THE GRAND TRIAL OF TRUE Conversion. OR, Sanctifying Grace appearing and acting first and chief in the THOUGHTS.  
A TREATISE Wherein these two Mysteries are opened.  
I. The Mystery of Iniquity Working in Man's Thoughts by corrupt Nature.  
II. The Mystery of Holiness Working in the Thoughts of Sanctified persons.  
Together with Precious Preservatives against Evil Thoughts.  
By JOHN BISCO, Minister of the Gospel in Thomas Southwark  
LONDON, Printed by M. S. for G. Eversden at the Maidenhead in Paul's Church yard. 1655.   

THOUGHTS are the Firstborn of the soul, the Beginning of its strength, for the bringing forth either of good or evil. Our Thoughts are first made up into affections and purposes, and then they are made out into works and actions. The sinfulness of Nature appears most in the disorder of our Thoughts, and the power of Grace in the due Government of them The Apostle James saith, He that offendeth not inw●rd, I may say much more, He that offendeth not in Thought, the same is a perfect man, and able to rule the whole body. He is a Saint indeed, that is so in Thought.  
The ensuing Discourse contains a learned, clear and spiritual Revelation of the Mystery of man's Thoughts. Showing both how the Mystery of Iniquity worketh in the Natural man's Thoughts; as also how the Mystery of Holiness worketh in the Thoughts of men Regenerate: And therefore (having perused this Book) I judge the Publishing of it in Print very profitable for the help of All, who desire to study and know their own hearts, and there to Sanctify God both in shutting them (with a holy indignation) against all evil Thoughts, and in opening them (with a holy delight) for the entertaining and lodging of those that are Good  
JOSEPH CARYL. July 7th, 1655.   

To the Honourable THOMAS ANDREWS Alderman of the City of LONDON, and Precedent of Thomas Hospital. An overflowing fullness of all heavenly Graces, and all watchful preparation for the Glory that shall be revealed.  
Much Honoured Sir;  
IT is the promise of the All-Glorious God to honour those that honour him. We honour God when we confess him to be as he is in himself, and in his glorious actings to us: All the glory that we are able to give to God, stands in cordial, verbal, and real acknowledgements: The most High is infinitely above ●ur highest praises and perfor●ances.  
2 There be 4 special ways whereby God honours men.  
1 When he raiseth them out of nothing, worse than nothing▪ yea, from the very depth of hell, to a height of heavenly honour, happiness, and holiness in Christ Jesus, whereby he makes them more excellent than their neighbours: 
Prov. 12. 26.  for all true Christians are right honourable and truly royal; they are loyal subjects, and a Royal Priesthood; they are really the 
1 Peter 2. 9 Exod. 19 6. Rev. 1. 6. & 5. 10.  lowest, yet the highest people; lowest in their own sense, highest in God's sight.  
2 God honours men when he gives them hearts to serve him in a faithful and fruitful subjection to his will. The service of God is not only our duty, but also our privilege and preferment.  
3 When he raiseth men to places of eminency above others, and makes them faithful in employing their power for God, and piously prudent in their public deportment.  
4 But the highest honour shall be hereafter in heaven, when all the Saints shall be filled brim full with grace and glory.  
We cannot honour God until he hath honoured us; we cannot give glory to God, until we have received glory from him. We honour him, because he first honours us : grace is glory. 
2 Cor. 3. 18. Rom. 8. 30.   
Sir, God hath honoured you with the truest honour in Christ, and given you a heart to honour him again. I cannot forget your holy zeal, and Christian courage that you have openly manifested in standing up for Jesus Christ, in owning and pleading his cause against such as endeavoured to pervert and subvert the purity of Gospel Ordinances, and the power of Religion. And I am confident that the righteous God will not forget your zeal for his cause, and love to his servants.  
God hath his Book of remembrance, 
Malachi 3. 16.  and Hand of reward: There shall not a good thought, word, or work in his people pass without secret record, and open reward. 
Mat. 6.   
Your special bounty and favour to myself, engageth me to apprehend any opportunity of due and deserved acknowledgement: But that which is the strongest and most predominant Motive to quicken me to this Dedication, is your constant holy affection to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, his pure worship, and most precious ways.  
Sir, My heart's desire is that all the thoughts of God may be mercy and peace unto you; that he would be pleased to add many happy years to your days, and when you have served God your complete time, advance you to a Heaven of eternal glory, a Haven of perfect rest, a Paradise of all possible perfections, through the free grace of God in Jesus Christ: Which shall be the prayer of him who is  
Your Servant in the Work of the Gospel. JOHN BISCO.   

The mystery of Man's thoughts opened.  2. Cor. 10. 4, 5. 
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty, through God, (or to God) to the pulling down of strong holds,  
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.  
IN the spiritual appearing of the King of glory to the soul, the mighty power and work of the Spirit of grace doth chief appear in these two things.  
1. In discovering the defilement and disorder of man's natural thoughts. 2. In setting and settling the thoughts in a holy order and spiritual frame of obedience.  
The thoughts of every man as they act in corrupt nature, are the great enemies of King Jesus; they do strongly oppose his Ruling in and over man's soul; they sit in the throne commanding and carrying our affections and actions, until the thoughts be cast down, changed and brought under the command of Christ, there cannot be that constant conformity in our affections and ways that the Royal Law requires.  
In the second verse of this Chapter Verse. 2 we find, there were some that conceived unjust thoughts against the holy Apostle, looking upon him as though he walked according to the flesh. The false Teachers charged this upon the Apostle that he preached in a low earnall way, making use of fleshly frail helps, as humane learning, Arts, Tongues, and enticing words of man's wisdom, setting out himself more than Christ: they cry down the Apostle, that themselves might appear to the Churches as the only Spiritual Preachers. That this was their design is evident, by comparing Gal. 4. 17. They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you that you might affect them. Thus our last translation reads it. Piscator and Paraeus read it [us] they would exclude us, that is, out of your affections and esteems. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  vos excludant nempe a me, hoc est a doctrina mea avellant, Paraeus. metapbora a procis quibus comparat pseudoapostolos, Piscator. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. variant tamen codices & in quibusdam est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Beza first read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, us, and yet himself confesseth, that in all Books it is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, you. The old Latin hath it you, and so the Syriack version, and like wise the Arabic: they would exclude you, and then the meaning is this: the false Apostles pretend very great love to you, and zeal for your souls good, but 'tis that they may exclude you from us; that is, draw you from our doctrine and ministry. But learned Erasmus saith, that in the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and the Syriack thus reads it, for it renders the words thus: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Tremelius translates very well; 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Includere concludere.  but they would include you: these words then (as I conceive) are thus to be read. They zealously affect you not well: but they would include you, that you might 
Buxt. Nunquam aliud significat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quam includere concludere constringere sicut captivus Carceri includitur, ut Gal. 3. 22. Syrus vide●ur leg●sse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est, includere vel concludere vos. Piscator. Arabs eadem voce usus est qua Syrus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ligavit Constrinxit Raphelengius. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chald. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arab. Ligavit alligavit Constrinxit inclusit, conclusit. Schindler. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conclusit, & incarceravit, in vincula carceremve conjecit & in us de●inuit. Goliis Lexicon.  zealously affect them.  
The plain sense whereof is this, they make show of the highest affection to your souls, but feignedly for self-ends; for this they do, that they may include and shut you up in themselves in their own doctrines and opinions, as in a Prison: they would loosen you from us (says Paul) that they might tie you fast to themselves. Corrupt Teachers promise liberty, but they imprison men's judgements in their own unsound Tenants.  
And this the Arabic version also imports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They would imprison you, or tie you to themselves in opinion and affection.  
In the third verse Paul cleareth himself and his ministry from this imputation, For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: that is, though we be clothed with a mortal body, and do carry about us a body of death, relics of corruption, from which we cannot be freed, until this earthly body be filled with death.  
We do not war after the flesh: we do not exercise our Ministry in a carnal corrupt way: though we act in a fleshly feeble outside, yet not in a fleshly feeble manner in the work of our Ministry. We do not manage the war of the flesh, as the Syriack reads it: all our warring is against the flesh.  
For the weapons of our warfare are not Verse. 4 carnal, but mighty through God, (or to 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  God) to the pulling down of strong holds Now in the fourth verse he demonstrates the negation proposed in his defence.  
1. From the Instrumental cause, We do not war after the flesh, says Paul, for the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly. Such as the weapons are, such is the warfare; the weapons that we use in our preaching are spiritual, those spiritual Truths of God's word inspired from the Spirit of Truth, therefore our warfare is not carnal.  
2. Our weapons are not weak, but mighty through God, overthrowing all that is fleshly in men, they are powerful, therefore spiritual, the more spirituality, the more strength.  
3. They are weapons of God's power (as 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  the Syriack renders it) weapons whereby God puts forth the highest greatness of his power.  
4. They are mighty, through Gods might working with, and by them; their power in acting is wholly from God.  
5. They are mighty to God, as the 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Potentia Deo, vel secundum Deum, vel ex Deo. Calvin.  marginal Note hath it, the weapons that we use in our Ministry do exalt God his glory, as the first and last in all our preaching.  
3. He proves his Ministry to be spiritual, and not carnal from the spiritual efficacy and effects thereof. God makes it effectual for the pulling down of strong 
Ad subversionem munitionum.  holds, conquering and casting down the imaginations and thoughts of men's spirits, for the subduing of all that is carnal, and corrupt in them, for the framing their hearts, and thoughts to a conformity unto Christ. Carnal preaching can never make carnal hearts spiritual; the spirits of darkness cannot be conquered, but by spiritual weapons.  
What are those spiritual weapons? Quest.  
That divine Doctrine discovered in Answ. the Gospel, quickened by the power and presence of God's Spirit in the faithful and fervent dispensation thereof.  
To the pulling down of strong holds, or fortifications, rebellious strong holds (as 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  the Syriack reads it) the divine weapons wherewith we fight, do prevail to the storming, taking, and overthrowing those strong holds in sinners, which stand out rebelliously against King Jesus.  
What are these strong holds? Quest.  
Some by these forts understand whatsoever Answ. doth oppose itself to Christ and 
Metaphorice sic appellat quicquid Christo ejusque Evangelio seize opponit Dr. Sclater  his Gospel; but I conceive here is a further meaning according to the Metaphor.  
Every wicked thought and worldly lust in sinners doth oppose Christ as enemies to his government; but they cannot properly be called a strong hold. A single man rising up is easier subdued and taken than a strong hold, that may cost much time and blood.  
A strong hold is that special sin whereby the strong man Satan holds possession of men's fouls, and that which mainly keeps them from giving up their hearts to the King of glory.  
1. 'Tis evident Math. 12. 43, 44. that the heart of every man naturally is the Devil's house, wherein he rules and keeps possession till he be dispossessed by a stronger power.  
All unregenerate men and women are spiritually possessed by the Devil; 
Mat. 12. 44. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  therefore when a temporary faith comes in, the unclean spirit is said to go out, and sinners are called his house.  
2. Satan hath his strong holds in sinners, whereby he holds them with a strong hand, and wherein his chiefest Trust is.  
3. These fortifications are 1. Man's mountainous thoughts and imaginations, which I shall demonstrate in its proper place. 2. That particular darling defilement which is predominant in the sinner's affections, that bosom Dalilah sin which of all other they are most unwilling to part with. Many a man may be drawn to leave some sins, yea all, except some one sin of profit or pleasure; this is that strong hold wherein Satan rests securely, and enslaves sinners under his power. Now the first and great work of God's spirit in the Ministry is to lay siege to these strong holds, to take and demolish them, and thereby Satan is quite disposest and driven out of his house: this is called a preparing the way of the Lord, the making a people ready and prepared for the Lord. Verse. 5  
Casting down imaginations (or thoughts) 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chald & Syr. Cogitatio.  as the Syriack renders it, and every height (thus 'tis in the original, and thus the Syriack & Beza also renders it) that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & omnem altitudinem, Syrus.  
When the word of God comes with a divine power upon men's souls, it casts down their corrupt thoughts and imaginations. 1. As they are the Devil's strong holds whereby he holds men as his bondslaves. 2. As they are the great enemies of the Lord Christ and his Kingdom, which cannot be set up in man's soul, unless these thoughts be first cast down. 3. They are thrown down from that principality, predominancy and power which they usurp in and over sinners. Their thoughts do command and carry their affections and corrupt their speeches and actions.  
And every height that exalts itself; there is a casting down of every height of thoughts and affections that lifts up itself against the knowledge of God. 1. against that knowledge and manifestation of God that is given to every man in those common principles of light at 
Rom. 1. 18, 19, 20. Joh. 1. 9  their coming into the world.  
2. Against that discovery of God in Christ that is given in the Holy Scriptures. 'tis the highest aggravation of sin when 'tis acted, not only against the Law of God, but also against the light and knowledge of God. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   
And bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. We make them Captives to the obedience of Christ. Thus the Syriack. Where the Ministry of the Gospel comes in power, it doth not only conquer and cast down these thoughts which rise up against the Lord Christ, but also captivates and conforms every thought to the Laws of Christ.  
This expression (leading captive) imports three things. 1. A taking and overpowering man's natural thoughts by taking away the power of that Corruption which raiseth them continually against King Jesus.  
2. A holding them under a continued captivity, that they never break lose, and get power again in us: Man's natural thoughts neither are, nor can be subject to the law of God, they will always be rising, though under chains.  
3. A putting in a new power into the mind, whereby our thoughts are, strongly sweetly & freely brought into subjection to Christ. Our natural corrupt thoughts are the Captives, our new spiritual thoughts are the free subjects of Christ.  
Hear are three eminent degrees whereby the Ministry of the Gospel proceeds and works upon the thoughts, in bringing in sinners to Christ.  
1. It conquers their carnal and corrupt thoughts.  
2. It takes and holds them Captives:  
3. Frameth their thoughts into a holy order and obedience.  
The Weapons of our warfare.  
The Ministry of the Gospel is here compared to a warfare, and so in Tim. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  1. 18. War a good warfare; that is, discharge the duties of the Ministry as thou oughtest: The Hebrew word Saba is rendered sometimes warfare, sometimes Ministry.  
The life of every Christian is a continual warfare: but Ministers of the Gospel are more eminently men of war, not only in respect of their Saintship, but chief in relation to their Ministerial service: they fight not only against Principalities and Powers of darkness, but principally against that principality and power which these have in men's souls. The Devils will draw up all their strength to disturb those who would disthrone them to pull down that office which is erected for the pulling down of their strong holds.  
2. They war against men's lusts, which are as near and dear to the sinner as his right hand and right eye, yea as himself, yea, as his own soul; the work of the Ministry cannot be done but by warring: the word spoken in the Ministry is the sweetest peace, but the work performed therein is the sharpest warfare.  
In the words of the Text we have these three things mainly observable.  
1. Here is an evident expression and description of sinners, as they stand in their old estate, by the depravation, disobedience, and defilement of their thoughts.  
2. The first and grand evils that are cast out and cured by the word of Truth coming with power upon men's souls are evil exorbitant thoughts.  
3. The power of Renewing grace that comes into the soul by the preaching of the Gospel doth primarily and principally manifest itself in casting down, changing, crucifying, and captivating men's thoughts.  
The first and great work of the Spirit of Grace in the conversion of sinners by the Ministry of the Gospel is upon their thoughts. Here are four expressions in the text that do mainly and primarily hold forth the thoughts: these strong holds and heights are chief in men's thoughts. If once the thoughts be subdued, sanctified, and set in frame, the affections, and all the actings of the visible conversation will be in a holy heavenly order of obedience.  
In handling this doctrine of the thoughts, there are three mysteries which I will endeavour to open. 1. The mystery of iniquity, which worketh in man's thoughts before renewing. 2. The mystery of sanctity, which acteth in man's thoughts after the renewing of the heart: both these are held forth in this Text.  
3. The mystery of Satanical injected thoughts wherewith the Saints are much buffeted: these black blasphemous thoughts are as so many Darts which Satan▪ casteth into the holiest hearts: many precious souls walk sadly and sorrowfully, not being acquainted with the rise of these wicked thoughts, and the grounds of support that the Scripture discovers.  
For the clearer understanding of thoughts in their mysterious qualities we must first know what thoughts are in their proper entity and being.  
1. Thoughts (as Augustine observes) 
Cogitatio est respectus animi ad evagationem pronus. Cogitare dicitur tripliciter, sc. actualis consideratio intellectus, discursus ejus, & operatio potentiae cogitativae. Aquinas. 22. 9 2.  are sometimes taken for any actual operation of the understanding. Job 20. 2, 3. Thoughts are confined to the spirit of understanding.  
2. Thoughts more properly are the movings, and actings of the thinking, considering, meditating power of the soul, which is in man's understanding, or spirit.  
Aquinas calls a thought the actual consideration of the understanding, and operation of the thinking power. Thus thoughts are made distinct acts from purposes and intents, Heb 4 10.  
3. Yet most properly thoughts are those muse of the mind which are acted in the Speculative part of man's understanding.  
My purpose is to speak of Thoughts, as they are taken in this last and strict sense; for the distinct understanding whereof I will draw up what I conceive from the Scriptures in this description.  
Thoughts are those muse and meditations, conceits and considerations, apprehensions, and imaginations, heart-speakings with, and speculations of things which the mind of man frameth and formeth within itself, by the help of fancy.  
Thoughts are properly the actings and agitations of the mind: therefore the 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cogitatio mentis agitatio, mens. Passor. 2 Pet. 3. 1. Ephes. 2. 3. Hebr. 10. 16. Cogitatio est actio mentis, Zanch.  Greek word Dianoia, which is used for Thoughts, signifies also the mind and agitation of the mind.  
There are three things that must concur to make up a thought which is truly ours.  
Thoughts are those first more simple motions and actings of man's mind which the Scripture calls muse, meditations, considerations, ponderings, heart-talking; they are those poring and parleys of our mind with objects presented to it.  
A thought is 1. an Internal viewing, or looking upon things let into the mind. 2. a Soul-conception. 3. a Speaking with ourselves. 4. the Acting of the mind in meditation.  
1. It is a Contemplation, a beholding things in the mind: there are mental eyes as well as bodily, Eph. 1. 18. the Apostle speaks there of the eyes of the mind. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Now when these internal eyes do actually look upon an object; This is called a Thought.  
2. Thoughts are soul-conceptions, as lusts are conceived in the hearts of men, so are thoughts, Isay 59 4. they conceive mischief upon all objects presented the mind of man begets some thoughts.  
3. Thoughts are commonly called the speakings of the heart, and in the heart, when the mind talks with the things that come into the soul, with the 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  things that we desire and delight in, fear or favour, therefore in Deut. 15. 9 a Thought is called a word in man's heart, or with his heart. Keep thyself lest there be a wicked word in thy heart: thus it is in the Hebrew; the Greek saith 
Math. 9 3, 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  a hidden word, Deut. 9 4. Speak not thou in thy heart, saying. Psal. 14. 1. The fool hath said in his heart. It is man's speaking in, or within himself, Mat. 9 3, 4. 
Psal. 119. 15. Psal. 120. 1. Gen. 24. 62. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum puncto sinistro, locutus est ore aut Cord, cogitavit, meditatus est, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cogito: Colloqui sermocinari intrase, id est apud se in animis suis, Luc. 5. 21. Mat. 21. 25.   
It is observable that the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suach, which is used for meditation, or thinking, Psal. 77. 47. 13. signifies both to think and to speak in the mind.  
And the Greek word Dialogizomai, which is often used in the New Testament, signifies, both to think and to talk within ourselves, that is in our minds with ourselves: the mind is the mouth of man's soul, thoughts are the language and speeches of the heart. The objects presented to the mind are the companions with whom 
Hebraeis Dicere est cogitare.  our hearts converse, and our thoughts hold discourse continually: for he that thinks of any thing with himself, sustains as it were a double person: the thinking musing power is the common room or receptacle, wherein all objects that come to speak with our thoughts or wills or affections, do make their abode, and walk up and down till the judgement can pass upon them.  
4. Thoughts are the actings and agitations of the mind in meditations.  
1. Thoughts are those conceits and 
Prov. 6. 14.  meditations that the mind of man formeth and frameth within itself; their rise is from within, though the things presented to us be from without: Thoughts are the forgings of man's 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 6. 14.  heart.  
2. The fictions and formings of the mind, Gen. 8 21.  
3. They are Webs, spun and woven out of man's heart, Eggs of the minds laying, Esay 59 4. They conceive mischief, and hatch Cockatrice Eggs, and 
Vers. 7.  wove Spiders webs, which are their thoughts of iniquity.  
4. Thoughts are creatures of the 
Gen. 6. 5. and 8. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Chron. 28. 9 and 29. 18.  minds making. How many thousand creatures doth man's heart frame within itself every day? hence they are expressly called, the formings of the thoughts of man's heart. the figments of man's heart: that is, thoughts are the creatures which the heart of man formeth & makes continually out of the objects presented to the mind; as the Potter doth his vessels out of the clay that is before him: this is the propriety of the Hebrew word jetzer, & it hath much fullness & elegancy in it.  
This is a clear character whereby we may discern our own thoughts from those that are merely the Devils.  
1. There are evil thoughts which are altogether ours.  
2. Others which are Satan's and ours together. 3. There are wicked thoughts that are cast into our hearts; only from without, namely, Satan's blasphemous thoughts which are presently cast out with abundance of abhorring and indignation. Such thoughts being form by the Devil, and coming only from without, and no way from within, they fasten no defilement upon us, for 'tis that which comes from within us that defiles us. 
Mat. 15. ●9, 20   
3. The mind of man formeth and conceiveth thoughts in and by itself, or by the help of the fancy.  
Quest. Quest. What is this fancy?  
Answ. Answ. It is an inferior power of the soul, which is placed in the middle of 
Sensus interiores sunt tres: sensus communis, phantasia & memoria.  the interior senses, and bordereth between the senses and the understanding. This fancy is the former of many strange notions and conceits.  
2. The office of the fancy, in relation 
Phantasia 2 est sensus interior gignens novas imagines.  to thoughts, is to offer and present the appearances, or likenesses of things to the understanding, out of which the mind of man begets thoughts, and meditations: 
Phantasia menti offert phantasmata. Piccolomineus.  the office of imagination is to minister matter to our understanding to work upon.  
Whatsoever species, representation, or image of things appears at any time in our fancies, is at the same time imprinted in our understanding. Imaginations are as the matter out of which our thoughts are form.   
Gen. 6. 5, 6, 7. 
Verse. 5 And Jehovah saw, that the wickedness of man was much on the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil every day.  
Verse. 6 And it repent Jehovah that he had made Man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.  
Verse 7 And Jehovah said, I will blot out Man whom I have created, from the face of the earth, from man unto beast, unto the creeping thing, and unto the fowl of the heavens: for it repenteth me that I have made them.  
IN these words we have three things presented to our view.  
1. The Bill of Indictment which is brought in against the men of the old world.  
2. The evidence which is given in.  
3. The dreadful sentence that passeth upon them.  
1. The Indictment stands still upon record in the first verse, The wickedness of men was much & great on the earth. Their iniquity was now filled up and come to be intolerable. Here are four circumstances that do extremely aggravate their wickedness.  
1. It was Universal, both in respect 
2. Pet. 2. 5.  of persons and places: It was not a few men that were guilty, but all, except a very few: neither was it committed in some one part or corner of the earth, but in all places; it was much on the earth.  
2. This wickedness of the old world 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in terra.  was Superlative and transcendent, it was now grown up to a full height.  
3. It was an Inveterate wickedness, along time continued, seven hundred years at least.  
This impiety of the old world began to rise at the birth of Enos, for than began men profanely to call on the name of 
Gen. 4. 26.  Jehovah.  
Enos was borne when Seth was 105 
Gen. 5. 8. anno mundi 235.  years old, and the world 235. as a learned man observes.  
2. About the time of henoch's translation it began to be of much strength.  
4. This wickedness of the old world was now incurable and incorrigible: divers means had been used to restrain and reclaim them, but they hated to be reform, and desperately hardened themselves against all.  
2. The grand capital condemning wickedness which is alleged against the sinners of the old world, is the evil of their Verse. 5 thoughts: all their thoughts were evil continually. They were filled with Idolatries, adulteries, murders, blasphemies, and sundry other notorious sins; yet we find not these particularly alleged in the Bill of indictment, but their thoughts rather; these are the chief evils for which they stand here indicted.  
2. The evidence is the highest that can be, the great Judge himself was an eyewitness against them : Jehovah saw the wickedness of men.  
3. The sentence itself speaks the most dreadful and dismal desolation that hath been seen since the world began: the Lord denounceth a universal cutting off of Man and Beast from the face of the earth. Verse. 7  
In the beginning of the Chapter God had declared against the wickedness of men, and prefixed a certain term of years, wherein he would wait for their repentance: he had also predicted the time of their excision, except they repent; but these Gigantive fighters against God are so far from repenting for sins past, that they go on daily to fill up the measure of their sins. Therefore at length God prepares to take revenge upon these Rebels: this is the sum and scope of these words.  
And Jehovah saw: Thus 'tis in the 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & vidit.  Hebrew, when Jehovah saw: Thus some read it.  
But was he ignorant what would be the event? was he deceived in his expectation? Oh no: this is spoken after the manner of men, and it imports these four things.  
1. God's most accurate inspection and attention to all the actings of men, even the most secret thoughts of their hearts.  
2. it shows us what are the Epicurean Atheistical imagination of sinners; they think that God doth not see or take notice what men act upon the earth, Psal. 10. 11. They say in their hearts God hath forgotten, he hides his face 
Job 22. 13.  that he may not see for ever.  
3. It signifies God's gentleness and long sufferance beyond what can be in man, in that being so long and greatly provoked by these Giants, yet doth not hasten down his judgements.  
4. It speaks to us his great justice and wisdom, that he doth not pronounce sentence against the most desperate sinners, till matters are exactly weighed and looked into. God from eternity foreknew the impenitency of men, and immutably decreed his judgements.  
And that every imagination of the 
Act. 15. 18.  thoughts of man's heart was only evil continually.  
In these words the Spirit of God discovers, 1. what was the great provoking wickedness of those notorious sinners of the old world. 2. The fountain of all that superfluity of sin which broke forth in their lives, it was their evil thoughts: the whole fiction of their thoughts: Tremelius and Junius render thus, and every 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Omne figmentum Cogitationum.  figment and thought of man's heart was only evil at all times. But  to the Hebrew, 'tis thus to be read, every fiction of the thoughts of his heart; that is,  
1. Whatsoever man's heart formeth and thinketh, or formeth by thinking: thus Piscator very expressly.  
2. The whole frame of the thoughts of their hearts was evil, wicked, only evil, every day, and all the day long.  
Every word in the text hath its weight, to aggravate the wickedness of these men.  
The heart of man according to Philosophers is the seat of life; but in the Scriptures it is the seat of the soul, and principal of the understanding mind, will, affections, and motions: it is put here chief for the mind and thinking power in man's soul; his heart is the shop wherein all his thoughts are form and forged, and they are called the fictions of man's heart; and all these are said to be evil in natural men, not one excepted.  
Now that thoughts are here to be taken properly for the muse and imaginations of men's hearts, is evident by comparing Gen. 8. 21. which answers to this Text.  
Where God in mercy gives us this promise, saying, I will from henceforth curse the earth no more for man's 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  cause: though the imagination of man's heart be evil from his childhood.  
By imagination here is meant that which the mind and understanding by thinking frameth and deviseth: as chap. 6. 5. thus Mr. Perkins and others 
Quamvis figmentum cordis, id est cogitationes cordis. Piscator.  expound it.  
Piscator says, that this figment or imagination of man's heart is the thoughts of the heart.  
We have the like expression of man's thoughts in 1. Chron. 28. 9 Jehovah 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  searcheth all hearts, and understandeth every imagination or fiction of the thoughts: that is, the whole frame, and framing of the thoughts. The Hebrew word jetzer signifies any thing that the heart first imagines, formeth, etc.  
And in this sense Mr. Perkins takes thoughts in any text, for the framings and devisings of man's thinking power, as is evident by his own words.  
By thoughts or imaginations in Gen. 6. 5. (says he) can nothing else be meant, but that which is devised and plotted in the thoughts of man's heart: so Solomon speaking of an heart which God hateth, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Finxit formavit, finxit ment cogitavit imaginatus est, Vn●e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fictio aut figmentum & cogitatio, Munster.  saith, it is framing or thinking thoughts of wickedness, Prov. 6. 18.  
Whereby 'tis evident, that the meaning of this Text is plainly this: The whole frame and fabric of men's thoughts, every thought framed and form by their hearts was evil.  
2. They were altogether wicked; there was no good in any of their thoughts: these Giants of the old world had not one good thought in their minds, like those in Psal. 10. 4.  
3. All their thoughts were altogether wicked every day, col-haiom, all day long, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  and all the days of their life; that is, perpetually without ceasing: and it repent Jehovah that he had made man, etc.  
God hath no passions nor contrary affections, for he is unchangeable: but this grieving and repenting are spoken after the manner of men; and the intent of these speeches is to hold forth these two things.  
1. That man's evil thoughts are exceedingly offensive and provoking to God.  
2. That God would now destroy his creatures that he had made. This is clearly expressed in vers. 7.  
And the Lord said, I will destroy Man whom I have created, from the face of the earth, botb Men and Beasts: For as the 
Gen. 1. 26. Gen. 3. 17. Rom. 8. 20.  Beasts were made for man, so they became subject to vanity and destruction through man's iniquity.  
The sense and intendment of the words being thus cleared, I will now endeavour through the light and assistance of the great searcher of the thoughts to open the mysterious qualities of the Thoughts, and 1. the mystery of iniquity which worketh in every man's thoughts until they are really renewed.  
This Scripture that I have opened doth clearly discover the horrid hateful iniquity and impiety of man's natural corrupt thoughts, and the deadly effects and fruits thereof.  
In the opening of this first mystery I will discover and demonstrate the iniquity of man's natural thoughts.  
1. In certain general positions.  
2. In sundry particular actings, whereby the manifold mysterious ways of sin working in men's thoughts will more evidently appear.  

1. Position  
The thoughts of every man and woman by corrupt nature are exceeding sinful and profane.  
For the full understanding of this position, there be two things that I must demonstrate.  
1. That there are thought-transgressions.  
2. That the thoughts of all unregenerate men are full of wickedness and vanity.  
1. There are thought-sins: much sin is acted in our thoughts: carnal thoughts are sinful evils. The Scripture tells us expressly, that the thoughts of man's heart 
Gen 6. 5. and 8. 21. Jer. 4. 14.  are evil, vain, and wicked: That there is sin enough in man's thoughts to provoke God to destroy a whole world, and to curse the earth.  
We have a full Text, Prov. 24. 9 the thought of foolishness (or of a foolish 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  thing) is sin. 1. The thought of the fool is sin. Thus Piscator reads it: that is, all the thoughts of ignorant unsanctified men are sin.  
2. The thought of a foolish thing, that is, of that which is vain, empty, unprofitable, is sin: thus things that are vain and unprofitable are said to be foolish, Ephes. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  5. 4. foolish speaking (which is there condemned) is vain, unprofitable talk. So Titus 3. 9 foolish questions are such as are unprofitable and vain.  
The law of God is broken not only by vile filthy thoughts, but also by vain foolish idle thoughts. 
It is an Hebraism, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vir iniquitatis.   
3. A thought of foolishness; that is, a foolish thought, a vain empty thought: thus the Scripture calls a wicked man a man of iniquity, Esay 55. 7.  
4. A foolish vain thought is sin, that is, a great sin: thus in the Scripture phrase sin is often put for a most sinful and damnable act: as Deut. 15. 9 Joh. 15. 24. If I had not done among them the works that none other man did, they had not had sin. that is, so great sin; and James 4. 17. To him that knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is sin, a very great sin.  
Now because men usually think that they may take more liberty in their thoughts then in their visible works, I will therefore give in Reasons from Scripture whereby it will more evidently appear that all irregular thoughts are sinful evils.  
1. Evil thoughts are transgressions Reason 1 of the holy Law of God, which commands and calls for the love and service of our thoughts, as well as of our words and works, Mat. 22. 37. Jesus said unto him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marc. 12. 30. Luk. 10. 27.  withal thy heart and with all thy thoughts: thus the words are in the original, and thus learned Passor. reads them If God must be loved with our whole mind, then certainly he must be honoured and served with all our thoughts, which are the actings of the mind. The Royal Law is spiritual binding our thoughts to obedience 
Rom. 7. 14.  as strictly as our words and works.  
2. Man's thoughts are censured and Reason 2 condemned by the word of God, Heb. 4. 12. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  1. It is a judge of the thoughts of the heart, it passeth sentence upon them as a Judge.  
2. The word rebukes and sentenceth the sinner for his thoughts, 1. Cor. 14. 24, 25. The unbeliever is rebuked and judged of all that prophecy; for what? for the secret thoughts of his heart, which are made manifest by the searching Ministry of the Word. The Law reproving man's thoughts, clearly proveth that thoughts are transgressions of the Law. yea, the Lord Christ who first gave the Law, and best knew the true intent and extent of his own law, doth sharply rebuke the Scribes for their evil thoughts, Mat. 9 3.  
3. Evil thoughts are abominations Reason 3 which are exceeding hateful unto God, Prov. 13. 26. tis expressly said, that the thoughts of an evil man are abomination unto jehovah. He hates them with a 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  height of hatred, as the word properly imports.  
Nothing is the object of God's hatred but sin. Solomon speaking of a heart which God hates, saith it is framing or 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aversari abominari, significat omnibus sensibus ab aliqua re. Mollerus.  thinking thoughts of wickedness, Prov. 6. 18.  
Reason 4. Mans own thoughts are defiling evils: They make him guilty and filthy in the sight of God. Every vain thought arising out of our hearts fastens filth upon our minds, and guilt upon our Consciences: this the great Lawgiver himself declares in Marc. 7. 22. from within out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts; these are evils that defile Man, Mat. 15. 19 20. Now nothing can defile men but sin, as is evident by the words of Christ.  
Reason 5. Mans own thoughts are a special part of those sinful evils which must be forsaken in the practice of Repentance, and returning to God, Esay 55. 7. Let the unrighteous man forsake his own thoughts, and let him return to jehovah. The sins which are forsaken by real Repentants, are reduced to these two heads, thoughts and ways. Sin hath its beginning and rise in our thoughts; these are the next and immediate productions and actings of the heart, Marc. 7. 21 Ways are thoughts brought forth into Act. Repentance must begin where sin gins.  
Reason 6. That plenary pardon that God promiseth to penitent sinners, extends as well to their thoughts as ways, yea more abundantly to their thoughts. 
See Esay 55. 7.  The thoughts of our hearts are the first and fullest part of that deep debt for which we must beg forgiveness from the God of mercy: as is evident, Act. 8. 22. Pray unto God if in deed the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee.  
2. The thoughts of all unsanctified men are full of wickedness and vanity. Now all states of unregeneracy (that is of such who were never yet savingly sanctified) may be drawn into four different degrees: 1. notorious sinners. 2. mere moralists. 3. gross hypocrites. 4. formal hypocrites. All these are full of iniquity and vanity in their thoughts:  
1. By notorious sinners, I mean all such as live in notorious crimes and open pollutions, who carry the mark of Satan in their hands, foreheads, and tongues. Now the thoughts of such men are all continually and resolvedly sin, and that in a high and horrible degree. Wickedness hath so enwoven itself into their hearts, that in their inward thoughts, they are very corruption. And whereas sleep doth most sweetly feed and refresh nature, yet evil thoughts are far more natural to them, then desire of sheep. The wicked do imagine mischief upon their beds. 
Psal. 36. 4. Mica. ●. 3.   
When the mind is retired from earthly affairs and distractions, when 'tis most active and powerful, and now the fittest season for Divine contemplation, even then are their thoughts as black as hell, and deepest in the works of darkness then are they plotting and contriving wickedness, how to compass their pleasures and profits, and to accomplish the lusts of their hearts; where to crown themselves with fresh rose buds of sensual delights; how to over reach their brethren, oppress their Neighbours, vex and vilify the Saints: these are the daily thoughts of notorious sinners, who do not only greedily entertain what wickedness doth ordinarily spring from their corrupt hearts, and is suggested by others, but being past all sense both of shame and sin, they set their thoughts to invent strange villainies, new forms, fashions, and circumstances of acting old sin.  
2. The thoughts of the gross hypocrite another kind of sinner, are fully as black and abominable, as those of open Belials, though his outward life be fair and plausible.  
What is gross hypocrisy? Quest.  
When men profess that which is not Answ. in their hearts at all, and so deceive others, but not their own hearts, and this is most properly hypocrisy: for the Greek word (as a learned man observs) signifies a Stage-player, who sometimes 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  puts on the Robes and Majesty of a Prince, himself being of a base and neglected state; or the gravity and wisdom of a Counsellor, himself being of roguish and dissolute conditions; sometimes he represents a virtuous man, his own life being vicious. Such are all gross hypocrites upon the stage of this World, very painted Sepulchers, and whited walls, glorious in outward forms, shows, and representations to the eye of the world, but in the hidden passages of their hearts they are very wickedness; many swarms of filthy thoughts do settle there continually, they are full of black and bloody projects for the flesh.  
Gross hypocrites do sin against the light of their own conscience, professing that holiness outwardly, that they hate in their hearts; they account it their greatest glory, and make it their deepest design to appear Saints to others, but within their hearts are a bloody slaughter house of cruel malicious thoughts; a hateful stew of impure imaginations and filthy thoughts; a forge of mischievous and monstrous thoughts; a very Cage of all unclean and ravenous birds.  
The ordinary thoughts of gross hypocrites are as vile and hellish as the thoughts of notorious sinners.  
3. The thoughts of mere moral men are carnal and corrupt earthly, and exorbitant, their goodness consists chief in an abstinence from outward notorious offences, and the acting of some external duties of righteousness: therefore though their visible conversation be ordered civilly and smoothly before men, yet their inward thoughts are altogether vain and profane, wanton, worldly, and ungodly: they do in their judgements and practice approve that pestilent proverb, thoughts are free. They are free indeed in respect of obnoxiousness to men's Courts, and penal censures, in respect of discovery by any creatures; but the eye and vengeance of heaven takes first and special notice of them, and the justice of God will punish man's evil thoughts as the principals, as the chief plotters, and first actors of all transgression.  
4. The thoughts of formal hypocrites, though they be not so black as the thoughts of the three former sorts now mentioned, yet they are vain, earthly and unsanctified.  
What is formal hypocrisy? Quest.  
It is that hypocrisy by which men Answ. do not only deceive others with a show and profession of piety and outward form of Religion; but also their own hearts with a false conceit & confidence that they are in a state of life and happiness, when as in truth their souls were never yet possessed of the glorious life of Christ. These formal temporary professors do attain to the highest perfections that can be found in men that are not savingly sanctified; for they have a taste of the general graces of God's spirit, and in some sort of the powers 
Hebr. 6.  of the world to come: and therefore their hearts will be affrighted with suggestions of infamous consequence, and horrid nature: as thoughts of Atheism, blaspheming cruelty, heresy, and such like. But because their hearts are not fastened and sanctified by special grace God first made them, but both have 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquit Heiron quod omnes voce Consona 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transtulerunt. Secundun Ebraei sermonis ambiguitatem & numerum possumus et rationem & cogitationem dicere. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Drusius.  strangely gone away from the straitness of their Creation. This I have found by the wisdom given me from the Lord, that God created men upright and strait in their understanding, mind, and will: there was not, neither could be the least wry thought rising from any thing within Man, so long as he kept close to God and his will.  
Eccles. 7. 30. Ipsos autem quaerere Cogitationes multas. Thus Piscator.  
But they both Adam and Eve and also their posterity, have sought out (of their 
Et ipsi inquisierunt cogitationes multas. Thus the Interlin.  own accord) many thoughts, that is crooked and corrupt thoughts and devices, whereby they are fearfully fallen from the first righteousness wherein they were form. These crooked thoughts were cast into our first Parents by that crooked Serpent Satan; and being by them entertained, they were the bitter root of that dreadful disobedience.  
What were those thoughts out of Quest. which that abominable apostasy did spring?  
The first was a Thought of Pride, a Answ. conceit and apprehension of some Godlike perfection and excellency that was to be attained by eating that forbidden fruit, which they could not enjoy by their yielding obedience to God's Commandment.  
The Devil had injected this thought into the Woman that by eating of that prohibited Tree, they should presently have their eyes opened, which the Woman 
Gen. 3. 4. 5.  did apprehend to be meant of a further degree of wisdom, as the like 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  phrase imports, Act. 26. 18. Ephes. 1. 18. and they should be as Gods: this the Woman understood of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as appears by the words of God in vers. 22.  
Thus through the Devil's suggestion and seducements, the Woman began to have such thoughts in her mind as these, surely there is some great perfection in that fruit which is restrained from us, and by eating thereof we shall attain to a Godlike wisdom, a kind of omniscience: this great ambitious thought was the main root out of which that great transgression took its rise.  
2. A thought of Infidelity; our first Parents did not really conceive and apprehend that there was an All-sufficiency in God enjoyed, to fill them with all desirable perfections; and this was the ground of their aversion from God unto the Creature. This vile thought of 
A thought of distrust made entrance unto the fall of our first Parents. Perkins.  Distrust entered into the heart of Eve, it may be that it is not true that God hath spoken to us concerning this fruit, and it may be God regards us not as we think he doth, in that he denieth us this pleasant fruit; hereupon her will and affections were drawn out to actual disobedience and departure from God.  
3. The opinion of a conceived excellency. The Woman was possessed with a strong conceit and opinion of the great wisdom and sagacity of the Tempter, when she saw the spirit that talked with her to have taken upon him the shape of the most sagacious beast of the field, she began to think thus with herself, that though he were one of the abased spirits, yet by the shape he had taken resembling his nature, he must needs be most crafty and sagacious, and so might pry further into God's meaning than he was ware of, and for this end the Devil (of all other beasts of the field) took the shape of a Serpent, thereby to gain this conceit and opinion of sagacity and subtlety with the Woman; and this conceit occasioned Eves fall.  
4. Our first Parents were possessed with a thought of iniquity against their gracious God: They did wickedly think and imagine that there was not the reality of love in God that he pretended to them, but that he rather envied their perfection, according to that calumniating thought which the Devil had cast into their minds, that of ill will he had forbidden them this Tree: for God knoweth that in the day ye eat thereof ye shall 
Gen. 3. 5.  be as Gods.  
5. A thought of impunity, that they should not surely die, though they did transgress that command of God, who 
Gen. 2. 17.  had threatened assured death: the Devil had filled their hearts with this presumptuous thought, ye shall not dying dye; that is, not die the death, as the Greek 
Gen. 3. 4.  Translates.  
Oh what infinite cause have we to hate evil thoughts! even for this, in that they were the root of that first Apostasy whereby we were all undone in Adam.   

