the waters of Sihoi Heb. 11.25 what hast thou to do with the puddle pleasures of Sin that are but for a season When our wandring thoughts take Heaven for their home In a word when the wandring Thoughts like weary Travailers take Heaven for their Home and though they fetch too many a compass yet still they ultimately are making thitherward when they like so many busie Bees have been flying about all day perhaps yet never rest till they have housed themselves in God as an Hive of sweetness and there find satisfactory Repast and sweet Repose Thou mayst well say Psal 116.7 Return to thy Rest O my Soul and that the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee for this was it that the Church comforted her self in the thoughts of that the desire of her soul was to the remembrance of Gods Name Isaiah 26.8 9. Verse 13. with her Soul she desired him in the night even when other Lords had dominion over her c. for though Temptations which are called the fiery Darts of Satan may sometimes make thee black Ephes 6.16 Cant. 1.7 like the Spouse in the Canticles and real mixtures of darkness may be found in thee in respect of which thou mayst fitly be compared to smoak yet if thy Thoughts like hâ—rs be like Pillars of smoak Cant. 3.6 still winding and working upward Thou art black indeed but yet beautiful in Christs account As in the Levitical Law the creeping things going upon all four â—ev 11.20 21. were unclean yet if they had legs above their feet to leap withal as the Locust or Grashopper they were clean in the Laws account III. Tryal Sect. I. Thirdly COme we then to the Third Tryal of Thoughts viz 3. Tryal Right thoughts have influence upon ordering the conversation aright Psal 50.23 1 Iohn 8.9 Ephes 2.2 Acts 5.3 Right Thoughts have a natural Energy and influence unto the ordering of the Conversation aright as the Scripture speaks Now the reason of this Rule is this The Grace of God which as we have seen first stirs in Thoughts is called in the Scripture the seed of God and therefore 't is not possible that it should prove abortive for if the evil Spirit worketh effectually in the Children of Disobedience by working first upon their Thoughts why hath Satan filled thine heart c Satans work begins there Isaiah 1.15 And if Lust when it hath conceived in the Thought brings forth sin in the life which is an Anomy or Transgression of the Law True Grace when it conceives in the Thought must accordingly bring forth Newness in the Life Rom. 6. Gal. 6.16 Hebr. 8.8 as Scripture speaks which is a conformity to the Rule of the new Creature the Law and the Tearms of the new Covenant which first saith I will put my spirit within them and then they shall keep my judgments and do them Ezek. 36.27 which is to be understood of Evangelical Obedience First Grace works in us and then it sets us a working for after that it pleased God who called me by his Grace to reveal his Son in me immediately saith Paul Gal. 1.15 16. Acts 9.6 I conferred not with Flesh and Blood c. With whom then why Lord what wouldst thou have me to do His thoughts were working in the verse before and they see him a work in the verse following The works of God which we call Providence are All pursuant to the thoughts of God Ephes 1.11 Jer. 23.20 which Scripture calls his Purpose Thus God is said to perform all the thoughts and intents of his heart Now Grace is called a partaking of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and therefore cannot spend it self in bare thinking In Nature the motions of the hands and feet without the command or express dictate of the Tongue do readily pursue the thoughts and motions of the mind and therefore it is said Prov. 16.9 that a mans heart deviseth his way A man thinketh to go such a way and goes it He thinks to do such a thing and does it And it is so in corrupt Nature Isaiah 65.2 they walk in a way that is not good after their own hearts And it is as truly so in Grace I thought on my wayes Psal 119.59 Right thoughts are rectifying thoughts 1 John 3.7 Isaiah 59.4 Micah 2. saith David and turned my feet unto thy testimonies Right Thoughts indeed may we well call them when they are Rectifying thoughts when they make us to do Right as the Apostle saith He that doth Righteousness is Righteous 'T is said of the Wicked They conceive Mischief and bring forth Iniquity And can We think it proper to Grace only to prove abortive Woe to them saith God that devise Iniquity and work evil upon their Beds when the morning is light they practice it because it is in the power of their hand This is the Case and