Selected quad for the lemma: work_n
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A72189
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The vanity of thovghts discovered with their danger and cvre. By Tho: Goodvvin, B.D.
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Goodwin, Thomas, 1600-1680.
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1638
(1638)
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STC 12044; ESTC S122604
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28,635
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144
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heard all accidents and occurrences did still raise and occasion in him heavenly meditations as wee may see throughout the whole Gospels when he came by a well hee speakes of the Water of life Iohn 4 c. Many instances might bee given He in his thoughts translated the book of the creatures into the booke of grace and so did Adams heart in innocency his Philosophy might be truely termed Divinity because hee saw God in all all raised up his heart to thankfulness and praise So now in like manner our mindes so farre as they are sanctified will doe As the Philosophers-stone turnes all Metals into Gold As the Bee sucks honey out of every flower and a good stomack sucks out some sweet and wholsome nourishment out of what it takes unto it selfe so doth a holy heart so farre as sanctified convert and digest all into spiritual usefull thoughts this you may see Psalme 107. ult That Psalme gives many instances of Gods providence and wonderfull works which hee doth for the sonnes of men as deliverances by Sea where men see his wonders deliverance to Captives c. and still the foot of the Song is Oh that men would therefore praise the Lord for the wonderfull workes hee doth for the sonnes of men Now after al these instances hee concludes that though others passe over such occurrences with ordinarie slight thoughts yet sayes hee The righteous shall see it and rejoyce that is extract comfortable thoughts out of all which shall be matter of joy and who so is wise will observe those things that is makes holy observations out of all these and out of a principle of wisedome hee understands Gods goodness in all and so his heart is raised to thoughts of praise and thankfulnesse and obedience Now compare with this the 92. Psalme made for the Sabbath when in imitation of God who that day viewed his works wee are on our Lords day still to raise holy praisefull thoughts out of them to his glory which hee that penned that Psalme then did vers 1. and 2. and ver 5. How great are thy workes c A brutish man knowes not nor will a foole understand this that is hee being a beast and having no sanctified principle of wisedome in him lookes no further than a beast into all the works of God and occurrences of things lookes on all blessings as things provided for mans delight by God but hee extracts seldome holy spirituall and usefull thoughts out of all he wants the art of doing it If injuries be offered us by others what doe our thoughts distill out of those wrongs but thoughts of revenge we meditate how to requite it againe But see how naturally Davids mind distills other thoughts of Shemeis cursing 2 Sam. 16. 11. God hath bidden him and it may prove a good signe of Gods favor God may requite good for it When we see judgements befall others severe thoughts of censure our mindes are apt to raise against our brother as Iobs friends did But a godly man whose minde is much sanctified raiseth other thoughts out of it Prov. 21. 22. Wisely considers c. So when outward mercies befall us the next thoughts wee are apt to have is to project ease by our wealth thou hast goods for many yeares and when judgements befall us wee are apt to be fill'd with thoughts of complaint and feares and cares how to winde out againe But what were the first thoughts Iob had upon the newes of the losse of all God hath given and the Lord hath taken blessed be the Lord for all Such thoughts as these which all opportunities hint unto a good heart is apprehensive of and doth naturally raise for its owne use So farre Barren as our thoughts are so farre vaine Secondly the vanitie and sinfulnesse of the minde appeares in a loathnesse to entertaine holy thoughts to begin to set it selfe to thinke of God and the things belonging unto our peace even as loath they are to this as Schoole-boyes are to goe to their Books or to busie their mindes about their lessons their heads being full of play so loath are our mindes to enter into serious considerations into to sad solemne thoughts of God or death c. Men are as loath to thinke of death as theeves of the execution or to thinke of God as they are of their Judge So to goe over their owne actions in a review of them and read the blurd writing of their hearts and to commune with them at night in the end of the day as David did Psalm 119. 59. men are as loath to doe this as Schoole-boyes are to perse their lessons and the false Latins they have made Iob 21. Depart from us say they in Iob unto God from their thoughts they meant it for it follows we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes They would not thinke of him or know them by their good wills and therefore our mindes like a bad stomack are nauseated with the very scent of good things and soone casts them up againe Rom. 1. 28. They like not to retaine the knowledge of God let us goe and try to wind up our soules at any time to holy meditations to thinke of what we have heard or what wee have done or what is our duty to doe and wee shall finde our minds like the peggs of an Instrument slip betweene our fingers as we are a winding them up and to fall downe suddenly againe ere we are aware of it yea you shall finde that your mindes will labour to shun what may occasion such thoughts even as men goe out of the way when they see they must meet with one they are loath to speake withall yea men dare not be alone for feare such thoughts should returne upon them The best shall finde a gladnesse for an excuse by other occasions to knocke off their thoughts from what is good whereas in thinking of vaine earthly things we thinke the time passeth too fast clocks strike too soone houres passe away ere wee are aware of it Thirdly the vanity and sinfulnesse of the minde appeares in the godly that though they entertaine good thoughts yet the minde is not will not bee long intent on them Some things there are which wee are and can be intent upon and accordingly dwell long upon them and therefore in Iob 17. 11. The thoughts are called the possessions of the heart so 't is in the originall and noted in the margin such thoughts as are pleasing the heart dwells on them yea so intent are wee often that they hinder our sleepe as 't is said of wicked men They cannot sleepe for multitude of thoughts Eccles 5. 12. So to devise froward things Solomon sayes Prov. 16. 30. That a man shuts his eyes that is is exceeding attentive poreth upon his plots for so a man doth use to do to shut his eyes when hee would be intent and therefore it is so expressed But now let the minde be occupied and busied about good