2. Evil thoughts are the root of all the evil which is in our judgements and affections, words and works.  
1. Our thoughts do corrupt our judgements; James 2. 4. men are said to become Judges of evil thoughts.  
For the clear understanding of this mysterious Text, it must be considered in its aspect and connexion with the two former verses, wherein the Apostle declares how guilty the Hebrews (to whom he writeth) were of that great great evil from whence he dissuades them, namely, an extra judicial acception of persons by an usual practice of theirs in their Church-assemblies: he convinceth them by a notorious example, that they gave special reverence and honour to rich men, though wicked and unworthy, merely for their worldly wealth and splendour: but they disrespected and despised the poor brethren, though rich in faith, because of their poverty; this is a vile prosopolepsia condemned by the Royal Law, and inconsistent with Christian faith and charity, in that they scorned a godly man, because poor in comparison of a wicked man that was rich.  
In the fourth verse the Apostle declares the true root and rise of this perverse judgement▪ in respect of persons: they became Judges of evil thoughts; that 
Jam. 2. 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  is, they did judge perversely according to the crooked Rule of their own corrupt thoughts: ye are become discerners, or distinguishers of evil thoughts: thus the Syriack reads it; that is, they made an unjust difference and distinction 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  between the rich and the poor by their crooked thoughts; they judged between them by evil opinions or imaginations, as the Arabic version doth clearly and rightly express it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
Genitivus hic non objecti sed attributi Grot.  They judged between the Rich and the poor by evil thoughts: they were possessed with such evil thoughts as these; that gold is to be preferred before grace, outward pomp and glory, before spiritual excellencies; and these wicked thoughts were the root of their 
From the thoughts of men proceed all bad desires, corrupt affections, evil words and actions: the mind must first conceive before the will can desire, or the affections be delighted, or the members of the body practise any thing. Mr. Perkins.  unjust judging; they valued and esteemed men according to their earthly excellencies, and external apearances.  
The pollution which is in our affections comes originally from our thoughts: inordinate affections are begotten by exorbitant thoughts. 1. Affections are properly the motions and actings of man's will.  
2. All the affections are stirred up and raised by the thoughts, they are bred and fed by them, no one thought passeth from the mind, but it stirs some affection of desire, delight, fear, sorrow, joy, etc.  
3. Therefore it follows, that such as our thoughts are such must be our affections: if our affections be full of earth and earthliness; lust and looseness, it is from the overflowing of all these in and from our thoughts: the root and reason of worldly affections, is some vile thought that is hidden in the heart, Psal. 49. 11. Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever.  
3. Corrupt thoughts are the fountain 
Vitiosi sermones non nisi ex perversis Cogitationibus promanare possunt. Cartwright in Proverb.  of corrupt speeches: it is a principle proceeding from Truth itself, that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Out of the abundance of vanity and impiety which is in their thoughts men bring forth vain ungodly speeches continually: whatsoever evil is spoken with their mouths, is first spoken in and by their hearts.  
When men are rebuked and convinced of their foolish filthy speeches, they will excuse and extenuate their sin with this plea, that they thought no evil: whereas corrupt vicious speeches cannot flow but from corrupt impure thoughts: as is evident Psal. 10. 7. where 'tis said of the wicked man, that his mouth is full of execration and deceits and fraud, under his tongue is perverseness and iniquity: but the spring from whence all this evil-speaking overflows, is the impiety profanes and presumption of his thoughts as is most apparent, vers. 4. God is not in 
Psal. 10. 4.  all his thoughts, or all his thoughts are that there is no God.  
4. Evil thoughts are the root out of which springs an evil eye, and uncharitable 
Cogitationes malificiorum parents & semen sunt. Carthwright.  hand, Deut. 15. 9 Keep thyself lest there be a wicked thought in thine heart, and thine eye be evil toward thy poor brother, and thou givest not unto him. whereby 'tis evident that all the unmercifulness that is in the eyes and hands of men, proceeds from unmerciful thoughts; there is the first rise: it is their thoughts that corrupteth their eyes, harden their hearts, and shuts up their hands against the poor.  
5. The iniquity of men's visible actings proceeds from the illness of their thoughts. This I shall evidence from divers Scriptures: as Psal. 14. 1. The fool 
Look what men do practise, that first of all they think; for the thought is the beginning of every action. Mr. Perkins.  hath said in his heart, there is no God. they have corrupted themselves; they have done an abominable work: there is none that doth good. The wicked man, who is the greatest fool saith in his heart, that is, thinks and conceiveth in secret: (thoughts are the speakings of the mind, the language of the heart: so Psal. 10. 4. and 5. 3. 2.) his usual thoughts are, that there is no God, no omniscient sin-revenging God, no power or dominion of God on the earth, as the Chaldee expounds it.  
Observe how these abominable Atheistical 
This word is used for Corruption both of Religion and manners by Idolatry and other vices, Exod 32: 7. Deut. 32. 29.  thoughts lodging in men's hearts are the root of all corrupt Courses, and casting off the thing that is good, for it follows, they have corrupted themselves, they have corrupted their works (as the Chaldee saith) and all their ways, by vile vicious practices.  
And that which he spoke before as of one sinner, he now applies to all, They 
Therefore in Psal. 52. 2. it is guavel, ovil, which here is gualilah, action Psal. 10.  have done an abominable practice, meaning their evil actions, not one of them doth any good work.  
We have also a full text, Psal. 10. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. The Wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God; God is not in all his thoughts: his ways are always grievous, Thy judgement's Verse. 5 are far above out of his sight, as for all his enemies he puffeth at them, he hath said in his heart I shall not be moved, for I shall never be in adversity, etc.  
The wicked man stands here accused of very great crimes, and crying abominations against God and man; as 1. Slighing 
Whosoever is of base life, it cometh from the profaneness of his heart in evil thoughts. Perkins.  and contempt of God, his ways and judgements. He seeckth not, nothing regardeth: or careth for God, or his will; he desires no Communion with him: or it may be translated, The wicked inquireth not into the height of his anger; that Verse. 4 is, he careth not, nor feareth God's anger. 2. Grieving and vexing the poor: His Verse. 5 ways are always grievous to the poor whom he persecuteth. 3. Laying Snares Verse. 8, 9, 10 and Traps to take the poor afflicted ones. 4. His violence and cruelty towards them, when drawn into his Net, verse 9 The fifth sin is his malicious murdering the Innocent, verse 8.  
Now the root from whence all these wicked Acts do rise, are those abominable thoughts which the wicked man harbours in his heart.  
God is not in all his thoughts; that is, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  he doth not once think of God, whilst he plotteth and acteth against the poor: or, His thoughts are there is no God. Thus, 'tis in the Margin of our Bibles, and the Hebrew words may be rendered both these ways: The sinner studies Atheism, he strives to six these thoughts in his mind, that there is no allseeing, all-searching God. The Chalde expounds it, He saith in his heart that his thoughts are not made manifest before the Lord. He hath said in his heart; That is, these are his daily thoughts, I shall not be moved, from Generation to Generation I shall not be in evil. That is, I who am not now in trouble and misery, shal● never be: The Chalde gives 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  this sense; I will not be moved from Generation to Generation from doing evil. Wicked men do in their own thoughts promise a kind of Eternity in sinning, and worldly prosperity to themselves.  
The wicked man speaks thus, in his Verse. 11 heart; That is, he thinks God hath forgotten, he hath hidden his face, he will not see to Eternity: and verse 13. He hath said, thou wilt not require it.  
God hath forgotten what I have done, therefore he cannot call me to a reckoning for it: yea he will never see or take notice of any thing that I do, or if he see it, yet he will not require any account of me, therefore I shall escape well enough; whereby it is apparent.  
1. That wicked thoughts are the beginning and bottom of all those abominable evils that sinners do act, verse 4.  
2. They are at the end and close of their wicked deeds, verse 11.  
This atheistical thought (that God doth not behold & observe their ways) reigns in the hearts of wicked ones; and this conceit is the chief root from which all their cursed fruits do proceed, and that which encourageth their hearts in doing evil: this is evident from divers places of Scripture, as Psal. 94. 7. see what complaints are put up against the wicked.  
1. They triumph over the people of God.  
2. They speak hard things against Verse. 4 them.  
3. They break them in pieces with Verse. 5 their cruelties.  
4. They murder the widows, fatherless, Verse. 6 and strangers.  
Now the Root of all these cruel words and deeds is that cursed Thought which possesseth their hearts; Yea they say, the Lord shall not see: Where do they say it? In their hearts; their tongues do not express it, but these are their inward thoughts.  
Compare Psal. 10. 6. 11. 13. and 14. This Hellish thought is predominant in all the workers of iniquity, verse 4. so Psa. 73. 3. We find sundry actual Impieties laid to the charge of wicked men.  
They are full of pride and violence, they Verse. 6 are corrupt. That is, in their speakings and actings: They speak wickedly and loftily; they speak oppression. They set their mouths against the Heavens. That Verse. 8 is, Against God and his Saints, whom Verse. 9 they blaspheme; and by this they do 
Revel. 13. Heavens are put for God. Dan: 4. 23. Luk. 15. 18.  greatly afflict the people of God, verse 10. Waters of a full Cup are wrung out by them, at the hearing of those blasphemies. Tears as many waters flow from them, as the Chaldee expounds it.  
Now the Root of all these Evils is in their thoughts, verse 11. And they say; That is, in their hearts. How doth God know? And is their knowledge in the most Verse 12 High? Behold these are the ungodly.  
Psal. 50. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Divers acts of iniquity are brought in against the wicked man, but the Rise of all these is in his thoughts, verse 21. These things hast thou done, and I was silent. Thou thoughtst that I was surely like unto thee. 
Hebr : I being had been, or was.  All the wickedness which men bring forth daily in their words and visible ways, is the revelation and manifestation of the thoughts of their hearts; words, and works, are evident Characters wherein we may read every man's thoughts, Luke 2. 34. 35. simeon said to Mary, Behold this Jesus is set for a sign to be spoken against. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Pendent a participio. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says Piscator.  That the thoughts of many hearts, (or from the hearts of many) may be revealed. These words have dependence on the last words of the former verse (A sign to be spoken against.) And they hold forth the root and rise of all that contradiction, reproach and scoffs that the people cast upon Christ (which were as a sharp Dart, or Sword in Mary's heart, or soul, piercing it with bitter grief) when they fell off from the Lord Jesus, and cried, Crucify him, and scoffed at 
Luk: 2. 35. & tuam ipsius animam pertransibit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vul. & Beza gladius Syrus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Et eadem voce Arabs hasta vel lancea est Heb●aeorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quod David. de pomis vertit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hasta lancea sed addit quosdam pugiovem gladiolum interpretari.  him hanging upon the Cross. All this did originally proceed from the thoughts of their hearts; and did evidently discover and reveal the wickedness and perverseness of their thoughts: They had thoughts of giving earthly honour and happiness by Christ, thoughts of adhering to Christ, if he should advance them to a Terrene Felicity in an earthly Kingdom. Prou 29. 11. A fool uttereth all his mind. That is, his thoughts; a fools speeches are but go forth of his thoughts. Thus, 'tis evident that wicked thoughts are the root and beginning of all evil in affections, judgement, gesture, word, and deed: There cannot be an Action before there be a Thought; for this is the order wherein our Actions 
LXX. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hastam. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lauceam etc. interpretantur.  are produced. First, The mind thinketh then that thought taketh and delighteth the affections, and from that cometh consent of will, after this cometh execution of the Action etc. therefore trace every corrupt affection and exorbitant practice, till you come up to some inward and hidden thought. There is evil enough in a corrupt thought to turn Angels of light into Devils, and men into the Devil's Image; Evil thoughts were the root of the Apostasy both of 
1 Tim. 3. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Angels and men; the sin of the Angels was first in thought; they were lifted up with the thoughts of their own Excellency, and this threw them down from a height of Glory, into Chains of darkness.   

Third Position.  
3. The thoughts of men are leading evils, they have the pre-eminence and priority in sinning, they are the Ringleaders in wicked ways; they are first in all our evils: all sin gins in our 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  thoughts, as is evident, Micah 2. 1. Woe unto them that imagine iniquity and work wickedness upon their beds, when the morning is light, they practise it, because their hand hath power, and they covet fields and take them by violence, and houses, and take them away, so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.  
1. Here observe, 1. That all iniquity which is acted in men's visible conversations is twice wrought; first, In their thoughts: They think iniquity and work wickedness upon their beds. That is, They work, forge, and frame in their thoughts and imaginations upon their beds.  
2. In their affections and visible courses: They work and practise it when the morning is light. That is, in the day time, because their hand hath power. Wickedness is first wrought by their hearts, and then by their hands.  
2. Wicked affections and the worst of actions, as coveting of other men's fields and houses, and violent taking them away, these have their beginning in men's thoughts: These are the Leaders that cause their whole man to err and go astray 
Esa. 3. 12. and 9 16.  from God's ways; and therefore when the Lord Christ declares what are those Capital sins of defilement which proceed out of the hearts of men, he nameth evil thoughts in the first place: They are set as leaders of that black Regiment, they are in the front of that 
Matth: 15. 19 20. 21.  black Roll, Mark 7. 21. 22: Out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adultries, fornications, murders, etc.  
1. Evil thoughts are the first begotten of the old Adam, the first fruits of the flesh, the first born of the old man, the eldest Sons of corrupt nature, and therefore sins of strength. No wonder then that vain thoughts do so strongly charge and captivate our Souls: the strength of that body of sin is brought forth in them. 
Rom: 7, 24.   
2. Evil thoughts are the begetters of all other sins whatsoever: Sins of affection, and sins of action, are originally in the loins of our mind (as all sinners were originally in the loins of Adam 
1 Pet: 1. 13.  sinning); They are the natural seed and offspring of our thoughts.  
3. The thoughts of men are the beginners and first movers in all evil, they make the first motion between sin and the Soul: In all the sins that they do act, their thoughts are the first movers: they propose the Object, they procure a Conference between the heart and the object, they bring them together, and so bring forth sin into act: they present alluring Objects, as profits, pleasures, preferments, beauties, etc. till the hearts of sinners be drawn away from the sight of God and his Law, and their affections taken and this in the absence of the things themselves.   

Position 4.  
4. Corrupt thoughts are Lording evils; the thoughts of all carnal men do exercise a Lordly power over them: they rule as strange Lords in them, Eph: 2. 3. The Apostle declaring the state of all men before renewing, says expressly, That the time was when we all had our 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Facientes quae carni & cogitationibus libebant. Passor.  conversatlon in the lusts of our flesh, doing the wills of the flesh, and of the thoughts. So it is in the Original Text, and thus Passor reads it; The flesh Lordeth it over man's thoughts, and the thoughts over his affections and actions.   

Position 5.  
Man's carnal Thoughts are hostile Evils; they are Enemies, yea enmity against God.  
1. They are Enemies up in arms against the Lord of Hosts: they war against him continually. When the Lord comes to subdue our Iniquities in us, the chief Capital Enemies that are cast down and conquered by the Sword of the Spirit, are our thoughts and imaginations, 
2 Cor: 10. 4, 5.  Luke 1. 31. He hath showed strength with his Arm, he hath scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. The thoughts of proud sinners do as it were pitch the field and set themselves in battle against the Almighty: And it is a mighty work wherein the Lord of Host declares the exceeding greatness of his power, to scatter and cast down the proud in these high thoughts that rise up against him.  
This hostility of man's thoughts is clearly held forth, Col: 1. 21. And you 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works (or by your mind in wicked works) yet now hath he reconciled. Unregenerate men are here expressly said to be Enemies in their mind: That is, their thoughts which are properly the actings and agitations of the mind; the Original word here used 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cogitatio, mentis agitatio.  for the mind in the propriety of it, signifies the thought of the mind.  
In this Text we have these four discoveries: 
Col: 12. 1.  1. All carnal men are the declared Enemies of the great God.  
2. The main thing wherein God looks upon them as Enemies to him, are their thoughts: Sinners are Enemies in affections & actions, but chief in thoughts.  
3. The sins that do especially alienate and estrange men from the blessed God, and all fellowship with him, are their thoughts, every reigning sin alienates men from God, and builds a wall of separation 
Esa: 59 2.  between God and them: but man's crooked thoughts made that first alienation in Paradise, that great partition wall that extends from one end of 
Eccles: 7. 30.  the earth to the other, and reacheth up to Heaven; and our thoughts still continue the great Dividers that keep us and our affections at such a distance from God; and thus they are our grand Enemies which fight against our Souls.  
4. Wicked works are the natural issue and offspring of men's thoughts: those works of wickedness acted by the Colossians did proceed out of the loins of 
1 Pet 1. 13.  their minds.  
2. Man's carnal thoughts are enmity against God. This I take to be the principal scope and intent of the Text, Rom: 8. 7. The wisdom of the flesh. That is, the wisest thoughts, motions, and actions of a carnal mind are enmity against God. The Greek word that is translated Wisdom, signifies the act of a carnal mind 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  comprehending thoughts, discourse, etc. The wisdom of the flesh is the imaginaon and conceit of every man naturally; says Mr. Perkins, the minds of natural men and women, their most prudential thoughts and purest imaginations in their carnal corrupted estate are sensual, 
jam. 3. 15.  earthly, fleshly, yea enmity against God.  
This extreme enmity which is in men's carnal thoughts stands in these two things.  
1. They do not yield subjection and service to the Law of God.  
2. They cannot possibly submit to the 
Rom. 8. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Law in its spirituality: Enemies may be reconciled and become good Subjects, but enmity itself can never put on love and subjection; this enmity must be abolished, and the Royal Law put into our minds, before our thoughts can be brought into obedience to Christ.   

Position 6.  
6. The thoughts of men are the Former's and Framers of all the evil and error wherewith they corrupt themselves and others whatsoever treason sinners do commit against the God of Glory, it is prepared and plotted in the privy Chamber of their thoughts, their affections, are the treacherous Absoloms that do rise up and conspire against King Jesus: but their thoughts are the crafty Achitophel's that contrive and carry on the design; these are the Shops wherein 
Pro: 6. 14.  all mischief is forged & hammered out, if men bring forth iniquity, it is conceived in their thoughts, and hatched in their imaginations; the platform according 
Esa: 59 4.  to which men do act, the work of iniquity is form in their thoughts; these are the principals & the chief Plotters of all transgressions, evil words and works are as it were sins at the second hand, the very first life and freshest vigour of all ill, is immediately received and inspired by the flesh into our thoughts.   

The seaventh Position.  
7. Mans own corrupt thoughts are grand evils, they are of a high and heinous nature, they are sins out of measure sinful: Thought-sins are the worst 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  of sins; it is a remarkable speech of the learned Hebrews, that sinful thoughts are more heavy than the sin itself. That is, then sinful works flowing from man's thoughts, it is manifest by the Scriptures that the sins of men's thoughts are more sinful than the sins of their words and visible works. If the evil of their thoughts were put into one scale, and the evil of their speeches and outward actions put together in the other, their thoughts would be found the heaviest.  
1. I grant that the evil and demerit which is in the smallest sin is great, because in man's least and lowest swerving from the Rule; there is a violation of an Infinite Justice and holiness, and a turning from an infinite good, and therefore the guilt that springeth from thence is after a sort infinite.  
2. Yet 'tis clear by the Scriptures, that there are degrees of sin, that some sins have a greater height and latitude of evil than others.  
3. I grant that wicked words and deeds in respect of that scandalising property which attends them are worse than thoughts, because open impieties do sadden the hearts of the righteous and strengthen the hands of the wicked and infect many.  
4. It is a real truth that evil thoughts in their own nature have an excess of malignity beyond words and works; which is evident by these arguments.  
1. Evil thoughts are precedents in all the evils that come from us, they are the leading evils, as hath been demonstrated: now 'tis a very great aggravation of sin to be first in sinning; this added to Eves sin, she was first in the trangression; this heightened the guilt of Jeroboam, 
1 Tim 2. 14.  he made Israel to sin: by his precedency he led on the people to the pollution of Idols, the thoughts of men are the Jeroboams, the Leaders that cause their speeches to sin, and conversations 
Esa: 9 16.  to err, and therefore most justly do bear the greatest blame, their thoughts first break the commandments of God, and then draw their affections and actions to do the same.  
2. The thoughts of men are the productors of all iniquity, the common parents of all profaneness. The Plotters of all treasonable practices against the Lord God: now the Contrivers and Hatchers of Treason have the greatest guilt and suffer most.  
3. Evil thoughts are most provoking sins, they exceedingly grieve & provoke God against us, the perdition of sinners is chief caused by their thoughts, this is most evident by that Indictment that God brings in against the old world, which is purposely recorded as a warning to all men even to the world's end. 
Gen: 6. 5.   
2. By that dreadful sentence that passeth Verse. 6, 7. upon them in the Bill of Indictment, the Lord declareth them guilty o● great wickedness; and then he shows what this Verse. 5 great wickedness was, which had the greatest stroke in their destruction. And every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart was only evil. That is, the whole fixion and frame of man's thoughts was wicked.  
3. Now upon the declaration of their great provoking pollutions immediately follows the sentence of death.  
And it repent Jehovah that he had made man on the earth, etc. That is, Verse. 6, 7: God would now sweep away mankind from the earth with the Besom of destruction, and thereby, as it were, unmake man whom he had made; as is more clearly expressed in the next verse: And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast; for it reputes me that I have made them. Whereby it appears, that evil thoughts were the highest and most horrid sins, whereby God was most grieved and provoked by the old world: it is abundantly manifest in the Scriptures, that the men of the old world were guilty of many actual impieties, open pollutions and abominations. As 1. Profanation of God's holy Ordinances, in that the Members of the visible Church mingled themselves with the corrupt seed of Cain in the enjoyment of Church Ordinances, Gen. 6. 1, 2. it is said that when men began to multiply 
Gen. 6. 1, 2.  on the face of the earth, than the Sons of God saw the Daughters of men that they were fair, and they took them wives of all which they chose.  
By Sons of God are here meant the members of the visible Church, Deut: 14. 1. for unto such Moses saith, Ye are the Sons of Jehovah your God. They were the Sons of Seth, and the other Patriarches.  
These Daughters of men were of cain's 
Gen. 4. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Seed who were without the Church. From thy face shall I be hid or absent. (as Gen: 4. 14.) says Cain unto Jehovah: That is, I shall be shut out from the presence of God in his Church, as it follows verse 16. And Cain went out from the presenoe of Jehovah, or from before the face of Jehovah. That is, from the place of God's word and public worship in Adam's Family, who being a Prophet had taught his Children to Sacrifice and serve the Lord; from the face of God's all-seeing 
Psal. 556. Psal. 139. 7. 12. Jer 23, 24.  providence none can be hidden: therefore it must needs be meant of God's presence in his Church, of which Cain was now deprived.  
The Sons of God mingled themselves with the Daughters of men: That is, of carnal men, 1 Cor: 3. 3. in their Church-fellowship, whereby the Law of Church-Communion was violated.  
Ob. How doth this appear, the Text seems to speak only of mingling in marriage?  
Answ. In those days and many Generations after, the Church was only in particular families; First in adam's, then in Seths, etc. The Sons of God by joining in marriage with profane women, thereby took them to fellowship, to a common participation of all Church Ordinances, whereby the holy things were profaned. We have a full Text to this purpose, Gen. 4. 26. And to Seth, to him also there was born a Son, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  and he called his name Enos: then began men profanely to call; or profaneness began in calling on the name of Jehovah. That these words ought thus to be read, 
Enoschum, id est, infestum aerumvis doloribusque. 235. years before men began to call upon God. Seth would not as a Prophet call his son sorrowful, Enosh if men had then began to call upon the name of God; Thus Mr: Broughton. Tunc caeptum est invocari nomen vel pollui. Thus the Interline in the margin, The learned Hebrews with much consent do record the first Apostasy to he at Enosh his birth. Also Kimchi brings in this opinion as chief Then was corrupted the calling upon the name of God.  is clear.  
1. From the name Seth, gives to his Son Enos, by interpretation, sorrowful, miserable, so named (as it seemeth) for the sorrowful state of those days wherein great corruption began to appear in the Church, Gen: 6. 2. 3.  
2. The Invocation of God's name began not now, but in faithful Abel's days.  
3. Though the Hebrew word may be read, men began, or men profaned; yet it is commonly understood here of the learned Hebrews to mean profaneness, and some translating it began, take it thus, men began to call (their Idols) by the name of the Lord; the sorrows and miseries of that age were very great, as the name of Enos testifies, and the History following in Gen: 6. confirmeth, for impiety crept into the church by unlawful marriages with cain's Seed Another great sin whereof the old world was guilty, was Rebellion against the voice of God calling them to repentance by Noah Preacher of Righteousness.  
3. They were Resisters of God's Spirit who strove with them by his heavenly motions.  
4. They were drowned in sensuality, 
1 Pet: 1. 3. 19 20. Gen. 6. 3. Matth: 24. 37, 38, 39 They gave themselves to eating as bruit beasts: as the word signifies. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  eathliness, and epicurism.  
5. They were abominable Apostates, Ge: 6. 4. There were Giants upon the earth in those days: The Hebrew word Nephilim, which is read (Giants) hath the signification from falling, as being Apostate fallen from God.  
6. They were Idolaters, Gen: 6. 11. The earth was corrupt: That is, the Inhabitants of the earth, Gen: 11. 1. Corrupting 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nomen Hebraeum discendit a verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cadere & sic appellantur vel quia a vero Dei cultu deciderunt, etc. Piscator.  is in special applied to Idolatry and depraving of the true Service of God, Exod: 32. 7. Deut: 32. 5. Judg: 2. 19 as the people are said to do corruptly. 2 Chron: 27. 2. when they Sacrificed and burnt Incense in the high places, 2 King: 15. 35.  
7. They were Tyrannical Oppressors, falling upon men, and making them by fear and force to fall before them.  
8. The men of the old world broke out into cruel Robberies and Murders, for which Calvin will have them called Giants; and this seems to be the opinion of Chrysostom, Philo, and Josephus, 
Gen. 6. 13.  Gen: 6. 11. The earth was filled with violence, violent wrong, injurious and cruel dealing, Rapines, or Robberies, as the Chaldee termeth it.  
9 They were full of gross infidelity and impenitency, not believing God's threats; yea they hardened they hearts against all reproofs, warnings, waitings, 
1 Pet. 3. 20. Gen. 6. 3. Gigantes promiscuo concubitu polluebant faeminas puellus mulieres. Pareus in Genes. 6.  and long-suffering of God.  
10. They abounded in abominable adultries and bodily pollutions.  
11. All Discipline lay trodden down publicly and privately: there was no humanity left amongst men but bestial barbarism in all places. These and many more were the sins of the old world; yet when God comes to pass sentence upon them, he doth not allege these open defilements as the chiefest cause of their destruction, but their evil thoughts rather: The greatest wickedness which was alleged against them, 
Gen. 6. 5.  was the thoughts of their hearts: Because their thoughts were so many, and so continually evil, they provoked God more than all their other sins.  
Simon Magus had many foul sins, but the thought of his heart was his most provoking sin. Hence it is that Peter adviseth him to pray God if it were possible, 
Act. 8. 22.  that the thoughts of his heart might be forgiven him; as though there lay the greatest guilt, and deepest stain before God.  
4. The sins of men's thoughts are passed all number, they are as the sand of the Sea innumerable: How many thoughts do pass from them every hour, yea every minute? What man can possibly understand how oft he offends in his 
Psal. 19  thoughts every day.  
This doth exceedingly heighten the evil of our thoughts, and adds to their weight. What is heavier than a Mountain 
Job. 6. 7.  of sand? There be four aggravations which do make the wickedness of man's thoughts to rise up to a kind of Infiniteness; the thoughts of carnal men and women are evil.  
1. From their Childhood, yea from 
Gen. 8. 21.  their birth; as the great heart-searcher declares: the Hebrew word includes not 
Exod. 2. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A pueritia ejus. Ab eo momento quo fuit in lucem editus, Schindler ex quo excussus est ex utero : We are all transgressors from the Womb: Esa: 48. 8. Psal. 51. 7. & 58. 4.  only man's age, but Infancy, or Child's age: A Jewish Rabbin confesseth, that the evil imagination is in man from the hour that he is form.  
2. The thoughts of natural men are evil continually every day and all the day long, Gen: 6. 5. as the Hebrew word imports, the thoughts of man are always acting, even when the body sleeps, the mind never lies still day nor night, Psal: 140. 3. wicked men are said to think (or imagne evils in their heart all the day.  
3. They are altogether evil, only evil. 
Gen. 6. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉   
4. Every thought that carnal men think, is evil, and therefore their evil thoughts must needs amount to a numberless sum: the sins of man's thoughts are far more in number then all his other sins whatsoever.  
2. Vain lose corrupt thoughts do make up the greatest part of that treasure of sin, that sinners are heaping up against the day of wrath. O what a vast treasure of wickedness is laid up in their thoughts? All wicked men have their fullness of sin, which they fill up before 
Gen. 15.  they are cut off; the greatest fullness of sin is in their thoughts.   

Position 8.  
8. Corrupt thoughts are disturbing evils; Interrupters and Undoers of those good things that we do: they exceedingly hurt and hinder us in all our performances: lose worldly wand'ring thoughts do spoil us of two precious things in our Prayers and Services:  
1. Of our hearts, by drawing them another way, and causing us to bring empty Oblations to God; that whereas we should draw nigh to God with our hearts, and keep them close to him in every performance: our hearts by reason of our wand'ring and impertinent thoughts, are far off from God. The Lord 
Esa. 29 16.  complains against the old Jews, That their hearts were going after their covetousness, when they should have been intent and attended to the word: their thoughts were then upon this present world, their earthly Possessions, Profits, etc.  
2. Wand'ring and earthly thoughts do spoil us of the acceptance of our holy things; they are like a dead Fly in the Apothecary's Ointment.   

Position 9  
9 Corrupt thoughts are deadly destroying evils.  
1. They lead to the height of wrath and misery in this world. Evil thoughts are the great leading begetting sins, & therefore in way of justice must needs bring forth the greatest punishments; the greatest miseries that befall a people or Nation in this world, as Sword, Famine, etc. are said to be the fruits of their evil thoughts; as is evident Jer: 6. 19 Behold I bring evil upon this people, 
In the drowning of the old World, the Lord had great respect in that judgement to their wicked thoughts which were the root of all; and therefore he mentioneth them as the cause of the Flood. Gen. 6. 5. 7. Thus Mr. Perkins.  even the fruit of their thoughts.  
The principal sin which brought that dreadful deluge and desolation upon the old world was the wickedness of their thoughts. The thoughts of man's heart were evil, and therefore God would destroy man and beast from the earth. Of all visible Judgements that ever were on the face of the earth; this upon the old world was the greatest, it is not to be paralleled by any judgement or vengeance on earth, but that second deluge of fire at the last judgement, for the waters cut off all mankind, except Noah and his 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Di luvium lic dictum quod omnia secerit concidere.  Family, and made all things fade and die on earth; as the Hebrew word Mabbul (which is a peculiar name to Noah's Flood) imports.  
2. Evil thoughts do lead to eternal punishments: They drown men's Souls in perdition; the curse of the Law, even the flames of eternal Vengeance are due to men for their wicked thoughts. cursed 
Deut 27. 26. Gal. 3.  is every one that continues not in all things that are written in the Law to do them. The man that breaks the Law but once, and that in thought only, is accursed by the sentence of the Law, because he hath not done all things that are written therein: the least wry crooked thought makes men liable to endless woe and wrath, Micha 2. 1. woe unto those that think iniquity, saith the Prophet.  
If our minds be filled with carnal earthly thoughts, it is a sure sign that we are in a state of damnation. 
* Rom: 8. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chal. & Syr. Cogitatio Buxtorf. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alii Reddunt prudentiam, alii cogitationem. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem est Paulo quod Mosi figmentum cordis humani, etc. Gen: 6. 5. Pareus Phil: 3. 19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declarat animi ad aliquid adjicere, & de re quapiam serio cogitare Beza.  To be carnally minded is death. It manifests dead Souls estranged from the glorious life of Christ. The Syriack reads the words thus, The thought of the flesh is death: and so others read it; that is, carnal corrupt thoughts lodging in men's hearts leads to eternal death. And this reading (I conceive) comes nearest to the Greek, and to the intent and scope of the Text; as is evident by comparing Phil: 3. 19 Whose end is perdition, who mind earthly things. That is, damnation will be the end of those whose minds are delightfully taken up with the thoughts of earthly profits, pleasures, honours, who think upon the vain things of this present world, more than the truths of God's word. Evil thoughts was that great wickedness that principally condemned the old world, and cast their Souls into the prison of Hell, 1 Pet. 3. 19, 20. The Spirits of those ungodly men (to whom Christ once preached by Noah's ministry) are now in prison: there is evil enough in vain, unclean, sensual, worldly thoughts, to condemn and cast a whole world of men into the torments 
Prov: 21. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Caetu Gigantum. Thus Mr. Mede reads it. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gigas plur. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gigantes ●tem mortui, Buxtorf. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gigantes fortes, & mortui infernales. Munsterus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gigantes, Schindler Manes, or mortui.  of Hell for ever. Hence it is that Hell itself hath its name from these wicked Giants of the old world, Prov: 21. 16. The man that wandreth out of the way of understanding, shall remain in the Congregation of the Giants; according to the Original, 'tis, In the Congregation of the Rephaim. Which word properly signifies Giants; and in that sense is always rendered by the Seventy, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: though we and the latter Interpreters both in this and some other places take it for the dead, and the spirits of dead men.  
Quest. What is this Congregation of the Giants?  
Answ: It is the place of the damned, that infernal Prison wherinto those Giants are cast, who rebelled against God in the days of Noah, of whom we read in Gen: 6. Those mighty men of the old world, whose wickedness was so great on the earth, and the thoughts of their hearts so evil continually, that it repent and grieved God that he had made man. Sinners that wander out of the way of understanding, shall be added to the Congregation of those damned Gyans in Hell; they shall go to that accursed place in which they are, and abide with them in endless pains. Thus Rabbi Solomon expounds this Text. 
In coetu Rephalm. That is, saith Rabbi Solomon in his Gloss upon this Text. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id caetu Gehennae. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad Gigantes. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Prov. 9: 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉   
2. That these words ought thus to be interpreted, is evident by comparing other places of Scripture, where the like expression is used, as twice more in this book of Proverbs. as Prov: 2. 18. where according to the Vulgar Reading the words run thus: For her house inclineth to death, and her paths unto the dead. But in the Heb. tis, And her paths to the Giants: which the 70. render thus by way of interpretation, She hath set her path in Hell with the Giants: & Pro: 9 18. Stolen waters are sweeter— and he knows not (namely he that goes to a strange woman) that the Giants are there, and her Guests in the depths of Hell. This is the proper reading of the words according to the Hebrew: Hence observe, that the Giant's place is the depths of Hell. The meaning of both these places is evidently this, that Adulterers shall have their portion with those Apostate Giants in Hell torments.  
So in Job 26. 5. Hell is there elegantly expressed by the wailing of those Rephaim, or dead Giants.  
The Giants do sorrow or wail under the 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  waters (or from under the waters) and they that dwell with them. Hell is naked before him (that is before God) and perdition hath no covering. The 5. v: is read otherwise by our English and other Translat: but I conceive this reading is most agreeable to the Original, and the true scope and intent of the Text itself; 'tis thus translated by the vulgar Latin: The Giants wail under the waters etc. The meaning hereof saith judicious Mr. Mede seems to be this: The place where the old Giants mourn or wail under the waters, and their fellow Inhabitants, the rest of the damned with them, even Hell and the place of perdition itself is naked and open to the eyes of God, from whom nothing is hid: Which is agreeable to that in Prov: 15. 11. Hell and destruction are before the Lord, etc. In this place the Jews take the word Abaddon which we render destruction for Gehenna, that is, The house of destruction. For the further clearing of this mystery, I shall present these 2. things to be duly weighed. 1 That the word Rephaim which is used in these 4. 
Prov. 21. 16. & 9 18. & 2. 18. job 26. 5.  places, doth naturally & properly signify Giants, & is so translated in our English Bibles in other places. 2. That Hell or the place of the damned, is very fitly called the Congregation, or place of the Giants.  
1. This word Rephaim doth primarily 
Torg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gigantes in Asteroth. LXX. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  and properly signify Giants, as is generally confessed by those that understand the Hebrew, it signifies Giants and mighty men  
Hence 'tis used to express those mighty Gigantive people in Gen. 14. 5. Chedorlaomer smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth, 
Gen. 15. 20.  etc. That is, the Giants, as they are called by the Greek and Chaldee Paraphrast, and the Hebrew word is used expressly for Giants, Deut: 2. 11. Rapha 
Deut: 2 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Josh: 15: 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 6. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  was the name of a Giant in Nob, who had four Sons Giants in David's days, 2 Sam: 21. 16. 22. But these Rephaims were now a people in Canaan: Ashteroth was a City in Basan, where Ogg the Giant after Reigned, Josh: 13. 31.  
2. This word Rephaim is by our English Translators rendered Giants, Deut. 2. 11. 20. Which also were accounted Giants as the Anakims that also was accounted a Land of Giants (of Rephaims' Giants.) Rephaims dwelled there in the old time, Josh: 1. 58. The valley of the Giants Northward. Thus our English Bible renders the word Rephaim.  
3. Hell, or the place of the damned is 
Rabbi Bech. scribit, Deut: 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etc. Id est vocantur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propterea quod quicunque eos aspiceret manus ejus remissae si erent metu se. unde & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vocantur nec est Incredibile homines in mundo primaevo plerosque grandioris staturae fuisse Pareus Gigantes monstrosae magnitudinis isti 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declarantur fuisse potentes & viri nominis Pareus.  very fitly called the Congregation, or place of the Giants, or Rephaims.  
1. Because those Giants of the old world were sinners of the greatest Eminency in those days; They were men of name.  
1. For height of stature, they were men of vast bodies, terrible to all Beholders: Such as Goliath is described to be, & the Sons of the Anakims; Their stature was so horrid, that the hearts and hands of those that beheld them, did fall with fear, therefore they are called Rephaim and Emims: Yea, there is that Enormous talness ascribed to Giants, Num: 13. vers. last, That the Spies of Israel looked on themselves as Grasshoppers in comparison of them.  
It is credible that most men in those days of old were of a very grand stature for many ages. After the Flood we read of whole Nations, People and Lands that were Giants, tall as the Anakims, Gen. 14. 5. Deut: 2. vers. 11. 20. People great and many, tall as the Anakims.  
2. These Giants of the old world were men of name and fame for height of all impiety and cruelty; for they trusting in their Gigantive strength and hugeness of stature, trod down all things under their feet: They were a monstrous cruel Cyclopicall kind of men, fearing neither God nor man: They were full of violence and Villainies in their works, filled with vanity and vileness in their thoughts, which was the root and top of all their wickedness.  
2. These impious Giants would be accounted men of name for Religion and Piety, as the Pope, Cardinals and his Bishops, being really Antichristian, cruel and unholy, yet will be called most holy, reverend, and men of Clemency, as Luther observes.  
3. The multitude of those Giants and their wickedness was so great, ●hat the Flood was sent purposely and principally to destroy these Monsters, though the corruption and calamity were universal.  
4. There was such a world of these cursed Giants that went down to Hell in one day, that Hell itself may fitly receive its denomination from them: The Hellish prison was almost empty, till these Rephaims came in, the companies of Giants that were gathered at once into Hell, and there met together, were so many, that the place of damned sinners is properly called the Congregation of the Giants. 
Prov. 21. 16.   
These had the pre-eminence in naming the place of eternal suffering, as they had pre-eminence in sinning. They that are cast into that prison since the Flood, are their fellow Inhabitants, such as are daily added to the Congregation of infernal Giants. Now 'tis remarkable, 
Job 26 5:  that the chief capital sins which were laid to the charge of these damned Giants were their evil thoughts, & therefore for their thoughts chief were they cast into the flames of eternal vengeance.  
10. Man's evil thoughts are the strong holds of the evil one; all unrenewed 
Position 10. Matth. 12 43, 44. Act. 26. 18.  men are under the power and possession of the Devil. This strong man hath his strong holds whereby he holds men under his power, 2 Cor. 10. 4. In these Forts is Satan's greatest trust and triumph, these strong holds are mainly man's mountainous thoughts; as 1. High thoughts of self-righteousness. 2. Strong conceits of self ways.  
1. Many poor Souls are strongly possessed with thoughts of their own righteousness; this is the great strong hold whereby Satan possesseth their Souls: we are apt to think that there is something in our prayers and performances that may be our righteousness, life, acceptance, and atonement before God. These raised thoughts are those Mountains that must be brought low, before we can see the Lord to be our Salvation. A Fort is a Mountain raised up, or a 
Luk: 3. 4, 5.  Castle raised upon a Mountain or Hill.  
1. These self-exalting thoughts are that strong hold wherein men do shelter themselves against the storms of wrath; they are much in duties, and far from open defilements therefore wrath shall not come near them at the great day of wrath, and revenge as they conceive.  
2. These high thoughts that men have of their own righteousness, are that strong hold which keeps them from submitting to the righteousness of God. 
Rom: 10.   
3. Men naturally have strong conceits of their own ways, of the goodness of their own spiritual Estates; They are alive in their own apprehensions, and this is another strong hold of Satan, Prov: 14. 12. There is a way that is right in the sight of man, but the last 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  end thereof are the ways of death So Prov: 16. 23. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes: Every way of a man is right in his own eyes. There be thousands 
Prov. 11. 21. 2.  of Souls that think their ways are right in God's sight, and themselves in the right way to Heaven, yet at last it appears to be the way of Hell; mere moralists, legal and formal Professors do frame presumptions, principles, and premises in their own thoughts to build conclusion of Salvation upon. This was Paul's case before the Law came in power and spirit unto him; he thought 
Phil. 3.  himself blameless, and in a state of light and life, that if any living went to Heaven, it should be Paul a Pharisee: See what himself speaks, Rom: 7. 9 I once was alive without the Law, but when the Commandment came, sin revived, but I died. That is, when the Law came to me in its spirituality; I now had experience of the falseness and folly of my former thoughts, I now saw myself a dead undone man: thus that Pharisee in Luk: 18. and the foolish Virgins, had such strong conceits that their ways were right, that he gives thanks for it, 
Luk. 18. 10. 11. 12. Matth. 25. 11, 12.  and they came knocking at Heaven Gates for admission: Yea the worst of sinners do conceive a propriety in God; this is evident, Hos: 8. 2. Israel will cry unto me, my God, we know thee. Yet this Israel had cast off the thing that is good. verse 3. and Micha 3. 11. The heads thereof judge for Rewards, and the Priests thereof teach for hire. Their Priests and Prophets did mind their own gain more than the gaining of Souls: Their Judges looked to Rewards more than Righteousness, Yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say (that is in their hearts) Is not Jehovah in the mids of us? By a most intimate presence, as the Hebrew word imports; No evil can come upon us. Men that are strangers to the light and life of grace, and full of self-love, are apt to think well of their spiritual Estate, upon presumptions and principles form in their own imaginations. The Philosopher tells us of a Sea, wherein by 
Aristot Problem.  the hollowness of the earth under it, or some whirling and attractive property that draws the Vessel into it, Ships use to be cast away in the mids of a Calm; even so a number of Souls do gently perish in mids of their own secure conceits and presumptuous imaginations: As the Fish Polypus changeth himself into the colour of the Rock, and then devours those that come thither for shelter: So men do shape their mis-thoughts and misapprehensions into a form of Christ and Faith in him, and so destroy themselves.  
This strong hold that sin and Satan hath in the sinner's thoughts must be overturned, before they can be turned to God.    