Character of the wicked Psalm 39.7 He first deviseth mischief upon his Bed and then sets himself in a way that is not good And thus the Sincere Convert Rev. 2.2 what good he thinks to do when God holds him down on the Bed of sorrows as Scripture phrase is and in the Night of affliction he will not therefore forbear doing because God lifts up the light of his Countenance upon him so far as it is in the power of his hand Psal 66.11 12 13. but will rather say with David with a little variation thou laidst affliction upon our Loins but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place I will pay thee my Vows which my Heart hath purposed and my mouth spoken when I was in trouble Purpose often outgoes power 'T is true indeed that in both cases the purpose of the Heart doth oftentimes outgo the power of the hand A wicked man thinks to do more mischief then he can possibly compass Gen. 27.42 2 Sam. 18.25 Thus Esau purposed to kill Jacob and Saul thought to make David fall by the Philistins It is said Sanballat and Geshem thought to do Nehemiah mischief Neh. 6.2 yet they could not do it So a Child of God perhaps purposeth greater exactness and more close walking with God in a sicknesâ— under a Sermon or a Sacrament then he can possibly attain unto afterwards by reason of renewing of Temptation and remaining corruption and then it may be he is ready to cry out Oh my thoughts were never right my purposes were never sincere for if they had I had never fallen so short in performance I thought in such a straight if ever God brought me out of it I should never forget my self and God and it as to my shame and confusion of face I may speak it I have since done I thought under such a trouble of mind if God would ever speak pardon to my sin and peace to my soul Job 15.11 Ephes 4.30 the Consolations of God should never more be small with
thy good who never mindst God nor good No no if God think upon thee it will be to destroy thee for not remembring him that made thee The wicked shall be turned into Hell And all the Nations that forget God Now consider this all ye that forget God lest he tear you in peices while there is none to deliver you Even such are the paths of all that forget God and the Hypocrites hope shall perish Job 8.13 In vain is hope in God harboured where thoughts of God cannot be Sect. X. Secondly GOd looks especially to mans thoughts Because if there be any Grace Grace first stirs in thoughts 1 John 3.9 1 Peter 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is called the seed of God in Man it first stirs there The new-born babe as the Apostles expression is it first breaths in Prayer but it first stirs in thought and its stirring as in Nature is before its breathing Nay even that privation which according to the Old Philosophy is as it were a kind of principle of this Spiritual Generation begins there This is called a Casting down Imaginations 2 Cor. 10.5 and a bringing of every thought of the heart into captivity to the obedience of Christ Grace I say Psal 119.59 first stirs in the Thought I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy test monies Luke 15.17 20. Deut. 30.1 1 King 8.46 47 48 49 50. The Prodigal came to himself before he came to his Father First thought of his Fathers house and then turned his feet thither-ward Solomon in his Prayer a Type of Jesus Christ our Lord in his Intercession speaks thus If they sin against thee c. Yet if they shall be think themselves c. and so return to thee c. Then bear thou their Prayer c. and forgive thy People c. First they bethink themselves and then return Thus the Accomplishment of the new Covenant in the work of Grace is called the putting of Gods Laws into mens minds and the writing them in or upon their hearts Hebr. 8.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 10.5 1 Pet. 1.23 Hebr. 4.12 The Greek word signifies I will give them into their Thoughts and write them upon their hearts Thoughts are the Gate and In-let to all the affections Grace first knocks at this door Therefore also the word of Grace which is the great Engine for the foresaid Privation and the very Seed of Regeneration is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a strict and curious observer of the thoughts and intentions of the Heart And if Gods Word be such sure God is so Sect. XI THirdly God principally requires the heart and therefore especially looks at the Thoughts Thoughts to the Heart are as motion to the Watch Therefore especially looks to the thoughts Prov. 23.28 Deut. 32.46 47. Psal 119.41 Sailing to the Ship and 't is those