make Man more humble in himself more awful of God more careful to please him more fearful to offend him more conformable to Christs sufferings more contemplative of his sufferings more compassionate and fellow-feeling as to others Sin more bitter Christ more sweet the World more contemptible Death more desirable Heaven more delightful and glorious Grace more admirable in the Saints 2 Cor. 4.8 9. thus troubled on everyside yet not distressed cast down but not destroyed a burning Bush yet not consumed in a fiery Furnace yet receiving no hurt nay more that the very fiery Chariot of affliction should be prest for the service of carrying them to Heaven their very tribulations made the door for their entring into the Kingdom of God Acts 14.22 Iames 5.11 and 1.2 And therefore the Scripture counts them hapyy which endure and teacheth us to count it all joy when we fall into divers temptations Sect. IX IN thinking of TEMPTATIONS Of Temptations 1 Pet. 4.12 1 Cor. 10.13 Heb. 11.37 Best tempted Heb. 3.18 Chap. 4.15 Christ himself in all points Lust of the eye Mat. 4.2 3. Verse 9. Pride of life Verse 3. Verse 6. not as strange or as though some strange thing had happened but as common to men yea the best of men They were tempted saith the Apostle yea the worst of them to him that was more then MAN who himself suffered being tempted and that in all points as we are that he might know how to succour them that are tempted In all points To the Lusts of the Flesh Thou art Hungry Make these stones Bread To the lust of the Eyes thou art poor Thou hast not a hole where to lay thy head All these will I give thee To the Pride of Life Thou pretendest high prove what thou pretendest shew thine Authority Command Stones to be made Bread If thou be a King let us see thy Court thy Heavenly Guard and that the Angels are indeed but thy Ministers If thou be the Son of God do something or other that ordinary men either cannot or at least dare not do never fear to die like a man Cast thy self down and let us see whether Angels will bear thee up Now All that is in the World 1 John 2.16 is the Lust of the Flesh and of the Eye and pride of Life And as the wind of Temptation thus blew all the points of the Worlds Compass Christ tempted with temptations base and forbid Bloody and unnatural Hellish and blasphemous so also all the points of highest and most hideous aggravations most base and sorbid transgress for a morsel of Bread sell thy Birth-right for a meals meat break thy Faith with God that thou mayest break thy Fast with the Devil Most bloody and unnatural if thou wilt not break thy Fast break thy Neck Cast thy self down Most Hellish and Horrid If thou wilt not or canst not prove thy self to be the Son of God disown God and own me for thy God Fall down and Worship me Math. 4.9 and is the Nature of Man capable of any thought more hideous injections more black and blasphemous then such as these And yet for all this Highly subtil and deceiptful Profit and pleasure Verse 8. Wrested Scripture Verse 6. Gods ends pretended All points too of highest subtilty and hellish deceipt that spiritual wickedness could possibly hatch or imagine This Hell of Temptations must not only be covered over with a Paradise of Pleasures the World and all the Glory of it but also with an Heaven of Scripture-warranty Cast thy self down for It is written c. and so thou mayst shew thy Faith without hazard of thy Life nay of most High Glorious Good ends the Manifestation of his Divinity the Credit of his Ministry the Glory of God in having such a Son the Glory of Christ in having such a Father And all this in a seasonable point of time when all this was challenged and called boldly in question by the great Goliah that at the very first word Verse 3. defyeth the Living God If thou be the Son of God c. which is as much as prove it if thou canst Thus was Christ Tempted in all points therefore well may the Tempted think thus of his sorest Temptations 2 Cor. 12.7 These are thornes in my Flesh but no other then what were platted together by Satan and worn as a Crown by my head and Saviour Saints tempted only if need be 1 Pet. 1.6 1 Cor. 12.7 1 Pet. 1.7 Revel 3.10 Rom. 5.4 1 Pet. 5.8 â— Cor. 12.8 Gal. 6.1 And for excellent ende And now ordered by his hand that they cannot touch me sooner or longer then need is for the Pricking of my puffing Pride the tryal of my Faith the exercising of my Patience and experiencing of me by it the exciting of my watchfulness the spirit of Prayer in my self and the Spirit of meekness in the restoring of others when they are overtaken in a fault considering my self least I also be tempted The teaching of me to know more throughly both my self and my Saviour both where my weakness and where my strength lyeth That I am but a Reed shaken with the wind that Christ is the Rock higher then I yea higher then the highest that when the proudest Temptations dash against it Shall be carried through all they are broken by it that is Grace is only sufficient for