The Mystery of Iniquity working in man's Thoughts.  MARK 7. 21, 22, 23. From within out of the heart of men proceed evil Thoughts, Adulteries, Fornications, Murders, Wickedness, Lasciviousness, Blasphemy, Pride, foolishness, etc. All these evil things come from within and defile the man. 
IN these words there are three things clearly presented to our consideration.  
1. That all kind of evil thoughts do proceed out of the heart of men by corrupt nature.  
2. Evil thoughts are the great leading and misleading sins, therefore they are set in the first place, and placed in the forefront.  
3. Evil thoughts are grand defiling sins.  
I have showed you the pernicious pestilentious properties of man's thoughts; I will now give you some general discoveries of the divers kinds of evil thoughts which proceed out of the hearts of all men and women, and do work efficaciously in them, so long as they stand in their natural corrupt estate, whereby the Mystery of Iniquity working in the thoughts will evidently appear.  
To make a punctual discovery of the iniquity and illness of man's thoughts in all prticularities of actings is a work that the wisest man is not able to perform. I shall only present unto you a general survey of that world of wickedness which is acted in the thoughts of men.  
1. The first evil thought which proceeds out of the heart of men, is a thought of Atheism, a thought that there is no God: which as it is first in order of working, so it is of all other the most detestable and damnable thought which yet exceedingly prevails in these evil days, this Atheistical thought by corrupt nature possesseth the heart of every man, as appears by the express testimony of him who is the Thought-searcher, Psal: 14. 1. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God. Thoughts are the speakings of the heart so Psal: 10. 4. 'tis said of the wicked man, That all his thoughts are, there is no God. Thus 'tis in the Margin of our Bibles, and it fitly answers the Hebrew Text.  
Quest: Who is this wicked fool that 
Psal. 10. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  thinks there is no God.  
Answ: Not only some feared sinners, but every unregenerate man and woman, even those that are otherwise of a civil converse; their depraved minds do incline to this Atheistical thought, though they are ashamed to speak it with their tongues; therefore St. Paul in Rom: 3. Setting forth the sinful estate of all men by corrupt nature, he allegeth the authority of those two Psalms forecited, as expressly speaking of every man as he is in his natural folly.  
Obj: It is a principle implanted in man's 
Rom. 1. 18, 19, 20, 21.  nature that there is a God, how then can this unnatural thought of Atheism be natural to any man.  
Ans. 1. The light of nature that comes 
John 1.  from the second Adam, enlightening every man that comes into the world: Inclines men to think and believe that there is a God; but the darkness and defilement of nature (which comes from the first Adam's fall) makes men proud to think that there is no God.  
2. Carnal men are apt to think that there is no such holy Righteous All-knowing Sin-revenging God, as the Scripture declares, Psal. 10. verse 4. and 11. compared Psal: 50. 21.  
Ob: But we never discovered or discerned any such Atheistical thought in ourselves.  
Ans: Unregenerate men cannot always know the thoughts of their own deceitful hearts.  
2. This reflexive Cogitation whereby we discern and know what we think, is properly Conscience: Now in man's lapsed Estate Conscience is corrupted and carnal, sleepy and secure, blind and polluted; whence 'tis that it cannot faithfully 
Titus 1. 15.  perform its Office, in giving in true testimony what man's corrupt mind thinketh.  
3. Thoughts are called the secrets of the heart, hidden thoughts, therefore they are not so easily discerned as the affections and outward actions.  
Quest: How may we certainly know that we are guilty of this abominable Atheistical thought.  
Answ: There be three infallible signs set down in Psal. 14.; as  
1. A corrupt conversation, verse 2, 3. They have corrupted themselves, they that walk on in wicked ways against the clear light of God's word and the Law of nature, are those that think that there is no God.  
2. Slighting and neglect of Prayer, Verse. 4 Prayerless persons and Families are full of Atheistical thoughts.  
3. They that scoff and jeer at the Verse. 6 hope holiness and preciseness of others, do manifest themselves to be these wicked Atheistical fools.  
4. They that are afraid to commit sin in the presence of man, and yet in the presence of God's all-searching eye do secretly work iniquity: they that use deceit, lying, and falsehood in their deal with men, these do think that there is no all-knowing God to take notice of their ways and to call them to a reckoning.  
2. The second grand evil thought which proceeds out of man's heart, is an Idolatrous thought: What a world of Idolatry, spiritual Idolatry is committed in our thoughts, and yet few of us take notice thereof? There be two ways whereby we are guilty of high Idolatry by thinking.  
1. By turning the true God into an Idol of our own fancy.  
2. By exalting the Creature into the place of God.  
1: It is a common thing for man's carnal imagination to turn the true God into an Idol; therefore the Ephesians before their conversion are said to be 
Eph. 2. 12.  without God in the world: For though the wisest of the Gentiles did acknowledge one Infinite Being, Creator of Heaven and Earth; yet because they did not in their minds rightly conceive of God, suitable to his spiritual Excellencies, they had no God, but mere 
Psal. 96. 5.  Idols.  
Quest: What are those Idolatrous thoughts whereby the mind of man turneth the Infinite God into an Idol?  
Answ: There be six gross thoughts which do notoriously possess the heart of every man by corrupt nature.  
1. Carnal men conceive there is no allpresent Being, they think that God is confined to a certain place, shut up in Heaven, and not present in all places: Thus by denying the Omni-presence of God, the mind of man imagines God to be such a one as he is not, and so turneth him into an Idol.  
2. That sinners are guilty of this Idolatrous thought is evident by the Scriptures, as Job. 22. 12. 13. Eliphaz doth personate wicked men, and brings them in speaking of God in their hearts, as if he were confined to the highest Heaven: Is not God on high in the Heaven? Behold the height of the Stars; how high they are. How should God know? Can he Judge it? Omnipresence is an essential property 
Jer 23, 24. 1 King. 8. 27. Psal. 139.  of God, and therefore they that conceive of God as included in any place, or excluded from any place, as circumscribed, defined, or contained in the Heaven of Heavens, as personally fixed to any one place, as present in near and not in remote places, they do hereby turn God into an Idol of their own brains.  
2. Carnal men conceive there is no all-ruling providence of God, whereby he observeth and ordereth all things in the world particularly; they imagine that God walketh in the circuit of the Heaven, not minding or regarding what is done here on Earth, either to reward the righteous or to punish the wicked: sinners settled on their Lees, say in their hearts, The Lord will neither do good nor 
Psal. 10, 11.  evil.  
2. They conceive that the great God doth not look upon small matters done on Earth, whereas 'tis his Glory to behold small low things and things on Earth. 
Psal. 113. 5. 6.   
3. Carnal persons think that there is no all knowing power, who doth see and take notice of all their actings: that these are their common thoughts is manifest by divers Texts, as Psal: 10: 13. The wicked man's says in his heart. (That is, he thinks) God hath forgotten, he hideth away his face, he will not see, or, not at all respect for ever. If he do see our ways, yet he quickly forgets them, and Psal: 94. 7. The wicked say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob 
job 22. 12, 13. Ezek 8. 12. Esa. 29. 15.  regard it. How should God know? Can he discern through dark Clouds? These are the Hellish thoughts of men in their actings of sin, whereby they conceive God to be like themselves, and turn him into an Idol, yea a Heathenish Idol, that have hath eyes and see not.  
4. Men by corrupt nature are apt to think that there is not an  Being, they have low slight thoughts of God's power, they think he hath but little strength, or can do but little with it, Job: 22. 17. What can the Almighty do against them, or for them. Esa: 5. 19 Let us see what God can do, let him make speed, let him hasten his work that we may see it. We have heard much talk by our Preachers of the power of his anger, let him do his utmost, he can do us no great hurt; these are the presumptuous thoughts of evil men.  
2. Poor Souls at their first looking towards Christ, are apt to limit the power of God, and to think thus in their hearts if our sins were of a lighter and lower nature, we could then conceive they might be pardoned: but can God pardon such black bloody sins, crying capital Crimes, prevarications and proclamations as we are guilty of? Can he subdue these Anakims, our predominate lusts? can he soften our stony hearts, and quiet our turbulent affections? which we cannot think how it can be done: So when we are brought into the Mount, and all outward means fail, we are ready to think, can God deliver us? can he provide for us? etc.  
By this limiting the power of God in our thoughts, we conceive him like to ourselves in a finite perfection, and thereby we turn him into an Idol of our own fancy.  
5. Ungodly ones conceive God to be all mercy, and no justice: They think to find life in the way of death; they continue in a course of sinning, and yet they imagine that no evil can come unto 
Amos 6. 3. & 9 10.  them, they say in their heart we shall have peace though we walk on in the stubborness 
Deut. 29. 19, 20.  of our hearts, etc. By these presumptuous men's thoughts take away the Justice & Truth of God, and make him all mercy, one who will not punish sin, nor perform his threaten, and so they make him an Image of man's imagination.  
6. Carnal men do think that God is like to themselves, they have low carnal conceits of his glorious spiritual perfections. This the Thought-searcher declares against those wicked ones, Psal: 50. 21. Thou thoughtest surely that I was like unto thee; that I was and would be as thou art. There is a strange proness in men's corrupt minds to think that God is like to man: they do frame conceits of the essential and personal properties and operations of God, according to those imperfect perfections, properties and actings, that they see in themselves: Hence it is that the Scripture tells us that God is not a man, nor as a man. Whereunto 
Numb. 23. 19 1 Sam. 15. 25.  will ye liken me, saith Jehovah. Which speeches do import that there is a proneness in our carnal imaginations to change the Infinite God into the likeness of man: Yea, what sin is there to which we are more inclined, then to these Idolatrous thoughts: If we take notice of our daily thoughts, we shall find sad experience hereof; we bless ourselves that we are no Idolaters, whereas the heart of every man by corrupt nature frames a thousand false Gods in its thoughts: every undue unsuitable thought and imagination that we have of God, is a framing of a false God in our minds: we must think nothing of God, but what he declares of himself in the Scripture; whatsoever we think and conceive of God either contrary or otherwise then he hath revealed of himself, is the turning the true God into an Idol; as there is a changing the Glory of the Incorruptible God, into the external likeness of men and other Creatures, by Ethnic Idolaters, that great sin for 
Rom. 1. 23.  which the Gentiles stand Indicted: so there is a changing the glory of God into the internal likeness of men's fancies, by misconceivings and wrong apprehensions of God in their minds; this is spiritual Idolatry whereof we are exceeding guilty in our thoughts; as  
1. When we conceive God to be like to man in any of those glorious perfections, virtues, or affections that are attributed to him.  
2. When we measure the Infinite power of God in our thoughts, by that limited weak power that is in man: as because men cannot forgive great trespasses done against them, we are apt to think that God cannot pardon our great transgressions, Isa. 55. 8, 9  
3. When we conceive God to be that which he is not, this is thought-Idolatry.  
4. When we imagine any thing of God that imports the least imperfection or deficiency; as  
1. When we think that God is changed by our Actings, Prayers, Humiliations, etc.  
2. Or that he is a gainer by our Services, whereas the Scripture declares, that strong man Geber, man in his highest strength of acting cannot be profitable 
job 22. 2: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  to God, Job 35. Psal. 162. Luk 17. 9, 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Geber, the name of man in respect of his strength.  
3. If we think that we can oblige God as a Debtor to us; or  
4. That there can be the least addition to his Essential Glory by all that glory that we give unto him in our acknowledgements, these are Idolatrous thoughts which do change the glory of God into the likeness of ourselves, and so make him an Idol.  
It is a provoking sin to conceive amiss of God in any of his glorious Attributes; when we do not speak that is right of him in our thoughts. It was the great sin of Eliphaz and his two friends, that they did not speak that, that 
job 42.  was right of God: Their mis-speakings of God did proceed from their misconceivings of him.  
Qu. If every undue thought and misapprehension of God in our minds be horrid hateful & Idolatry, O then how may we conceive and think of God aright according to Scripture Discoveries?  
Answ. There be divers divine Principles and Rules that I shall present unto you for the rectifying of your thoughts and apprehensions in conceiving of God and his glorious Attributes.  
1. The Properties or Attributes of 
Proprietates divinae naturae seu essentiae sunt attributa Dei essentialia quibus essentiae divinae veritas ac Majestas nobis innotescit & ab ali●s distinguitur. Wedclivus.  God (whereby the Majesty and Glory of the divine Essence is manifested to us) are essential Perfections in God; for whatsoever is in God the same is God: these Attributes differ not from the divine Essence; God's power is himself, his mercy is himself, and not different from his Essence.  
2. These Attributes in God are one most pure simple Act.  
3. They are all absolute Properties in God, and so distinguished from those Relative Properties, whereby every person, in the glorious Trinity hath his own subsistence.  
4. These Essential Attributes, Omniscience, Omnipotency, Mercy, Eternity, etc. are all equally in all the three Persons as equally possessing the Divine Being.  
5. They are the peculiar properties of 
Rom: 16. 27. Matth. 19 17. 1 Tim 6. 15.  God possessed by him alone, God is only wise: He alone is God and King of Kings.  
6. All these Attributes are affirmed and spoken of God as truly in the abstract, as in the Concrete, God is not only merciful, but Mercy itself; he is 
Attributa Dei sunt ipsissima Dei essentia. 1 John 1. 5. & 4 18. Joh 8. 12. 7.  wisdom itself, light, life, and glory itself: this cannot be spoken of any Creature whatsoever. God is goodness and truth itself, he is so light that in him there is no darkness.  
7. Those Attributes that are in some respect communicable to the Creatures, they are in God principally and originally; in the Creatures secondarily and by participation, as wisdom, mercy, and holiness, etc. whatsoever is good in the Creatures, it is first in God as the Fountain, 'tis in the Creatures, but as in the Cistern.  
2. This Excellency is in God most eminently, Infinitely above all degree and measure.  
8. The Attributes of God are all Eternal, 
Psal. 105. 8. Jam. 1. 17. Psal. 136. 1. & 100 5. Psal. 117: 2: Num. 23. 10.  Infinite, Unchangeable, and Immeasurable, his Attributes are not mutable Accidents, but his very Essence; they are Infinitely in God at one time as well as another, his love and mercy are like himself Infinite and Immutable.  
9 The Attributes and Excellencies of God admit no intrinsical intention or extension, augmentation, or diminunition in themselves; though God may 
Non recipiunt magis & minus  manifest more of his power, grace, and mercy in one external work, then in another, more to one Creature then to another.  
10. There is no priority in the divine Attributes themselves, but only in regard 
In seipsis non admittunt prius aut posterius. In God's external works some one attribute may have the pre-eminence as power in creation. Rom. 1. 19, 20. Mercy in the glorious work of redemption.  of us, for all these Attributes are one divine Essence.  
11. The Attributes of God are not contrary one to another, but have the sweetest harmony among themselves, yet in their effects and operations Justice and Mercy are contrary, Mercy pardons and spares; Justice punisheth, and condemns sinners.  
12: In the attribution of any essential perfection or property to God; there must be an abstraction and removing of all imperfection that accompanies such like properties in the Creatures, and the perfection thereof must be conceived with the greatest height of Eminency and Excellency in him: All wisdom and power, all grace and holiness, all sweetness of affections they are in God, and from him, and the way whereby we come to conceive these glorious properties which be in God, is,  
1. By feeling the power and comfort thereof in ourselves.  
2. By observing those Excellencies in their measure to be in the best of Creatures, whence we arise to apprehend and take notice of what grace and love, what wisdom and strength, what mercy and goodness, etc. is in God by the beams of these that we see in the Creatures; for whatsoever is excellent in the Creatures, is first in God, it is in the Creatures by participation and derivation.  
3. By God's manifestation of himself to us by those properties in the Scriptures, and this is the surest, nearest, and clearest way whereby we attain to right conceptions and apprehensions of Gods glorious Being. But now in the attributing of any of those perfections or affections to God, that are in any sort communicable to the Creatures, we must carefully mind these two Rules.  
1. There must be in our thoughts an abstracting of all imperfections that are incident to the Creatures, as for example. Mercy is in God and it is in men; now in conceiving mercy to be in God, we must abstract all the Imperfections which accompany mercy as 'tis in us, mercy as 'tis found in man cannot be ascribed unto God: There are certain acts of mercy in man that cannot be affirmed to God; mercy as 'tis in man hath these three eminent internal acts.  
1. The first is Condolency, when a man hath an inward sense of another's misery and is afflicted in the sense thereof, this is called Compassion.  
2. The second act is a Velleity, to relieve those that are in misery, though men may want power to do it, neither of these acts can agree to the mercy of God.  
1. Condolency cannot be in God, for where there is no passion there can be no compassion properly: this affection is inconsistent with men, glorified in Heaven.  
2. God is able to help whom soever he will; mercy is in men with deliberation, not so in God.  
3. A third act of mercy is an absolute will, of relieving the miserable, and this is granted to be in God: we do highly dishonour God, and make him an Idol, if we conceive any affection or virtue to be in God as it is in the Creatures.  
2. Whatsoever virtue or excellency we ascribe unto God, we must conceive 
Rule 2.  it to be in him in the Superlative transcendency of perfection and plenitude that is peculiar to a God; for those Excellencies are in God Immediately and Infinitely, the sparks whereof only appears in us.  
13. The essential properties of God are not really distinguished among 
Esa. 43. 25. Non distinguntur re, sed ratione.  themselves, nor from his Essence: God's mercy is himself, and not different from his Essence. All the Attributes of God are one Act in God.  
14. Those Attributes that do formally include any thing peculiarly proper to the Divine Essence, are altogether Incommunicable, as Omniscience, Omni-potency, Omni-presence, Immensity and such like.  
The Image of God's wisdom, holiness, mercy is communicable, and is implanted in the Saints: but there is no similitude of God's Omni▪ potency, Immensity, Omni-presence that can be communicated to Angels or men; these are Incommunicable Properties, and agree to God alone.  
2. All the Attributes of God considered in themselves, and as they are in God, are altogether Incommunicable, for they are his Essence itself, thus God is only wise; yet they are rightly divided into Incommunicable and Communicable, because some of them do imprint their Image on the Creature, as wisdom, goodness, righteousness, etc. in which respect only (as I conceive) they are called Communicable.  
15. Those divine Attributes that are said to be communicated to the Creatures, they agree to them by way of analogy or likeness, and yet these attributes as they are in God, differ infinitely from those properties that are given to Angels and men: those properties as they are in God are most perfect, infinite, unchangeable, they are the Divine Essence itself, and therefore in reality are all one: but in Angels and men these properties are finite; imperfect and changeable, mere qualities and divers, they receiving them by participation only.  
16. The Divine Attributes are not multiplied in the persons of the glorious Trinity, for as there is one Essence of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, so there is also one Eternity, one Omnipotency, one Omniscience, Immutability, etc. The Father is Eternal, Almighty, most Holy, merciful omniscient, so is the Son and the Holy Spirit: therefore though the Father be Omnipotent, and the Son Omnipotent, and the Holy Spirit Omnipotent, yet there are not three Omnipotents, but these three are One Almighty God.  
17. God in himself is an Essence Spiritual, invisible, most simple, infinite, immutable, incorporeal, self-sufficient, etc. to us he is all-sufficient, gracious, merciful, abundant in goodness and truth, righteous, long-suffering, etc. Thus we must conceive of him.  
1 Some Attributes declare Gods own sufficiency, thus he is said to be all-powerfull, infinite, eternal, unchangeable.  
2. Others declare his Efficiency, as the working of his power, Justice, Goodness in, and upon the creatures; thus he is said to be righteous, merciful, and patiented.  
Object.  
The Scriptures declare and speak God to be a Spiritual Incorporeal Essence, and not as man, and yet they attribute to God members, and humane senses and affections, as hands, arms, eyes, ears, etc. Now the greatest difficulty is to have right thoughts and conceptions of God in respect of these Attributes▪ that we may not by any undue thought turn him into an Idol.  
Answ. For the regulating and rectifying of our thoughts and apprehensions about these Tropical Attributes that are spoken of God in Scriptures, we must know, 1. That there are divers Attributes that are ascribed unto God Tropically by way of Figure, not properly, these are called figurative Attributes. 2. In these figurative Attributes 
Metaphoricae attributa Dei sunt quae proprie quidem sunt rerum creatarum, at Deo per metaphoram seu similitudinem tribuuntur. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est metaphora, qua, ea quae hominum sunt, Deo per similitudinem tribuuntur.  we must especial mind and study those that are Metaphorical.  
Quest. What are these Metaphorical Attributes of God.  
Answ. They are those that belong to things created properly, but they are spoken of God by a Metaphor or Similitude; for the Scriptures often speaks of God according to our capacity: of these some are taken from men, some from other Creatures. Those Attributes that are taken from men, are said to be ascribed to God, by Anthropomorphosis, or Anthropopatheia, which is a Metaphor whereby those things that are proper to men, are attributed unto God by similitude; for properly God (being a Spirit Infinite and Incomprehensible) hath neither face, nor eyes, nor hands, nor any such thing, but these things are spoken of God after the manner of men: and thus the parts of man, his members, senses, affections, actions, 
Levit. 26. 11. Esa. 1. 14. Jer. 5. 29. Amos 6. 8. Psal. 11. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 job 23.  subjects and adjuncts are attributed to God.  
1. A Soul, which is an essential part of man, is ascribed to God, Job 23. 13. We must not conceive that God is like unto man, as if he had a Soul and Body as man hath; for God is one simple spiritual Being:  
1. The Soul of God is put for God himself, Jer. 6. 8. When God's Soul departeth from men, he forsakes them fully and for ever; a man may departed from his friend in respect of bodily presence, and yet his soul may be still with him, but when he departs from him in his soul, he forsakes him totally and finally.  
2. The Soul of God signifies height and intensiveness of affections, as when God's Soul hateth wicked men and their performances, it signifies his rejection 
Psal. 11. 5. Esa. 1. 14.  of them with the highest hatred, and abhorrency.  
3. God's rejoicing to do good to his people with all his Soul, is his showing mercy to them with the greatest height, fullness and freeness of Fatherly love and complacency.  
2. The members of the body are attributed to God, as Head, Face, Heart, etc.  
1. By the Head of God, the Scripture understands the Essence of the Deity itself which is above all things, and whereunto all things are subject, 1 Cor. 11. 3. 
Dan. 7. 9 1 Cor. 11. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pater scilicet. Phil. 2. 6. 7. 8.  God is said to be the Head of Christ, whereby we may conceive this Mystery, that Christ was subject to God, so far as in our flesh, he subjected himself to God the Father: For as the Son of God is of one Essence with the Father, he is equal with him.  
God the Father is the Head of Christ.  
1. In respect of his humane nature, in 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pater Christi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mediatorisque personam sustinentis caput est.  which regard the Father is said to be greater than he, Joh. 14. 28.  
2. In respect of his Office, as sustaining the person of a Mediator.  
2. The Face of God signifies that Divine strength, grace, and mercy whereby 
Psal. 27. 8.  Gods manifesteth himself and is known by his people, as we by the face are known to others; the face is that whereby one man is known from another in respect of his person, Gal. 1. 21. I was unknown by face unto the Churches.  
2. God's face is his favour and good will in the manifestation thereof, Dan. 9 
Psal. 4 6.  17. this is called the shining of God's face upon his people, Psal. 80. 3. 19 Psal. 31. 16.  
3. The face of God signifies his presence in his Church and public Ordinances, wherein the faithful have the Vision and Communication of God, 
1 Sam. 29. 19 Ionas 1. 3. Psal. 51. 11.  Gen. 4. 14. 16. From thy face shall I be absent, or banished.  
4. It signifies Comfort flowing from the manifestation of God's favour, Psal. 69. 17. Hid not thy face from thy Servant, for I am in trouble, shine upon me and comfort me, Psal. 31. 16.  
5. The face of the Lord signifies open 
Levit. 17. 10. & 26. Gen. 32. 20. Lam. 4 16. Jer. 3. 13. Psal. 21. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  anger; the face showeth forth favour or wrath, pleasure or displeasure, 1 Pet. 3. 12. The face of the Lord is upon them that do evil. Psal. 34. Psal. 21. 10. In the time of thy face, that is, of thine anger, as the Chaldee Paraphrast explains it, Ezek. 15. 7.  
6. God's face is his glory, as it is in the perfection of it, Exod. 33. 20. 23. It is the Glory and Majesty of the Divine Essence as it is in itself, which cannot be seen by the eye of man's understanding, because the mind of m●n cannot comprehend God who is Incomprehensible, Job 11. 7. 1 Tim. 6. 16.  
R. Menachem well interprets that 
Exod. 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Text, saith he, Observe how he saith not, my face thou shalt not see, but shall not be seen, as if he should say, There is no power in any Creature to comprehend it.  
3. Eyes are attributed to God, whereby we must conceive. 1. His merciful, mighty, and watchful providence, Psal, 34. 15. 2 Chron. 16. 9 God's eyeing of his Children is not a bare intuition, but a putting forth of his strength to help and assist them, and to resist their Enemies. 2. The knowledge of God is Omniscience, Prov. 15. 3. God's eye is in every 
2 Chron. 36. 12 Psal. 11. 4.  place to behold good and evil. He knoweth all things most clearly as if he beheld them with eyes.  
4. The Apple of his Eye signifies that, that is most dear and precious to God, Psal. 17. 8. Zach. 2. 8. every part of a man's Eye is most tender, and is kept 
Deut. 32. 10. Apple of his eye or the black (the sight) of his eye.  most diligently, but the apple of the eye, or the sight of the eye which is the eye & light of the eye its self, is kept with the chiefest care: Hereby we must conceive the tender love of God, and his exceeding great care of his people.  
5. The Ear of God signifies 1. His infinite knowledge of all things, as if heard all things with the Eare. 2. His 
Psal. 34: 16. Psal. 1 16. 2. & 94 9 Psal. 31. 3.  readiness to heat and grant the request of his people.  
6. The Mouth of God, is God himself revealing and opening his will to men, Isa. 40. 5. 2. The Lord Christ the glorious 
Thus August. Gen: 45. 12. compare with Gen. 4●. 23. Josh. 9: 14 Jer. 39 17.  Son of God, who reveals and manifests God and his mind, and will to us, Joh. 1. 18. Matth. 11. 26. 27. The mouth is the Declarer and Interpreter of man's mind. Interpreter is opposed to mouth, for an Interpreter is another man's mouth Exod. 4. 16. by mouth there the Chaldee understands an Interpreter. The mouth, of Jehovah is the Oracle, or answer of God.  
7. His Nose signifies fury kindled.  
8. By the hand of God we must conceive,  
1. His eternal and effectual purpose concerning all things to be done, Act 4. 28. Whatsoever thine hand and thy council determined to be done. 
Psal. 10. 12. Psal. 118. 16. Dan. 4. 3. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 32 4   
2. God's mighty power working all things according to his purpose, Act. 4. 30. Mark 6. 2. the hand is a type of strength.  
3. Divine Judgements inflicted on men, as Act: 13. 11. Paul speaking to Elymas, saith, The hand of the Lord shall be upon thee and thou shalt be blind. Jug. 2. 15. God hath protecting and blessing hands. 2. Correcting hands. 13. Revenging hands, to fall into these is fearful.  
4. The spirit and gift of Prophecy. Ezek. 1. 3. The hand of the Lord was there upon 
Ezek. 37. 1.  me. When God comes upon the Sons of men by the power of his Spirit, overpowering them, and stirring up their Spirits to Prophesy, raising their Spirits to see Divine Mysteries, and removing all Impediments that might hinder them in Gods Work.  
5. The Spirit of strength and fortitude: The hand of the Lord was upon Elias: 1 King. 18. 46.  
9 By the Arm of God we must conceive the greatness of his power, manifested 
Luk: 1. 51. Exod. 6. 6.  either for the saving of his people, or destroying of his Enemies, Psal. 93. 13. Mighty is thine Arm, 1 King. 8. 42.  
●. His mighty power working in the Gospel, Isa. 53. 1.  
10. The Right hand of God signifies, 1. His Glory, Might, and Majesty. 2. 
Psal. 110. 1. Psal. 118. 15, 16.  His Power working graciously.  
11. The Finger of God is the Holy Spirit, who is the finger and power whereby all great works are wrought, 
Luk, 1. 33.  Luk. 11. 20. compared with Matth. 12. 28.  
12. By the Heart of God is understood, 1. The Decree of God, Jer. 19 5. 2. His good pleasure and approbation. David was a man according to God's heart.  
13. His Feet signifies power and 
Psal. 110. 1. Exod. 33. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  strength, or the presence of God.  
14. By the Backparts, or after-parts of God may be understood an imperfect Image of the Glory of God, such as man is able to behold in this life, where we see through a Glass darkly. 'tis opposed to the state which is to come, when we shall see face to face, 1 Cor. 13. 12. 
Isa. 52. 8.  And 'tis spoken of God after the manner of men; for properly (he being a Spirit and incomprehensible) hath neither Face, nor Backparts.  
2. Senses are attributed to God, these 
Humane Senses.  are internal, or external.  
1. Internal as Memory, or Remembrance, Psal. 25. 6. Gen. 8. 1. By this remembering which is spoken of God, we must conceive; 1. His gracious acceptation, Psal. 20. 4. Let him remember all 
Levit. 9 24. 1 King. 18. 28.  thy Offerings, and turn thy  Offerings into ashes: That is, accept of them. 2. His performing mercy promised, Levit. 26. 42. I will remember my Covenant, Exod. 6. 5. 6. Luk. 17. 2. God's remembering his holy Covenant, is his performing the mercy of the Covenant: So our remembering of God's Precepts is expounded, to do them, Psal. 103. 18.  
3. His special Acts of Grace and Mercy. God is said to remember us, when he hears, helps, strengtheners, saves, and delivers us, Psal. 106. 4. Remember me 
Psal. 136. 23. Gen. 8. 1. & 30. 22.  with the favour thou bearest to thy people, visit me with thy Salvation. Judg. 16. 28. S●mson said. O Lord God I pray thee remember me:— strengthen me, etc.  
4 Gods remembering imports his Judiciary Acts in punishing sinners, Psal. 
Revel. 18. 5. 1 Sam. 15. 2. Psal. 9 13. Esa. 49. 14.  137. 7. Remember O Lord the Children of Edom, and punish them.  
2. Forgetting is spoken of God, this signifies, 1. His long deferring to hear and help us in our Calamities, Psal. 13. 2. Psal. 10. 12. & 42. 10. 2. God is said to forget our Iniquities, when he doth 
Jer. 31. 34.  not impute them to us, or bring forth judgement against us, but surely forgive 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hos: 4. 6. Expellam filios tuos Tharg: Jonathae.  us. 3. God's forgetting signifies his Rejection of men: Thus, he threatens to forget the Priest's Sons in Israel; that is, to cast them off from succeeding their Fathers in the Priesthood, and from common mercies.  
2. God cannot forget his elect people, so as to cast them out of his Fatherly love.  
2. Externall Senses are attributed to God, as seeing, hearing, smelling.  
1. Seeing is properly an Act of the bodily eye, and therefore cannot properly be attributed to God: for as he cannot be seen with a bodily eye, so he seethe not with a bodily eye.  
1. The sight of God is put for his most perfect plenary knowledge of all things; It is a spiritual intellectual sight, it is 
Gen: 31. 12. Prov: 15 3. Psal. 139. 15, 16. Act. 15. 18.  knowledge of men and their actings.  
2. It signifies his foreknowledge: God's sight is an eternal sight; he did never begin to see, for he had the vision and knowledge of all things from Eternity. 2. He never ceaseth to see what he hath once seen. 3. God beholds all things by one act of knowledge. 
Simul & semel Exod. 3. 7. Psal: 25: 18 Psal: 106. 44, 45. Gen. 29. 32. Psal. 31. 8. & 119. 153. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉   
3. His Seeing implieth a merciful Regard pitying and helping us in our misery, Deut. 26. 7. He saw our affliction: This seeing is a regarding with compassion, and so a Redress and help, Exod. 3. 7. Some of the Hebrews (as the Zohar upon Exod. 3. expound that place thus: 1. Seeing for the good of Israel, I have seen for vengeance upon those that oppress them. In this sense Zachary said at his death, The Lord see it and require it. 
2 Chron. 24. 22.   
2. God's hearing is his granting and fulfilling our desires, Joh. 9 31. Psal. 5. 2.  
3. By his smelling we must conceive his gracious approbation and acceptation 
Gen. 8. 21.  of his people's Sacrifices and Services in Christ.  
3. Humane affections are attributed to 
Humane affections.  God, as joy, grief, anger, zeal, & jealousy etc. The Scripture giveth to God joy, grief, anger, etc. not as any passions or contrary affections, they are not motions and perturbations in God as in men, for he is Immutable, there is not the least shadow of turning or trouble in God: but by a kind of similitude, because of his unchangeable Nature and Will, he doth such things as men do with these passions and changes of affections. 
Omnes affectus qui Deo tribuuntur sunt effectus  These affections are actions of God, which in some respect are like those actions of men which they do from these affections: all the affections that are attributed to God, we must conceive of them as Effects.  
1. God is said to Rejoice with his 
Esa. 65. 19 Joszeph 7. 17. Jer 32, 41. R. Mosseh Alchech & R: Moseh Albelia, &c: dicunt laetitiam in Deo uscari quod spiritum suum hominibus communicate: tristitiam quando privat eos hoc bono: In laetitia omnes spiritus vitales a co●de exiliunt ut objectum bonum percipiant; in tristitia introrsus se recipiunt, praesens malum fugientes.  people, and over them with joy. To rejoice to do good to them, when he gives them the graces and joys of his Spirit, when he conveys more of his holy Spirit to them, for that is called Gods rejoicing, when he communicates his Spirit: As when men rejoice greatly, all the vital Spirits go forth from the heart, that they may entertain the good Object presented.  
2. God is said to be grieved in his heart, when he depriveth men of the holy breathe, strive, and operations of his Spirit, Genes. 6. vers. 3. & 6. compared, as when men do grieve much, the vital Spirits return inwardly, flying from the present evil.  
3. Anger, if it be taken properly for a passion, so there is none with God. Fury is not with me, Isa: 27. 1. He is not where called an angry God, but slow to anger: Yet anger and fury are attributed to God, Ezek: 5. 13. & 16. 42. We may thus conceive of them.  
1. Anger, as it is in man, either for the material or formal part of it, cannot be given to God, who is free from 
Some say Ira is taken from Irae.  all such passions and perturbations as man's anger imports: when a man is angry, he goes out of himself and when he is pacified, he returns to himself, but God is unchangeable.  
2. Yet in a sense 'tis true, that anger is in God, that is an inclination and will to punish sin arising from his hatred of sin as his great Enemy: anger and fury are given to God as becomes a God, he is not as man to be angry and furious with perturbation or distemper; but he doth such Acts as do entitle him to fury and anger, yet without any change or imperfection.  
1. Anger is a will and desire in men to punish that which hath wronged them.  
2. Fury is the height of anger, when anger is boiled up to the height, 'tis called the Fury of anger.  
3. Anger and fury are given to God 
Esa: 22. 25. Deo furor & ira tribuitur cum ostendit factis, aliquid sibi displicere. River. Esa: ●7. 1.  when he manifests by his Actions that something displeaseth him, and especially when he punisheth men: they are effects from God, not affections in God.  
1. The anger of God is his decree of inflicting punishment upon sinners.  
2, Wrath is punishment itself inflicted 
Irasci dicitur cum paenam infligit. River. Ezek: 5. 13. In my zeal. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Thus the Septuagint render it, the Hebrew word signifies sometimes Zeal, sometimes Icalousie. Esa. 97.  or to be inflicted upon Offenders, Rom. 1. 18. & 2. 5. Matth. 3. 7. Ephes. 5. 6.  
4. Zeal is often ascribed to God in Scripture, as Esa 9 7. Zeal is the intention and strength of all holy affections: the Zeal of God is the ardent love of God, and great care that he manifests for his own Glory and the good of his Church, 2 King. 19 31.  
5. Jealousy is ascribed to God, Psal. 79. 5. And Jehovah hath declared himself 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  to be a jealous God, Exod: 20 5. Deut. 5. 9 Jealousy, is hot wrath, burning smoking anger, Psal: 79 47. Ezek: 36. 5. Deut: 29. 19 'tis the flame of Jah. Song. 8. 'tis God's fiery indignation; Jealousy is with great indignation and grief, 
Psal. 975. Jealousy is the rage of a man.  Numb: 25. 11. such as amounts to hatred and enmity, Isa: 59 17.  
1. God's Jealousy imports his taking men into Covenant to be his people:  
2. Their Revolt by Idolatry and other sins, violating their faith given to God.  
3. The jealousy of God upon it, who being greatly displeased, speaks and acteth 
Prov. 6. 34. Jer. 6. 15. & 10. 15.  dreadful Judgements, God's Indignation against Idolatry, is called Jealousy.  
2. The jealousy of God is his servant love to his people, and fiery Indignation 
Ezek. 38.  against their Enemies, as the Husband hath love to his wife, and hot anger against those that offer violence to her; this is a Jealousy.  
6. God's ha●red of men is, 1. A Negation of electing love: A decree of nonelection to life, or an inferior kind of love, which is hatred in comparison of his electing love, Mal: 1▪ 23. Rom: 9 13.  
2. It is a displacency, detestation, abomination, and aversation of things. 
Esa. 1. 14.   
3. It is the execution of the decree of punishing and destroying wicked men. 
Psal. 5. 6.   
7. Whence Repentance is spoken of 
Gen, 6. 6.  in Scripture.  
1. We must not conceive that Gods 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Post sapere, mutare mentem in melius.  repenting is like to man's repenting, 1. Sam: 15: 25. The strength of Israel will not repent, for he is not a man that he should repent, Numb: 23. 19: Repenting as 'tis in men, doth properly import a change of their mind and will from evil to better, upon an after-wisdom, an after-understanding. 2. It implies a perturbation and grief in their hearts, arising from the acknowledgement of their errors: this is man's repentance, but none of these Acts can be in God, who 
Jam. 1. 17. Mal. 36.  is Omniscient and unchangeable, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.  
2. Repentance is spoken of God Metaphorically, Gen: 6. 6. Amos 7. 3. Jer. 18. 8. Out of the abundance of his mercy 
Humanae capacitati aptiora quam divinae sublimitati, St. Aug. R. Mosseh & Doctus Aben. Ezra in similibus casibus semper utuntur his verbis. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  to help the weakness of our apprehensions; God condescends to the manner of humane expressions, retaining still the steadfastness of his own working which receives no variation nor difference from the contingencies of second causes: God speaketh according to our capacity, but he worketh according to his own Council, Ephes: 1. 11.  
The Learned Rabbins have an excellent Rule, that they always use in such like cases: the Law that is the Scripture speaks after the manner of men: That is, it accommodates its speeches to things corporeal and sensible, that so it may more clearly be understood.  
3. God is then said to repent, when 
Vbi legitur quod paeniteat Deum mutatio rerum significatur, immutabili manente praescientia divina, Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 17. cap. 7.  what he once willed to be, he after by the counsel of the same will, causeth not to be, therein not changing his own counsel, but only willing the change of the things, that the same thing for this period of time shall be, and then shall cease, so that the same will and counsel of God stand constant and unmoveable in the several mutations of those things that are wrought or removed by it, for nothing can possibly fall out in Gods ordering and observing all things that can make him more wise, more righteous, more powerful than he was before: he is unchangeable in his wisdom, and in the Council of his will.  
4. God's repenting is a change of the Work, his Decree abiding unchangeable, Gen: 6. 6. It it repent Jehovah that he he had made man on the earth. That is, He determined to destroy man whom ●e had formerly made: So 1 Sam: 15. 11. It reputes me that I have made Saul 
Ier: 18 8. Psal: 135: 14:  King. That is, I will un King Saul, whom I have made King formerly.  
5. The causes of this change are either men's sins or repentance, yet this change is decreed by God from Eternity, for God hath decreed both these to do a work, and then to change it again, or to undo it, according to the sins or repentance of men.  
This change of the work is called his 
Quando dicitur Deum paenitentia duci accipiendum est de effectu: Quemadmodum nos, quando alicujus rei paenitet abolemus id quod antea feceramus Menasseh Ben Israel:  repenting: for when God changeth his former works, and acteth in a contrary dispensation, he doth as men do, when it reputes them of any thing they destroy what before they have built up, and undo what before they have done: Thus God repenting pulls down what before he hath done, he disthrones Saul, and destroys the old World.  
6. God never changeth his mind though it be his mind to work many changes, he wills a change in the Creatures, but never changeth his own will.  
4. Humane Actions are ascribed to 
Humane Actions.  God, and these are both internal and external; as 1. Thinking of thoughts is attributed to God, Jer: 4. 28. & 29. 11. hereby is signified his decree, counsel, 
Esa. 14. 24.  and purpose, Psal: 33. 11. The thoughts of Jehovahs' heart shall stand for 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  ever: That is, his Counsels as 'tis there interpreted.  
2. God is said to lift up the light of his face, Psal: 4. 7. when he manifests his favour and goodness to his people in Christ, who is both the light, face, or 
Exod: 33. 14.  presence of God, Luk. 2: 32. and the Angel of his face, Esa: 63. 9 according to this phrase 'tis said, Psal: 16. 15. In the light of the King's face is life, and his favour is as a Cloud of the latter Rain.  
3. When God is said to have respect 
Gen: 4. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aspexit, Respexit intuitus est cum delectatione significat gestum, applicantis se ad rem gratam.  to the Faithful and their Offering, we may thus conceive that he approves, favoureth and accepts of them. jehovah had respect to Abel, and to his Offering, 1. with delight, as the Hebrew word implieth (and so one of the Greek Versions translates it) 2. With favourable acceptation, as the Chaldee Paraphrast explains it, Levit: 1. 3.  
4. God is said to hid his face: 1. When he declares his anger, Psal: 30. 8. 2. When he seemeth not to be affected with our miseries, Psal: 13. 2. 3. When he withdraws his favourable countenance and comfort, which the Chaldee expounds, the brightness of his face: When we have not the comfortable sight and sense of God's favour, it imports trouble and grief, Deut: 31. 17. Ezek: 39 23, 24 29.  
5. God is at the right hand of his 
Psal. 59 2. Act: 2. 25.  people, Psal: 16. 8. whereby we must conceive his powerful assistance and comfort, when his help and protection is present in all dangers and distress.  
6. He turneth himself to us, or returns, Zach: 1. 5. Psal: 6. 5. when he manifests himself favourable to us, removing the signs of his anger, diseases, war, etc. and restores a prosperous Estate.  
2. When he pardons and subdues our Iniquities, Micha 7. 19  
7. God is said to come to us, when he gives us a further manifestation of his favour and presence, and enlargement of grace and Heavenly comfort, joh. 14: 23. and vers. 18. I will not leave you comfortless, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  I will come to you. I will not leave you Orphans. Thus 'tis in the Original, which condition is usually comfortable, when God manifests himself as a Father, and filleth our Spirits with the diffusions of his love and comforts of his Spirit, he than comes to us.  
2. He makes his abode with us, when he confirms us in the perpetual confidence of his favour, Ioh: 14. 23.  
8. God is said to descend and ascend, Gen: 11. 7. & 18. 20. 21. These Phrases may seem to imply that God was not there before, that he is in Heaven and not on Earth. That we may have right apprehensions of God, we must know,  
1. That he doth not move from place to place, or change his place, who fills Heaven and Earth.  
2 These Scriptures speak of God after the manner of men, and do assure us, that God had a certain knowledge of these things, and of all that men do on Earth.  
3. God descends when he worketh some new thing on Earth that he had not done before: Thus the Son of God descends from Heaven, not by mutation of place, but by assumption of flesh and manifestation of himself therein.  
4. When God manifests that things done on Earth are not unknown to him.  
5. When he brings forth his power indeed, and shows himself to be near unto us, Ezod: 3. 8.  
9 God Returns to the high place, or to the height, when he doth as it were go up to the Throne of judgement, Psal: 7. 8. for Thrones were set on high, when 
1 King. 10. 19  he executes Judgement from Heaven upon sinners:  
10. Laughing is ascribed to God, Psal: 2. 4. Prov. 1. 26. When he is said to laugh at wicked men, it is to show these four things.  
1. How far he is from helping them.  
2. How easy 'tis to destroy them. 
Psal. 59 9 & Prov. 1. 26 28. compared Psal: 2: 4, 5. verses compared.   
3. It signifies his furious anger against them, even to the rooting of them out.  
4. That he whuld no more pity them in their greatest miseries, than men are wont to pity those at whose death they laugh and jest; Thus when God is said to laugh and deride his Enemies: it implies their dreadful punishment; it is spoken of God after the manner of men that he laugheth and is angry with sinners, and the like expressions; not that he hath such passions as men, O no, but because he doth such things as men use to do, when they are moved with such passions or affections, and as the Hebrew Doctors say, The Law speaks of God according to the language of the Sons of Adam.  
5. Humane Subjects are attributed to 
Humane Subjects.  God; as  
1: A Throne, Psal: 9 48. Esa: 6. 1. A Throne is a high Seat full of Majesty and Glory, fit for Kings and Judges to 
Revel. 4. 10.  sit in, 1 King. 10 13. 19  
2. It signifies Kingdoms and Dominions, Dan. 9: 7. By the Throne of God we may conceive these three things.  
1. Divine Majesty and the Kingly power of God, who is King of Kings.  
2. Triumphant glory.  
3. Judiciary power, Psal. 9 4. Thou sattest in the Throne judging right. God's 
Revel. 20. 11, 12.  sitting upon a Throne is a representation of his imperial Glory, Power and Judiciary Majesty, 2 Chron. 18. 18. Thrones are not for standing, but sitting, 1 King. 2. 12. and Chapter 22. 10.  
2. A Footstool is attributed to God, Psal. 110. 1. This holds forth the absolute power and dominion that he hath over his Creatures.  
2. Things are under the feet of the Lord Christ as a Footstool two ways:  
1. By way of subjection as Servants unto him, and thus Angels and Authorities and Powers are made subject to him, Ephes: 1. 21, 22, 1 Pet: 5. 22.  
2. By way of Victory and insultation, and so all the Enemies of Christ are put under his feet, which is the most proper way; for the Members of Christ are indeed under the Head, the Sheep of Christ are in his Hands, and the Lambs 
Joh. 1. 10. 28:  of Christ are in his arms and bosom, but the Enemies of Christ are under his 
Esa. 40. 11.  feet to be trampled upon, till their blood be squeezed out.  
6. Humane Adjuncts are attributed to 
6. Humane Adjuncts.  God, he is said to rest and to be wearied, to sit, to be exalted and sanctified, etc.  
Now we must be wise and wary how we conceive of these Metaphorical Attributes, for if we frame any conception of God, that is not suitable to his Spiritual Being, we are guilty of the highest Idolatry in our thoughts.  
1. God is said to rest the seventh day, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quievit cessavit.  Gen. 2. 2. He Sabathised, that is kept Sabath, for of this Hebrew Shabath, it is called the Sabath, or Rest-day.  
We must not conceive that God was wearied with any labour, for he worketh without labour, but that from that 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sabbathum cessatio, requies, Buxtorf. Quies non est vera motus privatio, sed finis seu pe●fectio persecti.  day, God rested or ceased from making more kind of creatures; & that besides those that he had made on the six days, he did not create any new kinds, Exod. 20. 7. Heb. 4. 5 though as touching the preserving, ordering and governing of the world, the Father worketh hitherto and Christ worketh, joh. 5, 17.  
1. This resting is spoken of God after the manner of men, and implies not any weariness in him, for the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary, Isa. 40. 28.  
2. God's Sabbath was also his rejoicing in his glorious works, and this the 
Psal. 104. 31.  Chaldee Paraphrast observes here, saying, and God delighted the seventh day in his works that he had made, and rested.  
2. God is said to be exalted, when his height of glorious excellency, might 
Exod. 15 2. Psal. 34 3. Psal. 30. 2. and 118. 28. Psal. 145 1. Isa. 25. 1: and 30. 18.  and Majesty is manifested to us.  
2. When God is in our thoughts, inclinations, and affections, as he is in himself most high.  
We must not think that God can receive any exaltation from his creatures; he is infinitely above all our exaltings and extolling, men are then said to be exalted, when they are lifted up from a low degree to a height of honour, power and authority, but the Lord God hath 
2 Sam. 5. 12. Psal. 89: 19  the highest height of all honour, power and excellency, of, and from, and in himself: but now when we set up the will of God, as the only Rule of all our actings; his honour as the only end of all we do; the power of his might, as our only strength, then are we said to exalt God.  
3. God is said to sanctify himself, and to be sanctified by men, he doth sanctify 
Ezech. 38 23. Levit. 10: 3. 1 Pet. 3: 15: Isa. 8. 13, 14. Ezek: 28: ●2.  himself, when he manifesteth his omniscience, power, righteousness and holiness in the eyes of men, and thereby freeth himself from those blasphemous aspersions and imputations that are cast upon him by evil men, sinners do conceive that God is like to themselves, that he seethe not Psal. 10. that he hath 
Psal. 50. 21. Ezek. 8 12. Psal. 10. 13.  forsaken the earth, that he will require no account of them, they think that he cannot do much for them, or against them, that it is in vain to serve him.  
Now when God graciously accepts, 
Mal 3.  and openly rewardeth his own servants, and when he punisheth them 
Ezek. 20. 41.  that transgress with visible judgements Jehovah then declares that he is a 
Ezech: 20. 41.  powerful, all knowing, righteous, Holy, God, and thereby takes off all those reproachful imputations, which sinners blasphemously cast upon him, Ezek. 28. 22. They shall know that I am Jehovah, when I shall have executed judgements in her, and shall be sanctified in her, Ezek. 38. 16. 23. our God is known to be Jehovah, a God who gives being to his threats & promises in his executing judgement, men 
Psal. 9  are thereby drawn to confess, that Jehovah is a holy God, as those did, 1 Sam. 6. 20.  
2. The Holy God is sanctified of men, when they acknowledge his infinite holiness, by fearing him in their hearts, and framing all their thoughts and 
1 Pet. 3. 4. 15.  ways by divine Rules, as in his sight.  
4. God's holy name is said to be polluted or profaned by men. Ezek. 36. 20. 21. when they speak any thing that strikes through any of God's glorious excellencies, as that he takes no notice of men's works, that he regards not his people, that there is no ruling providence in the world, etc.  
2. When men do that which may occasion the enemies to blaspheme God's name, truth, and ways.  
5. God is said to be justified by men, 
Math. 11. 19  Luke 7. 29. When he is acknowledged to be righteous, gracious, merciful, abundant in goodness and truth.  
6: Gods sitting in the heavens, And on a 
Psal. 2: 4. Ps. 15. 2. 11: 12 2 Chr. 18. 18. Esa. 6. 1. Dan. 7. 1. Rev. 20. 11.  Throne, Ps. 9 5. 8. signifies both Kingly authority; and the acting or executing thereof.  
2. His high exaltation and reigning over all creatures.  
7. The all glorious God is said to be glorified by men, John 15. 8. Psalm 50. Math. 5. 1 Pet. 4. 11. when they acknowledge his glorious excellencies in their hearts, words, and ways: we must not conceive that men or Angels are able to make the least addition or augmentation of God's essential glory, by all their services, all the glory that we can give unto God, is to acknowledge him to be, as he is in himself, and in his actings of grace, and mercy towards us.  
8 God is said to be comforted, Ezek. 5. 13. when judgements are fully executed, and his own justice satisfied.  
9 God is said to be wearied when he hates and rejects any thing, as a man who is weary with bearing a burden, casts it off.  
10. He is said to sleep, Psal. 44. 24. when according to the sense and apprehension 
Esa. 1, 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●●●●ssus fuit 〈◊〉 teste Kimchi, ad fa●g●tionem cog●●●●●onum in ●●●us quas quis ●a●●●dit.  of the fleshly part in men, he comes slowly to relieve those that are in extremity of sufferings: these things are spoken of God after the manner of men, for properly, he that keepeth Israel slumbreth not nor sleepeth, Psalm 124, 4.  
11. God is said to be silent, when he seemeth to us not to hear our Prayers, 
Psal. 28. 1.  when he ceaseth to speak to us and answer us:  
These attributes are taken from man: there are others that are taken from other creatures; As I wings are attributed to God; whereby we must conceive his protection and defence of his people whom he gathers and hides under the wings of salvation (as a bird doth cherish 
Deut. 32. 11. R●●h ●. 12 Psal. 17. 8. Psal. 9●. 4 Exod. 19 4. Thus the Greek and Chaldee here translates it.  and shelter her young ones under her wings) and protects them from the snares of the devil and evil men.  
He beareth them, as upon eagle's wings Exod. 19 4. the eagle flying high, her young ones being on her wings, are safe from all danger.  
2. The protecting, refreshing mercy 
Psal. 91. 10: 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  of God, is compared to a shadow, the Saints do lodge in the shadow of the Almighty in the shadow of the clouds, of the glory of the Almighty. as the Chaldee 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  explain it, in his protection, as the Greek saith : shadow is often used for defence, and protection, as Psal. 121. 5. Jehovah is thy keeper, Jehovah is thy shadow, Isa. 51. 16. and 49. 2. as the shadow of a great tree, protects from the beams and smiting heat of the Sun: so doth the Omnipotent protect his people from the fiery assaules of the devil, and hurting power of outward evils.  
2 Jehovah is their shadow of strength, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  shadow is sometimes taken for strength, as Numb. 14. 9 Their shadow is departed from them, that is, their strength, as the Chaldee expounds it, so in Isa. 30. 2.  
3. By the way and paths of God, we must conceive the acts of his providence 
Psal. 77. 20. Psal. 103. 7. job 40. 14. Psal 25 10.  whereby he order, governs, and disposeth all things: these are the ways wherein God walketh, ways of mercy and ways of judgement, works of justice, and works of grace.  
4. Divers names are given to God by 
Psal. 31. 3. Psal. 41. 2.  a Metaphor or similitude,  
1. He is called a tower, a fortress, or munition, a strong hold to flee unto, when a man is chased and in danger: a high Defence, a refuge, Ps. 18. 3. for as in high fortified towers, men are in safety above the reach of their enemies: so in the powerful protection of God, we are safe and secure from the hurting power of all enemies and evils.  
2. He is called the Horn of our salvation. 2 Sam. 23. 3. that is, the power that defends and saveth us, as horns are a 
Psal. 18. 3. Amos 6. 13. Hab. 3 4. Luke 1. 69. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  defence to wild beasts, a horn signifies power and glory, Psal. 92. 11.  
3. A Rock. Psal. 18. 3. Jehovah my rock my rock, God is often called a rock, a rock of habitation, a rock whereto his people may fly, and there dwell safe.  
4. A shield, Psal. 3. 4. a shield about me, or for me, that is, a protector, a defender to us, a shield round about us. 
Psal. 144. 2. Gen. 15. 1. Deut. 33. 29. Psal. 84. 12.   
5. God is called a strong habitation, Psa. 71. 3. a dwelling place to his people, Psal. 90. 1. so that as a man's house is a place of safety, security and rest, wherein he resteth, and refresheth himself after his travels and labours: so God is the safety & resting place of his people, in his love and mercy, they do sweetly solace, satiate and secure themselves continually.  
Thus I have given you divers directions how to conceive rightly & Spiritually of God. 1. In his proper attributes that are essential to him. 2. In his Metaphorical attributes, which are spoken of God by way of similitude, and after the manner of men, that so we may not fall into thought-Idolatry, by undue thoughts and misconceivings of God, whereby we turn him into an idol of our own fancy.  
2. Men do act idolatry in their thoughts, by setting up in their thoughts an idol of their own brain, in the place of the true God: this is done two ways.  
1 When they think and imagine some other thing besides the true God to be their chiefest good: thus voluptuous men imagine sensual carnal pleasures to be the best thing, Phil. 3. 19 Covetous men apprehend earthly riches to be the best good, as is evident, Psal. 4. 7 Their desires are most strangely carried after 
Covetousness is called idolatry. Col 3. 9 Affection follows opinion, and that which a man affects most, he must needs think best of, Perkins.  earthly goods: whatsoever men do chief desire: that they conceive to be the chiefest good, that which is chiefest in their affections, is chiefest in their apprehensions.  
2. When the stream of men's thoughts runs freely and fully into this present world, and the main things thereof, when they spend the strength of their thoughts more upon the creature, than upon the Creator, more upon earth than heaven, they are hereby guilty of idolatry, by setting up the creature in the place of God in their thoughts, whatsoever it is, upon which we commonly bestow our first waking thoughts, and the chief of ●ur day thoughts, especially in our vacant hours, that is our god.  
3. The third evil thought, which proceeds out of the heart of men, is a blaspheming thought: now the blasphemies which run through man's corrupt mind, are exceeding many and monstrous; but there are four special thoughts of blasphemy, which do possess the hearts of carnal men.  
1. They think the Gospel of Christ to be foolishness, 1 Cor. 1. 21. 23. the Gospel in itself is divine Wisdom; but in the thoughts of the unbelieving Grecians and other Gentiles, it was foolishness.  
1. That salvation is preached by Christ crucified, life by his death, this the world conceives to be a foolish thing.  
2: That salvation is communicated by preaching, this they think is more foolish.  
3. That faith is dispersed by so simple and low a way of preaching, this they conceive to be most foolish. Natural men have vile thoughts of the spiritual mysteries of the Gospel, as that the eternal God should become man in time; that Christ by death should free men from death, & by his poverty make them rich that men must accuse, abhor and condemn themselves, and look for all life, righteousness and acceptance from Christ; that they must be nothing in themselves, and all in another: that when they are weak in themselves, than they are strong: that men should be as having nothing, and yet possess all things, that they must be fools, that they may be wise, that men of years must be born again, etc. carnal men conceive 
John 3 4.  these to be foolish notions, yea they are foolishness unto them, Cor. 2: 14.  
2. A second blaspemous thought which possesseth corrupt minds, is this, that the law of God is falsehood, the truths of the Gospel which do contradict their carnal reason, men conceive to be foolishness and the threat of the Law that do cross and curse their corrupt affections they imagine to be untruths, words that shall never take hold upon them:  
That sinners are possessed with such wicked thoughts against the Law is evident.  
1. Because they are apt to bless themselves in their thoughts, against the threats and terrors of the Law, saying in their hearts, that they shall have peace, notwithstanding they continue in their evil ways, that no evil shall come upon 
Deu. 29. 19 20 Micah 3. 11.  them.  
2. They deride and mock at the judgements denounced in the Law, as those presumptuous scoffers did, Isa. 5. 19 men that walk after their own lusts, do in their thoughts mock at Scripture promises 
2 Pet. 3. 3, 4:  and threaten, they think they are mere notions, that God intends no such matter, etc.  
3. Men come to the places where the word of God is opened, there they hear their personal pollutions discovered, and dreadful woes declared against them for their sins, punishment without end & beyond imagination but how few be there that tremble at God's word, and do turn from their iniquities, most men walk on in those ways, which the Scripture says, do lead to all miseries and woes. Now what is the reason that men are not affected and wrought upon at the hearing of the reproofs & threats of God's word; it is because their minds are filled with this blasphemous thought that there is no truth in these terrible threaten.  
3. A third blasphemous thought which prevails with sinners, is, that religion is nothing but State policy, that it is a politic device and design of prudent men to keep people in awe, to take up their studies, and thereby to keep them from sedition.  
4. Carnal men are possessed with this blasphemous thought, that the worship and service of God is vain and unprofitable, Job 21. 15. the wicked man is brought in, saying thus in his heart, what profit shall I have if I pray unto God? this also was the cursed conceit of the Jews, in the prophet Malachies time, 
Mal. 3. 14.  they are indicted for thus saying, It is a vain thing to serve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his Commandments?  
2. Yea this blasphemous thought may sometimes assault and captivate the servants of God: we find that precious man Asaph overtaken with this black thought, when he said, Certainly I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed mine hands in innocency, Psal. 73. 13. this wicked thought prevailed too much with Job in his passion, as appears by the charge that Elihu brings against 
Job 35. 3● and 34. 7. 9  him, thou hast said, what profiteth it thee, and what availeth it me to purge me from my sin; hereby it is manifest that there is in every man by corrupt nature a proneness to this thought of blasphemy:  
This abominable thought is apt to rise in the hearts of righteous men occasionally.  
As 1. In the prevailing of passion, and temptation.  
2. When they meet with great troubles, crosses, and discouragements in the world; for than they are apt to think of the prosperous estate of profane men, who perform no service to God, and yet in outward appearance may seem to be in better case than themselves at present, hereupon they begin to think what avails it us to walk precisely; but now there is a vast difference between the Saints and the sinner, in the manner of thinking and matter of the thought.  
1. Profane men speak it in their hearts proudly, purposely and presumptuously: but Asaph speaks it in a passion, and it is not his renewed part speaks it, but sin dwelling in him. Rom. 7. 17.  
2. Wicked men have base vile thoughts of God's service, they say it is a lying vanity, or vain falsehood, to serve God, as the Hebrew word Shau properly 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psai 73. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  signifies, Mal. 3. 14.  
But Asaph says in vain, without profit, in respect of my outward condition, have I ●ollowed after holiness and innocency.  
2. When the Saints are themselves, they have the highest thoughts of God's service, that it is most gainful and glorious.  
3. Godly men would serve God upon his command, though there were no gain, but godliness itself.  
If they can exalt God, this they think to be great gain, and carnal men have mercenary spirits, they cannot serve God without present profit.  
Who are those that do think the ser-service Quest. of God to be lying vanity?  
1. Those that constantly neglect personal Answer. and family prayer and praises, Morning and Evening.  
2. They have no care to teach their children and servants in the ways of God.  
3. Slightness and superficialness, coldness and carnality of affections in prayer, hearing God's word, etc. doth plainly declare, that men think it a vain thing to serve God, why do men labour so hard in their Trades and Callings, rising early, neglecting no opportunity, they apprehend that it is for their profit, therefore the neglect of holy duties, or carnal careless performance thereof, must needs proceed from this base thought, that there is no profit in the service of God. 
Job ●1: 15:   
4. A fourth grand evil thought, which proceeds out of the hearts of men, is a thought of diffidence and infidelity, there be divers thoughts of distrust wherewith believers are often overtaken.  
As 1. Unbelieving thoughts, in respect of God's forgiving mercy, we are apt to think with ourselves, can God pardon Rebels, such scarlet sinners as we are? can he accept of so unworthy wretches?  
2. In respect of giving, if God do not presently give in mercy upon our prayers, we are ready to think thus, God regards not our petitions, he hath forgotten to be merciful, he hath forsaken 
Psal. 77. 8, 9  us, he will not help us, etc.  
3. In respect of delivering mercy, when we are in the mount, and the sentence of death seemeth to be passed upon the means, how are our minds filled with thoughts of unbelief, can God deliver? can he prepare a table in the wilderness? 
Psal. 78: 19, 20  can he give water out of the Rock? Carnal Reason says it will not be, sense says it shall not be, distrust says it cannot be. These thoughts of unbelief, d●d sometimes overpower faithful David, as when he said in his 
1 Sam. 27. 1.  heart, I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul, and Psalm 116. 11. and Peter also, Matth. 14. 30. 31.  
4. In respect of Gods owning, accepting mercy, what thoughts of unbelief do often captivate the Saints, they are apt to think, surely, God is our enemy, we are not his children, we are hypocrites, castaways, we have no faith, no grace, &c this unbelieving thought took hold upon David Psal 31. 23. I said in my hastening away, I am cut down before 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  thine eyes. I am cut down like a dry tree, for the fire, I am cut off from thy favour: this is the import of the Hebrew text, the Greek translates it, I am cast away, these were the thoughts of Ionas, 
Jonah 2. 5.  in his affliction, I said I am expelled, driven away from before thy face, I am cast out of thy favour. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉   
5. In respect of continuing mercy, what thoughts of unbelief do overtake weak believers, they are apt to think, surely we shall not hold out to the end, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expulit.  we shall one day fall by the hand of such a lust or temptation, we shall faint in the day of trial.  
6. In respect of temporal mercies, what distrustful thoughts do rise in our hearts, as how shall we and ours be provided for, if trading, strength, friends should fail, what would become of us? we shall want ere we die, the disciples had these, or such like thoughts, we have left all, Parents, Trades, present Possessions to follow our Lord Jesus, and he is in a poor low estate and how shall we we be fed and clothed, we may come to lack necessaries: See how Christ reproves them for their distrustful doubting Thoughts, Matthew 6. Why are ye thoughtful, be not thoughfull 
Mat. 6. 25. 28. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  saying in your hearts, what shall we eat, etc.  
Take nothought, so one of our Translations reads it, but not properly for food and raiment, cannot be provided 
Luke 12. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Christian care.  without some thoughts.  
There is first, the thought of diligence, which puts us upon our duty.  
2. The thought of diffidence, which draws back our hearts from resting upon 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a doubtful carking care. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Solicit & anxie.  the promise.  
This thought of distrust concerning temporals hath two ill properties, which the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, so often used, here doth plainly import it is is distracting thought which divides man's mind into divers parts, casting this way, and that way, and the other way. Faith unites our thoughts. 
Cogito solicitudo est agritudo cum cogitation, saith Tully. Anxie, & cum su●●●a animi soll●●●tudine cogitare, Zanch.   
2. It is a disturbing anxious Thought which tears and tortures our hearts up-the rack of discontent.  
Quest.  
When do these unbelieving thoughts mainly assault the Saints, that so we knowing the hour of their coming, may watch and not be overtaken.  
Answer. There be four special times, wherein they are apt to assault us.  
1. In times of spiritual desertion when God withdraws the sensible sweet assurance of h●s favour, we are apt then to say in our hearts, as Asaph did, will the 
Psal. 77. 8, 9  Lord forsake for ever, and will he show favour no more? doth his mercy cease to Eternity, etc.  
2. In times of danger and passionate fears,, Psal. 31. 23. I said in my hastening away namely through amazement 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 20. 3. Psal. 48. 6.  or fear, as the word commonly intendeth in my trembling haste, the Greek calls it an ecstasy or trance, so Psal. 116. 11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
3. In times of deep affliction, temptation and trial: Job in his sufferings had a sharp conflict, with these thoughts of unbelief, when he complains that God 
Job 16. 9 12.  did hate him and gnash upon him, and as his enemy sharpen his eyes against him, etc.  
4 When pangs of death are upon men, Satan's last assaults are commonly the most violent.  
These thoughts of unbelief and doubting do greatly dishonour the glorious truth and mercy of God.  
2. They fill men's hearts with terror & trouble, discontent and discouragement.  
3. They lead to desperation, which is the height and depth of these thoughts of distrust, they are contrary and contradictory to a spirit of faith, which says to us, Christ is thine, he will never leave thee, etc. 
Gal 2. 20. ●ob 19 25.   
5. Out of the hearts of men proceed thoughts of disobedience against God.  
There is in all men by corrupt nature this rebellious thought, I will not acquaint myself with the ways of holiness, I will not walk in the path that is called holy, Job 21. 14, 15. sinners, are brought in speaking thus to God, depart from us, we will not the knowledge of thy ways. Who is the Almighty th●t we should serve him? this is yet more evident, in Jer. 6. 16. where Jehovah speaks thus to the Jews, si and in the ways and behold and ask for the old way, which is the good way and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls, but they said we will not walk in thy ways, surely, they durst not answer God thus obstinately with open mouths, but their thoughts speak it, impenitent sinners, say in their hearts, the Lord Christ shall 
Luke 19 14.  not reign over us, we will not walk in those precise paths that preachers press upon us. Men do manifest this disobedient thought in their practice, in that they sin against the light of God's word, and cast off those duties, that are so clearly commanded.  
6. Out of the heart of men proceed thoughts of injustice: these tend directly to the damage or hurt of our neighbour, in his name, body, estate, etc.  
1. Justice is a virtue whereby we are inclined to perform our duty to our neighbour, in thought, word and deed,  
2. The formal act of Justice, is to give every man his due, that which belongs unto him.  
3. The object of Justice, is our Neighbour, that is, every one that is, or possibly may be partakers of the same blessedness with us. Luke 10. 36, 37.  
4. This Justice is the sum and substance of the second Table.  
5. The Royal Law being spiritual, forbids and condemns not only unjust speeches, works and gestures, but also unjust thoughts of man against man, Zach, 7. 10. Let none of you think evil against his brother in your heart.  
Quest. What are those thoughts of unjustice, that men conceive against their neighbours?  
Answer. They are of five sorts.  
As first dishonouring thoughts.  
2. Murdering.  
3. Adulterous.  
4. Thievish.  
5. False accusing thoughts.  
1. The hearts of men by corrupt nature are full of dishonouring thoughts against those who are set over them, these are sins against the Fifth Commandment, the least contemptible unworthy 
* Mat. 5. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Raka legi semper ita scriptum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reka vel Rika & sonar vacuum, subaudi judicio, ratione & cerehro, vevitque a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod etiam Hebraice significal evacuare, Tremel Raka Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est interpret Hesychio, & Hyeronime, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vacuus vanus, & absque cerebro. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr vacuus, inanis, binc voxilla convi. two Syrerum, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vanus cerebro, vacuus, levis, Buxtorf. Juni●●.  thought against those that are in place over us, whether Magistrates, or Teachers or Parents, or Masters, or Husbands, is a breach of the Law of God, and a striking at the image of his authority.  
2. Vile reproachful thoughts against their neighbours, these are of three sorts.  
1. when we think despicably of them in respect of their outward state or stature.  
2. In respect of their gifts.  
3. In respect of their spiritual estate.  
1. * When we shall think thus with ourselves, such a man is a poor sneak a worm, a base contemptible fellow, in regard of me, a mere shrub, etc.  
2. When we have these or such like thoughts, such a man is far inferior to me in gifts and parts, he is no body, he is Raca an empty fellow; these are dishonouring thoughts condemned by the Law. Matth. 5. 22. Whosoever shall say to his brother Raca, shall be obnoxious to the Council, Raca is a Syriack word, a word of Reproach, it signifies a man that is empty of Judgement, wit and reason. Mat. 5. 22.  
By this Reproachful speech men draw great guilt upon themselves before the judgement seat of God, as any capital crime did in the Sanhedrim or great Council of the Jews.  
There were principally two kinds of Capital Judgements among the Jews, the first was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judgement, wherein 23 Judges did judge of the greater Capital causes, especially man slaughters.  
2. The other was the highest judgement of 71 Elders, called the Sanhedrim, 
Numb. 11, 16.  who judged of the greatest causes only, and it was wont to inflict four kinds of punishments on men condemned, Strangulation, Sword, Burning, Stoning. Maimony in Sanhedrim c. 1. s. 3. 4. 5. explaineth it thus there was in Israel, First a great Court (or Judgement-Hall) in the Sanctuary, and that was 
The Hebrews in their commonwealth continued their chiefest Senate in Jerusalem of 71 Elders, as Numb. 11 16. there were 70 and Moses the Prince.  called the great Synedrion, and their number was 71 as it is written, Gather to me 70 men, etc. And Moses was chief over them, as it is said, and let them stand there with thee, Numb. 11. 16. Lo here are 71. the greatest in wisdom among them all, they set him for head over them, and he was called the Prince in every place, and he stood in stead of Moses, moreover they set two judgement Halls, each of 
So they record in Talmud Bab. in sanhedrim. ch. 1. & Maimony in sanhedrim. c. 1. s. 3: 4, 5.  23 judges, the one at the door of the Court (of the Sanctuary) the other at the door of the mountain of the Temple, and in every City of Israel, wherein were 120 Fathers of Families or moe, they set a lesser Synedrion which sat in the gate of the City, as it is written, and establish judgement in the gate, Amos 5. 15. and their number was twenty three judges, if it were a City which had not 120 men in it, they set therein three judges, for there is no judgement Hall of less than three, etc.  
By this Text thus opened it is evident, that to think basely and reproachfully of our brethren, is a great sin, which makes us liable to the dreadful judgement of God, men first speak this Raca of their brother in their thoughts, before they speak it to their brother with their mouths.  
3. We are guilty of these dishonouring thoughts, in relation to men's spiritual estates, when we think thus, I am more holy and righteous than others, that these were the common thoughts of that Pharisee, Luke 18. is evident by his speeches; I am not as other 
Luke 18. 11.  men are, or as this Publican. I exceed all others in righteousness and strict walking, this Publican is a base fellow, far below me, he is a superlative sinner, he is thus and thus— this proud Pharisee thinks himself the chief Saint, more righteous than any man living, as his own words clearly import; I am not as the rest of men be, therefore 
Luke 18. 11.  he stands apart by himself praying, yea, every man by corrupt nature is apt to have low undervaluing Thoughts of others in comparison of themselves, therefore it is God's command, that eve-man in humility should think others more 
Phl. 2. 3, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  excellent than themselves, hereby giving us to understand, that we are apt through pride, to think ourselves more excellent than others.  
2. The hearts of men naturally are possessed with murdering thoughts against their Neighbours, either directly or by way of tendency, whereby they violate the sixth precept, these are,  
1. Unmerciful thoughts, when the object of mercy is before them, and a present opportunity of doing good, and yet they think thus in their hearts, I will not look upon this object, I will not distribute to him, I have many occasions of expenses, etc. Deut. 15. 9 Beware that there be not a wicked thought in thine heart and thine eye be evil toward thy poor brother, and thou givest not unto him, etc.  
What wicked murdering thought is this, that is here condemned? some such thought as this, I will not pity the poor, I will not give to him, I must provide for mine own, etc.  
This unmerciful thought shows itself in these two effects.  
1. An evil eye, when men turn away their face from their poor brethren, and will not cast a compassionate look on them.  
2. A niggardly hand, when they shut up their bounty, not distributing according to ability and opportunity, to such as are fit objects of mercy.  
2. men's hearts are full of cruel oppressing thoughts against the poor, which do produce oppressive overreaching deal, and grinding the face of the poor, etc. the spoil of the poor is in their houses. 
Isa. 3. 14, 15.   
2. The second murdering thought, which fills the hearts of sinners, are spiteful, hateful thoughts against the Saints: Carnal men being the seed of the old serpent are possessed with Cain-like 
Psal. 74.  thoughts of enmity against the holy seed of Christ.  
3. Men naturally are full of revengeful thoughts, which make their hearts a very slaughter-house: upon any real or imaginary wrong done to them, they are apt to think thus, I will be even with such an one, if ever occasion serve, I will do to him as he hath done to me: these thoughts of retaliation are expressly forbidden, Prov. 24: 28. 29. do not say, (in thine heart) as he hath done unto me, so will I do unto him, I will return unto the man according to his work.  
3 The hearts of carnal men are full of adulerous thoughts, whereby they transgress the seventh Commandment. The Law is spiritual and condemneth all thought-defilements, the Pharisees 
Rom 7. 14  restrained this precept to the outward act only, but the great Lawgiver expounds it more spiritually, and shows us, that there is a mental heart adultery, which men commit in their thoughts every unchaste inordinate thinking of a 
Mat. 5. 27, 28.  woman makes men guilty of adultery: therefore Job resolves that he would not 
Job 31.  think of a maid, men are apt to bless themselves with the Pharisee, that they 
Luke 18.  are no adulterers in their bodies, but they do not consider what a world of adultery 
2 Cor. 7. 1.  they commit in their thoughts.  
This thought filthiness doth exceedingly pollute men's spirits, and provoke God against them, Gen. 65, 6.  
2. These unclean thoughts are incendiaries, and bellows of adulterous affections, the begetters of unclean speeches, and actions: David's eyes first filled his heart with adulterous thoughts, 
2 Sam. 13. 2.  his thoughts fired his affections and brought forth the external act, which cost him broken bones. 
Psal: 51:   
3. These wanton, unclean thoughts, being lodged, do make the hearts of men a filthy Stews, a very hell upon earth, a house furnished and fitted for all unclean spirits to enter in, and dwell there.  
4. The minds of men by corrupt nature are possessed with thievish defrauding thoughts against their neighbours, which are sins against the eighth precept, they think and devise how they may overreach and beguile those with whom they trade, and go beyond them in bargaining; how they may make the Ephah small, and the shekel great, how they may raise the price of their commodities, and lessen their measures, and use deceit in weights, let such remember. 
Amos 8 5.   
1. That God is the avenger of such rhoughts and practices.  
2. That these defrauding thoughts make men's hearts a den of thiefs.  
5. The hearts of men naturally are exceeding prone to false accusing thoughts, concerning the persons and practices of their neighbour, whereby they are offenders against the Ninth Commandment. Men are guilty of these false accusing thoughts two ways.  
1. When they think and conceive persons to be ungodly and hypocritical, who are indeed true hearted Saints, which is a condemning the righteous in their thoughts. Thus Eli had false thoughts of praying-perplexed Hannah, when the Apostles were filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and spoke 
1 Sam 1. 13, 14, 15.  strange tongues, the ill affected Jews thought them to be full of new wine.  
2. We are guilty of this wicked 
Acts 2. 13.  thought, when we conceive that our brethren act and walk contrary to the light of their own consciences, because they do not walk up to the light that we think ourselves to have attained; this is to intrude into God's Throne, and to take upon us to search and judge the heart, which is God's Prerogative Royal.  
2. When men think evil of those practices that are good: thus when David stood up for the Lord of Hosts, and declared his readiness and resolution to fight with Goliath, he being moved thereto by God's spirit, and filled with a spirit of faith, Eliab thinks that David did it out of the pride and malice of his 
1 Sam. 17. 28.  heart. when carnal men hear their sins laid open by the power of the word, they presently think that the Minister aims at them in particular, that he doth this out of malice to disgrace them, etc.  
When Christ spoke precious words of pardon & peace to the palsy man, Mat. 9 2. the wicked Scribes thought thus in 
Matth. 9 3, 4.  their hellish hearts, this man blasphemeth.  
Men of corrupt hearts are apt to think evil of the best speeches and actions; so that all these thoughts of unrighteousness do swarm and settle in all carnal hearts, as evidently appears by the abounding of malice, oppression, deceit, uncleanness, falsehood, etc. in men's actions and speeches, which have their first rise & root, in their thoughts.  
7. Out of the heart of men proceeds price of thoughts, which is a high and haughty conceit of our own excellency: pride is properly in men's thoughts, these are the palace where it resides and the Throne where it reigns, Luke 1 57 He 
Col. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 1 Cor. 5. 2. 1 Cor. 4 6. 4nd 8. 1. and 13. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Inflo or est superbire & turgere, instar follis vento distenti Cornel. a lap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 38. 8. 11. Psal. 124. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ferbuit, ebullivit, per Metaphoram superbivit, intumuit.  hath scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts, whereby it is evident, that men are proud in their thoughts.  
2. Pride is a tumour and rising up of our thoughts beyond their due bounds: we have four elegant expressions thereof in Scripture.  
1. Pride is called a swelling and puffing up of man's fleshly mind, Col. 2. 18. it is a heart swollen and blown up with lofty windy thoughts, as bellows and bladders are stretched out with wind, so the Hebrew words which are used to express man's pride signify swelling, as Deut. 18. 22. the false Prophet is said to speak in the swe●●ing of his mind: in swelling pride: the Hebrew word Zudh signifies to be lift up with swelling pride: it is applied to the swelling waves of the sea, which are called proud waves, proud waters, pride is like leaven cast into men's hearts, which swelleth and soureth their thoughts.  
2. Pride is expressed by largeness and latitude of mind, Prov. 28. 25. He that is of a proud heart, stirs up strife, according to the Hebrew it is, he that is large in heart, etc. when men's hearts are 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intumuit superbiit, Schin. pro 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est Metaph. a dimensionibus rerum corporearum translata ad animi ●astum quo quasi dilatatur, Cartio. Prov. 18. Sublimis suit per Metaphoram superbivit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 2 Tim. 6. 17.  so dilated, diffused and enlarged in the thoughts of their own exceliencies, that they will not be contained in their due bounds, nor confined within their own place, condition and compass.  
3. Pride is expressed by a heart lifted up, Deut. 8. 14. and 17. 20. 2 Chron. 25. 19 and 26. 16. Prov. 18. 12. when men are exalted above measure in their thoughts, and do conceive a height and superlative eminency of glory & worth, in themselves, this lifting up is only imaginary, as that which hath its beginning and existence from the false apprehensions and opinion of empty men.  
4 Pride is called high mindedness, Rom. 11. 20. it is properly a high thought of ourselves; a conc●●● of some eminent good in ourselves, whereby trusting in ourselves, we think more highly of ourselves than is meet.  
3. Pride of thoughts consists in two things.  
1. When we imagine that excellency in ourselves, which is not.  
2. When we conceive that excellency that is really in us, to be greater than it is.  
1. The first and vilest Act of pride is 
Gal. 6. 3.  to think ourselves something, when as we are nothing. Thus the Laodicean angel and Church think themselves rich, and needing nothing, when as they were poor, miserable, etc. 