that render these valuable My Son give me thy heart We must give God our Hand too and our all but out heart in All and above All. Thus set your Hearts unto all thâ— words c. for is it not a vain thing for you because it is your life We must lift up our Hands too to Gods Commandments saith David but especially our Hearts and Thoughts and therefore he adds and I will meditate in thy Statutes Thoughts can reach farther than deeds can and God requires our most Psalm 137.1 5 6. Rom. 7.24 25. Our Thoughts can reach farther than our Deeds can and God requires and looks for our utmost The poor Captivated Souldier when he cannot get to his party he can think of his party As the Captives in Babylon could think of Sion nay could not but think of it the Apostle captivated to the Law of sin by the Law in his Members did yet with his MIND serve the Law of God And God minds carefully how your minds stand which way they serve to the World or Heaven Sin or Holiness Christ or Belial Sect. XII Thoughts the Hearts primary productions Exod. 13.1 First born Gods part Job 5.7 Fourthly THoughts are the primary productions of the Mind and Heart therefore God principally eyes these Of old times the first born were under Gods especial eye The Hebrews call sparks the Sons of the burning coal as you may see by comparing that Text in Job with the Margin The Thoughts are the sparklings of mans Mind the very Issue of it if it be enkindled with Heavenly Fire Mat. 3 11. that inward Baptisme what numberless numbers of these Divine sparks are there daily flying upward if with Fire of Hell as the Apostle James speaks of the Tongue James 3.6 thy very thoughts as it were stink of Brimstone and look like Hell in Gods eye they are earthly Ver. 14.15 16. sensual and Devilish there is confusion and every evil work Thoughts I say are the proper Issue nay the first born of the heart Mat. 15.19 for out of the heart proceed evil thoughts Murthers Adulteries Fornications Thefts Blasphemies Mark First Evil thoughts and then all the rest Evil Thoughts are the File-leaders these stand in principal view Evil Thoughts are the hearts first begotten which no sooner are they born but the heart incestuously begets on them again Murthers Adulteries Thefts Blasphemies what not Thoughts you see lie next to the heart and if we would judge of a Fountain we judge of it by the waters that flow next and immediately from the spring head going farther Fountain to be judg'd by what flows most Immediately from it they may come to be altered from their natural taste or look The waters of a salt spring by being distreined and percolated through the fresh earth may loose their brackishness So that which is hatred in heart and every Brine in the Thoughts may seem sweet in the mouth through the intermediation of the dissembling tongue of him whose hatred is covered by deceipt he that hateth dissembleth with his lipes maketh his voice gracious Prov. 16.24 Verse 26. so the Hebrew Hail Master may be in the mouth while Bloud and Treason are in the thoughts and the very Devil and All in the Heart Contrariwise the waters of a pure and wholsome Fountain may receive some other kind of tincture from the Channel they passe through and thus too often Holy thoughts springing from an Heavenly heart may seem lost as it were in the croud of wordly occasions temptations and perturbations Thus Isaac went to MEDITATE in the Field in the evening tide Gen. 24.63 and behold the Camels 'T is not said he went out to meet the Camels and some good thought dropt in as a good Thought may now and then fall in a wicked mans way as the Angel in Balaams But he went out to meditate and the Camels fell in Rebeckah Verse 65. God eyes â—he hearts first setting our Jerem. 2.2 she thought as she said he came to meet her but the Lord saith he
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
wicked Jorem 17.9 that if all the men of the world had told me that I had such a heart or should have done such a thing 2 King 8.13 I should with disdain have replyed with Hazael am I a Dog or a Devil that I should do such a thing Nay when Gods own word told me till this cursed Sin told it me I could not have thought that I carryed such a heart about me Is this the Heart I so long trusted that I so often excused that I so much applauded Is this the honest the good heart the heart full of good meanings the heart that thought no harm O mistery of Iniquity O Hell of Hypocrisy and unsearchable depth of deceipt Well deep as thou art God hath now searched out thy deep things O my soul and now my Sin is ever before