me and that his strength shall be made perfect in my weakness 2 Cor. 12.9 1 Cor. 10.13 and that God is faithful who will not suffer me to be tempted above what I am able but with the temptation will make a way to escape 1 Pet. 2.9 May triumph over all For the Lord knowes how to deliver our of Temptations And therefore though now in my mâ—nority I may think of the day when I shall be at Age the time appointed of the Father Gal. 4.2 Though now in my Apprentiship that I shall be one day made Free from mine infirmities and Temptations 2 Cor. 1â— 9 and therefore I will even now Glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me for when I am weak then am I strong nay in these things I am more then Conqueror Verse 10. through Christ strengthening me Sect. X. IN thinking of PERSECUTIONS for Christ Of Persecution our Patrimony Mark 10.30 Honour Acts 5.41 Phil. 1.29 Gods gift therefore cannot merit Loss gain Heb. 10.34 Disgrace riches Heb. 11.26 Verse 24. Persecuted happy Verse 25. Mal. 3.15 Prosperous miserable
God and saying Glory to God in the highest on Earth PEACE and GOOD WILL towards men On Earth Peace no Peace for Hell Goodwill towards Men Yet Christ is for fallen men not Angels Hebr. 2.16 but not Devils for Christ took not on him the Nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham O this is that the thought whereof is such matter of Admiration to the good Angels and such horrour and Confusion to the fallen Angels whose eye towards us is so much the more Evil because Gods hath been so good And shall not all this procure God thy good Thought of him Why were there no more but this that Salvation is Possible for Thee but not so for Them this were something to be thought of But now that Salvation is Proffered and laid in thy very way that thou canst not if thou wouldest step towards Hell without trampling upon Gods bowels of Mercy Hebr. 10.13 and treading under foot the Son of God and blood of the Covenant where all is Free to Thee Covenant of Grace gives what it requires Isaiah 1.16 Ezek. 35.25 and 18.31 with 13.26 how ever dear to Christ and the Yoke easie the Covenant being GRACE Requiring onely what it hath to give and giving what it requires saying Wash you and make you clean c. and again I will powre clean water upon you and you shall be clean and from all your filthiness will I cleanse you c. Saying make you a new Heart and a new Spirit c and again a new heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them c. Having such Grace Slighting of Gospel-Grace a sin of Men not Devils I say proffered us as the Devil never had let us think what will become of us if we sin such a SIN as the Devil never did who never had a pardon tendered him to sling it back into God's face who never had a Christ or a Covenant of Grace preached unto him but was forced to speak truth in that though he be a lyar that he hath nothing to do with Jesus Matth. 8.29 Isaiah 9.6 except it be to his Torment But saith the Scripture To us is the Child born to us is the Son given It saith not to Angels but to us Though we may well think that Elect Angels 1 Tim. 5.21 as the Apostle calls them are so in Him but if Christ be their Head yet not so as he is Ours Men otherwise concerned in Christ then Angels 1 Pet. 1.12 A head of Confirmation to them of Redemption to us and so born to us And shall He be so much thought of by Angels and not thought of by us Nay 't is our Concernment that the Apostle saith the Angels do so much desire to prie into Dan. 9.23 Eph. 3.10 and They are advantaged herein by the Church as the Angel Gabriel by Daniels Prayer To the intent saith the Apostle that now unto the Principalities and Powers in beavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God Sect. XXXII COncernment is wont to be the greatest Conducement to thoughts Our concern Men will mind their own Business when anothers shall be out of their Thoughts and this is our great nay our onely Concernment for there is but One thing needful Luke 11.42 Christ Ours Heb. 1.12 Luke 9.2 Matth. 1.23 Immanuel God with us Make all ours Greatness John 20.17 for thus we may think if Christ be not Ours there is nothing Ours for Christ is Heir of all things nay We have lost our selves and are cast away But if Christ be Ours All is Ours for his Name is Immanuel which is by Interpretation God with us and if God be with us well may our Thoughts be with God and surely they cannot but be well if they be with God Gods greatness is amazing but when his goodness hath made it Ours how comforting I go saith Christ to my Father and your Father and to My God and Your God Gods JUSTICE is terrible Justice but his Justice paid off satisfied attoned reconciled Justice befriending how amiable God is faithful and JUST to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from unrighteousness 1 John 1.9 if we confess our sins what a word is there If we burthen our selves with them â—s the matter is ordered in the Covenant of Grace Justice it self will befriend us by