Rev. 3. 17.   
2. We are apt to think our gifts, knowledge and perfections greater, than in truth they are.  
Hence it is, that pride is called arrogancy, because it is an arrogating and attributing more to ourselves than is 
Jer. 48 9  meet, when as the Scripture says, that no man should understand above that 
Rom. 12. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  which is meet to understand, no man must be overwise: the Greek word signifies to have an overweening opinion or conceit, as though one knew more than indeed he knoweth.  
4. Pride of Tho●●●ts doth always fix and feed upon some excellency that is in 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Excellentia supe●bia, Buxt. Munster us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eminuit, excelluit, superbiit, Schindl. Levit. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  us, either real or imaginary: as humility fixeth our thoughts upon our own vileness and nothingness: Hence it is, that the Hebrew words Gaon and Gaanah, which are put for Pride, do also signify excellency and magnificence, Levit. 26. 19 I will break the excellency, or the pomp, pride, haughtiness of your strength, called elsewhere the excellency or pomp, the pride of the strong ones, Ezek. 7. 24. and Job 6: 18. 36. 618. and 33. 28. Hos. 5. 5. to show us that Pride is a vicious elevation and greatness of Thoughts 
Materia, superbiae, divitiae, dignit●s gloria saecularis originis. Isa. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Insantiam notat.  from the apprehension of our own excellency.  
5. Pride makes men conceive a superexcellency in themselves beyond all others, such is the arrogancy of man's Thoughts, that they who are empty of all excellency, are apt to think themselves more excellent, than they that are filled with the greatest excellencies, this is plainly employed in Isa. 3. 5. where the Prophet makes this a forerunner of a Nations ruin; the child will be proud against the ancient, and the vile against the honourable: that is▪ they that are Infants in knowledge 〈◊〉 judgement, will think themselves wiser and more knowing than the ancient that are men in understanding, and vile, worthless persons will think themselves more excellent than those that are truly honourable.  
6. As Pride makes men some body in their own apprehensions, so it makes all 
Luke 18. 9, 10, 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  others to be no body in their thoughts: it is the property of all proud, Pharisaical men, they vilify and nullify all others in their thoughts, they think them 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Pro nihilo habeo, nullifico, etc. Tertul.  to be nothing, to have no worth in them, they climb above others in their own Thoughts, and then trample upon them.  
7. There be divers steps and degrees, whereby this pride of thoughts ascends, and riseth to the height, As 1. When men have high and lofty Thoughts of their natural gifts, and external excellencies, as wisdom, learning, strength, riches, honours, beauty, etc. this is 
1 John 2. 16.  called pride of life: when they are raised in their Thoughts, because raised in the things of this life, Psal. 90. 10. the strength of creatures is there called their pride, Rohbam: because men's hearts are apt to swell in the apprehension of their 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  strength of bod●●● strength of parts, gifts, etc.  
David was puffed up in the thought of his heart, his great successes, & strength of people, when he numbered the people.  
So Vzziah, when his name spread far 
2 Sam. 24, 1, 2, 4. 2 Chr. 26. 14, 15.  abroad, and when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction, when men begin to have a name and fame for wisdom, strength, gifts of preaching, prayer, or elocution, warlike successes, etc. and then are they in greatest danger of being lifted up in their own thoughts; to be captivated by pride  
Vzziahs' high thoughts did rise from the conceit of his high strength, and self sufficiency: he now thinks himself sufficient for the work and Ministry of the Priesthood, he being a Magistrate intrudes into the Priest's Office, and this is the great transgression which is laid to his charge, this was the fruit of his pride, 2 Chron. 26. 16. When men are puffed up in their own conceits, they think themselves sufficient for any work Evangelical or angelical.  
So Hezekiahs' heart was lifted up, when 
2 Chron. 32. 25. 27, 29: 1 Tim. 6. 17: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  he had exceeding much riches, and honour and substance, these were the occasions of his swelling Thoughts, therefore men rich in this world, ●ust be strictly charged that they be not high minded.  
To show 1. How rich men, even the best of them, are inclined to think highly of themselves.  
2. That it is no easy thing to have low thoughts in a high estate.  
2. The second degree of pride is when 
The second degree of pride.  our minds are lifted up with high conceits of our supernatural excellencies, as Spiritual Privileges, gifts and enlargements, knowledge puffeth up, that 
1 Cor. 8. 1.  is knowledge made up of gifts of understanding, and notional apprehensions; such windy knowledge swells up men's thoughts▪ light severed from the love of the Truth is the matter and occasion of swelling Thoughts, the Corinthians were eminent in the gift of Knowledge, and this was the occasion that they were so puffed up.  
3. The third degree of pride, is when 
1 Cor. 5. 2. 3. The third degree.  men have high thoughts of their own low Thoughts; it is a loftiness of Thoughts, arising from the apprehension of their own foolishness, when they begin to be something in their own conceits, from the sense that they are nothing in midst of all their excellencies: this is the cursed nature of pride, that it will make not only the gifts, but also the gifts that we receive, matter whereon to work, as when people that sat in darkness are filled with appearances of Christ in their spirits, pride will take occasion from that Divine Discovery to puff up their thoughts.  
2. Which is nor strange, pride will take occasion to work in our Thoughts from that self abasing grace of humility.  
For when in true humility of heart we shall abhor and renounce all Thoughts of pride, and strive to be nothing in ourselves for ever; yet even then will pride be working, and fill us with high admiring thoughts of our own low abasements. It is an effect and act of pride, to think highly of ourselves, because we are not proud, it is one of the Devils depths whereby he worketh most secretly and subtly, if he cannot prevail to puff us up in the conceit of our gifts, privileges and high enjoyments: then his next policy is to fill our minds with high apprehensions and admirations of ourselves annihilations: so that now we begin to think thus with ourselves. I see how others are puffed up with their excellent gifts and attainments. I have these and these parts, privileges, and much esteem among the Saints, and yet I find my Thoughts low and lowly in midst of all these; hereupon we begin to be high conceited of ourselves, because we are not highminded.  
4. The fourth degree of pride is to conceive and imagine a height of power 
Fourth degree.  principality and possession to ourselves, to think ourselves possessed of those excellencies, that we are far from ever enjoying, how much pride do men act in their Thoughts upon mere imaginary suppositions they conceive and contrive to themselves.  
1. What they would be for earthly excellencies, and then what they would do. Men frame a fools Paradise of dignity and delight, power and possession to themselves, and then bring themselves into it, and there walk up and down in their Thoughts. They speak in their Thought, as aspiring Absalon once to 
2 Sam. 15. 4.  the people, oh if they were Judges in the Land; they would do this or that, they would surpass others in prudent, righteous administrations, self denial, etc. like children or frantic persons, they imagine themselves, Princes, Nobles, Statesmen, Rulers, Rich men, etc. They think if they had as great Estates as some have, in what a height of pomp and pleasure they would live for gorgeous apparel delicate diet, etc. men fancy to themselves high places and possessions, and in the thoughts thereof they pride and felicitate themselves, almost as much as those that really enjoy the things themselves.  
5. The fifth and highest degree of 
Fifth degree.  Pride is when men imagine a kind of Deity in themselves: now there be two self Deifying Thoughts, whereby they are guilty of devilish Pride. 1. When men think themselves equal with God. 2. When they conceive themselves to be as gods.  
1. This is the most abominable height of pride, when men think themselves equal with the most high, yet some have risen up to this height of arrogancy, as the King of Babel, when he said in his heart, I will ascend above the height of the 
Isa. 14. 14.  Clouds, and will be like the most high, such also was the pride of Ninive, who 
Zeph: 2. 15.  speaks thus in her heart, I am and there is none beside me.  
Men are guilty of these self Deifying-thoughts two ways.  
1. When they imagine a power in, and of themselves, equal with God's power, this was the pride of Nabuchadnezzar, when he said, Who is that God, that can deliver you out of my hand?  
2. When men do arrogate and assume to themselves that honour and power, that is proper to God alone. this was the cursed pride of Herod, when he assented to that blasphemous speech of the people, and spoke that in his thoughts, which they spoke with their tongues, crying, the voice of God and not of man. this is that abominable arrogancy 
Acts 12. 21, 22  of Antichrist, who sitting in the Temple of God, exalts himself above 
2. Thes. 2 4. Dan. 11. 36.  all that is called God, or worshipped.  
That man of sin is evidently the Pope of Rome, as appears by his self goddifying Acts and Attributes: for though under a politic pretence of self abasing, he calls himself the servant of servants, yet in the height of his arrogant thoughts, he sitteth as God; for he takes to himself that honour and power that is, God's Royal Prerogative.  
1. He claimeth a power to forgive sins past, present and to come.  
2. To prescribe new Rules of worship.  
3. To make laws to bind the Conscience properly.  
4. To open and shut heaven.  
5. To dispose of earthly Kingdoms at his pleasure.  
6. To dispense with the Moral Law, and with Apostolical Constitutions.  
2. Men are guilty of these self goddifying thoughts, when they think themselves to be as gods. The Devil in the beginning made an impression of this 
Gen. 3. 4, 5. 1 John 9 7.  proud thought upon our first Parents, ye shall be as gods, and we being in their loins when they sinned and descending from them by ordinary generation, do receive that corruption from them whereby we are inclined to think thus proudly of ourselves, that we have a kind of Deity in ourselves.  
This I take to be the meaning of that place. The Lord God said, behold, man is become as one of us three, the Father, 
1 John 5. 7.  the Son, and the holy spirit. Man is not become as God really and indeed: for we are by our fall come to be as the Devil, but men are as gods in their own proud imaginations: hereby Jehovah would discover to Adam and all his posterity what thoughts of devilish pride are now rooted and revealed in their depraved natures, by believing the Serpent's deceitful promises.  
8. This Pride of Thoughts is predominant in all unregenerate men, predominant sins are of two sorts, particular or universal.  
1. Every man in his carnal estate hath his particular master sin, which is predominant in his affections, and whereunto he is most strongly carried. this we call the sinner's bosome-beloved-sinne, in some 'tis avarice, in others ambition, &c, but Pride is an universal predominant sin, which reigns and revels in all unsanctified men, as their great Goliath.  
Ob. Some will say, we find not this pride of thoughts working in our hearts.  
Answ. 1. They that are most filled with this pride, do lest feel it in themselves; the less we discern it in ourselves, the more it domineers in us.  
2. The deeper sight and sense we have of this sin, the more we are delivered from it.  
9 This pride of thoughts is a Capital and Radical sin, it produceth many damnable evils, and dangerous 
Superbia est caput atque causa omnium delictorum, scriptum est enim, initium peccati omnis superbia, Augustinus prior est in vitus superbia, non enim invidia parit superbiam, sed superbia parit invidiam, Aug.  fruits, as  
1. Discontent with our present condition, pride makes men think themselves greater than the greatest outward mercy.  
2. Ambition, whereby men seek great things for themselves, Jer. 45. 4, 5.  
3. Vain boasting, whereby they speak of themselves, their gifts and eminencies, more than is comely.  
4. Hypocrisy whereby men make profession of those gifts and graces that really they have not, or of a higher measure than indeed they have.  
5. Obstinacy, and persisting in error against clear light, when men are engaged in a corrupt opinion, they will not be convinced; their error may daily be overthrown, but their pride will not yield to the truth.  
Quest. How shall we know whether our differing in opinion from brethren proceed from pride or from conscience, and want of convincing light?  
Answer, When men behave themselves humbly and meekly, when they cannot see what their brethren do, this argues it is from conscience, not from Pride and Obstinacy, but when they appear haughty lofty and censorious, and think that those that dissent from them are wilful, and will not see the truth, or else do act against their light, this shows that such are acted by a spirit of pride, and not by Conscience: humility thinketh no evil.  
6. Pride of Thoughts is the cause of Division, Contention, and striving one against another in word or deed, Prov. 13. 10. only by pride cometh contention, all contention is imputed to pride, that is indi&ed for the common disturber of peace.  
1. Pride makes men prove to be injurious to others.  
2. Out of these injuries arise strifes and brawlings.  
3. Out of contention's murder often breaks forth. Hamans' pride filled his heart with an insatiable thirst after the blood of the Jews. The wicked 
Hest. 3. Psal: 10. 2. Micah 18. 1, 2, 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judg. 8. 1. c. 12 1, 2. 3.  man's persecuting the afflicted proceeds from his pride, this was the cause of those contentions among the Apostles, we may judge of the cause by the cure.  
It is an elegant speech of the learned Hebrews, Men whose spirits are lifted up are made turbulent by the least wind, by the least occasion.  
Only or merely by pride comes Contention, the meaning is, that pride of itself without the concurrence of any other corruption doth kindle strife, proud men are apt to be contentious when no occasion is offered, this is manifest in the Ephraimites, who being puffed up in their multitudes, contend with Gedeon about that for which they ought to be grateful, and being called to battle they came not, and yet contend with Jephta, because they were not called, pride breaks out into strife, when there is no provocation, and in midst of peace prepares for war.  
This pride of Thoughts is the chief dividing Principle, the great Incendiary and Master of misrule, it is the root of contention divers ways.  
1. Proud persons, they cannot endure to be crossed or contradicted, they think themselves too great to be crossed and the least cross too great for them to bear.  
2. they vilify others, and are vilified by others.  
3. Pride makes men seekafter eminency, and if they cannot be eminent one way they will strive to be eminent another way, if they cannot be the only men in the world, yet they will be some body, pride always affects pre-eminence, and contends for primacy.  
4. Pride makes every man highly conceited of his own way and opinion, because it is his own, this prevents all yielding to each others, and so begets endless wrangling.  
5. One proud man thinks himself the only man, and therefore worthy of respect from all men.  
6. One proud man hates the apparitions of pride in another, and one hates another.  
7. Through pride men set up their own wills, and opinions, as the rule of other men's actions and opinions.  
8. Proud men never search into their own defects and defil●ments, but they study their gifts and perfections hence they are severe censurers of other men's failings and sle●ghters of their gifts and virtues.  
9 If proud men be but touched in their name and state, they presently take up arms of revenge.  
7. This pride of Thoughts makés men the greatest contenders and fighters against God, he looks upon haughty persons, as his highest enemy's.  
1. Proud men do exalt themselves above God, they lift up their will above his will, they speak thus in their thoughts and works, my will shall be followed rather than God's will.  
2. They will have their own wills, 
Exaltatio & & inslatio arrogans atque superba jactatio. De Antichristi spiritu nascitur etc. Cyprian. Cornelio.  whether just or unjust.  
3. Proud men have the spirit of Antichrist, pride and self exalting is born of the spirit of Antichrist.  
2. Proud men go from God, they leave God and his ways, as if they could live without him, they say in their hearts, as once those proud people of Israel, we are Lords, we will come no more unto thee. 
Jer. 2. 25.   
2. There is much Pride in all 
Propter superbi●m dedignan●ur homines subdere colla jugo Christi, ohligati arctius jugo peccati, Augustin.  Disobedience, and all Disobedience is a departing from God, in every act of Disobedience men lift up themselves above God, and go from him; for sin is properly an aversion from God to the creature; therefore Disobedience is called Rebellion.  
3. Proud men go against God, as if they were able to resist and stand against him, they work and walk contrary to Gods will and ways.  
4. Proud persons go beyond God, they set up themselves as the end of all that they do.  
8. Pride of thoughts corrupteth men's judgements; it is the grand productor of all error and heresy, as is evident, 1 Tim. 6. 3. 4. If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine that is according to godliness; he is proud, blown up in his own Thoughts: here is the true 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  cause why men come not up to the truth in their judgements, they are proud, high conceited of their own wisdom, they think they know more than any others, they fancy a kind of Papal infallibility to themselves, that what they imagine to be truth, must needs be so: they make Scripture speak what themselves first fancy.  
2. These high thoughts produce an affection of singularity, and ambitious affection to appear some body in the world, this end they conceive cannot be attained in going in the old way of sound doctrine, they must teach another doctrine, or in another way, and put upon it the name of new light, and higher discovery, thereby to draw disciples after them. 
Acts 20.   
2. Pride begets a pernicious persisting in erroneous opinions, which men have once taken up; they think it a dishonour to recant and lay folly to themselves.  
9 Pride is a Sodomitical sin, Ezech. 16. 49. the Prophet shows what were 
Sodomiticum peccatum est superbiae iniquitas Origenis. Hof. 5. 5:  the sins of Sodom, and the first was Pride.  
10. Pride testifies that there is much evil in men's hearts. The pride of Israel testifies to his face, that is, the inward pride of their thoughts, manifesting itself outwardly in their speeches and actions testifies the great wickedness that is in their hearts: it is a grand accusing sin, a loud witness against sinners.  
2. It is a most dishonouring sin, no sin disgraceth and reproacheth men more than pride; because it testifies abundance of Ignorance, error and obstinacy in their hearts, as humility witnesseth, that we know much of God, his mind and will, With the lowly is 
Prov. 2. 11.  wisdom.  
11. These swelling Thoughts of pride, lodging and lording in men's hearts are a sure sign of an hypocrite, in the midst of the highest forms: thus the Scripture testifies, behold the soul that is lifted up, 
Hab. 2. 4.  that is, with high thoughts, is not upright in him, it is one character of those that 
2 Tim. 3. 4, 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof, they are puffed up with high thoughts.  
12. Pride of thoughts begets monstrous shapes, and strange forms of apparel and attire, an affectation to be singular in fashions, and surpassing in rich apparel.  
13. The Omnipotent God hath proclaimed open war and hostility against 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 1 Pet. 5. 5.  all proud persons, James 4. 6. God resisteth the proud, he stands in battle array, in direct defiance and open opposition against them: it is a Military word, which is used in the Original, and It is very Emphatical it signifies to raise 
Oppono me, importat instructa acie, atque ●eluti ex adverso praelio obsistere, Lorinus.  an Army, and to make warlike resistance, it shows that there is a mutual opposition between God and proud persons, they set themselves as it were in battle against God, and God sets against them.  
Proud men are as it were Invaders of the glory of God.  
They assume that Honour that is proper to God, now 'tis usual to resist Invaders with strength of Arms, Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but where doth God speak this? Answ. the 
Prov. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. ●hus the LXX. reads it  Scripture says it in Prov. 3. 34. according to the Hebrew, 'tis thus, He scorneth the Scorners.  
James and Peter do allege the version of the seventy Interpreters, vulgarly known in the Church, which agreeth sufficiently in sense, the meaning is▪ that those proud scorners who do proudly cast off God's Laws and despise his Admon●tions, (they are scorned by God again, He resisteth proud Scorners, such as do think of themselves above th●t which they are, and thereupon do proudly scorn all others: This scorning is the proper Fruit of man's high thoughts.  
Pride shows itself principally in contemning and slighting of God, his word, promises Threats, Ordinances and works in self admiration and despising of others, scorning of others comes from overvaluing thoughts of ourselves, God hath made every man an object of Respect, or Pity: It is man's Pride, which makes men objects of slighting and contempt, and in them, 
Prov: 7. 5. 1 Pet. 5. 5. Quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur. See Isa. 2. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. 17 Isa 57 Luke 1. 51. Psal. 138. 6.  their Maker.  
The Lord of Hosts fights against all sinners, but against proud men and women in a peculiar manner, against them, He whets his sword, bends his bow and fits all the arrows of vengeance.  
14. Those thoughts of pride make men utterly uncapable of communion with God, who dwelleth with none but humble persons, he scatters the proud from him:— the proud be knoweth afar off, Jehovah looks upon proud men afar off, or aloof, at a great distance from 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  him, not near or familiarly, but in wrath to punish them; the Chaldee paraphraseth the proud from the heavens far off he will depress. They that are high in their own Thoughts are removed and separated fare from God, as the Hebrew word imports.  
1. They are fare off from any vision 
Longanimitas & remotio. 1 Cor. 8. 2.  of God and his glory, if any man think, that is proudly conceited, that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know, he is proud, knowing nothing, 1 Tim. 6. 4. proud souls are ignorant souls.  
2. They are far off from any enjoyment of God: the higher we lift up ourselves in our own thoughts, the further off we are from the most High, who flies 
Magnum miraculum; altus est Deus erigis te. & fugit a te. Aug.  from us: but the lower we throw down ourselves in our own apprehensions, the nearer we are to the high God, which is a miracle of admiration, it is an eminent saying of the Hebrew writers, God saith of every man whose spirit is lifted up, I and he cannot dwell together in the world.  
3. Proud men are far from grace and 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  mercy, they lift up themselves above God, and therefore they can receive no grace from God who is the fountain of all grace: streams flowing from a fountain ascend no higher than the fountain itself.  
15. Men that are high in their own Thoughts, are far off from salvation, but they are very near to a dreadful downfall, Pr. 16▪ 18. Pride goeth before destruction 
Hos. 5. 5.  or breaking, and a haughty spipit before 
Est. 3. 6. and 7. 10.  a fall. Pride struts before and ruin follows at the heels, Haman was haughty, and this was his ruin: before the worms did eat Herod, his heart was 
Act. 12. 23. Dan. 4. 30. 31.  swollen with pride. Absalon and Adonijah aspired, but destruction was their end. Pride affects to go before, but it is before a fall: if you find pride in the premises you shall certainly find destruction in the Conclusion: pride did precede 
Gen. 5. 5. 1 Tim. 3. 6.  the fall of our first Parents, and the fall of the Angels: it was so from the beginning, and will be a truth to the end, Luke 14. 11. Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, be they particular persons, Cities or Kingdoms, if they exalt themselves through pride, God will throw them down, Babylon hath been proud against the Lord, and against the 
Jer. 50. 29.  Holy one of Israel, and therefore she shall be ruined.  
See how God threatened the men and women of Judah for their pride, Jer. 13. 9 Isa. 3. 24. the Lord of Hosts hath purposed to slain the pride of all glory, (that is, earthy glory) and to bring into contempt the honourable of the earth. Isa. 23. 9  
This fall which follows the pride of thoughts is exceeding dreadful.  
1. It is a shameful fall: when pride cometh, then cometh shame, the person of runners is here attributed to pride 
Prov. 11. 2.  and shame, which strives to outrun each other: though pride set out first, yet shame following after runs so swiftly that it overtakes and lays hold upon it. The great God delights to cast down the haughty that fly so high in their thoughts; Thine eyes are upon the lofty that thou mayest bring them low, thou wilt throw down the lofty eyes of men. A 
2 Sam. 22. 28. Psal. 18 28. Isa. 2. 11. Hos. 7. 12. Micah 2. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Post accentum darga sequitur Tebhir, hoc est post elationem venit ruina.  lofty thought makes so●ty looks, men may be low in their own thoughts, though high in their outward estate and place, and lofty in their outward thoughts, though low in outward estate.  
It is a proverb among the Hebrews, every man whose spirit is lifted up, shall at length be diminished and destroyed, the Heathen Philosopher could say, that God's work in heaven is to bring down the proud on earth, and to raise up the humble,  
This pride of Thoughts of itself is sufficient to cast men down into the lowest flame, Prov. 29 23. a man's pride shall cast him down, this form of speaking is very emphatical, for pride is here compared to a man armed with a beetle or a pared butchers axe, to knock down all proud Persons.  
2. It is a falling very low, they that exalt themselves in their proud thoughts 
Luke 14. 11. Christ often used this proverb.  shall be be brought low, even as low, as the lowest hell, except they repent Proud men falling must needs fall low, because they lift up themselves so high in their own Thoughts. Things falling from a great height fall deeply and desperately, as the angels who fell from heaven into the depth of of hell. 
Prov. 16. 18. & 18. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ante confractionem, etc.   
3. it is a ruining fall that befalls proud men, Prov. 18. 12. Before breaking, the heart of man will lift up itself, thus it is in the original, it is a Metaphor taken from earthen vessels, which being broken all to pieces are destroyed without remedy, it holds forth the remediless ruin which lies at the door of proud men and women, who shall be thrown down like an earthen pitcher by the hand of God, and so they shall perish 
2 Chron. 26. 16. Isa. 13. Isa. 16. Hos. 5. 5. Isa. 2.  for ever by this fall, Vzziahs' heart was lifted up to his destruction, pride was the great sin that destroyed Babylon, Moab, and the people of Israel & Judah.  
4. Proud men fall into the Devil's condemnation, 1 Tim. 3. 6. It is said, that a Bishop that is a minister of the Gospel must not be a novice, that is, not one 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Paul says not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: it is not meant of young in years but in faith. Superbia dejecit angelos & ex angelis fecit diabolos, eisque in aeternum interclusit Regnum caelorum, Augu- 1 Tim. 6, 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insaniens, Beza, Stephan-Erasmus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non modo inflatum sed in genere dementatum & fanaticum-significat. Victorin. Strigelius.  newly converted to the faith, not a young plant in Christianity, lest being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the Devil, that is, lest he being swelled up with a conceit of his high office and opinion of his parts and gifts do fall into the same condemnation with the Devil. Pride of thoughts was the great sin that brought the Devils under condemnation.  
All proud men are frantic and fanatical fools, 1 Tim. 64. All corrupt Teachers are said to be proud and mad (as Beza and others render it) doting, they are sick of a spiritual frenzy, the word in the original used for Pride, 1 Tim. 3. signifies one puffed up with pride, and possessed with madness and frenzy.  
Use 1. Let us entreat God to give us a spiritual sight and sense of that deep mystery of Satanical pride, which naturally worketh in our thoughts: oh what devilish proud natures do we carry about us: the heart of every man in its corrupt frame, is a palace of all pride and presumption; it is like the Table of Adonibezek at which he sat in a chair of State, and made others, even Kings to eat meat like dogs under his feet with their thumbs cut off: such are all men by corrupt nature, advancing themselves to a throne of State in their own Thoughtsses saying in their hearts, I am the man, and treading their brethren under feet as inconsiderable no body to them, hence the Psalmist speaks of the foot of pride, that is of the proud man, (as the Chaldee translates it) pride being 
Judg. 1. 7. Psal. 36. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  put for the man in whom it is, as deceit is put for a deceitful man, Prov. 12. 27. and sin for sinner, Prov. 13. 6. to show us how ready proud men are to set their feet upon others, and to trample on them with great contempt: thus did the proud Pharisee trample upon the Publican: thus did those arrogant Jews set up themselves and tread down others in their Thoughts; saying, stand 
Isa. 65. 5.  apart, touch me not, I am more holy than thou.  
Let us strongly resist and repel the first rise and strive of pride in our Use 2 Thoughts: though the predominancy of pride be taken away in sanctified men, yet there is still much pride remaining in their natures, which riseth and rebels upon all occasions, and often captivates their thoughts.  
The grand enemy which doth assault and annoy gracious souls, is spiritual Pride; whereby they are puffed up in the thoughts of their spiritual excellencies, and with a conceit that they have attained a higher measure of grace, than indeed they have This spiritual Pride doth many times mix itself with the fairest and most sanctified actions of the dearest children of God, and d●th soon insinuate into a heart stored with the rich Treasures of true godliness; for if Satan cannot detain men in notorious sinfulness, in mere civil honesty or formality, but that by the merciful hand of God, they are pulled out of the mouth of hell, from the slavery of sin and courses of darkness, into the glorious light and liberty of Christ's Kingdom; hereupon the Devil is enraged with fierce and implacable fury, and doth most eagerly pursue those precious souls with all possible malice; and if he cannot procure a scandalous relapse into gross sins, yet that he may in some measure work the dishonour of God, and the discomfort of the noblest creatures, the two main ends of all his policies of hell, he doth labour to distain the pure streams of divine grace in the soul puddle of their corrupted nature, and at least to fasten the spots of spiritual pride upon their best actions, and the very face of piety; for when godly men by the great work of Regeneration are, become more excellent than their neighbours, 
Prov. 12. 26.  as indeed they incomparably are howsoever the world's estimation be otherwise; because they are already the blessed members of Christ's mystical body, clothed with the rich & royal robes of Christ his righteousness, and quickened with the glorious life of grace, and by the immortal seed of the powerful word of God, they are made partakers of the holy Image of the Divine nature, 
2 Pet 1. 4.  guarded with an invincible Troop of heavenly Angels, they are the sons of God, and heirs to a Kingdom of unconceivable glory, and entitled to heavenly pleasures, more than the stars of the Firmament in number.  
The Saints perceiving their own Prerogative, and glorious excellencies, are filled with a strange and joyful amazement and admiration of their own honour and happiness which the Devil seeing, who is perfectly experienced in all advantages and opportunities for spiritual assaults, and working upon the Relics of man's proud nature, he doth craftily draw them to think highly of themselves, and fills them with swelling thoughts from the apprehension of their spiritual excellencies, and to advances above that which is meet in their own conceits, the measure of their own graces and virtues.  
Yea after this fiery dart is broken upon the shield of faith, yet Satan labours with might and main to fasten some splinter or other, even in souls sincerely humbled for sin, thus through that old Serpent's subtlety, they are insensibly infected with spiritual pride: but when by afflictions or disgraces, by some extraordinary tentations or particular checks, from the Ministry of the word, the ugliness of this sin is discovered to their souls, they for ever abhor it, as a consuming Canker that would fret out the very heart of sincerity; therefore with much humility and fervency of spirit, they pray against this secret sin, strive against it, and by the grace of God prevail against it.  
Now seeing this spiritual Pride is so apt to creep into our hearts, and to puff up our Thoughts in the apprehension of our Spiritual excellencies and performances, we shall strongly fence our hearts with humility against privy pride, as against a close undermining and most dangerous enemy, and the more carefully and watchfully for those Reasons.  
1. Other sins grow from pestilent pernicious roots, as earthly mindedness, from unbelief, oppression, from avarice, murder, from malice, adultery, from idleness, etc. but Spiritual Pride springeth from a fair and unsuspected fountain, even from the Contemplation and Consideration of the largeness of our spiritual discoveries, our enlargements in good duties and Eminencies in grace.  
2. This sin doth secretly wind itself into the hearts of godly men with a sly and peculiar kind of insinuation, for when upon the apprehension of their inlargements in grace and good actions they seem to disclaim pride of thoughts, they may be proud that they are not proud, and that they are more sensible of their pride and corruptions than others are, so endless are the mazes of Satan's circular temptations: this is the last and most subtle encounter, whereby he surpriseth the Saints.  
3. There is no height of grace, no depth of discoveries, no eminency of holiness attainable in this life, that can secure us from the assaults of privy pride, and hazard of surprisal, Paul that great Apostle, in whom there was a matchless concurrence of divine graces, who laboured more abundantly than others in the work of Christ, and was exceeding sensible of his own nothingness in all these, and was exercised with variety of all manner of afflictions, notable means to keep the heart of man in an humble frame; yet lest he should be exalted out of measure through the abundance of Revelations, he was buffeted with the messenger of Satan, 2 Cor. 12. 7.  
4. Pride is the most pestilent incompatible opposite that grace hath, and therefore, he that is most sanctified fights most against it.  
5 This Pride of Thoughts is the greatest enemy to the glory of God, it doth as it were, take the Crown from the head of the King of glory. God hath declared that he will not give his glory to any other, he is willing to give us his mercy, grace and strength, his Son and his Spirit, heaven and happiness yea any thing except his Glory: The comfort and benefit of all the good we do, shall be ours, but the praise thereof must be wholly and solely given to God.  
6. This pride of thoughts brings temporal wrath even upon the Servants of God. We have a remarkable place, 2 Chron. 32. 25, 26. Hezekiahs' heart was lifted up, therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem, until they humbled themselves.  
7. Let us take heed how we harbour and nourish this V●pe● of spiritual pride in the bosom of our Souls, lest it persuade us to embrace some groundless singularity of unwarrantable opinions and dangerous errors, or else it may (by God's judgement) draw upon us deadness of heart, dulness of zeal, spiritual desertion, etc. which the Servants of God do infinitely more fear, than any affliction that profane men can possibly inflict upon their bodies, or states, or good name.  
These reasons may justly move us to keep a strict watch over our hearts continually, & when we feel our thoughts begin to swell by looking upon our spiritual excellencies, gifts, or enjoyments, let us presently crush and crucify them, and sharply check ourselves in these words, What hast thou, that thou hast not received?  
2. When pride gins to give the least part of the praise of our good actings and enlargements to ourselves, let us with indignation repel and reject it, and say, Not unto us, not unto us, but to thy name, O Lord, be all the praise: Of thine own have we given unto thee, in our holy and highest services:  
Quest: What must we do to subdue and keep down these swelling thoughts of pride.  
Answ. 1. Let us strive to keep the thoughts of our own nothingness, vileness, & unworthiness always present with us; learn to say with Jacob, I am less 
Genes. 31. 10. Job 40.  than the least of mercies: and as Job did after he had been afflicted, and came to see his ignorance & arrogancy, behold I am vile, and as Abraham I am but dust and ashes, and with David, I am a worm 
Gen. 18. 27. Psal. 22. 6.  and no man, yea, with Paul, O wretched man that I am, Rom. 7. 24. To keep down the pride of men's thoughts, the 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanhedr fol. 38. Col. 1.  Hebrew Writers present this consideration, that the Fly and the Worm did precede man in the work of Creation. That is, the most contemptible creatures, the Fly and the Worm are our elder brothers at the first Creation.  
2. Consider that we ourselves are vile worms, Job 25. 6. Man is a worm, and the son of man is a worm. 'tis twice spoken to make the deeper impression upon our hearts, a Worm is one of the vilest of Creatures, and the Hebrew word here used (as one observes) signifies the least and meanest of worms, such as breed in Cheese and Flesh, Exod. 16. 34. the worst sort of worms, as Lice and Vermin: every man is a worm, the greatest, wisest, and best of men are worms; worms they are and to worms they must shortly return. How unsuitable are lofty thoughts to 
Isa. 41. 14.  poor low worms.  
3. Men are compared to the basest and worst of things to the least and lowest things; as  
1. To the dust which is trodden on both by men and beasts.  
2. To the dust of a balance.  
3. To the drop of a Bucket. 
Isa. 40.   
4. To a shadow which flies away, which hath no entity or subsistence.  
5. To vanity which is worse than a 
Psal. 39 & 62.  shadow.  
6. Men are compared to nothing. 
Isa. 40.   
2. Let the best and most mortified men turn the eye of their conscience from the fruitless and dangerous speculation of their own worthiness, and fasten it a while upon their corruptions and infirmities, upon their neglects of duties, and many defects in godly exercises, and executions of their calling, wants and weakness in prayer and inward devotion, their dulness and deadness in good performances, their Omissions of opportunities of doing good, and occasions for the enlarging of the Kingdom of Christ; Their cold and sometimes cowardly prosecution of good causes, etc. and out of this consideration, they will be so far from self-conceitedness and high thoughts of their own gifts and virtues that they will find just cause to continue and increase their humiliation, and to stand upon their guard against spiritual pride.  
3. Let all godly Christians consider that whatsoever they enjoy in spiritual Excellencies beyond others, is from the free favour & mere mercy of God not from any thing in themselves, yea, whatsoever gift they have, whether of body or mind, of honours or outward possessions of nature of grace, they are given unto them by the liberal hand of God out of the bottomless depth of his own bounty.  
4. consider that we are all by nature equally under sin and wrath, therefore 
Ephes. 2.  there is no cause of swelling one against another.  
5. Let us cry mightily unto God to arise and scatter these proud enemies that rise up against him, and to preserve us from the prevailings of these haughty thoughts: Thus did David, Psal. 19 14. Keep back thy servant from prides, that is, from all proud insolent thoughts 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  that is that they have not dominion in me, then shall I be upright and I shall be clean from the great prevarication. From hence 'tis evident,  
1. That the best men are much inclined to thoughts of pride. hold back thy servant from prides, our natures are exceeding apt to rush into this sin, if we be not bridled and held back by a divine power.  
2. The reign and dominancy of pride in men's thoughts is most contrary and inconsistent with uprightness. Then shall I be upright, when I am kept from pride that it do not domineer in me.  
3. Pride of thoughts is great Rebellion against God; the Hebrew word that is 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kimchi in Psal. 25. explicat per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  translated offence or transgression, Psal. 19 14. signifies Rebellion, Defection, and prevarication.  
6. Let us suspect our own hearts upon all occasions, and with the watchfullest eye of our spiritual wisdom, be always jealous and fearful of the subtleties and wind of this insinuating sin of privy pride.  
7. Let us be much ashamed, abased, and afflicted in our spirits, for the daily elevations and rise of our thoughts. Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride 
I am tandem ●ruhescat homo esse superbus propter quem factus est humilis Deus. Augustin.  of his heart, both he and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah, 2 Chron 36. 26.  
8. Out of the heart of men proceeds a self justifying thought; There be three special thoughts of self-righteousness which do strongly prevail in the hearts of natural men.  
1. They fancy and conceive a righteousness made up of their own works, keeping of the Law, Prayers, and good meanings; that there is a proness to this thought in every man, appears by that strict command that God gives to the people of Israel to take heed of this evil thought, when they were placed in the promised Land, Deut. 9 4. speak not thou in thine heart, Saying; for my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this Land.  
Thoughts are properly the speakings of man's heart: hereby God shows us what are the thoughts of men by corrupt nature, yea, what thoughts will be ready to rise in his own people. 
Luk. 18, 9, 10, 11, 12.   
This self-justifying thought was predominant in the Pharises who trusted in themselves, that they were righteous: the Pharisee prayed thus, O God I thank thee that I am not as other men are, unrighteous, nor as this Publican. I do this and that good, etc. I fast twice in the 
Thus Drusius.  week, upon the first day of the week, because Moses on that day went up to Mount Sinah, on the second day, because he then came down, he pleads his own righteousness before God.  
1. Negative, he is no extortioner nor unjust, etc.  
2. His positive righteousness of both Tables, he was much in prayer and fasting, duties of the first Table, he paid Tithes, gave Alms, duties of the 2d. Table.  
3. His Comparative Justice, he was far more righteous than all other men in the Church itself that were not of his form: This Pharisee thinks himself sufficiently righteous even to stand before God: These Pharisees as they justified themselves in their own thoughts, so they sought to be justified in the thoughts of all others.  
2. Men are apt to conceive a kind of 
Luk. 16. 15.  Innocency in themselves, and that they need no repentance. Of these Christ speaks, Matth. 9 13. when he saith, That he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.  
Quest. Who are these righteous ones?  
An. Such as were so pure and spotless in their own presumptuous conceits, that they thought that they did not need repentance. They are opposed to sinners, such as are exceeding guilty and filthy in their own sense, that this is the meaning; is clear, Luk. 15. 7. I say unto you, that joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety nine just persons that need no repentance.  
Quest. Are there indeed any so just that they need no repentance, no amendment?  
Answ. O no, that cannot be the meaning for the best men are taught by Christ to confess their daily Trespasses to God, and to ask forgiveness: but this is spoken according to that opinion 
Matth. 6.  and conceit which some have of themselves, who think themselves righteous, and therefore not to have use or need of repentance, such were the Pharisees who could charge sin enough upon others, but no sin upon themselves: 
Luk. 18, 10. 11, 12.  Paul in his Pharisaical Estate thought himself to be without blame in respect of the righteousness that is in the Law, Phil. 3. 6 When Jeremiah rebuked the people for their sins, they said, they were innocent and guiltless; they had not 
Jer; 2: 35.  sinned.  
3. Men are apt to think that there is some worthiness in their own righteousness, whereby they may gain eternal 
Rom. 10. 2.  life, Phil. 3. 6, 7. they thi●●●o ascend into Heaven by their own good works, to attain life in the old way, do and live: Thus do the present Romanists and all legal Professors and Pharisaical Moralists amongst us.  
This Popish pestilent self-justifying thought prevails exceedingly in these times.  
1. For ignorant persons, they conceive that they are able to keep the Law, they think to be saved by their good meanings, prayers, and serving God.  
2. Some others that profess more light, do think to make their peace, and ro procure acceptance with God by their humiliations, prayers, tears, etc. whereas Christ Jesus is our All in respect of righteousness, peace, and acceptance, He is our Peace and Peace maker. We grant that prayer, humiliation, and works of holy obedience, are necessary duties and precious fruits, if flowing from justifying faith in Christ, but they cannot be our righteousness, peace, or acceptance with God.  
9 Out of the hearts of men proceed thoughts of carnal security in days of worldly prosperity, so long as they enjoy outward peace and freedom from troubles, they are full of secure thoughts, speaking thus in their hearts, I am in a good Estate free from all the Judgements of God, and so shall ever be: I am in no danger of death or hell, but have hope of Heaven, & c-Psal. 10. 6. Esa. 28. 15. Sinners are brought in speaking this in their thoughts, We have made a covenant with death and with hell are we at agreement, when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us.  
We must not conceive that death or hell can or will really make a league with any sinner: but these are their own presumptuous thoughts, and secure imaginations, that they are in no danger of death or hell, that though wrath should overthrow the whole Land, yet themselves should have an Ark of Preservation: the Covenant is only in their own thoughts, yea men are apt to cry peace, peace in their own Thoughts, when destruction is even at door.  
These Thoughts of security do exceedingly prevail in these last days, as they did in the old world, this we find foretold by Christ Matth. 24. 37. As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of man, they did eat and drink and marry wives, and give in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the Ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and took them all away.  
Objection,  
Noah had preached to them of the flood many years, and prepared the Ark in their sight, how then is it possible that they should know nothing of it?  
Answer, It was in the apprehensions and affections of those secure men of the old world, as if they had known nothing, they believed nothing, they were not affected with it.  
2. They were as secure in their own Thoughts, as if they had known nothing; they thought themselves free from all danger till the flood appeared. Yea the best men are apt to be overtaken with secure Thoughts, when outward blessings overflow, David confesseth this sin against himself, Psal. 30. 6. I said, that is, in my heart, in my safe quietness or tranquillity, I shall not be moved 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  to eternity. David being set upon the mountain of prosperity doth think himself above all trouble and adversity, he fancies and frames to himself a kind of Eternity in his outward tranquillity, that he should never see any more changes, thus much the Hebrew words import. This was Jobs infirmity in his prosperity and glory, he said in his heart I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand, my root was spread out by the waters, etc. and my glory was fresh in me, Job 29. 18. 19, 20. if these secure Thoughts so overpower righteous men; what prevailing power have they over those that are still under the power of sin and Satan. Worldlings bless themselves in their riches, they imagine themselves in safety, as persons beloved and blessed of God, because they prosper in the world, Psal. 10. Luke 12. 19 This cursed thought of security is the chief 
Zeph. 3. 5.  cause of sinner's impenitency & induration. God hath sent his Prophets & Ministers in all ages to cry against men's sins, and to call them to Repentance, 
Jer 48. 11. Zeph. 1. 12.  and yet the wicked will not learn to be ashamed, they refuse to return, they are settled on their lees, frozen in their dregs. Where is the man that stirs up 
Jer 8. 6. Acts 2. 37. Matth. 24: 39:  himself to say, what have I done? what shall I do? though judgements be threatened, sinners will know nothing, till the besom of wrath sweep them away: they think themselves free from all danger of deathand destruction, even when they are nearest to it: and so while they imagine that they are sailing toward heaven, they suddenly sink into hell.  
10. Out of the hearts of men proceed overheightning Thoughts of their sufferings: in the day of distress they think their troubles are greater, and their crosses heavier than indeed they are: men are apt to lessen the evil of their sins, and to greaten the evil of their sufferings, little afflictions they conceive to be great, and great afflictions 
Jonah 4. 8, 9  to be incomparable, and insupportable.  
Job in his manifold trials was overtaken with these overheightning thoughts his deep complaints speak out his thoughts, Job 6. 1. 2. 13. Job answered & said. Oh that my griefs were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balance together: for now it would be heavier than the sand of the Sea, etc. what is heavier than a mountain of sand? yet Job conceives his calamity heavier, so the Church, Lam. 1. 12. thinks her great sufferings to be superlative and surpassing all others: Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me: yea what man living can clear himself from these Thoughts?  
1. In case of inward Sufferings we are apt to think thus; never any so overwhelmed with troubles and terrors as we are.  
None ever so tempted and buffeted by Satan, as we, none ever tormented with such horrid blasphemous injections as we are; never any waited so long for comfort and assurance as we.  
2. In outward sufferings we are full of such Thoughts as these, was there ever any man that had such crosses, losses, pains, pressures, and distresses as we, behold & see if any misery be like to ours. Now the reason why men do overgreaten their sufferings in their thoughts, is,  
1. Their looking upon their sufferings more than their sins.  
2. Their judging of afflictions by sense more than by faith.  
3. Their eyeing the fleshly dark outside of affliction, more than their spiritual inside.  
4. The smallness of their strength and 
Prov. 24. 10.  unfitness of their spirits to suffer the will of God.  
Quest. What must we do to cure and crucify these sinful Thoughts which are so apt to beset us in afflictions.  
1. Learn to conceive rightly of our 
Heb. 12. Psal. 25. Rom. 8. 20.  sufferings in their divine causes, fruits and effects: the afflictions of the Saints do come from the highest love, are ordered by the highest wisdom, and end in the greatest mercy. When our apprehensions are rectified, the cure is half wrought.  
2. Duly weigh in our thought the demerit of our sins; for which we are worthy to be destroyed.  
3. Consider that the worst that befalls the Saints here, is to prevent the worst, namely eternal condemnation, 1 Cor. 11. 31, 32. that they might not be condemned with the world.  
11. There is a spiritual barrenness, and emptiness of good Thoughts in all carnal minds; it is expressly said of evil men, that their Thoughts are only evil continually from their childhood, Gen. 6. 5. & 8 21. Now where there is nothing but evil, there good is wanting altogether, spiritual good Thoughts are totally wanting in natural men.  
The spiritual mysteries of the Gospel enter not into our Thoughts, until 
2 Cor. 3. 5. 1 Cor. 2. 9  we become spiritual: if we duly observe the daily frame of our Thoughts we may find, an apparent want of good Thoughts in ourselves. This defect will appear in four things specially.  
1 We are extremely defective in the serious Thoughts of the presence of Gods all searching eye: how few there be that set God always before them in their Thoughts, and think with themselves that God beholds all their thoughts and ways, that he remembers them, and will certainly bring them to judgement, examine your hearts, are these your constant Thoughts, I am now in God's presence, he beholds every thought that I think, heareth every word that I speak; and takes notice of all that I do, may not God take up that complaint against us, that he doth against Ephraim and Samaria, They have dealt falsely, and they say not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness, Hos. 7. 2. all that falsehood and profaneness that flames out in men's lips and lives, is radically and chief from hence, they do not seriously think and consider that God looks upon all their ways. When our hearts are filled with the apprehension of God's presence, & so we walk with God in our thoughts, this is a sure evidence of uprightness.  
2. Men are strangers to the serious Thoughts of their last end Deut. 32. 29. Oh that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their last end: This shows how averse 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  we are to apply our minds to the Thoughts of our last end, how unapt are we of ourselves to think of death, 
Lam. 1. 9  which is the end of all flesh, what will be our end after death, what will become of our Souls to Eternity.  
3. Carnal men are empty of all spiritual repentant Thoughts of sin.  
1. They never think of their manifold guilt by a serious reflection upon their own ways, this is evident by the Lord's complaint against the Jews, Jer. 8. 6. not one of them would say, in his heart, What have I done?  
2. They do not consider the incomparable illness and ugliness of sin, that there is more evil in the least sin that men commit, than in all penal sufferings of this life, and of hell itself.  
3. They think not of their extreme folly in sinning, how they prefer empty creatures before an all sufficient God, earth before heaven, Moment any pleasures before, Rivers of purest pleasures, and joys that never end.  
4. Sinners never think of the emptiness of their sinful ways, nor of the absurdness and unreasonableness of their courses, the Prophet sets out the sottishness of idolaters, in making an Idol god of one part of a Tree, with the other part whereof they had roasted their 
Isa. 44 16, 17. 19, 20.  meat and warmed themselves, yet they considered not this in their hearts,— to say, I have baked bread upon the coals thereof, etc. and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination?  
5. They think not of the deadly end of their sins, sorrows without end.  
4. Carnal persons are strangers to the Thoughts of their own duty.  
1. They do not think of improving their Talents. 
Matth. 25. 18.   
2. Nor of the end of their being, and the great business for which they came into this world which is to advance God by doing his will.  
3. They think not of their many obligations▪ and engagements to love and fear the Lord. It is God's complaint against the Jews, they say not in their 
Jer: 5. 24.  hearts let us fear the Lord our God. Now the true cause why we are so barren in godly discourse, so empty of heavenly speeches, so unfruitful in good works, is, because we are so empty of holy thoughts, and heavenly meditations; our thoughts have a strong influence upon our whole conversation.  
12. There is a spiritual madness and folly which runs through our thoughts, when they are like to the thoughts of mad men & fools, unsettled, incoherent, full of non sense; this is one of those great defiling evils, which proceed out of the heart of men, and possesseth their thoughts, foolishness and madness, Mark 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  7. 22. madness is in the hearts of men while they live, from thence it overflows into their Thoughts. This madness of 
Eccles. 9 3.  the Thoughts shows itself in three things especially.  
1. They are full of inconsistency and inconstancy: our minds are full of slipperiness and unstableness in good Thoughts, the thoughts of fools and mad men dance up and down, and settle upon nothing. There is a foolish wantonness and roving in man's mind, an unsettledness in meditating, that it cannot fix upon a good object; but as Solomon says, A fools eyes are in the ends 
Prov. 17. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  of the earth: their thoughts rove and run up and down from one end of the earth to the other, to the first and last parts thereof, as the Hebrew words import. Their bodily eyes are terminated; therefore it must ●e meant of their mental 
Eph. 1, 18.  eyes: there is a strange unsteadiness and unstaidness in man's mind before renewing, if it fall upon a good object, it is presently off again, and runs out into other Thoughts.  
2. It is apt to let out the Thoughts after every object that comes before it. The mind of man being deprived of that glorious presence of God that it once enjoyed in Paradise perfection; it is now in cain's condition the greatest vagabond and runagate on the earth, it runs up and down the world, and cannot rest or settle upon any thing, but what is sinful and sensual.  
2 This madness of our Thoughts appears in their Incoherence and incongruity, they are like the speeches of mad men, which have as little dependence one upon another, as right reason in them, they speak two or three words, and then fly off to another thing, which hath no agreement with their former words, how incongruously and absurdly do our hearts speak? if we would seriously reflect upon our own Thoughts, take notice of them one day, and write down every thought as the heart speaks them, and then at night read over our notes: and strictly examine them we should find so much incoherence, disagreement and nonsense in our thoughts, such jarring and jangling, roving and rambling, running backward and forward, that we might have cause enough to look upon ourselves as Bedlam fools.  
3. Our thoughts are full of extravagancy and digressions: how many thoughts have we every day whereof we can give no account how they came in, whence they came, nor whither they would; they are extravagant vagabonds.  
13. Our thoughts are commonly unprofitable, because so unsettled, incoherent and extravagant.  
2. For 1. Many good motions do vanish and come to nothing.  
3. We often begin good Meditations, and bring them to no perfection, they miscarry in the conception.  
There is abundance of vanity in man's mind, wasting and wearying itself in childish, impertinent and unprofitable Thoughts and Notions, Toss and Tumbling, so that we woefully waste and misspend precious time in thinking 
Ephes. 4. 17.  of nothing, as idle persons do in doing nothing, and thus we become altogether unprofitable in our Thoughts, words and works, and vain in our affections. 
Psal. 14. 3.   
14. Man's corruptmind is exceeding fixed and intensive in thinking upon vain, worldly, and sinful objects, when we set ourselves most seriously to meditate upon holy spiritual things, we shall find our Thoughts as unstable as water, apt to fly off presently, but our thoughts are apt to fix and feed upon earthly sensual things, with much stability and greediness: such Thoughts as are suitable to man's corrupt nature, the heart dwells upon them with the greatest attention and intention: it is the greatest difficulty to keep in our thoughts to any holy, heavenly object; and it is no less difficulty to take off our Thoughts from worldly things, if once fastened thereto by inordinate affections; our Thoughts first stir up our affections, which being once raised and fixed upon sensual objects, do fasten our thoughts so storngly to those objects that we cannot loosen them again, this we have sad experience of continually.  
1. If vain slavish fears se●●e upon us, our minds are filled with foolish, fearful thoughts, which follow us restlessly where ever we are, what ever we are doing.  
2. In raising of worldly grief, what black Thoughts do haunt us continually: how do our Thoughts dwell upon our present crosses and losses.  
3. When our love and desires are inflamed, and take hold upon the things of this present world, as riches pleasures, etc. how are our Thoughts drowned in these vanities, and chained to these objects day and night? excessive affections do swallow up all our Thoughts, and our thoughts often swallow up our s●ep, abundance of riches will not suffer a covetous man to sleep for the multitude of thoughts in his head, Eccles. 5. 12:  
15. Out of the heart of men proceeds Curiosity, rash unprofitable inquiries, foolish, unlearned questions, which are the fruits of rotten, corrupt minds, this curiosity consists chief in these two things.  
1. We are apt to be thinking of mysterious things which are above us, and do not at all concern us, man's mind strongly covets the forbidden knowledge of mysteries that are beyond its reach, and without the pale of written revelations.  
2. It is strangely delighted with curious conceits and new notions, the figments of man's fancy.  
The glorious heights of Scripture-mysteries cannot content carnal minds, they will be soaring aloft after unheard of curiosities, and prying into things that they have not seen, neither can be seen in the word or works of God, this curiosity of knowledge and speculation, the Scripture often condemns, as 1 Tim. 6. 4. 20. Col. 2. 2. Tim. 4. 3. where the Apostle foretells of a time, when men will heap up teachers to themselves, according to their own lusts, that is,  
1. They will seek after Teachers with ardent desires, running to and fro.  
2. They will make choice of their teachers rashly, without judgement and discerning.  
3. Without order, they will not be confined to a Pastor and teacher according to Gospel-order, but they will have heaps of teachers which imports a confused multitude, these three things are employed in the Original word here used, 2 Tim. 4. how apparently is this Scripture fulfilled in these our days? Now what is the ground of all this? 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  they have itching ears, their minds are possessed with an itching desire after curiosities; therefore they go after divers teachers, that so they may hear something which may feed their curious minds, this itching after curiosity of knowledge was the ruin of our first Parents; and it is an hereditary disease, which they have conveyed to all their posterity: men love to be poring upon strange notions, and musing on hidden mysteries.  
2. A second Act of Curiosity is when the thoughts of men are delightfully taken up with news and common reports which fly up and down in the world, how greedily do they hearken after all news foreign and domestic, merely to feed their curious fancies, 
Act. 17. 21.  and to fill up their thoughts.  
I grant, that we may desire to hear how matters go in respect of the Church and cause of Christ, that we may be suitably and spiritually affected with providential acts, but to listen after the news of the times, State transactions, and private actings of others, that so we may have matter for our thoughts to feed upon in our solitary seasons, this argues a mind sick of curiosity, and a stranger to Gospel news: This Curiosity is properly the corruption of the thinking faculty.  
2. It is a vanity which is exceeding pleasing to man's corrupt fancy which is taken with novelties.  
3. It is exceeding displeasing to God, when our thoughts are spent upon those things that do not concern us, nor belong unto us.  
16. Out of the hearts of men proceed projecting thoughts how to satisfy their own carnal desires and corrupt designs, the thoughts of carnal persons are mainly taken up in projecting and providing for the flesh, how they may fill up and feed the lusts thereof.  
1. Licentious men take thought how to find out fittest opportunities and places for acting sin.  
2. Vainglorious Hypocrites take thought how they may raise their own names, appear in their gifts and parts, and so come to be some body.  
3. Greedy Worldlings take thought how to raise their estates and grow rich in this world, their thoughts do project and plot all the crafty ways of getting, how they may come to be Masters of 
Isa. 32. 7.  this black Art, in over reaching, oppressing, and going beyond their brethren in bargaining, etc. This artificial iniquity of man's thoughts is of all other most abominable, it is a great evil when sin takes our thoughts, but when we shall take thoughts to satisfy sinful flesh and worldly lusts, this is the height of wickedness, the ●ore study and thoughtfulness is in sinning, the more sinful and satanical is man's sin. This made David's sin out of measure sinful, his taking thoughts and projects to cover his unclean Act, and to cut off Vriah; these projecting thoughts for the flesh are condemned, Rom. 13. 14.  
17. Out of the hearts of men proceeds a speculative acting of sin in their thoughts.  
1. It is a making present those sensual pleasures in their imaginations, which are not actually present:  
2. It is a secret acting those wicked works in men's thoughts, which they have not opportunity to bring forth into visible actions, there is a strong inclination in their corrupt imaginations to this speculative wickedness.  
This acting of sin in the thoughts is an easy way of sinning, when men can set up a stage in their own fancies, and act over all sins within themselves, in their own secret imaginations, and not go forth to any object with their outward man, when their lusts want outward objects to work upon, yet they can inwardly in their thoughts act their own filthy frothy desires and affections.  
2. It is a pleasant way of sinning wherewith men's fleshly affections are much delighted, they take much pleasure in the bare thoughts of sensual pleasures.  
3. 'tis an empty way of sinning, these sinful speculative delights cannot give the least real satisfaction to the Soul, for all the pleasures of sin when actually enjoyed in their greatest fullness, freeness, and reality, they are but vain shadows, vanishing shows, empty appearances, they are but a mere fancy: Thus the great pomp of Agrippa and Bernice is called a fancy, they came with great fantasy or vain show, as the word 
Act. 25. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  in the Original properly signifies.  
But this speculative feeding upon carnal contentments in thoughts only, is but a fancy of these fancies, a shadow of shadows, it is vanity of vanities, when men can take pleasure in the shadow of empty shadows.  
4. This acting of sin in the thoughts, by way of speculation, is a most sinful wicked way of sinning; for  
1. It argues that the hearts of men are possessed with a greedy desire after sinful pleasures, and a desperate delight in sinning, in that, when they want opportunities and means of committing sin actually, yet they will act it in their own thoughts, when they cannot enjoy sensual pleasures in their outward objects, they will enjoy them in their imaginations, when they cannot possess earthly riches in reality, yet they will imagine themselves rich, and therein solace themselves: it is a sign that their hearts do impatiently thirst after the fulfilling of their lusts.  
2. This delighting ourselves in the thoughts of sinful pleasures, is an incestuous defilement which is the most hateful adultery; this speculative feeding upon sensual contentments in men's thoughts is a committing adultery with their own children.  
Thoughts are the issues coming out of the loins of their own minds, they are 
Mark 7. 21, 22  begotten and conceived by their own hearts.  
5. This thought pollution is a prevailing way of sinning, it doth exceedingly take and overtake men's corrupt hearts, and over-abounds in their minds. There be four ways whereby this speculative wickedness is commonly acted in the thoughts of men.  
1. They delight to be musing and thinking of those creature comforts, worldly excellencies, and preeminencies which they have in present possession; they think with themselves, what riches, honours, earthly possessions and privileges they enjoy, how eminent they are in gifts and name, in wisdom, learning, and esteems of others, and how happy they are in all these: Thus Haman felicitates & fills himself with the thoughts of all the glory of his riches, and all the 
Hester 5. 11.  things wherein the King had promoted him: Nebuchadnezar solaceth himself 
Dan. 4. 30.  in the thoughts of the glory of his Majesty, and his great Babel. Dives blessed himself in the thoughts of his goods laid up for many years.  
These sensual earthly thoughts do fill men's hearts with pride and vanity.  
2. They exceedingly provoke God against them, as is evident in his Judgements upon the forenamed worldlings; for Dives was sentenced for a fool, and struck dead that night, Nebuchadnezar was struck with madness and brutishness, whiles the word was in his mouth, and the thought in his heart: and haman's high honour did quickly end in the highest shame.  
Quest. But may not we think of creature comforts, inward endowments, and outward enjoyments.  
Answ. We may if we observe these three Rules:  
1. These thoughts must arise from a spiritual sense of God's goodness and bounty, and our own unworthiness.  
2. We must propose this spiritual end to ourselves, that by these thoughts our hearts may be raised to humble acknowledgements, and praiseful admirations of the glorious Giver.  
3. They must quicken us to serve God with all cheerfulness and faithfulness for these good things we receive from him. 
Deut. 28.   
2. Men are guilty of acting sin in their thoughts, in respect of things to come. How do they delight themselves with the fore-thoughts of those profits, pleasures and Creature-enjoyments which they expect hereafter; as namely, that such a time they shall have such a pleasant journey, such a merry meeting of friends, such a gainful bargain, hear such and such news, etc. these things they think off withmuch affection, these thoughts wake with them in the morning, and walk with them in the day; upon these they feed much: thus those worldlings in Jam. 4. 13. do delight themselves in the thoughts of their future Profits, of going to such a City, and there getting gain. So those wicked ones in Isa. 56. 14. do feed upon the thoughts of those sensual pleasures which they promised themselves the next day: yea, worldlings do solace themselves with the thoughts of that honour which they promise to their houses and posterity to the world's end: Their inward thoughts are their houses shall continue for ever. The●e earthly 
Psal. 49. 11.  thoughts sit nearest to their hearts, as the Hebrew word imports: They proclaim 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  their names on lands, or they call their lands (as the Greek explains it) by their own names: Thus thinking to make their names and memory everlasting. 
2 Sam. 18. 18.   
Carnal men fill and feed their hearts with the thoughts of those earthly comforts, profits, and pleasures which they hope to enjoy, even whilst they are a far off: this is their wickedness and folly, for when they come to the actual enjoyment of these things which their fancies fed upon before hand, they find them to be stolen, empty, lying, vanities, 
Isa. 29. 6.  no way answering their thoughts and large desires, and this fills them with vexation of spirit:  
3. Men are guilty of this speculative acting of sin in their thoughts, in respect of things past, they are apt to sport themselves in the thoughts of those sinful and sensual pleasures, which they have formerly enjoyed in actions long since past: they recall and revive their former dead works, and they think upon the Circumstances of their old defilements with a new delight. Those sins which sinners have long since committed they act over again in their thoughts every day: thus adulterers delight to be calling over their former unclean acts, and feeding in their thoughts upon the froth and filth of their former sensualities: vain glorious persons take pleasure to be musing upon speeches of applause, and admiration given them by others.  
So that whereas sinners should think upon their former pollutions and vanities with sorrow, self abhorrency and hatred, they rather run over them in their thoughts with a fresh delight, and hereby they continually commit the same sins again with the same pleasure, & extract a new sweetness out of old vanities.  
This delightful acting over sin in the thoughts, is the height of wickedness.  
1. It is a sign of a heart deeply hardened, and desperately wicked, it is an argument that men are greatly in love with their sins, and inseparably wedded to them, when they commit adultery with their own sinful Acts formerly acted. It is impossible for contrite Converts to act this speculative wickedness ordinarily, though they may be overtaken through infirmity; they are filled with bitter sorrowful thoughts, sighs and shame, in the review of their old sinful pleasures and vanities, as is evident in the repenting Romans, who were now ashamed of their former filthy ways, Rom. 6. 21. so when Ephraim thought of his sin, he was ashamed and repent.  
2. It declares men to be far from repentance, when they can think upon sins passed with new sweetness and delight;  
For first, real repentance is a turning from all practical and speculative wickedness from inward and outward actings of sin.  
2. True penitents, think upon former sins with far greater grief and bitterness than ever they had pleasure and sweetness in the committing of them.  
3. They hate all appearances of old sins, and fly from all occasions, allurements, and tendencies thereunto.  
3. This speculative acting of sin in the thoughts of men, doth highly provoke God against them:  
For 1. As often, as they think of their former sins with delight, they are guilty of committing the same sins again, and do justify their first wicked works.  
2. They hereby make themselves guilty of piercing and wounding the Lord Christ afresh:  
3. They provoke God to remember their old sins by inflicting new wrath upon them, when they recall them in their Thoughts with new pleasure.  
4. This delightful musing on sins past, is more abominable than the first committing of them.  
4. Men do act this speculative wickedness in their thoughts by way of mere supposals, they frame and feign suppositions to themselves of sensual satisfactions: thus sinners that are frighted by the power of the word, from the outward actuating of their bosome-lust, yet their hearts do wallow in wicked speculations and wanton suppositions, they suppose themselves to be acting their fleshly desires, they imagine themselves enjoying such and such sensual pleasures and delights: thus men are partakers with adulterers, drunkards, and sensualists in their thoughts and fancies: sinners that have spent their former years in acting their lusts 
Psal. 50.  of uncleanness, and now their bodies through age, are like a dry tree; yet they will act their filthiness in their imaginary suppositions; and their hearts shall act what their bodies cannot actuate.  
18. Out of the hearts of men proceed thoughts of childish vanity, they act the part of children in their thoughts, they have foolish, childish imaginations: children will suppose themselves Kings, Queens, Nobles, etc. they will act the parts of mothers and nurses, they sport themselves with babies and toyish vanities, this is their childish folly. They that are men in years, are children in thoughts; they act as vainly in their thoughts as children: thus men of ambitious affections will imagine themselves in the highest places of honour and preferment, they will suppose themselves great persons, Nobles, Statesmen, Judges of the Land, 2 Sam. 15. 4.  
Men of covetous spirits will suppose themselves rich, raised to great estates, Lands, possessions, etc. whatsoever carnal contentment hath chief room in men's affections, though there be not the least appearance of probability, of ever attaining the same, yet they will with much delight imagine themselves enjoying what they would have: their thoughts shall draw up a platform of State Station and Condition of life, which is most suitable to their carnal affections.  
This is the surest sign whereby we may know what is that particular sin whereto we are most inclined: observe which way our fancies and thoughts do stream out most. This fancying and supposing ourselves in a height of earthly enjoyments.  
1. Is the height of Childishness: it is absurd for men to solace themselves in these Childish thoughts and fancies: it is time for men to put away Childishness, 1 Cor. 13.  
2. It is the height of vanity, because in these imaginary suppositions we feed our thoughts with that which is not: earthly things themselves in their fullest enjoyment have no reality in them, they are but empty nothings, painted shadows, they are not whiles they are; but to solace ourselves with mere suppositions, this is vanity of vanities, worse than vanity.  
3. It is the height of foolishness, to feed upon airy, windy imaginations, Prov. 15. 14. The mouth of fools feeds on foolishness; The mouth of unconstant fools 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  feedeth upon foolish things; thus the words are in the Hebrew: the mind of man is the mouth of the soul; Thoughts are the speeches thereof: it is a sure sign of foolish wicked men, to spend their thoughts upon empty notions.  
4. It manifests the height of dangerous discontent with our present condition, when we shall imagine and suppose great things to ourselves in this world, 1 Tim. 6, 7, 6, 8, 9 10, etc. whereas we ought to be contented with our present estate and station, Heb. 13. 3, 4.  
Thus I have opened the mystery of man's carnal corrupt thoughts, by way of explication and demonstration; I will now make some useful application to ourselves.  
Seeing this is a most clear truth, that 
Use 1.  thoughts proceeding from man's corrupt nature, are such polluting, provoking, damning evils.  
This may convince us, that thoughts are not free: it is a pestilent principle of atheism, which by the deep delusion of the devil prevails strongly in the hearts of men and women, that thoughts are free; it is the common conceit of carnal profane persons.  
1. That thoughts are of an indifferent nature, neither good nor evil in themselves, but as they are approved and consented to by man's will.  
2. That it is impossible for any man to order, overrule and regulate his thoughts, by reason of their infiniteness, varieties and wand'ring nature, in which respect they claim a privilege of invincible freedom.  
3. Carnal men do imagine that they have a licentious liberty to think what they please, and that they need not make conscience of their thoughts.  
4. They apprehend that thoughts are free from pollution and punishment, and free from the reach of God's glorious eye; and that they shall not be accountable for them.  
This is a strong and dangerous delusion whereby the Devil draws multitudes of souls into hell continually.  
1. It is an universal delusion, it takes and prevails with the whole world, which lieth wallowing in wicked thoughts: this cursed Principle, that (thoughts are free) is rooted in the hearts of all those who are strangers to the power of grace: for though moral persons, and formal Professors may abhor blasphemous thoughts, and those grosser thoughts, which have an , inseparable blackness and malignity in them; yet they are far from hating all kind of evil thoughts; as for vain, idle, worldly, impertinent, unprofitable, and roving thoughts they look up●n them as no sins, or small venial 'scapes, which carry their pardon with them, and do not bind men over to condemnation.  
This w●s the cursed conceit of the Pharisees and their followers; for it is manifest by the Sermon of Christ in Matth. 5. that the Pharisees were wont to interpret the Law of an outward discipline only, and mere external duties; and that they did not reckon the inward impurities and exorbitancies of man's heart, and thoughts, and inordinacy of desires for sins: their care was for the outside only; but within they were full of thought-uncleannesse. See Matth. 23, 25. 26, 27. Yea, Paul in his Pharisaical condition was possessed with this Pharisaical error, as appears by his own confession. Rom. 7. 7. therefore he once thought himself able to live without blame in a legal Righteousness, Phil. 3. 6 and to keep the Law, till the Commandment came unto him in its spirituality at his conversion, Rom. 7. 9  
2. This hellish conceit (that thoughts are free) produceth most dangerous damning effects in men's conversations.  
1. It causeth them to bless themselves in their external negatives, in their freedom from open offences, and outward abominations, as that Pharisee did, Luke 18. 10, 11, 12.  
This is the practice of mere civil persons and formalists, who make no conscience to be holy in their thoughts, but only they take care with the harlot to wipe the lips, with Pilate to wash the hands, and with the Pharisees to cleanse the outside, as for their thoughts, they suffer them to run riot, to have their full swinge, especially in matters of pleasure, profit, and carnal contentments.  
2. This false opinion of thought-freedome, draws men to place Religion in outward services, and bodily exercises, without giving to God a thought-worship: hence it is, that they rest in the work done without the concurrence of the heart and thoughts; they draw near to God with their lips, and bring the outward man, when their Thoughts are far from him, Isa. 29. 16. their chiefest care is to appear to men, and to be appproved by men, and not by God who seethe and searcheth the heart, and so they vanish in bodily service and outward devotion of lip-labour and lost labour.  
3. When men upon this conceit, that thoughts are free, do give up the rains to their own Imaginations, and take liberty in vain vile and profane thoughts, it is just with God to give them up to vile affections, abominable actings, and a Reprobate sense: so that as they cast off the yoke of Christ in their thoughts, and will not have him to rule in their hearts, so the Lord gives up them to walk as sons of Belial, as men without yoke, after the vanity of their minds, and lusts of their own hearts, and so these that make no conscience of internal thoughts, are come up now to this height of iniquity, as to make no conscience of abstaining from external abominations, they can swallow camels without fear or remorse.  
2. Or else they are given up to efficacy of error, to believe the lying doctrines of corrupt Teachers, that so they might be damned, who do not receive & obey the truth in their minds, but take pleasure in acting unrighteousness and uncleanness, speculative filth and folly in their thoughts.  
They that partake with adulterers by a spiritual thought-pollution, will at last come to partake with them in bodily defilements.  
This is most evident in the men of the old world, Gen. 6. 1. 2, 5. they professed themselves sons of God, and joined themselves to the visible Church, yet being possessed with this cursed conceit of thought-freedome, they lodged evil thoughts in their hearts continually, till at length they were given up to the open committing of all manner of sin with greediness and great delight, until the Flood came and swept them altogether into Hell, 1 Pet. 3. 19 20.  
And this is the case of divers Professors in this present licentious world, who are fallen into error of judgement and practices, if they would seriously search and survey their own hearts, they should find that looseness of thoughts is the chief cause of their giving up to looseness in opinion and conversation.  
This corrupt conceit of liberty of thoughts in the tendency thereof, opens a gap to all wicked licentiousness; and makes way for incurable obcecation and obduration of heart, for men being once possessed with this pestilent persuasion, they now take their fill of all inward filth, as being invisible to man, and in the end they let lose the bridle to all external wickedness: because this being presupposed that thoughts are free, it will easily be inferred, that works are free also: if men take liberty of conscience to think any thing, they will in time pretend liberty of conscience to act any thing.  
2. Upon this licentious life follows the height of hardness of heart; their Conscience being now seared as with an hot iron, and past feeling, 1 Tim. 4. 2. Ephes. 4. 19  
3. All light and sense being totally lost, they now come to justify any sin, to take light for darkness, and darkness for light, to put good for evil, and evil for good, truth for error, and error for truth, Isa. 5.  
4. Hereupon follows the height of impenitency, an impossibility of repenting; so that these sinners are now sealed up under condemnation without remedy: all this mischief and woeful misery flows originally from this wicked conceit that possesseth their hearts, that thoughts are free.  
4. This vile opinion of thought-freedome doth exceedingly exalt and idolise man's corrupt nature, by ascribing that privilege, power and perfection to man, which is inconsistent with rational creatures; for if thoughts be free, than our affections which are acted by them, are free, and our words and visible works which are streams flowing from our thoughts, are also free, and hence it will follow that intelligent creatures are free from subjection to any Law, and so their own wills must be the rule of their own actings, which is a deifying of mortal worms, and setting up man's will in the place of God, which is Idolatry.  
5. This pernicious Principle of thought-freedome doth abolish and take away all internal piety, heart-purity and thought-worship; and so turns all piety and divine worship into a mere outward form of Pharisaisme, and a dead carcase of devotion, whereby men rob God of his chiefest service.  
Quere, What is the true ground and root of this Atheistical conceit, that thoughts are free?  
Answer 1. Speculative vanity and uncleanness is suitable and sweet to carnal hearts, they love to solace and sport themselves in the thoughts of their sensual pleasures, riches, and creature-contentments: hereupon men willingly come to this conclusion that thoughts are free, because themselves so willingly give way to their own Thoughts: we are very apt to close with any Principle which tends to the allowance of those actings that we allow in ourselves.  
2. Carnal men and women are ignorant of God's Law in the spirituality and latitude thereof: they measure and judge of the compass of the Commandments by the outward letter only, fancying to themselves a Law which reacheth only to the outward man, as did the Pharisees; from these false premises thy conclude liberty of thoughts.  
3. They discern not the spirituality of Religion and repentance, which is primarily and principally acted in the heart and thoughts.  
4: The ungospel general way of preaching of divers men, tends very much to the settling and fixing of this pestilent opinion in carnal hearts, that thoughts are free:  
For 1. Some there be who strive to please the itching ears and fancies of their hearers, with notional Doctrines, and empty enticing Discourses.  
2. Others crying peace, peace, do altogether publish the pardons of free grace, but they never press the power of renewing grace upon the heart and thoughts of men: whereas the aim and principal work of Gospel-preaching is, to cast down the imaginations and heights of man's heart, and to captivate every thought to the obedience of Christ, as the Apostle clearly shows, 2 Cor. 10▪ 4, 5. all our Declarations of God's grace and mercy, must tend first and chief to the subduing and sanctifying the thoughts of men's hearts.  
3. A third sort of Teachers make it their whole work to cry down visible exorbitances and scandalous sins; and to persuade to external duties of Religion and a moral conversation; this was the way of the Pharisees preaching.  
4. Some soar aloft in Seraphical notions, high speculations, and strange expressions which serve only to feed the fancy, and to fill men's heads with whimsies.  
So that the heart and thoughts of men being altogether neglected by a great number of Teachers, and the wickedness of man's natural imaginations, not being faithfully and effectually laid open; What wonder is it, if men do flatter themselves with a groundless conceit of the goodness of their heart, and so give credit to this deluding Principle, that thoughts are free: because preachers do not strike at their thoughts, nor discover any danger in them.  
Query 2. How doth it appear from Scripture that thoughts are not free.  
Answer, Evil thoughts are expressly forbidden and condemned by a threefold Law of God.  