me Psalm 51.3 Gen. 4.7 Job 14.5 and my punishment is following hard after me Sin lies at my door My fatal moment is set that I cannot pass it and yet secret that I cannot know it Mat. 24.42 Mat. 13.35 Heb. 9.27 whether in the evening or at midnight or at cock-crowing only this I know that after death come it when it will comes Judgment Judgment unavoidable before a Judge impartial and unexorable The Crime naked The Prisoner speechless Heb. 4.13 Mat. 22.12 The Sentence speedy The Execution certain The Torment intolerable yet must be born without any ease yet without all end Mat. 18.13 through millions of millions of Ages nay without help or hope of help to all Eternity And this not a Phantasie but a greater reality then what I see with my outward eyes nor a forrain concernment but thy own case O my own Soul Sect. VII UNder such doleful thoughts as these the pensive Sinners Life for some part of it more or lesse even as it pleaseth God is spent with Grief Psalm 31.10 as Davids yea sometimes whole years with sighing so that his very strength faileth because of his Iniquity and his very bones are consumed But then the working thoughts do not thus leave the spiritual mourner But in such like sort as this they do proceed Alas then what shall I do Shall I think of giving my overwhelmed Spirit my aking Heart some present ease by breaking away from Gods Bar But whither O whither shall I go shall I fly out again to my cursed courses and riotous Company Oh these have been my Bane already and methinks I still see upon the wall over against the place where I too lately sate amongst them Daniel 5 5. the Fingers of a mans hand writing and drawing up a bloody Indictment against me Iam. 3.19 Prov. 7.23 I remember the Wormwood and the Gall the Dart that then and there struck through my Liver and the wound that hath been festring ever since because of my foolishness Psal 38 5. Shall I turn me then to the harmless creatures and beg of them some relief Alas my Sins have engraven vanity there with a pen of Iron Eccles 2.11 yea Vexation of Spirit with the very point of a Diamond Shall they ease my Servitude and cruel Bondage who have wearyed them with mine Iniquities Isaiah 43.24 and made them serve with my Sins and God in them shall they help my groaning who have made them all groan under the bondage of my corruption Rom. 8.21 and 2â— Job 7.13 14. Psal 102.4 No no If I say my bed shall comfort me or my Couch ease my complaint then am I sca ed with Visions and terrified through Dreams Sometimes I forget sometimes I fear to eat my Bread least the Morsel should prove a Messenger of Death to me and hasten me away to the place from whence I shall not return Sometimes God holdeth my eyes waking that I cannot sleep Psalm 77.4 and sometimes I dare not least I should awake no more till Fire and Brimstone are about mine ears In vain then do I think of running away from God for whither shall I fly from his presence Psal 139.7 Shall I think then of fleeing to him and of bâ—wing the knee before him Alas He is a consuming Fire and the Mountains smoak Heb. 12.29 Isaiah 63.3 1 King 20.31 and the Hills flow down at his presence Yet have I heard that the God of Israel is a merciful God I will put a Rope upon my head and make my Supplication to my Judge But Alas wherewithal shall I come before him Job 9.15 Mich. 6.6 7. and bow my knee to the most High Shall I think of Pilgrimages or Penances of coming before him with burnt Offerings to give him If I had them thousands of Rams or ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl or my first born for my transgression or the fruit of my Body for the sin of my Soul Will he take any Bullock out of my House Psal 9.50 Deut. 4.24 Prov. 6.35 Exod. 34.5 or He-Goats out of my Fold No no He is a Iealous God and Iealously regards not any Ransom or many Gifts He will by no means clear him that is guilty and I dare not plead Not Guilty though I die for it Shall I think then of stretching out my hand in the way of some Legal Righteousness and self-wrought Reformation to take hold of the Tree of L fe now that I have eaten of the forbidden Tree Alas Gen. 3.22 and 24. behold Cherubims with a Flaming Sword blocking up the way of the Covenant of Works so that by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Alas Gal. 2.16 my Sights for Sin are an Impure vapour and my Tears for Sin need washing my Righteousness are filthy rags Isaiah 64 6. and like the cloths of a removed Woman If I should justify my self my own mouth would condemn me Job 9.20 and prove me perverse And I have too long already