discharging us of them if we be but so honest and candid as to own them and to own him that hath owned them and paid for them who is mentioned there by the Apostle but a verse or two before God is so just as to pardon them 1 John 1.7 Deliver him Job 33.24 saith God I have found a Ransom Justice disclaims a double payment Holiness The holiness of God what a dreadful thought is it and how may it make a poor sinful man to cry out as the men of Beth-shemesh 1 Sam. 6.20 Rom. 8.3 Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God But then to think again that this Holy God is become Man and in the likeness of sinful Flesh and for Sin that he might condemn Sin in the Flesh 1 Cor. 1.30 and that He is made unto us of God not onely Righteousness but Sanctification this may make us to give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness Psalm 30.4 as it is in the Psalmist Highness Gods HIGHNESS what an awful thought is it to Us that are at such an infinite distance from Him But to think withall that though the Lord be high yet He hath respect to the lowly Psalm 138.6 and 136.23 and regard to our low estate and hath so far humbled himself as to embrace our Dunghil to cloth himself with our Flesh to lodge in a Womb without abhorrence in a Manger in a Grave nay by his Spirit in a Sinners heart so that We may say with the Psalmist Psalm 113.5 6 7. Who is like unto our God who dwelleth on high yet HUMBLETH himself to raise up the Poor out of the Dust and the Needy out of the Dunghill for Christ's HUMILIATION and Condescention is our Exaltation O what cause is here to rejoyce in his highness as the Prophet speaks And if greatness Isaiah 13.3 Cant. 1.3 Cant. 2.4 and holiness and justice are made such Repast by a Covenant of Grace to our Thoughts well may We remember his LOVE more then Wine Here O here Wee should muster up our Thoughts and bring them into a Full Body and lay Gods Commands upon them to stand to their colours for the BANNER over us is LOVE Sect. XXXIII ANd here let me charge thee O Reader LOVE 1
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
very Death of Death but the believers Life So that their dying is but an entring into peace Isa 57.2 a resting in their beds and from their labours of Sins Sorrows Cares Fears Temptations Afflictions Persecutions Sicknesses Pains Wants Weaknesses Wearinesses Doubts Difficulties nay of Duties of Fastings Watchings Tears which shall then be wiped away and done away Revel 14.13 as to the Labour not the Reward for so their Works follow them Sect. XIV Of judgment Psal 49.14 Mat. 25.19 IN thinking of JUDGMENT As that glorious morning wherein the upright shall have Dominion shall sit with Christ on Thrones judging the World being openly justified themselves and set as Sheep on the right hand of God 1 Cor. 6.2 and Proclaimed by Christ the Blessed of his Father As that glorious meeting of that spiritualized body with its blessed Soul and so with Christ Mat. 25.34 To the sheep and with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Saints to be dissolved divorced divided dissipated dispersed no more 1 Cor. 15.44 Math. 8.11 Mat. 25.33 and 41. To the Goats Psal 1.5 Mean while those Goats on the left hand that burned with Lust shall burn with horrour inwardly shall be accused accursed sentenced and condemned openly And as they would not indure the Sheep to live by them in the World they shall go by themselves shall not come into the Congregation of the just and as they loved Cursing It shall now come into their Souls and like Oyl in their Bones And so their miserable bodies made vessels of wrath fitted to Destruction â—ide to receive it without spilling Rom. 9.22 strong to hold it without breaking being re-united to their tormented Souls shall together be partakers of Misery as they formerly had been of Sin unto all Eternity Sect. XV. IN thinking of ETERNITY Of Eternity Right thoughts of it as that which is so shortly approaching and nearly concerning every one that he thinks it strange that any one should almost think of any thing else for thinking of Eternity But that he thinks again of that World of Atheisme that is in the World never fully to be confuted But by Death and Judgment and oh thinks he Atheists in this world what a sad thing it is that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we read without God in the World but the word is Atheists in the World Eph. 2.12 No Atheists to Eternity yea but as soon as ever they go out of the World they continue Atheists no longer Those that would not believe that there was a God and a Christ by his patience and providence by his preserving them and proffering to save them Shall see there is a God and Christ Rev. 1.7 Mal. 3.19 shall then see that there is a God and a Christ too every Eye shall see him and feel that there is a God by his terrours taking hold upon them Then shall they return and discern though they would not see the Lord when his hand was lifted up in his Word and Works in the World they shall