1. By the common Law of nature.  
2. By the Royal Law of Love.  
3. By the Evangelical Law of grace.   
1. It is evident by the Scriptures, that evil thoughts are condemned by the Law of nature written in every man's heart; for the clearing of this truth three things must be demonstrated.  

1. That there is a Law of Nature.  
2. That the Law of Nature is.  
3. What evil thoughts are directly against this Law of Nature.   
1. That there is a Law of nature, the Scripture testifies, Rom. 2. 14, 15. for when the Gentiles who have not the Law, do by nature the things contained in the Law, these having not the Law, are a Law unto themselves, who show the work of the Law written in their hearts, etc.  
In these words the Apostle proveth the being of this natural Law by two effects flowing from thence, even in the Gentiles themselves.  
1. Their doing of the things contained and commanded in the law of Moses, verse 14. 
Rom 2. v. 15.   
2. The testimony and inward conflict of Conscience; the natural accusing, and excusing of their thoughts, verse 15. Their Conscience also bearing witness, (or conscience witnessing with them, and their Thoughts the mean while accusing, or else excusing one another, so far as their actions were evil, their conscience accused; and so far as they were well done, it excused.  
These fruits do plainly demonstrate, that there is a law of nature, and a natural knowledge of this Law bubbling up in man's nature: the Gentiles who knew nothing of the letter of Moses Law, yet they carry the work of the Law written in their hearts, that is a Law agreeable to the moral Law.  
Observe here 1. The Gentiles had not the written Law of Moses; and yet they did the things prescribed and contained in the written Law, as the Apostle Paul testifies.  
Here is their practice, and the Principle of their practice.  
1. Divers things prescribed in the Law, they knew and practised: some worship they performed unto God.  
2. Divers of the Heathen abhorred the making and adoration of Images.  
3. They were strict observers of Civil Justice and honesty as appears, both by the Laws enacted for observance of both, and by histories recording the excellent virtues of many Heathens.  
2. There must necessarily be some inward divine Principle in the Gentiles, to discover the things of the Law unto them; and to move them to the doing thereof, this principle of their fact is expressly called nature, they do by nature the things of the Law, Rom. 2. 14. by 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. e. Naturali judicio, naturali instinctu atque impul●u naturali ratione eis dictante quid honestum, quid ●urposit, Piscator.  nature, that is, by the light and Law of nature implanted in their hearts.  
Nature is here opposed either to Scripture or to grace, and may thus be understood.  
1. that the things that they did, that were materially good, they did them by the dictate, instinct, and impulse of natural principles, natural Reason making known what is good, and what is evil, and that without any direction from Scripture or special revelation.  
2. Or else thus by nature, that is, by the power of nature, or natural principles, without any assistance of renewing grace. But the first sense I conceive is chief intended in the Text, therefore the Syriack by way of explanation 
Rom. 2. 14.  renders it thus: the Gentiles who had not the Law they did the Law from their own 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 2. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  nature that is, from those natural principles they carried in their own hearts.  
3. The Scripture declareth the Gentiles to be sinners, under sin and wrath, Gal. 2. 15. they are called sinners of the Gentiles, and sinners by way of notoriousness.  
4. There is wrath threatened to be poured out upon the heathens that know not God, and it was actually poured out upon divers of them in the Prophet's days.  
5. Their own Conscience is said to accuse them of sin, Rom. 2. 15.  
These Reasons prove undeniably that there is a Divine Law written in the hearts of the Gentiles, which is fitly called the Law of nature for punishment is properly the fruit of sin, and sin is the transgression of the Law, 1 John 3.  
Quest. What is th●s Law of nature?  
Ans. 1. Nature imports two things.  
1. An essential being, it is being itself.  
2. the actings & operations of a being.  
2. A Law is a righteous Rule and  measure of moral Acts ordained for the g●od and welfare of rational creatures sufficiently made known by the Lawgiver. 
Lex est regula & men●ura actuum again 〈…〉 omittendorum, Aquinas.   
3. The Law of nature is a Radical light shining from the Candle of the Lord powerfully making known certain practical principles agreeable to the eternal Rule of Truth and Righteousness which God hath planted in the mind of man, to be a testimony to man, that there is a God who ruleth over all, and judgeth the actings of all men.  
1. The Law of nature is internal and essential to the nature of an intelligent creature; it is a Law that is as necessary as the being of such a creature; it is connatural to a rational creature, so that as such a creature, it cannot be imagined to be without a Law: for rational beings, as creatures have a supreme Lord to whose will they must be subject, and by whose Laws they must be regulated.  
2. It is such a knowledge of good and evil, as is intrinsically and indelibly 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etc.  rooted in man's nature * chrysostom tell us that this natural Law is a radical fundamental knowledge planted in the being of man.  
3. The Law of nature is a comprehension of certain first principles belonging to the right ordering and regulating of man's thoughts and works; for the principal scope of this natural dictate and direction, is for action, and not for speculation.  
There are certain undeniable principles that a rational being will freely grant, and presently yield unto: they are drawn up in some short Axioms or propositions such as these.  
That which is good and honest, must be embraced and acted.  
That which is evil must be avoided, what thou wouldst not have done to thyself, do not thou that to another.  
Happiness is to be sought after.  
2. Then there follow certain particular principles, as  