added this sin of perverss R bellion to my other wretchedness that I have gone about to establish my own Righteousness Rom. 10.3 and have not submitted to the Righteousness of God But yet O thou pure God hast not thou said that there is Forgiveness with thee Psal 130.4 Jer. 8.22 John 4.29 that thou mayest be feared Is there no Balm in thy Gilead is there no Physitian there But this very day there was a Messenger of thine with me of a truth he was none but thine for he told all that was in my heart is not this the Interpreter the one of a thousand Job 33.23 He told me withall from thy own mouth that though I could not yet thou hast found a Ransome and given a Name Job 33.24 Acts 4.12 Mat. 9.13 and 18 11. though but One under Heaven whereby men might be saved Who came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance to seek and to save that which was lost That help was laid upon him Psal 89.19 Hebr. 7.25 and that he it mighty even able to
God is never the less conspicuous but indeed so much the more glorious being beheld as the Apostle speaks together with his Severity Rom 11.22 Goodness of God no less conspicuous for his severity as bright colours are the most resplendent when they are heightened from the darkest shadows Behold saith He the GOODNESS and the SEVERITY of God Lo here a Right Theme for Thoughts Behold his Goodness but Remember his Severity Think of his Severity but forget not his Goodness That the Thought of Severity without Goodness may not make thee desperate nor of Goodness without Severity make thee Malepart and wanton but that both together may make thee humble and hearty and dutiful and diligent fearful and yet chearful in all ways of Holiness and new Obedience Objection If God be so good why did he not make all mens condition such Jerem. 2.5 Answer God did so Eccles 7.31 Rom. 7.12 Gen. 2.16 Verse 17. Psalm 8.6 But mayest thou think again if the Lord be so good He might have made all Mens condition to be such 'T is true indeed He might do so and He did so And I may challenge thee yet again in His Name what Iniquity did thy first Father and all his Posterity in him find in God that he went far from him and they with him and walked after vanity and became vain Did not God make man upright and give Him a right Law a Commandment that was Holy Just and Good was it not Just that He that gave man all the rest of the Trees of the Garden should keep One to himself and that He that put all things under mans feet should appoint him a test for his obedience to His Supream Lord And was it not good Gods goodness in the first COVENANT that He gave Him a Law that He might keep and a Principle and Power that might keep it if he would that He forbad Him and forewarn'd Him what would hurt Him and promised Him Life in keeping a practical Law a Commandment that was fair and that was facile proper for Him and profitable for all Mankind in Him Must the great God to shew his goodness to poor man Gen. 1. to 26. Verse 26.27 Chap. 2.17 first build a world as a well furnished House before He brings in his Guest then call a Counsel as it were in Heaven about molding a clod of Earth into an Excellent shape and breathing therein a living Spirit and Imprint thereon a Divine similitude and place Him as his Vice-Roy upon Earth and to hold all as it were but by the payment of a Pepper-Corn the Forbearing of one Tree And when miserable Man after all this hath not made good his Allegiance but broken Faith with his Maker selling Himself and his Posterity for an Apple or some such like thing to the evil first of Sin and so of Suffering shall mans Impudent Posterity presume in their Hearts after all this to call in Question the goodness of God for no other reason but his making his Word good his Threatning good and so his Commandment good in the penal part of it which was that part which he undertook to make good if Man failed to make good the other part of Obedience Ah how truly may it here be said that the foolishness of man perverteth his way Prov. 19.3 and his Heart fretteth against the Lord When He that transgresseth a good Law judgeth that Law and pronounceth it Evil by His disobedience How can He that made that Law vindicate that Law or be good in his place without making of it good by punishing the Transgressor Think therefore vain Man what thou wilt but know that the Lord is well pleased for his Righteousness sake Isaiah 42.21 Gods goodness in rewarding the least good in the wicked and if a man vilify He will magnify his Law and make it honourable Thou wilt grant him to be a good Master that