see God and be ashamed Isa 26.11 Psal 58.11 So that a man shall say verily there is a GOD. And those that would not believe that there was a Devil by their daily conversing with him and his influencing them by his filling their hearts because they say they never saw him Feel there iâ— a Devil shall then certainly know they are with him as he knows now that he is with them for as he shares stakes with them in sin they have their part and he hath his part In Hell share stakes with him so shall they be forc't to share stakes with them in Hell for they shall have their portion with the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 As he with them here in sin And Oh thinks he how will the dainty Dives and the careless and delicate Daughters do to spend that Eternity That must have so many devices and divertisements Misery of the wicked Playes and Pastimes Ah! wretched word that thinks he and all to wear out the tediousness of a little time To spend that Eternity when the smoak of that bottomless pit Rev. 14.10 11. must be their only Air to breath in Fire their Food Brimstone their Perfume full Viols of Divine wrath their Drink Astonishment their Wine Bitter weeping and flowing Fountains Mat. 22.13 and ever Running Rivers of Tears in stead of their Rich Baths and pleasant Springs Luke 16.28 and artificial Fountains And wailing yelling and howling their only Musick And so other mens torments an accession to their pains As they had taken pleasure in other mens sins which made Dives so loath of his Brethrens Company Rom. 1.32 as we may well think The Books must be opened in stead of their pleasing Play-Books and Romances Gods Book and the Book of their Consciences Rev. 20.12 that they never could endure in all their lives to look into must now be pored upon by them by the Fire of Hell without intermission recreation or other diversion and the wanton Eye that busie and unsatisfied Gazer upon every thing but the Bible must be otherwise imprisoned in utter darkness for ever Mat. 25.30 Psalm 12.4 And the Lordly tongue that must needs be their own shall be their own to torment them as formerly set on Fire of Hell with a world of wickedness James 3.6 so now of woes Red hot then with Rage against God and revilings of his Saints now burning with flames and not receiving so much as one single drop of cold water Luke 16.24 that was wont to swim in Wine and for that bewitching sence of touch its dalliances and delights there shall only succeed those hideous gnashings of teeth and gnawings at Heart in the woe that never ceaseth and by the worm that never dies Josh 8.7 16. And thus Ah thinks he as Joshua taught the men of Succoth with the Thornes and Bryars in the wilderness The Hebrew is He made them to know to know who he was and to know what they had done jn despising his Messengers in rejecting his motions c. so will Jesus teach the Atheistical world with tortures to Eternity 2 Chro. 36.16 Psal 50.17 Prov. 1.3 and make them to know who He is whose Messengers they mocked whose Laws they cast behind their backs whose Councels they hated and would none of his Reproofs But thinks He on the other hand Eternal happiness of the Saints of those in whose Hearts are the wayes of them that are holy Pilgrims the true Travailers that declare plainly that they seek a Countrey viz. an Heavenly that can say of a good Sermon John 6.34 Lord evermore give us of this Bread of a lively stirring Sacrament a Soul-humbling Confession and Prayer an Heart-raising Meditation 't is good to be here that think the present time too short and their Hearts too narrow to hold enough of
God and Christ what a blessed state will they count that when the perfecting of their holiness and so of their spirits Heb. 12.23 Phil. 3.21 and the changing of their vile bodies and the fashioning them like unto Christs Glorious Body shall widen them as much from the straits of their hearts as Eternity shall do from the straits of time And so they shall have as much of God and Christ as their heads and hearts can hold and these shall hold as much as they can desire without Interruption or Change 1 Thes 4.17 or fear of Change for ever for they shall EVER be with the Lord. Sect. XVI Right thoughts of Angels Evil worlds God 1 Cor. 4.4 Sinners his Slaves 2 Tim. 2.26 Works in their Will Ephes 2.2 IN thinking of ANGELS The EVIL as many in Number though for the undividedness of their Kingdom called the Devil and Satan As the worlds God yet Gods Slave having sinners in his chain Taken Captive by him at his will yet cannot force their will though he work effectually in their will 't is with their will for his Lusts will they do nay cannot so much as find out their Riddle except he plow with their own Heifer But with it John 8.44 nor known their actual thought that 's Gods Prerogative Royal I the Lord search the Reins but as the cunning Angler doth the nibling of the Fish at the Bait under water Knows not our thoughts but by indication Gen. 4.5 Gen. 3.3 by the motion of the Cork