God is to be worshipped.  
Parents must be honoured.  
Justice is to be done.  
Men must live temperately, etc.   
3. From these clear, and unquestionable premises, Reason draws several Conclusions, that have the impression of nature's seal upon them, and so are undeniable, asnamely, blasphemy murder, adultery, theft, lying, and such like are evil, and therefore must be abhorred and avoided.  
The Law of nature is the birth of that original, eternal Law: God is the Archetype, Primitive, supreme, eternal Law, the perfect Rule of all Righteousness.  
1. The Law of nature is a stream flowing forth in time into the natures of the sons of men, from that original fountain of all Law: it is a Copy transcribed from that eternal Law, and implanted upon the heart of a rational being.  
2. It is the first born of this eternal Law, having the pre-eminence of primogeniture, and so claiming a double portion.  
The Law of nature was in being long before Moses received the two Tables, before there was any Prophet or Judge in Israel, yea before Noah preached, or Enoch prophesied. It was contemporary with Adam. This was the Scripture that God gave men in the infant age of the world; they carried this Bible in their hearts continually.  
5. The Law of nature is the sum and substance of the written moral Law, there is a sweet agreement and consent between these two Royal Laws; they differ not in substance, but in circumstance, and in respect of the manner of delivery: the natural Law is the summary abridgement of the moral Law of Moses.  
6. God hath written this Law in the 
Quam Deus omnium creator singn●orum hominum pecto, ribus infudit.  heart of every man, Ambrose thus defineth this natural Law, it is that which God the Creator infused into every man's breast: it is written with the finger of God in the heart of man, as Philo saith: an eternal Deity graved this Law of nature in man's immortal mind, that is, the Pillar that holds forth th●s natural truth. This Royal Law of nature is a sacred Manuscript written by a Deity; it is the Scripture of God in man's heart, it is a Bible of Gods own printing, the Apostle calls it the work of the Law written in men's hearts, Rom. 2. 15.  
Question, What is this work of the 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Law, which is written in the hearts of the Gentiles?  
Answer, It is the sentence and sum of the Royal Law, which is to love God above all, and our neighbour as ourselves: though the Heathens have not the law of Moses written in letters and Syllables, yet they have the thing itself comprehended in the Law; they have a writing within that discovers not only external actions prescribed in the law, but also internal acts.  
1. Because the internal acts of obedience are the principal work of the Law  
2. It is evident that the Gentiles had the knowledge of divers internal, essential duties contained in the Law.  
3. They are condemned for the vanity of their Thoughts, and vileness of their affections, which are inward violations of the law, Ephes. 4. 17. Rom. 1.  
Ob. It may be objected, that it is the peculiar privilege of God's elect people who are in Covenant with him, to have the law written in their hearts, and engraven in their minds, Jer. 31. 33. Heb. 8. ●, 9, 10, 11. Heb. 10.  
Whereunto I answer, 1. There is a natural writing of the Royal law in man's heart, Rom. 2. 14, 15. the light and law of nature is implanted in every man's heart at their natural birth, or coming into the world, john 1: 9  
2. There is a supernatural, evangelical writing of the Royal law in the hearts of the Elect people, of Christ at their new birth by the spirit of grace coming into their hearts; This Evangelical writing is the fruit of the promise, and the privilege of regenerate persons only.  
2. There is a very great difference between the writing of the work of the moral Law in the hearts of Heathens; and the writing of the law itself in the hearts of holy men.  
God's gracious writing of his Laws in the hearts and minds of his people in the work of regeneration, imports an opening of their understanding by Christ to discern the spiritualness, penetration, compass and mysteriousness of the holy law, Luke 24. 45. Rom. 7. 14 Heb. 4. 12. Psal. 119. 96.  
2. A creating and implanting new holy principles and propensions agreeable to the Royal law, whereby they are enabled to perform a spiritual Evangelical obedience unto God.  
But the natural writing that heathens and all natural men have in their hearts gives them only a general knowledge of certain practical principles, and a natural strength to do many duties of the law in a moral way; but they are still strangers to those new principles of spiritual knowledge and Gospel obedience that are in renewed men.  
Question,  
what are those good things that mere natural men may do by the principles of nature implanted in their hearts; because it is said expressly that the Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the Law, Rom. 2. 14.  
Answer, they may do things that are morally and materially good, but they cannot do those things that are Theologically and spiritually good; they cannot do those things that are essentially and intrinsically good.  
1. A work is morally good, when it is good in relation to manners, and in order unto men, when it is good in the sight of men, good unto humane purposes, and by way of example or edification to others who judge as they see.  
2. A work is divinely and spiritually good, when it is good in relation to Religion, and in order unto God; a good work is then done divinely and spiritually, when it is acted.  
1. From a divine principle, from the spirit of life, from Christ living in us, from a new Principle of life and holiness 
Gal. 2. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Clem. Alex.  put into us by the spirit of regeneration.  
2. When it proceeds from a living faith, purifying our hearts from dead works.  
2. In a divine manner with holy and spiritual affection.  
As 1. When it is performed with the affection of a child, and filial respects, not from a spirit of bondage, but from a spirit of love. 2 Tim. 1. 7.  
2. In a free and voluntary subjection to God the Lawgiver, and a sincere respect to all his Commandments, Psal. 119, 6. 128. for men never obey God and his Law, even when they do the works therein prescribed; but when they do them with all submissive and loyal affections towards him who commands those duties, James 2. 10, 11. and that by virtue of his authority and command: this is to do all in the name of Christ, Col. 3.  
3. A work that is Theologically and spiritually good, must be directed unto a divine holy end, the glory of God, we must bring forth fruits of holiness, and finish our works that God gives us to do, and do all the good that we have to do with a single respect unto God, as 
Quicquid homo veluti recte fecerit, nisi ad pietatem, quae in Deum est, referatur, rectum dici non oportet.  our end, that in all things God may be glorified, John 15 8. and 17. 4. 1 Cor. 10. 31. this only is to live unto God, and to bring forth fruit unto him, and not unto ourselves, Rom. 7.  
4. Every good work must be done with a pure heart, with fervency of spirit, cheerfulness and delight: our hearts must be given unto God in every service:  
All the Circumstances that accompany 
Augustin. de fide & operi●●s.  an holy action must be right; for an excellent work may be so misplaced or attended with such incongruous and unsuitable circumstances, as that it may rather be a snare of Satan, than a fruit of the Spirit in us.  
5. Lastly all our services must be presented and offered up to God upon that divine Altar Jesus Christ, to make a good work completely acceptable, it must pass through the incense and intercession of Christ, who as he doth by his blood take away the guilt of sin from our persons: so by his intercession he covers and hideth the pollution and adherency of sin, that is, in our services, Eph. 2: 18. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Christ Jesus 
Matth. 23. 19  is the Altar that sanctifies all our spiritual sacrifices, Isa. 56. 7. and 60. 7. Their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine Altar; and, they shall come up with acceptance on mine Altar.  
3. A work is materially good, when the materials of it are the things that God requires, as prayer, , etc. Now though the matter of these duties, be things that God commands to be done; yet because the doing of them doth not necessarily and intrinsically take in a sincere aim and respect to God, but is only reducible unto God, and that so, as that the same thing may be done with other respects, for carnal men do all things with carnal self respects: therefore the goodness of such works is not in the things themselves, barely and abstractly considered in the work done, but in the right spiritual manner of performing them, such were the Pharisees praying, and the sacrifices and services of those wicked Jews in Isa. 1.  
4. There be some works that are so essentially & intrinsically good in themselves, that if they be done they must needs be spiritually and divinely done, because they have relation to God in their very acting, and do intrinsically and in the substance of the work respect God, as namely, a sincere love and fear of God, a trusting in God, and waiting upon God.  
These actions are so inherently good that though they may be imperfectly done by us, because not done with all that strength and height of spirituality and sincerity that the Law requires yet they can never be done profanely and selfishly, and so displeasing unto God.  
Now it is evident that carnal men by the principles of nature acted and improved may do things morally good, such works as have relation to men, are good in the sight of men, and tend ro the good of men.  
2. They may do works materially good such works whose goodness doth not necessarily consist in the doing of them, but in the spiritual manner of doing them: but then they perform them only, in a carnal selfish manner, not divinely and spiritually.  
Natural men cannot do a good work spiritually and obedientially, they cannot do it with a fil● all submissive affection unto God.  
1. Because they are not quickened and acted by the spirit of Christ, Rom. 8. 9 Gal. 4 6.  
2. Every good work that is spiritual, is vital, for the spirit quickeneth: But now both the persons and performances of carnal men are dead, Heb. 9 14.  
Therefore though the works of natural men in respect of the substance or matter thereof seem very specious, and glorious unto men, who judge according to the sight of their eyes, and do measure the intention and affection by the work that they see, and not the work by the intention and affection, which they cannot see; yet to God who seethe not as man seethe, such works are abomination, because they are directed to their own corrupt ends and done with carnal affections, Luke 16. 15.  
3. Natural men by the strength of Principles of nature cannot do those works ●hat are essentially and inherently good: They cannot sincerely and spiritually love God, nor fear him, nor trust in him, because they are living actions coming from the spirit of life.  
7. The Law of nature is of divine authority, the omnipotent God is the author thereof, he is the giver and graver, the contriver, commander and publisher of it.  
Hence it is, that 1. It hath an efficacious influence, and the highest binding virtue upon men's consciences: no created power in heaven or earth can absolve them from their obedience thereunto.  
2. This Law is an indelible and immutable rule, yesterday and to day, the same for ever, it ties all people and persons with an impartial hand; it shines upon all Nations and times with a perpetual light, none can claim exemption from this natural Law, unless they can cease from their rational being.  
This divine writing cannot totally be defaced or blotted out in the worst of men.  
8. This Law of nature, as it is in its latitude, does bind men in the Court of Conscience Natural Conscience is the Centre of natural Principles, it dictates what the law of nature requires, applies it, and so incites and engageth men to the observation thereof, yet sometimes Conscience erroneously incites men to those Acts which were never dictated by any divine Law.  
2. Conscience reflects upon what is done, and so calls men to a strict account for every violation of nature's Law, accusing them when they act contrary to it, and excusing them when they walk up to it, Rom. 2. 15.  
9 Every violation of the Law of nature is exceeding injurious to God, and to man's own being.  
1. It is a secret contempt of that supreme Lord and Lawgiver, who in so much wisdom and goodness did put this Law into men's hearts, and oblige them to observe it for their own good.  
2. So far as men decline and departed from this Law, so far they run into misery, and expose themselves to punishment and perdition, this is most evident, Rom. 2. 12. for as many as have sinned 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  without ●aw shall also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the Law.  
Ob. They that have sinned without the law, etc. this seems a Paradox no law, and yet transgression, Rom. 4. 15. every sin is an anomy, the breach of some law, 1 John 3. 4  
Answer, It is true, where there is no Law at all, neither written nor unwritten, neither natural nor positive there can be no transgression: but of the laws of God, we may thus distinguish according to the different manner of their delivery.  
There is a Law written unto man in the Scriptures; and there is a law written in man's nature by his maker: there is the law published to man by Moses and the law proclaimed in man by the voice of reason: these agree in substance, but differ in circumstance in manner of delivery, every man hath a law written in his heart.  
The meaning of the words is this, they that sin without the written 
Sine lege scilicet scripta quae dicitur lex Mosis, Piscator.  Law of Moses, shall perish without the written Law of Moses, that is, without imputation of the writing of that Law: that shall not add to the weight of their sins; nor lay a greater guilt or aggravation on their consciences, in as much, that God did not vouchsafe that mercy to them: he requires no more of any than he committed to them.  
Quer. By what Law then shall the Heathens perish who have sinned without the Scripture Law.  
Answer, They shall be condemned, by that Law which they have transgressed, namely, the Law of nature, or that Law written in their hearts.  
10. The Law of nature is so exact, that it obligeth the whole man: it binds men to do service to their Creator with their whole mind, will and affections, with all possible freeness and fervency, cheerfulness and complacency, intensiveness and integrity.  
Nature's Law is not content with a visible bodily exercise, but calls for obedience in our most inward thoughts and affections.  
2. It binds men to do good, and to do it well, all the strength and binding virtue of this Law dependeth upon the Sovereign power and authority of the Lawgiver.  
11. This Law of nature is so equal that it is not capable of any abatement, mitigation or alteration in the least Tittle.  
1. Because there is not the least rigour in the principles, and precepts of this Law, they are pure equity.  
2. Nature's Law is conversant about such Acts as are most intrinsically and inseparably such.  
1. There is such a natural beauty and intrinsical loveliness in some good Acts and Objects, as must needs assure and attract a rational being.  
2. There is such an inherent deformity and inseparable malignity in some evils, that the light of reason must needs 
Quae●am sunt mala quia prohibentur, sed alia prohibentur quia sunt mala, say the Shcool-men.  loath and abhor them, insomuch, as if there were no external written Law, yet a rational being that walks up to the light of reason, would abhor and fly from sundry evils, and close with dives good Acts.  
Quer. How is this Law of nature made known to men?  
Answer, God hath set up an intellectual lamp in their souls, by the light whereof they can read the Law written in their hearts, there is the light of reason implanted in men's mind, which manifests certain practical principles, and is to warn them in the name of their maker to fly from such irregular, inordinate Acts, which have an inseparable blackness and illness in them, and to close with those Acts and objects that have an internal beauty and native loveliness.  
For this end God hath lighted up his 
Prov 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Aqu s●m. Theod. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sic ali●. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usurpatur de homine tantum & animam hujus ratione ●●aeditam denotat. Schindler. The Hebrew Doctors dostill look upon this word, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that that does express 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animam rationis participem.  Candle in the soul, Prov. 20. 27. The understanding of a man is the Candle of the Lord: the proper meaning of this place, I take to be this, that God hath breathed into all men reasonable souls, which are as so many Candles and Lamps of light to discover their Creator and his Royal Law of Nature to them.  
Question, When are these Principlss of natural light put into men?  
Answer, At their coming into this world; as is evident, John 1. 9 Christ is the true light that lightens every man that cometh into the world: that is, every man who is born into this world.  
This cannot be be meant of the spiritual light of grace, that light of life, that hath eternal life in it, John 17 3. for the elect only receive that new light at their new birth, that is a light from the Lord, and in the Lord, Ephes. 5. flowing from their union with Christ.  
But this Text, John 1. 9 speaks of the light of nature, which is a common benefit that men receive by and from Christ: thus Cyril took this light for the light of nature and natural reason, because of the universal Enunciation; and so do many of our Reformers following him: it is universally and necessarily of true the light of nature which is in infants radically.  
Christ lightens every man, Jew and Gentile, without respect of persons, with natural light which shines upon both with an impartial beam.  
I grant that the great things of Gods written Law, and the divine light flowing from thence, was the peculiar privilege 
Rom 9  of the Jews.  
2. That by means of those beams of of heavenly truth that shined more peculiarly upon them, the Jews had even those natural notions much clarified and refined from those clouds and mists which man's original corruption casts upon them: but yet they have no greater portion of the light of Nature, than all men have: so that Jew and Grecian, Barbarian, Scythian, bond and free men, all these are one, in respect of nature and nature's Law, and nature's light.  
There are three things, wherein Jews and Gentiles are one.  
1. In the darkness of corrupted nature. Rom. 3.  
2. In the light of natural principles, John 1. 9  
3. They are one, so fare as they partake of a new nature in Christ.  
3. It is evident that this natural light, is a common gift that every man receiveth, by and for Jesus Christ, though none but believers have eternal life and salvation by him, John 3. 16.  
3. The third thing to be demonstrated, is this, that evil thoughts are directly against the Law of nature, they are transgressions of that natural Law that is written in every man's heart: this appears most clearly.  
1. In the men of the old world, the great sin which is laid to their charge, and that chief for which they were destroyed, was, their evil thoughts, as you may read in Gen. 6. 5. 6. 7. and Gen. 8. 21. The thoughts of their hearts were evil continually from their childhood.  
Quer.  
But what Law of God did these men violate in their thoughts? What Law was there then that did forbid and condemn evil thoughts, every sin is a transgression of some divine Law: by what Law did they perish? there was no positive written Law in the days of the old world, the written Law was given by Moses many ages after the flood.  
Answer, that Law which those giants of the old world did transgress in their thoughts, was the Law of nature implanted in their hearts: there was no Law then in being, but what was written in men's nature, there was no divine Scripture in the days of Noah but that which was written in every man's heart by the finger of God, so that the first Law that was broken by man's thoughts, was nature's Law, therefore evil thoughts are transgressions of the Law of nature,  
2. It appears as clearly in the sinners of the Gentiles: vanity of thoughts is the Capital crime for which they are indicted and condemned by the heart-searcher, Ephes. 4. 17. This I say, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind: this vanity of mind in which the Heathens walk is the vanity of their Thoughts, and thus the Syriack version reads it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Ye walk not as the rest of the Gentiles, 
Eph. 4. 17. Quae ambulant in van●tate cogitatiovis suae, Tremellius. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Cogitatio.  who walk in the vanity of their thoughts, thus Tremellius and Trostius render the Syriack.  
2. As Thoughts are the actings of the mind, so the vanity of the mind is the impiety, impurity, childishness and emptiness of man's thoughts, so that the Gentiles walked after their own vain thoughts, they were acted by the imagination of their own evil hearts, this is that great sin which is laid to the charge of those wicked ones, in Jer. 31. 10. They walked after the evil thoughts and imaginations of their own hearts, Deut. 29. 19 Jer. 16. 12.  
2. The Heathens are more expressly indicted for their vain thoughts, Rom. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  1. 21. They became vain in their imaginations or thoughts, the scope of this 21. v. is to prove that which was affirmed in the last clause of the former verse, namely, that the Gentiles were left without excuse, and could have no cloak for their sin, because they sinned against the light and Law of nature, this the Apostle demonstrates.  
1. Negatively.  
2. Affirmatively.  
1. The Gentiles did not worship and glorify God, according to that natural light and knowledge that was implanted in their minds, Rom. 1. 27. they knowing God did not glorify him as God.  
2. They became vain in their thoughts: thus the Syriack reads it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
The Infidel Gentiles were full of vain ungodly thoughts.  
1. In their worshipping of God they turned the true God into an image of their own fancy, conceiving God to be like to the creatures, verse 23.  
2. They were full of vile, unclean, foolish, filthy thoughts in their common conversation.  
Hereby it is manifest that vain thoughts were the radical leading sin in the Heathens.  
But what Law of God did they transgress in their thoughts? it is evident by the Scriptures, that the Infidel Gentiles knew nothing of Moses Law in the letter of it, Psal. 147. 19 20. He he hath declared his words to Jacob, his 
Psal. 147 19 His words, that is, the Ten Commandments or Moral Law Exod. 20. 1. called the Ten words, Deut. 10. 4. 2. His statutes, that is, Decrees and constitutions of God's worship. 3. Judgements, that is the Judicial Laws for punishing offenders. Exod. 21. 1. Psal. 79. 10.  statutes and Judgements to Israel, he hath not done thus to any Nation, that is, to the Gentile-Nations (as the words imports) and they have not known his laws, the Gentiles had not the knowledge of any of Gods written Laws, either moral, ceremonial, or Judicial.  
Rom. 2. 12. 14. it is expressly said, that the Gentiles have not the law, that is, the Law of Moses and the Prophets, but they had a Law written in their hearts, and this is that Law which they transgressed, now when the Apostle would demonstrate that the Gentiles sinned against the light of Nature, he mentions their vain thoughts, as their grand sin, Rom. 1. 21.  
So then 'tis most apparent that vain thoughts are transgressions and violations of the Common-Law of nature, therefore thoughts are not free.  
Secondly evil thoughts are expressly condemned by the Royal Law of love, published in the holy Scriptures.  
1. The written law is spiritual, extending to the inward thoughts of men intending a heart service and sanctity, and binding every thought and imagination to obedience, as is most evident by the exposition of the great Lawgiver himself, Matth. 5. and by the certain knowledge and experience of all his people, Rom. 7. 14. Saint Paul speaketh in the person of all regenerate men, we know that the law is spiritual, requiring a spiritual, angelical obedience, a doing the will of God with our spirits and internal thoughts, as it is done by those angelical spirits in heaven.  
It is the glory and excellency of God's Law to be spiritual, reaching to the inmost thoughts and imaginations, and binding the whole inward and outward man with all its actings.  
The Law is spiritual in its nature, office and end.  
1. It lays bonds upon the internal thoughts of men, as well as upon their external works: it gives rules to the heart, and overrules the thoughts, which no earthly powers can do.  
2. The holy Law forbids and condemneth all evil thoughts arising in and out of man's heart, in all the kinds and degrees thereof.  
The motions of sinful corruption in man's mind, or thinking faculty are of two sorts.  
The first motions or the second motions.  
1. The first vicious motions are those stir of corruption in men, whereby their minds are first instigated and moved to think evil, but these have not deliberate consent of their wills, these the Schoolmen call Concupiscence unformed. 
Concupiscentia informis.   
2. The second corrupt imotions that arise from the hearts of men, are those evil thoughts which gain lodging in their minds and consent in their wills, these they call form and perfect concupiscence. 
Concupiscentia formata:   
Now both these are condemned by the Royal Law, it forbids the first movings of sin in the thoughts of men coming from within, from their natural corruption, though never accepted, or allowed by them.  
2. Evil thoughts against our neighbour, are either thoughts with consent or without consent.  
1. Evil thoughts with consent of will, are such as men conceive in their minds against their neighbour, and do also really desire and purpose in their hearts to practise, these are directly forbidden in the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth commandments.  
2. Thoughts without consent are the evil motions of man's heart against first his neighbour, to which his will never gives consent; these are condemned in the tenth Commandment; the whole Law is spiritual in every branch thereof; but this last precept hath a height of spirituality.  
There be two special sins which are directly forbidden in the tenth Commandment, Thou shalt not covet.  
1. All thoughts of mind, wishes and desires of heart after that that is another's, contrary to contentation: it condemns the very first rise of our desires after any thing that God hath given to another, though we would have it without fraud or violence, as by giving him the full worth of it in money or otherwise, 1 Kings 21. 2. The former Commandments do forbid together with the outward Act, the inward desire of another man's goods to his hurt or damage: for as desire after another man's wife is adultery, Matth. 5 28. so the desire of any others house or beast wrongfully is stealth.  
2. This tenth precept condemns the first motions of concupiscence arising in and from our hearts, though not consented to, & it is purposely set in the last place, as conducing to the exposit on of the former precepts, which do condemn the outward facts and inward motions of Concupiscence rising with consent, whereby they are really distinct from the last Commandment, which must forbid something not directly forbidden in the other Commandments.  
Thirdly, evil thoughts are condemned by the Evangelical law of grace and faith; as may evidently appear by these seven arguments.  
1. The Gospel commands sinners to forsake their own thoughts, and to turn to Jehovah in their Thoughts and works, Isa. 55. 7. this Repentance is a Gospel duty, it is often joined with Remission of sins, which is a Gospel benefit.  
2. The Gospel Word being accompanied with the holy spirit, convinceth men of their evil thoughts, 1 Cor. 14. 24. 25.  
3. It censures and condemns man's thoughts as a judge, Heb. 4. 12. This Word of God, that is so full of power and life, that worketh so efficaciously 
Heb. 4 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The word of God is quick, convenit hoc vorbo Dei, sed praecipue evangelico. Dicebantur critici nomine etiam a latinis usurpato homines acris judicii, &c, Estius▪  on men's hearts and thoughts, which judgeth the thoughts of the heart, must needs be the glorious Gospel of Christ.  
1 Because it is the Gospel, that is the. Ministry of life, and the ministration of the spirit, 2 Cor. 3. 6. 8. It is called the Law of the spirit of life in Christ J●sus, Rom. 8. 2. it is a quickening word, John. 6. 63. the Savour of Life.  
This gospel word of God, is living efficiently, it hath a soul-reviving, soule-raising virtue instrumentally, it is the outward means, whereby the Spirit of Life infuseth life into our dead souls James 1 18. Joh. 17. 17. The Law of Works cannot make alive dead men. Gal. 3. 21.  
3. 'Tis the Gospel that discovers and directs in the way to eternal life.  
This Evangelicall Word is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Critic, a curious Judge and observer of the Thoughts of man's heart, it censures very sharply.  
4. The Gospel of Christ conquers and casts down the thoughts from their Throne in man's heart, 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5.  
5. True Gospel faith casts out all evil thoughts, as enemies to King Jesus: it purifieth our hearts from the power and pollution of vain thoughts, Acts 15. 9  
6. It captivates the Thoughts of men to the obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. 10. 5.  
7. In the Gospel-Covenant there is a giving of Laws to the thoughts of sanctified persons, Heb. 8. 10. I will give my laws to their thoughts, saith the Lord 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  thus the words are in the original.  
4. Evil thoughts are condemned by the concurrent consent of the whole Scripture.  
1. They are condemned by Moses and the Prophets, Gen. 6. 5. and chap. 8. 21. Deut. 15. 9 Psal. 10. 4. and 14. 1. Psal. 94. 11. Psal. 119, 113. 118. Prov. 12. 20. and 15. 26. Prov. 24. 9 Eccles 4. 8. Isa. 55. 7. Isa. 57 11. Jer. 4. 14. and 18. 18. Eezch. 11. 2. Hos. 7, 15. Micah 2. 1.  
2. Evil thoughts are condemned by our Lord Jesus and his holy apostles, Matth. 9 4. and chap, 15. 19, 20. Matth. 16 7. Mark 7. 21. and 8. 17. Luke 1. 51. 
Mar. 16.  1 Cor. 14. 24, 25. 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. James 2. 5.  
Fifthly it will appear that thoughts are not free, if mankind be considered in a threefold estate.  