rewardeth the Good though He Punish the Evil Servant produce therefore thy Cause and bring forth thy strong Reasons If thou do well shalt thou not be accepted But and if thou do evil Is it Gods fault that Sin lyeth at thy door Gen. 4.7 An Ahabs Humiliation so good a Master is God though the Man was but an Hypocrite shall have a temporal Reward The Lord is so good As far as he is capable 1 King 21 29â— Ezek. 29.18 20. Rewards spiritual good Mat. 10.42 With a spiritual blessing 1 Kings 14.13 that He will not set a Nebuchadnezzar a poor Heathen to work but He shall have his wages A cup of cold water given in his Name shall not want its Reward If any one perform any Spiritual good the good God shall give him a spiritual Reward yea will take great notice even of the least good thing as in the case of young Abijah in whom was found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel in the wicked house of Jeroboam and will remunerate the performancesâ— of outwardly good things with compensations suitable to the persons and performances as the removal of outward Evils and the Donation of outward blessings The Ninevites they Repent them of their Sins though it were but after a fashion as appears after by the Burthen of Nineveh in Nahums Prophesy And this good God Nah. 11 c. Jon. 3.10 He presently Repents him of the Evil that he had said he would do unto them and did it not till they repented them again of their Repentance Gen. 39.5 Potiphar and Pharaoh make much of Gods Joseph and God blessed their houses for Josephs sake And must God pervert Judgment Justice not derogatory to goodness in a Judge and not punish the wicked that he may have thy good word or be well thought of by thee Is his Justice derogatory to his Goodness Thou canst applaud the sentence of a Judge in Condemning the Injuries that have been done unto thee why canst thou not as well say unto God with the Psamlist Psal 119.39 thy Judgments are good Yea with many He is the best Man that will least bear an Injury but is most vindictive Heb. 10.30 and must not vengeance be the Lords and may not he repay without incurring thy evil thoughts A wrong thought of Gods goodness to think He will destroy none Isaiah 27.11 'T is an evil Thought of Gods goodness that some Ignorant Ones have or at least would fain have that he that made them will never destroy them nor indeed ever would he had they continued what he made them But this good God saith expresly and He knows what he hath to do It is a People of no understanding therefore he that made them will have no mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Sect. XXIX Gods goodness in the NEW COVENANT BUt and if thou thinkest hardly of Gods Dealing with Men fallen under the first Covenant the Covenant of Works O busie thy thoughts
John 3.1 to think seriously of this if the Apostle cry out as he doth Beloved what manner of Love is this that the Father hath bestowed upon us that We should be called The Sons of God O think then what manner of love is this that GOD should be called The Son of Man Nay become Man In Christs Incarnation John 1.1 and Verse 14. for the WORD was with GOD and the WORD was GOD and the WORD was made FLESH For to think that Christ was onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Divine Man and not GOD-MAN is a thought both beneath a Christ and below a Christian John 5.20 But thanks be to God We know that the Son of Son of God is come and He hath given us understanding Christ true God that We may know him that is True and We are in Him that is True even in his Son Jesus Christ This is the True GOD and the Life Eternal This is He of whom it was said of Old Isaiah 9.6 To us a Child is born and yet his Name shall be called The MIGHTY GOD. By whom saith the Apostle Hebr. 1.2 Chap. 3 3 4. Hebr. 1.10 Verse 3. John 1.10 God made the World and he that built all things is GOD and to him it is expresly said Thou Lord in the beginning hast established the Earth and the Heavens are the works of thine Hands He was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not And that He upholdeth all things by the word of his power who by himself purged our Sins and sate down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Christ suffering was God satisfying himself Acts 20.28 So that CHRIST Suffering was but GOD Satisfying himself and therefore He cannot chuse but have full payment for the Purchase Blood was the Blood of GOD. Feed the Church of GOD saith the Apostle which he purchased with his Own Blood And God did Suffer though He could not Suffer As GOD the Nature assuming