and Quill above water by some little outward indication of the minds inward motion as when Cains countenance was fallen He knew he was very wroth and so hurtyeth him to Murther and by Eve's mincing the Threatning least ye die when God had said Verse 6. ye shall surely die and by her eying the forbidden Tree He knew she had a moneths mind as we say to the Fruit. Thus when he seeth the eyes of the Adulterer full 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Adulteress 2 Pet. 2.14 he easily perceives how the Game goes and so in other cases yet that he is himself much more in Gods Chain Gods slave in his chain 2 Pet. 2.4 2 Cor. 12.7 Rev. 10.12 and reserved and kept therein ever since he left his first estate and shall be to the Judgment of the great day And therefore though he vex and disquiet buffet and tempt and accuse the Brethren before God night and day and though he set his Cloven foot the foot of his Pride upon the greatest part of the World so that the whole World lyeth as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 5.19 in the very Maw not Jaw only of that wicked one yet shall he never be able to hinder Christ or to hurt the true Christian but as a Lyon in the Grate though his roaring be terrible 1 Pet. 5 8. Rev. 12.12 yet his reach is but short and he knows it therefore we may think it Nay because he is but a Slave in Gods Chain therefore all his tugging at the Oar shall but promote the purposes of Gods grace for his own Glory and the good of his chosen And 2.7 and as Jonah in the Whales belly was said to be as it were in the belly of Hell yet was afterward cast up alive upon dry ground the Devil shall be forced to disgorge his Prey and leave all Gods Elect safe upon the shore Shall the Prey be taken from the Mighty or the lawful Captive delivered Verse 10. Isaiah 49.24 25. But thus saith the Lord even the Captives of the mighty shall be taken away and the Prey of the terrible shall be delivered for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee and I will save thy Children So that after longest and sorest Temptations and Assaults of the great Red Dragon Rev 12.3.9 John 8.44 the Old Serpent the Deceiver of the World the Lyer and Murtherer from the beginning with all his Policy and Power Rage and Experience James 4.7 Mat. 4.11 Good Angels He shall be forced to flee from those that resist him by Faith as he left Christ Then the Devil leaveth him and the ANGELS viz. the GOOD Angels came and ministred unto him And such indeed even Ministring Spirits Heb. 1.14 Ministring spirits to the Saints innumerable Chap. 12 22. Rev. 5.11 2 Chro. 32.21 1 Kings 19.5 Acts 12.7 Psal 91.1.12 Luke 16.22 Mat. 21.31 A comfortable thought 2 Chro 6.27 Psal 103.10 Heb 1.6 14. Rev. 19 10. And an awful thought Mat. 18.10 2 Cor. 11.10 must we think them to be even all of them sent forth for the good of those that shall be Heirs of Salvation So that all the innumerable company of Good Angels that ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands are even all of them sent forth for the Good of them that are Good to right their wrongs and to relieve their necessities to Guard and Protect their Persons while they live to attend their Souls when they Die and to gather their dust together at the Day of Judgment and the Harvest at the end of the World And therefore it may be a comfortable thought to Believers that they have innumerable invisible friends to oppose to their visible and invisible Enemies Angels of God excelling in strength worshippers of Christ not to be worshipped themselves and Servants of the Saints therefore called their Angels And an awful thought too as one would not do any thing uncomely in the sight of an Excellent person so neither to admit any thing unseemly for Saints though no man should see them because of the Angels Sect. XVII ANd above all in thinking of GOD to have High Right thoughts of God Holy Reverend yet withall Delightful Affectionate and Comfortable thoughts but in all points Regular and Scriptural For thus saith the Scripture Let him that gloryeth glory in this Jerem 5.24 that he understandeth and knoweth me that I AM THE LORD which exercise LOVING KINDNESS JUDGMENT and RIGHTEOUSNESS in the Earth for in these things I DELIGHT saith the Lord. When the mind is thus intent upon this most glorious Theme of Thoughts the most Glorious LORD in his Essence I am the Lord in his Attributes and Operations which exercise Loving kindness Judgment and Righteousness then is this Kings Daughter All glorious within Psal 45.13 2 Cor. 3.18 for we All with open face beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory as by the spirit of the Lord. The Heavenly mind is an Heaven-like mind Right thoughts of Him whose Name is I AM Exod. 3.14 and whose Title is THE LORD must needs resemble Heaven in pureness and clarity Amos 4.13 for He declareth to man what is his THOUGHT and must be thought of by Man just as He declareth yea rise above the Heavens in Celsitude and sublimity for his Glory