1. In the estate of original purity.  
2. In the state of original pravity.  
3. In the apparition of grace.   
1. If we look on men in their paradise perfections.  
1. As creatures, they owe all possible service and subjection to their gracious Creator in their spirits, as well as in their bodies, both being framed by his omnipotent hand for himself.  
2. As good creatures made after the Image of God's wisdom and righteousness; at first in Adam: they were filled with glorious power and perfection in their spirits, and fitted to perform a spiritual obedience to the Law by a complete conformity of all their thoughts and works.  
2. If men be considered in their original guilt and filth, it will appear that their thoughts are bond slaves and captives to sin and Satan, they are not sufficient to think a good thought of themselves, 2 Cor. 3. 5.  
2. All the thoughts of natural men are altogether evil from their childhood, Gen. 6. 5. and 8. 21.  
3. These evil thoughts do bind them over to condemnation for the violation of the holy spiritual Law: so that the thoughts of carnal men are so far from being free from sin, that they are free to nothing but sin, 1 Cor. 3. 20.  
3. If mankind be considered in the apparition of grace in Christ, it will be evident that thoughts are not free.  
1. The Lord Christ suffered for us in soul and body, yea his greatest sufferings were inward and invisible, that thereby he might satisfy divine justice for our soul sins, and thought-transgressions, the iniquities of our thoughts and works were laid upon him, Isa. 53.  
2. As our Thought sins had the greatest hand in the death of Christ; so the death of these grand radical sins was chief intended in the death of Christ: he died to redeem us from our vain thoughts, which are the chiefest part of our vain conversation, 1 Pet. 1.  
3. As we desire that our whole man should be glorified by Christ, we must give up the whole inward and outward man, with all its actings to be governed by Christ.  
4. In the restoring and renewing of our nature, by the spirit of Christ, the change and cleansing of our thoughts, is the first and great work, wherein the exceeding greatness of God's power puts forth itself, 2 Cor. 10. 4. 5. Rom. 12, 2.  
2. There is an universal newness put into our souls, by the new Creation, all old things pass away, and all things become new, 2 Cor. 5. 17. which necessarily imports a real Reformation, and reducement of our thoughts to the service of God, as well as our affections and actions.  
3. In this new Creation, the Royal spiritual Law is given and engraven in our minds, whereby we are inclined and enabled to serve and love God with our thoughts, Heb. 8. 10.  
Use second.  
2. Seeing there is so much sin and iniquity acted in our thoughts continually, we should strive to be deeply humbled for all the evils and vanities of our thoughts: we must humble ourselves for our thoughts, as well as our words, and works, yea chief for these leading radical sins: this is pressed upon us in Prov. 30. 32. If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine ●and upon thy mouth.  
The thinking of evil is here joined with self exalting, which is the greatest folly and fight against God when we have thought evil, we must lay our hands upon our mouths, that is, our hearts must be filled with sorrow and shame for the same, from a clear conviction of our guiltiness.  
This laying the hand upon the mouth argues and signifies these two things.  
1. A spiritual and plenary conviction of the extreme sinfulness of evil thoughts in their aggravations and of the great wickedness that men have acted in their thoughts; so that their mouths are now stopped, and they have 
Rom 3. 19  nothing to say by way of excuse, extenuation or self exoneration, they dare not say that thoughts are free, nor that themselves are free from the highest thought pollution, but now they will freely join with the Law, in charging and condemning themselves.  
2. It argues a height of shame and depth of self abasement and soul humiliation in the sight and remembrance of the great evil of their thoughts; that they are vile in their own apprehensions, and very much ashamed and afflicted in their spirits for their thought-defilements, Ezech. 16. 65. Job 39 27, 28.  
Now there is great reason and cause why we should be deeply humbled for our thought-sinnes.  
1. Evil thoughts are sins against all divine Laws, they are violations of the Law of nature, of the law of love and grace.  
2. They are grand enemies of God, 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5 Rom. 8. 7. and the great disturbers and defilers of all the good that we do.  
3. Mans own evil thoughts are the first begotten of the old man, the fi●st born of the Devil, the begetters of all other sins the beginners and first movers in all evil, they are leading & misleading evils.  
4. The sins of our thoughts are in number like the sands of the sea in their nature, out of measure sinful: how great a cause then have we to be greatly humbled, and to sorrow bitterly for the evil thoughts of our hearts, oh therefore let us look much into our Thought-sinnes, and consider them in their hateful nature, and numberless numbers, that we may be throughly abased and ashamed, and may loathe and abhor ourselves for the same, let us duly and daily search our hearts, and survey our thoughts in their several kinds.  
1. Examine what Thoughts of atheism, blasphemy, spiritual idolatry, pride, unbelief, security and sensuality, speculative filth and folly, vanity and vileness, what thoughts of impierity and iniquity against God and man do rise out of our hearts daily, and how far they have prevailed over our hearts.  
Let us remember that all those evil thoughts before mentioned: yea, the worst of them all are in all of us by corrupt nature, and if we be left to ourselves, when occasion is offered our corrupt hearts will presently conceive them, and give them a complete being and birth.  
2. We must examine our thoughts by the word of God, this strait righteous Rule will manifest the obliquity and iniquity of our thoughts, Heb 4. 12. the word of God is mighty in operation— and is a discerner of the thoughts of the heart: at the preaching of this word, the secret thoughts of an Infidel are made manifest 1 Cor. 14. 24, 25. oh therefore, let us exactly and throughly search our thoughts by the light of God's word, and strive to find out the manifold exorbitances, vanities, and defilements of our thoughts.  
2 We must freely and faithfully confess our thought-transgressions to God, and thereby give glory to the great heart-searcher.  
3. We must be deeply displeased with ourselves, for displeasing God by our thought-sinnes: it must be the greatest grief of our souls, that we have grieved 
Gen. 6, 5, 6.  God by our thoughts.  
4. We must judge and sentence ourselves for our lose, profane, proud, ungodly, impertinent, and unprofitable thoughts, acknowledging that we are most worthy to be destroyed for the sins of our thoughts.  
2. We must condemn ourselves for secret evil thoughts which never came forth into action, there is a world of sin acted in men's thoughts, which doth not break out into their visible conversations.  
3. For those evil thoughts that proceed out of our hearts, whreunto our wills never give consent:  
4. We must pass sentence upon ourselves, for the want of holy, heavenly, spiritual thoughts: the Law of Christ commands us to be free from all evil thoughts, and to be filled with all good thoughts, Mark 12. 30. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy thought, so that the want of good thoughts in us, is a breach of the Royal Law, and makes us liable to that heavy curse, in Deut. 27. 29.  
5. We must be humbled for the evil that cleaves to our good thoughts. Our best thoughts as they come from us are not without some mixture and adhesion of sinful corruption, which is sufficient without Gods covering mercy to cast and condemn us.  
5. We must seek unto God for the pardon of our evil thoughts, this duty Peter presseth upon Simon Magus, Act. 8. 21. pray to God, (saith he) that the thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven thee, Simon Magus had many foul crimes to be pardoned, but yet the first and great sin for which he was to beg forgiveness, was the thought of his heart see how earnestly David petitioneth for the pardon of his thought-sinnes, Psal. 19 13. Who can understand his errors? cleanse me, make me guiltless from my secrets, thus the words are in the Hebrew and in the Syriack. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 19 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Signifies to cleanse or make innocent, guiltless, empty, to absolve.   
The Arabic thus explains it, cleanse me O my Lord from my secrets which are hidden from men.  
The meaning I take to be this, the errors, wander, and vanities of my thoughts are more than I can take notice of or sum up, they are above my knowledge, from the guilt of these secret hidden sins, those swarms of vain thoughts which break into my heart, I pray thee O Lord, cleanse me.  
David did not harbour any secret lusts or wicked purposes in his heart, but these secret sins from which he desires cleansing, were his inward thoughts which are most properly the secrets of man's heart, and of all other sins most innumerable.  
Object. But now some poor perplexed soul will be ready to object and say, if evil thoughts be so immeasurably sinful, so full of provocation, and these so innumerable in us, how can I then hope to obtain mercy from God? when I consider what swarms of lose, idle, earthly, impure and impertinent thoughts proceed out of my heart every day, and fly up and down in my soul, and too often lodge within me, I am at a stand and begin to think, can God pardon my thought-sinnes.  
To this I answer.  
We must seriously consider the hateful Answer: nature and transcendent numbers of our evil thoughts, that thereby we may be throughly humbled and abased in ourselves, and be sensible what extreme need we have of God's mercy in Christ, but the greatness and multitude of these sins should not discourage or dishearten us in seeking mercy: there is enough in God's mercy to answer all our objections whatsoever: there is a sufficiency of power and will in this mercy to pardon the thoughts of repenting souls, notwithstanding all their black and bloody aggravations.  
There be seven excellent considerations that may exceedingly quicken and strengthen our faith in believing the pardon of our thought-sinnes.  

First Consideration.  
1. God hath multitudes of mercies, to blot out the manifold sins of our thoughts, Psal. 51. 1.  
David having multiplied his sins in 
Psal. 51. 3.  the matter of Vriah, he petitions for multitudes of tender mercies, so Psal. 5. 7. I in the multitude of thy mercies 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  will come into thy house, etc.  
So in Nehem. 9 19 27. God is said to have manifold mercies, the Scripture expresseth the mercy of God in the 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Misericordie, viscera, Singular non invenitur, qui● multa sunt opera misericordiae. Piscator.  plural number, to set forth the multitude of his mercies.   