adding infinite value and vertue to the Nature assumed both being one Person 1 Tim. 3 1◠for God manifested in the Flesh must needs be justified in the Spirit or Godhead of Christ Hebr 9.14 through which or upon which as the Altar this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this middle Person as the Apostle calls him betwixt God and Man God-Man as Priest offers up himself Suffering as true Man to Himself 1 Tim. 2.5 as One true God with the Father and the Holy Ghost This is that great Mystery look'd into by the Angels Preached to the Gentiles Believed in the World Lord I believe it help thou mine unbelief Sect. XXXIV 1 Tim. 3.16 Mistake to think one drop of Christ's blood sufficient Acts 20.28 The Death of Christ necessary Heb. 9.15 Verse 16. As Testatour BUt though I dare not but Think with Scripture that the blood of Christ that is the Death of Christ for so the Scripture is to be understood when it speaks of his blood is of Infinite value and vertue being Gods own blood yet dare I not think with those who without Scripture affirm that One drop of Christs blood was sufficient to save the world for the Apostle saith expresly that He is Mediatour of the New Testament through DEATH 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Redemption no Redemption without Death for where a Testament is saith he there Must be the Death of Him that made the Testament And He proves it by the killing of the Sacrifices in the Law Verse 22.23 That without shedding of blood he means dying there is no Remission And that it was Necessary Christ should enter by his own Blood that is for so he explains it by the Sacrifice not of a drop or few drops but of Himself and that no otherwise than by Death Verse 26. Verse 27 28. Surety Gen. 2.17 Heb. 7.22 Rom. 5.21 Christ suffered in our stead Gen. 22.13 Is◠53.5 10. for as it was appointed unto Men once to die So Christ must be Once offered For the Debt that We owe to the Covenant of Works is Death In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt Die This Debt must Our Surety under the New-Covenant pay though a Covenant of Grace for GRACE must reign by Righteousness for Christ was not onely for Our Good but in our stead like the Ram in the stead or room of Isaac for the Chastisement of our Peace was upon him And therefore not one drop of his Blood onely but his Soul must be made the Offering for Sin and he must powre out his Soul to the Death Verse 1◠Verse 4. for He was to bear Our Sorrows which were the sorrows of Death as you have seen which Text Grot. in loc though a learned man who sometimes had written worthily for Christs satisfaction falling afterwards off by Temptation would fain distort by expounding it of the Prophet Jeremiah yet two great Apostles Philip and Peter Acts 8.34 35. 1 Pet. 2.24 do understand and expound it of Christ and no other by whose alone stripes we are healed So Christ himself also who knew what would serve the turn tells his Disciples plainly that there was no way but one he must go away he must depart John 16.7 yet he had long before this even at eight dayes old lost more than a drop of blood for them in his Circumcision Luke 2.21 Mat. 16.21 but still for all that the Son of Man must go to Jerusalem and must suffer many things and be killed and it was his Life Chap. 20.21 and no less that He must give for a Ransom for many 'T is true indeed The preciousness of Christs Death Acts 2.24 2 Sam. 18.3 Christ fully Satisfied was lawfully discharged this One Life of His was worth Thousands of Ours as Davids Men said of David and his Suffering Death though it were not possible he should be held of it gave Infinite Justice that Satisfaction and full Payment because he that Suffered was an Infinite Person that Millions of Damned ones Men and Angels in Hell cannot give or make in Millions of Ages but the subjects of the Suffering being Finite the duration or Term of the Suffering must be in some sort Infinite that is to say without End But now God sends his Angel Mat. 28.2 as a publick Minister to roul away the Stone from Christs Sepulchre not that Christ needed an Angels help to further his Resurrection John 10.18 for He that had power to take up his life again could not want strength like another Sampson Jud. 16.9 12. to shake off those sorry shackles of his Sepulchre but I say the Key must be turned by Gods own Officer and the Prison door set open to declare to All the World that Our Debt by his Death was fully paid in that Our Surety did not Break Prison but was set at Liberty which the damned shall never be because they can