The second Consideration.  
2. God hath abundance of mercy an overflowing fumes of mercy, enough, & more than enough, to cover all the sins of our thoughts; hence it is, that God's mercy and pardoning grace is said to be abundant, Exod. 34. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 3. and the faithful are said to receive a redundancy of grace, Rom. 5. 17. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   
Now a man cannot be said to have abundance of riches, unless his cup overflow, unless he have an overplus more than enough: we say there is abundance of water in the sea but we cannot speak so of a Pond or Cistern, the sea hath an overfulnesse, which is inexhaustible.   

The third Consideration.  
God hath a superabundancy of mercy, Rom. 5. 20. his pardoning grace is said 
Rom. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. ● Tim. 1. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Superabundo.  to superabound, 1 Tim. 1. 14. the grace of our Lord was superabundant.  
The glorious mercy of God over abounds in three respects.  
1. It abounds above all created Understandings, it is above all our knowledge, it is in itself incomprehensible.  
2. There is a plenitude in God's mercy, far beyond all that mercy that all faithful men and women receive in this world, Psal. 31. 20. Oh how great is thy goodness that thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, and wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men? when the Prophet comes to speak of this mercy he is at a stand as not able to express it in its superabundancy: Oh, how great, how manifold is thy goodness! It is fare above all that we can 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  speak or conceive.  
2. That goodness and mercy that God worketh for the faithful here in this world, is exceeding abundant; but that which is laid up and hidden with God for them, is incomparably more abundant.  
3. This pardoning mercy is far above all the sin that can be in men's thoughts, Rom. 5. 20. where sin hath abounded, grace superabounds, in forgiving believing penitents, there is an overflowing fullness of evil in man's thoughts, James 1. 21. but there is an exceeding abundant, overabundant, overfulnesse of mercy in God.   

The fourth Consideration.  
4. God hath plenty and variety of pardons, multitudes of pardons, as we have multiplied our thought-pollutions, he will multiply his pardons upon our repenting and returning, as is plainly declared, Isa. 55. 7. the Prophet exhorts the unrighteous man to forsake his own thoughts, and then Jehovah will have mercy on him.  
Now because this objection of the multitudes of their thought-provocations, the numberless multiplying of their evil Thoughts might come in to discourage poor souls in seeking mercy, therefore he purposely adds, that the Lord will multiply to pardon (for so the 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  words are according to the original) he will multiply his pardons answerable to the multiplying of their thought-pollutions.  
1 The God of mercy hath an inexhaustible Treasury of pardons that can never be spent, he is a God of pardons as he is called, Neh. 9 17. Thou art a God of pardons, gracious and merciful, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  that is, God hath variety of pardons for all sorts of sins, for all kind of evil thoughts and ways, that men are or can be guilty of.  
2. God hath abundant Riches of mercies, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condonatio.  the Scripture speaking of the riches of mercy and grace, riseth high in expressions.  
1. God is said to have Riches of grace, and glorious mercy, Eph 2. 4 Rom. 2. 4. Rom. 9 23. by Riches of glory is meant his Riches of mercy, which is his glory.  
2. A depth of Riches, Rom. 11. 33. oh the depth of the Riches, etc. oh the bottomless depth of the riches of God's mercy; by comparing this place with Rom. 12. 1, it is evident the Apostle speaketh of the Depth of Mercy.  
3. God hath the highest Riches of grace 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. summas opes.  Eph. 2. 7. a supereminency, magnificence and superlative sublimity of pardoning grace.  
These expressions do clearly import these two things.  
1. That God hath an over sufficiency of mercy.  
2. variety of all kind of mercies, both forgiving and giving mercies, Jehovah gives and forgives according to his manifold mercies, Neh. 9 19 27.  
1. God is called the Father of mercies, he begets mercies for his people every day.  
2. Jehovah is the God of mercies, he createth new mercies every morning Lam. 3. 22. 23. he hath variety of healing mercies suitable to the variety of our miseries, he hath variety of pardoning mercies, suitable to the variety of our sins.  
1. Oh, what multitudes and variety of pardons do we receive at our first coming to Christ, when God forgives ten thousand Talents to us?  
2. What variety of mercies do concur in the pardoning of our daily trespasses?  
3. There is a multitude of mercies that meet in the pardoning of every sin that we commit, Psalm 51. 1.   

The fifth Consideration.  
5. The pardoning mercies of God are past all number: there are such multitudes of mercies in God for repenting souls, as are beyond number and numbering. The greatest Arithmetician is not able to calculate and sum them up: this is elegantly expressed in Psal. 40. 5. Many O Lord, my God, are thy wonderful works that thou hast done, and thy thoughts that are to us ward, they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee, if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered, they mightily increase above telling or numbering.  
Quest. What are these Thoughts of God towards us?  
Answer, They are Thoughts of mercy and forgiveness: his works of mercy that he doth in and for his people, are many and marvellous, but his thoughts of mercy are innumerable: that this: the real meaning of the words, evident.  
1. If we compare them with Isa. 55. 8, 9 my thoughts (saith jehovah,) are not your thoughts, etc. but as the Heavens are higher than the Earth, so are my thoughts, etc. See jer. 29. 11.  
2. This Psalm is a prophetical declaration 
Compare Heb, 10. 5. with Psal. 40. 7, 8:  of Gods sending his son into the world, to save lost man by the oblation of himself: in this manifestation of Christ there was a world of mercy manifested; all mercy's meeting and concenterating in this one mercy.  
2. All Gods thoughts and intentions of mercy towards us are in Christ, Eph. 1. 3. 4. all his works and ways of mercy come to to us in Christ.  
God's thoughts of mercy that he thinks towards believing souls, are so innumerable that they cannot be numbered, yea saith the Prophet, if I would number them, they increase so mightily in number, they are so strong in number that they are more than I or any can number:  
2. God's thoughts of pardoning mercy, are 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  far more innumerable than man's thoughts of iniquity can be: there are incomparably more thoughts of mercy and forgiveness with God than can be thoughts of vanity and wickedness with us, we are but as it were of yesterday; it is not many years ago since we began to think thoughts of iniquity against God, but his thoughts of mercy have been from everlasting, and reach to everlasting, Psal. 25. 6. Remember thy tender mercies jehovah, and thy kind mercies, for they are from eternity.  
In effectual calling, we actually obtain mercy; but God's mercy hath been towards us in respect of his own thoughts and purposes from everlasting, he hath been thinking thoughts of mercy from eternity, Psal. 103. 17.   

The sixth Consideration.  
6. The mercies of God are transcendently great: surpassing greatness is a glorious property, often ascribed to the mercy of God in Scriptures, as Num. 14. 18, 19 The Lord is of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression,— pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of thy mercy; So Ps. 57 9 10. I will praise thee O Lord,— for thy mercy is great, etc. Neh. 13. 22. O my God spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.  
Yea Gods mercy is called greatness, 1 Chr. 17 19 O jehovah according to thin▪ own heart, thou hast done all this greatness for thy servant, in making known all thess greatnesses, thus the words are in the Hebrew and in the margin, when poor contrite souls consider the transcendent 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnitudo, magnificentia.  greatness of pollution and provocation which is in their thoughts, and that beyond all their other sins, they are apt to be disheartened, and to think can God pardon? but let such remember that the greatness of Gods pardoning mercy is infinitely above all the greatnesses of evil and guilt, that can be in their thoughts.  
There be two things wherein the greatness of God's mercy doth most ominently consist.  
1. His mercy is greatly extended.  
2. It is greatly powerful, and both these are grounds of unspeakable comfort.  
1. The mercy of God is of greatest extension: all the extensions and dimensions that make up greatness, do meet in the mercy of God.  
1. Mercy is said to be extended, Ezra 9 10. we were bondmen, yet our God 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extendit.  hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy to us, etc.  
2. It is greatly extended; Magnitude, (according to the Metaphysics) is the extension of a thing according to length, latitude and depth: they make greatness to consist in three dimensions, but according to the Scriptures, there be four 
Quantitas continua est secundum quam res est extensa secundum magnitudinem, hoc est, I ongitudinem latitudinem, profunditatem, Scheibler, Metaphys. l. 2. c. 6.  extensions or dimensions concurring in that greatness that is ascribed to the mercy of God, Eph. 3. 18. height, depth, length and breadth.  
1. There is a surpassing superlative height in the pardoning mercy of God far above all that height of sin and wickedness that can be in men's thoughts, this will appear most clearly in four things.  
1. The mercy of God is as high as the heavens: the heavens are the greatest visible height, Psal. 36. 5. Thy mercy O Lord, is unto the heavens, and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds, so Psal. 57 10. Thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds, Psal. 103. 11.  
In both these places the mercy and truth of God are raised high, but mercy is set higher than truth, his truth reacheth unto the clouds, but mercy unto the heavens, the reasons may be these.  
1. Because God extends his mercy beyond his promises: there was mercy to lost man, before there was any Gospel promise: it was mercy to give us the first promise, Gen. 3. 'tis mercy to give us any promise: 'tis mercy to continue promises after so many forfeitures and failings on our part.  
2. Mercy is God's exalted attribute, he accounteth his mercy his chiefest glory now under the Gospel, Rom. 9 23. Eph. 3. 16.  
2. The mercy of God is higher than the heavens, Psal. 108. 4. Thy mercy is great above the heavens, and thy truth reacheth to the clouds or skies: mercy is God's Royal Throne. Now suppose that the sins of our thoughts appear like high mountains reaching up to the clouds, yea that we have heaped up mountain upon mountain, till they reach unto the heavens, yet the mercy of God is far higher, for that is above the heavens: this Consideration may exceedingly raise the faith of humbled souls in believing the pardon of their thought-pollutions.  
3. God's thoughts of mercy to repenting sinners are as far above their highest thoughts and apprehensions that they have of God's mercy, as the heavens are above the earth, this is evident by the testimony of the God of mercy, Isa. 55. 8, 9 as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than yur ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. It is spoken of God's thoughts and ways of pardoning mercy to returning sinners, as is apparent by verse 7. there Jehovah promiseth to show mercy and to multiply pardons, answerable to the multitudes of their thoughts and evil ways.  
Now there be two grand objections that some sorrowful souls are apt to make against their closing with mercy offered.  
1. Their Thoughts have such an height of malignity and sinfulness by reason of their horrid nature, and numberless swarms that they cannot think how God should pardon them.  
2. That their ways have been so highly injurious and offensive to God, that if any man should do but the thousand part of that trespass to them that they have done against God, they could not forgive them: how hard is it for us to pass by small injuries? & c-  
To both these objections, God answers my thoughts of pardoning mercy, (saith he) are as far above all your apprehensions thereof, and my ways of mercy are as far above all your ways of forgiveness to men, as the heavens are above the earth.  
When ye think thus with yourselves we could not possibly forgive any man, in case of so great wrong, and ye cannot conceive any reason why I should forgive you; yet know that my thoughts and ways of mercy, are as infinitely above all yours as the heaven is above the earth.  
Men are revengeful in their dispositions, and will not forgive, but Jehovah is a God of mercies, and ready to forgive; he hath the mercies and power of a God, an infinite, incomprehensible mercy and power, and therefore he can pardon where men cannot, yea beyond what they can possibly think and conceive, Jer. 3. 1. The heart of man being enlarged and raised by divine grace is able to think of high and admirable mercies, yet when the most enlarged hearts have gone as high as is possible for a created heart to rise in conceiving of God's mercies; yet even then God's thoughts of mercy to Repentants, are infinitely above and beyond their largesthoughts.  
It is very observable that God says not that his ways and thoughts of knowledge and wisdom, but his ways and thoughts of mercy are as far above man's, as the heavens are above the earth, indeed as God is above men which is infinitely.  
The great God argues from the immense height of his mercy, purposely to heighten and strengthen the faith of bruised souls who cannot think how God should pardon such a world of wickedness as they have acted in their thoughts, oh therefore, when our thoughts are at a stand in apprehending and conceiving mercy, let us learn to believe above all our own thoughts.  
4. The mercies of God have a height above all that is, or can be written of them, exceeding high and glorious things are spoken of God's mercies in the holy Scriptures, but the height thereof is above all that tongue or pen can possibly express: as there are Curses written and not written for disobedient sinners, Deut. 28. that is, the curses and miseries prepared for wicked men, are fare greater than are written in the Scriptures, so there be mercies written and not written: the Scriptures cannot hold and contain all that mercy that is in God for his people, because his mercy is infinite and incomprehensible.  
Secondly, there is an unsearchable depth in the pardoning mercy of God beneath the deepest guilt that can be found in man's thoughts, Psal. 86. 13. Thy mercy is great towards me, and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  says David.  
The heavy weight of our thought-wickednesse sinks our souls as deep as the lowest hell, in respect of demerit: but the great depth of God's mercy, raiseth believing souls out of the deepest hell to the highest heavens.  
The judgements of God are a great deep, Psal. 36. 7. but his mercies are a greater depth, they are a bottomless sea sufficient to swallow up mountains of thought-pollutions, as well as mole hills, Micah 7. 19 God's pardoning mercy is compared to the depths of the sea, he will turn again, he will have compassion upon us, he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.  
1. Observe, There are many depths in this sea of mercy: if we fear that one depth will not be enough, let us consider that there are manifold depths.  
2. God promiseth to bury all the sins 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In profunda maris.  of his people in the depths of mercy, which must needs include all the sins of their thoughts and ways, though never so many and great.  
Thirdly, there is a boundless breadth in the mercy of God, a latitude beyond all limits, Psal. 103 12. as far as the East is from the West, so far hath he removed our Transgressions from us by his pardoning mercy. What a vast distance is there betwixt the East and the West; of all visible latitudes this is the greatest: now suppose that there be an exceeding great breadth of evil in our Thoughts, yet there is a breadth in the mercy of God beyond it; there is a latitude and largeness of power in his mercies, to remove all this evil fare from us.  
Fourthly, the mercy of God hath an immeasurable length beyond all times, mercy is extended and stretched out at length, Psal. 36. 10. extend thy mercy to them that know thee, draw out thy mercy at length, as the word in the original 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Extraxit, protraxit, protendit.  signifies; and as it is in the margin, in this sense the word is used, Psal. 85. 6. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to generation and generation?  
1: God extends and draws out his mercy towards his people, unto thousands of generations, as is evident, Exod. 20. 5. 6. compared with Exod. 34. 7. Doing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, etc. that is to the thousand generation, yea to many thousand generations, the Hebrew word is plural. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
Generation is not in the Hebrew, neither 
Exod. 20. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc.  in the fifth or sixth verse, but is supplied in the Greek and Chaldee version  
There is the like phrase in Exod. 34. 7. keeping mercy for thousands, that is, as Thargum Jerusalemy explains it, for a thousand generations, Luk. 1. 50. his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. Here generation is expressly mentioned. This world shall not continue to thousands of generations; we are now in the last days of this world. The time shall be when this world and time shall be no more▪ but the mercy of God to his people hath no end, no interruption.  
2. Mercy is drawn out to eternity, this is confirmed by six and twenty everlasting that are spoken of the mercy of God in one Psalm to make the deeper and stronger impression upon the hearts 
Psal. 136.  of the faithful, the mercy of Jehovah is to everlasting. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉   
3. The length of this divine mercy is, from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear God, Psal. 103. 17. he had thoughts of mercy from eternity in his Electing love in Christ.  
Oh what strength of comfort may be drawn out of this immense length of mercy: that which greatly troubleth poor souls, is the lengthening of the iniquity of their thoughts. Oh say they, we have lived in thought-pollutions, in the inward acting of speculative filth and folly, in vain, wanton, wicked thoughts, these forty, yea threescore years we have drawn out the sins of our thoughts to a very great length, therefore how can we believe that there is any mercy for us.  
This Consideration should lengthen our sorrows, and heighten ourselves abhorrency, yet know that there is an incomparable greater length in divine mercy then can be in man's thought defilements: the length of God's mercy is from everlasting to everlasting: now what is the length of threescore years to eternity?  
Secondly, as the mercy of God is greatly extended in all the dimensions thereof, so it is greatly powerful.  
As there is a power in the wrath of God that passeth our knowledge, Psal. 90. 11. so there is a power in his pardoning mercy passing all created understanding, this mighty power of God's mercy appears herein, that he is able by a word speaking to pardon the greatest height of sin.  
Now for the clear understanding of this glorious mystery, we must know, that in the justification of a sinner, remission of sins and righteousness is given by an act of Royal Prerogative and power in God; he speaks, and pronounceth a sinner pardoned, he saith unto him, live, Ezech. 16. 6.  
It is an act of omnipotency to pardon sin, the superlative greatness of God's power is manifested in forgiving his people, as is most evident, Numb. 14. 17, 18, 19 And now I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, the Lord is long suffering and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression: pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of thy mercy, in showing great, pardoning mercy, God shows great power.  
This is the exceeding greatness of God's Prerogative, and transcendent power of his mercy, that he can take men, that are most ungodly in themselves, and speak them the most righteous men in the world, if he do but reckon and declare a sinner pardoned and justified, he is really pardoned and justified from all his sins.  
Th●s doth infinitely manifest and magnify the power of God's free grace and mercy in Christ, that if he do pronounce a sinner forgiven, he is fully and for ever acquitted from the guilt of all his sins; if God be pleased to account and reckon a man righteous, by the righteousness of Christ Jesus imputed, he stands completely righteous in God's sight: this is the highest declaration of the omnipotency of God's mercy, that he is able to pardon the greatest sinner by a word: in the word of this King of Kings, there is power, Infinite power.  
Oh therefore let repenting souls consider, that though the sins of their thoughts be exceeding great and innumerable, heightened with all the aggravations that Satan and their own distrustful hearts can put upon them: yet there is that infiniteness of power in God's mercy, that if he be pleased but to speak the word only, they shall be fully cleansed from the guilt of all their thought-sinnes.   

The seventh Consideration.  
Seventhly, There is an All-sufficiency in the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse the foulest sinners from all the iniquities of their thoughts, 1 John 1. 7, 9 with him there is plenteous redemption, Psal. 130. 7.  
1. Consider, that all the iniquities of our thoughts and ways were laid upon Christ our surety, Isa. 53.  
2. He hath suffered all that wrath and punishment which was due to the sins of all his people, and thereby he hath made a plenary satisfaction to divine justice for the same: he hath paid all their debts to the utmost farthing.  
3. God the Father hath accepted of this satisfaction of Christ for his people, and manifested this acceptation in that he raised him again from the dead, let him out of prison, took off the bonds of death, and received him into glory. 
Rom. 8 33, 34   
4. Christ Jesus by his sufferings, hath obtained a plenary redemption and remission of sins for all believing sinners, Heb. 9 Eph. 17.  
5. If our hearts be really broken for and from our evil thoughts, the God of mercy will multiply his washings of us in the blood of Jesus Christ, Psal. 51. 2. David prayeth for a multiplied washing 
Psal. 51. v. 4. according to the Hebrew. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  from his iniquity, multiply, wash me much, wash me, that is, throughly wash me again and again in the blood of Christ, Rev. 7. 14. 1 John 17 9 Jer. 4. 14. the Hebrew Hereb (or Harbeth) signifies properly to multiply, and doth most fitly suit David's present case, who had so multiplied his iniquities in the matter of Vriah.  
Objection, but now some perplexed Object. souls will be ready to object and say, these are precious grounds of comfort, were we but sufficiently qualified, we now begin to see that the mercies of God are great and manifold, sufficient in themselves to pardon the multiplied multitudes of our thought-transgressions: but we are most vile wretches, not worthy of the least crumb of mercy: we can do nothing that can please God, that can move him to show mercy, we have not a broken frame of spirit we cannot be so bitterly affected and afflicted in spirit for all the wickedness of our Thoughts as we desire: had we but that depth of humiliation and height of spiritual qualifications, that we see in some Saints, we could then believe the forgiveness of all our evil thoughts: were our hearts so enlarged in duties, and carried with that overpowering strength against the the corruption of our thoughts and works, as they should be, we might then have some hopes of pardoning mercy, but when our spiritual wants are so great, our humiliation so little, our strength against sin so weak; how dare we think that any mercy belongs to us, how can we venture upon these precious mercies?  
Whereunto I answer.  
1. Who made this a condition of the Answ. Gospel-covenant, that men must have such a height of Contrition, and mortifying strength, so great inlargements in graces and performances, etc. before they may lay hold upon pardoning mercy: surely, this condition is not of Gods making.  
2. The Gospel tells us, that poverty of spirit is the richest qualification.  
They that are poorest in their own sense are best qualified for the riches of mercy: Our Saviour requires no portion of those that come to him, but mere poverty and emptiness. We have an excellent place, Math. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. They that are truly sensible of their own spiritual poverty, nothingness, vileness and wretchedness, have a real title to all the treasures of mercy, and pardons revealed in the Gospel: Theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. They are actually blessed, and 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Graeca dictio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prop●ie mendicos significat. Jansen.  have a present propriety in the Kingdom of heaven, and therefore the pardoning mercy of God, is theirs.  
It is observable, that the first promise is made to the poor in spirit, to beggars in spirit; for that is the proper signification of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is, such as have a spiritual sense of their own extreme emptiness, baseness and misery, and are willing to receive life and pardon upon mere gift and free favour of God, as the poorest beggar receives an alms: Augustine and chrysostom, expound it of inward humality: so that poverty of spirit is the first fundamental qualification.  
3. A spiritual sense of our own great unworthiness and vileness, is our greatest inherent worthiness. The greatest worthies, such of whom the 
Heb. 11:  world is not worthy, have no worthiness, but only in Christ Jesus.  
4. God is pleased to show mercy to those that can do nothing of themselves, to please God, Micah. 7. 18.  
5. The great God extends mercy to believing penitens, not according to the largeness of their qualification; but according to the largeness of his own free grace, this is excellently held forth, 1 Chron. 17. 19 in that thanksgiving speech of David. O Jehovah, according to thine own heart thou hast done all this greatness for thy servant, that is, all 
1 Chron. 17. 11, 12.  this great mercy, as is evident by the preceding words: God promiseth great mercies and blessings to David's seed: he would build up David's house, and his son should build up an house for him.  
Three eminent mercies are here promised to David's seed that should be raised up after him in his Kingdom.  
1. God promiseth to be his father, and to take him to be his son, a mercy of mercies, verse 12.  
2. Though he fell scandalously, yet he would still continue his mercy to him, I will not take away my mercy from him, etc. verse 13.  
3. God would establish his Throne for ever, verse 12. 14.  
Now in verse 16. David falls into admiration of this great mercy of God towards him and his house, David the King said, what am TO Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto.  
Thou hast done very much for me, and spoken great mercies concerning my house; What can David speak more to thee for the honour of thy servant, for the great honour thou hast put upon him, for thou knowest thy servant, verse 18. thou ownest him in way of peculiar love and mercy. O Jehovah, according to thine own heart hast thou done all this greatness of mercy, as if David had said, it is not according to the largeness-of my heart in serving thee, it is not according to the largeness of my love towards thee, nor according to the largeness of my qualifications, but according to the largeness of thine own love, bounty and good pleasure, thou hast done all this mercy for me.  
This is a precious ground of comfort to consider that the great God shows mercy to repenting souls according to the infinite largeness and freeness of his own heart, as great Kings do give as Kings, not as other men, but like themselves, answerable to the greatness of their persons, and largeness of their treasures: so the Lord God shows mercy as an infinite God, he pardons his people according to the infinite greatness of his own goodness and largeness of his treasures.  
We sin as men, as finite creatures, but Jehovah forgives and gives as a God, his mercies are infinite.  
2. Our spiritual qualifications at our first believing are small and weak, our humiliation but as a drop of a bucket, our faith but as a grain of mustard seed; all our service but as a poor mite, and therefore if God should pardon us according to the narrowness and weakness of our qualifications: how little mercy should we receive, not enough to cover the least of our sins, but when God forgives us according to the largeness of his own heart, what exceeding riches? what overflowing fullness of mercy do we receive, enough to pardon all the sins of our thoughts and ways, though exceeding great and manifold.  
6. God pardons us freely for his own names sake, and not for any thing we have or can do, this is evident by Gods own Declaration to Israel, Isa. 43. 24. 25. Thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities, yet I, I am he, who blotteth out thy transgressions, defections, revoltings for mine own sake, (says the 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Lord God) and will not remember thy sins. Let us consider the extreme vileness and unworthiness of these men to whom the promise of mercy is here given.  
1. They had brought no offerings to God, verse 23. they had performed no worship to him.  
2. They were weary of God, and they wearied God with their iniquities; they were burdened with God's service, 
Verse 22. 24.  and did burden God with their sins, yet God will freely and fully pardon these great sinners, he will not remember their iniquities against them upon their returning to him, but it is merely for himself, for his own sake, it is his own good pleasure that moveth God to forgive them, for the manifestation of his abundant goodness and mercy.  
Yea, God will have his people to know it, that when he pardons them, it is not for their sakes, it is not out of respect to any qualification in them by way of merit or motive, but merely for his own sake, Ezek. 36. 22. Say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God, I do not this for your sake O house of Israel, but for my boly names sake.  
In verse 21. God says that he spared them, and showed mercy to them for his holy Name, whereas he might justly have 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  destroyed them for their sins (as the Hebrew word here used imports) chamal signifies to show mercy to those who by all right might justly be destroyed, Ezek. 5. 11. 1 Sam. 15. 3.  
This consideration may mightily strengthen our faith in that our God extends pardoning mercy to us, according to the infinite largeness of his own heart, and from the incomparable freeness of his own grace, not according to the enlargement of our qualifications, nor for any thing we do or can perform.  
Oh therefore if our Thought-transgressions be a burden to us, if we do really loath, these sins and ourselves for them; if there be a sincere striving to mortify every evil thought, know assuredly that we ought to cast ourselves upon the greatness and freeness of God's mercy, and believe the pardon of all our thought-pollutions.  
3. Seeing there are the seeds of all kind of wicked and abominable thoughts Use 3 in man's corrupt nature; and these are so ready to assault and beset us continually; we may see then what great cause we have to look to our thoughts, that they be not overrun with vanity, nor over ruled by sinful corruption: we should never trust our thoughts alone without Jobs Covenant, Job 31. 1. without David's bridle: the mind of man is the mouth of the soul, thoughts are the speakings of the mind, Psal. 14. 1. let us keep this mouth of our souls, as with a bridle.  
The great God gives us a very strict command to look to our thoughts, Prov. 4. 23. above all keeping keep thy heart, that is, above all strive and study to keep thy thoughts pure, in a holy, heavenly frame, without spot and defilement.  
These words do clearly import that there are many things given us in charge to be kept, but above all our hearts and thoughts, we are commanded to keep ourselves unspotted of the world.  
2. To keep the words of Christ's patience.  
3. To keep a good conscience.  
4. To keep holy the Lord's day.  
5. To keep our brethren.  
6. To keep the works of Christ to the end.  
7. To keep that which is committed 
Revel. 2. 26.  to us.  
8. To keep the door of our lips.  
9 To keep all the commandments of God, but above all keeping, keep thy heart, and in it thy thoughts above all: this is the true import of the Hebrew text.  
1. Keep thy thoughts more than all things that are to be kept, our chiefest care and greatest caution must be spent in keeping our thoughts, we must guard them night and day, and that 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. prae omni custodia, plus quam omnia custodienda, Piscator.  with a fourfold watch and ward.  
We must keep our thoughts as a City, or strong Castle is kept with all kind of fortifications, and as rich men keep their treasures with looks and bars.  
The word in the original (as one 
Servavit, observavit, custodivit, munivit, curavit: Significat etiam seris, vectibus qu● claudere.  observes) is borrowed from the affairs of war. Let us imagine a City not only begirt with a strait and dangerous siege of vigilant and blood thirsty enemies; but also within full of secret commotioners that are ready to betray the City. How greatly would it concern that City with all vigilant policy to stand upon its guard day and night for prevention of danger: thus it is with our hearts.  
1. Satan is ever waiting opportunity to throw in his fiery darts.  
2. Worldly sensual objects from abroad are ready to insinuate themselves and to ensnare our thoughts.  
3. There is the flesh from within which raiseth many inward commotions and rebellious stir in our own hearts: Now godly, wisemen are sensible of all this danger, and by their own experimental knowledge are acquainted with the many wounds and breaches made in the soul, both by these open enemies, and secret Rebels which rise up within their own bowels, and therefore they have daily need of much heavenly wisdom, holy care and conscience in guarding and keeping their hearts.  
Thus we are expressly commanded to observe and fortify our thoughts against all assaults, and to keep them from all pollution, with all possible diligece: now to quicken us to this duty, let us seriously consider.  
1. That this is the great commandment of God, it is the fundamental comprehensive command: the keeping of our thoughts is a keeping all the commandments fundamentally: all purity and true piety gins in the thoughts.  
2. This keeping of our thoughts is a keeping all the Commandments virtually, because every divine precept requires a thought obedience.  
2. If our thoughts be holy our affections and actions will be holy also.  
2. A holy frame of thoughts sends forth actions of life, that do manifest the glorious life of Christ in us, Prov. 4. 23. out of it are the issues of life, the actions and outgoings of lives, of that new heavenly life which is eternal, living words and works are issues of gracious thoughts, but dead defiled actions and speeches are the outgoings 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  of evil thoughts.  
Thoughts are spring actions, and streams, as our thoughts are, so are the actings of our affections, so are our prayers and all our performances: therefore it concerns us above all keeping to keep our thoughts.  
Thirdly consider that man's heart of itself is sufficient to bring forth all kind of evil thoughts, and that without any injection from Satan, and instigation from outward objects, the Devil may cast in any thought into our heart, but all the powers of darkness cannot fasten the guilt and spot of any one sin upon our thoughts without our entertainment and closing with the sugestion, but the corrupt heart of men hath a sufficiency to beget and conceive any wicked, blasphemous thoughts, and to corrupt the whole man with all kind of sinful thoughts and works, as having in itself the ground and spawn thereof,  
2. Man's cursed heart is exceeding prone to think evil continually.  
3. It invites and enticeth Satan to suggest and greedily entertains whatsoever he injecteth.  
4. All outward objects serve as occasions to stir up evil thoughts in us, therefore our chiefest care must be to look to our thoughts.  
4. God is the only Lord, and Ruler of our Thoughts, he lays claim to them as his sole right and peculiar Royalty, and he hath a Sovereignty over the whole soul, and all its powers.  
Earthly powers take upon them to govern our tongues, hands and visible actings, but God only challengeth a power and principality over our thoughts: therefore by turning Libertines in our thoughts, we turn God into an Idol of our own fancy, denying his Sovereign dominion over our thoughts and knowledge of them, and so we rob him of his chiefest Royalty.  
5. The observing ordering and keeping our thoughts within due bounds, is the glory and strictness, difficulty and singularity of the true Religion above all others in the world. If we look to our speeches and actions, what singular thing do we? did not the Pharisees do as much? mere mortal men do the same.  
Wherein stands the difference between true hearted Israelites and all hypocrites? it is mainly in the purity and piety of the Thoughts.  
Phariseees and formalists may mumble over their prayers morning and evening and keep from open notorious evils, they may be blameless in their visible conversations, Phil. 3, 4, 5, 6.  
Hypocrites may appear in glorious outsides, talk strictly, pray and discourse to admiration, but their thoughts are overrun with vanity and earthliness.  
That which makes the practice of Christianity so full of difficulty is the well ordering of our thoughts, this is true godliness to keep our thoughts in a holy, heavenly frame, without this all Religion is but bodily exercise a mere form and a name to live.  
6. This is the surest evidence of the sincerity of our hearts, when it is our greatest endeavour to keep our thoughts free from defilement: 'tis the glory and peculiar privilege of heart, uprightness to make conscience of eyeing and ordering the thoughts, which man's eyes and Laws cannot reach, this indeed testifies the truth of our obedience, when it is spiritual, and in the heart, as in the sight of the heart-searching eye of God; by a sanctified frame of thoughts, we chief sanctify God in our hearts, and walk with him.  
7. Every gracious heart is the Temple of God, the house wherein the King of glory, and the spirit of glory dwell continually; therefore we must keep a continual watch over our hearts, that they be not a thorough fair for evil thoughts, a den of thiefs: every vain thought that we lodge in our hearts defileth this Temple, and robs God of his glory.  
8. The Lording and lodging of evil thoughts in men's hearts, doth plainly show that they have no portion of God, nor in God.  
If vain thoughts have possession of our hearts, it is a sure sign that we have no possession of God: this is clearly employed in that self-purging speech of Job: I have made a Covenant with mine 
Job. 31. 1. 2.  eyes, why then should I think on a maid? for what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance or possession of the Almighty from on high?  
Now the first particular wherein Job cleareth himself, is in respect of his thoughts, he durst not yield to sinful thoughts; he looks upon them as the grand defiling sins, therefore he nameth them in the first place, his meaning I conceive to be this: if I should give entertainment to impure wanton thoughts, I could expect no portion of that goodness and mercy that God hath laid up for his people, I should thereby declare myself to have no possession or enjoyment of God, nor portion in that glorious inheritance prepared by him for his children.  
Oh Consider this all you that entertain filthy, foolish, and unclean thoughts, that do delight in the speculative acting of sin in your thoughts; you that spend your thoughts upon sensual pleasures and earthly profits and preferments: you that suffer your thoughts to range up and down idly and profanely: ye have no portion of God, nor part in that inheritance of God.  
Where then will your portion be? if your portion be not in the Father of lights, in the highest heaven, it will be with the Prince of darkness in the lowest hell, the Scripture says expressly, that they who mind earthly things, their end is damnation, Phil. 3. 18, 19  
9 Consider that all the ways of our thoughts are before God, Psal. 119, 168. he beholds all our heart-wayes, even the most hidden thoughts of the mind, he knoweth the thoughts afar off, 1 Chron. 
1 Cor. 2. 10, 11. 12. Psal, 139, 2.  28. 9 Jehovah searcheth all hearts and understandeth every imagination of the 
jer. 10. 17.  thoughts, that is, the whole frame of our thoughts.  
When we shall firmly apprehend there is an allseeing eye in heaven, to which the blackest midnight, is as the brightest noontide, that seethe our most 
Psal. 139. 12.  secret thoughts; this persuasion will be an effectual means to keep us from lose licentious thoughts, and to bring in our thoughts to a sincere subjection to Christ.  
David was full of holy meditations, and precious thoughts: this was one spring from whence they had their rise, he looks upon God, as always present with him, and beholding all his thoughts, Psal. 139. 1. 2. 3. 7. sanctified souls are filled with the apprehension and thoughts of Gods all knowing eye, the curb of the tenth Commandment, and check of a tender conscience, and this is a special means to bring their thoughts into order, and to confine them and keep them within a holy compass, from their vain impertinent vagaries.  
10. We must be strictly accountable, and answerable for our idle, wand'ring, and wicked thoughts at the great day of judgement, Matth, 12. 36. Men must give account for every vain word, both of heart and mouth, thoughts are the speeches of the mind, Psal. 14. 1.  
It is evident by the Scriptures.  
1. That there shall be a strict inquisition and search into our thoughts at that great day of inquest.  
2, God will manifest and lay open the secret thoughts of our hearts. 1 Cor. 4 5. Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come (that is, to judgement) who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will manifest the counsels of the hearts, that is the most hidden thoughts of men's hearts, Eccles. 12. 14. God will bring every work to judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil, all the works of our hearts shall be brought to judgement.  
So that the great work of God at the great day will be to manifest and bring to judgement men's secret thoughts: the good thoughts of good men shall be brought to light for their praise: 
1 Cor. 4.  and the filthy wicked thoughts of evil men shall be laid open before Angels and men to their everlasting shame.  
God will judge the secrets of men at the last day, Rom. 2. 16. that is their thoughts, which are most properly their secrets: Sinners must then answer for every vain thought, which now lodgeth in their hearts, their evil thoughts being their greatest evils, shall bring upon them the greatest condemnation.  
Now consider what swarms of imaginations and thoughts do proceed out of your hearts every day: and therefore if ye be not extraordinarily, and exactly vigilant and eyefull over your hearts; ye may justly fear that upon the opening and enlightening of the book of your consciences, at those two dreadful days of death, and the last judgement, innumerable armies of wicked and exorbitant thoughts which have lain in ambush, as it were in the secret corners of your deceitful hearts, will then break forth with unspeakable fury and fierceness, and charge upon you with a heavy account, and so condemn your souls to eternal wrath.  
The serious and frequent Consideration of this strict accountablenesse, for all our thoughts hath a great efficacy to control, check and curb our unruly thoughts, to call them in again, when they begin to wander, and to run riot after vanity, and to bring them into an orderly frame. 
Eccles. 11. 9   
Lastly, consider that those evil thoughts which carnal men and women do lodge in their hearts, shall be their tormentors in hell for ever and ever, their own thoughts shall be turned into so many never dying scorpions, and fiery serpents to sting and torment their souls.  
2. The Thoughts of sinners shall be their greatest terror and torment in that fiery lake, thoughts accusing shall be their executioners, filling their souls with sorrows beyond imagination.  
1. Wicked men shall then study over their sins, and every sin shall be as a fiery dart at their hearts.  
Oh that sinners would seriously consider this, that though in this world it be a delight unto them to look back and survey their old sins; yet in hell nothing will be more bitter & tormenting to them, than the thoughts and remembrance of them. Every passage and circumstance in every sin which they have committed, will then be as so many sharp swords at their hearts.  
This setting of men's sins in order, before their thoughts shall fill their consciences with innumerable stings of terror and torture: their thoughts will be all hell and horror at the sight of their sins.  
2. Impenitent sinners shall then think of the glorious bliss of the Saints in heaven, and of their own woeful wretched estate in hell.  
3. They will think of their own wilful neglect and rejection of mercy offered in the Gospel.  
How they have turned their backs upon the blessed and bleeding entreat of the Lord Christ, and this very Thought will be a continual hell to their souls, yea the very Hell of Hell's  
Oh what unconceivable Torture, Tribulation and anguish will fall upon wicked men when they shall still be thinking of that beatifical enjoyment, height of honour and glorious salvation that they have wilfully and eternally lost.    

The Mystery of Holiness working in the thoughts of all sanctified persons.  2 COR. 10. 4, 5. 
For the weapons of our warefare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds.  
Casting down imaginations, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.  
I Have opened the Mystery of iniquity, which worketh efficaciously in the thoughts of all those that are not Regenerate.  
The second great point that now follows to be handled, is the Mystery of Sanctity that worketh in the thoughts of all those who are truly Sanctified.  
In this Text, this is chiefly observable; That the power of sanctifying Grace, which comes into the soul by the preaching of the Gospel, doth first and principally show itself in casting down, changing, crucifying, and captivating men's thoughts: The first and great work of the spirit of Grace in the conversion of sinners is upon their Thoughts.  
I will draw up what I intent to insist upon, into this doctrinal Truth. That,  
Sanctifying soule-quickning Grace, 
Doctrine.  which is conveyed by the ministry of the word of life doth primarily and principally put forth itself upon men's thoughts.  
For the clear understanding this Truth, three things must be premised.  
First, That there is no selfsufficiency in man's corrupt mind to think one holy spiritual thought; this the Scripture clearly witnesseth, 2 Cor. 3. 5. That we are not sufficient of our selus, as of our selus, to think any thing; that is, any good thing, according to divine rules; we have not the least aptness, or ability, by corrupt nature to think a good thought; when we think a divine spiritual good thought, it is by the Grace of 
1 Cor. 15. 10.  God.  
1. We are by corrupt nature all over flesh, we have rotten corrupt minds full of fleshly principles, full of pride and contradiction against the Spirit and 
2 Cor. 10. 5. Ephes. 4. 21.  Truth that is in Jesus.  
We have fleshly wills and affections; sinful corruption is as a chain upon all our faculties, as an iron gate that keeps out any good thought, or corrupteth it when it comes in.  
The thoughts of carnal men are altogether fleshly. Rom. 8. 5. The frame of man's heart must be sanctified, before it can frame one sanctified thought: as a man is, so he thinks and imagines: as the tree is, so is the fruit: as the treasure of the heart is, such is that that 
Mat. 12. 15.  comes from it; an evil heart cannot think well; impure minds will not admit of pure holy thoughts to enter.  
Wickedness comes from the wicked; as the proverb is, 1 Sam. 24. 13 What can be expected from vain men, whiles they are altogether vanity, but vain thoughts? Their hearts are always either weaving spiders webs, or hatching 
Isa. 59 ●●  Cockatrices eggs; they are thinking vanity or mischief.  
2. If the bent and relish of our wills and affections be not changed, they will set our imagination on work to devise satisfaction to themselves; for there is a mutual reflux and working betwixt the imagination and affections. Man's imagination stirs up his affections, and as the bent of the affections stands, so imagination worketh.  
Secondly, in our new birth there is healing, quickening, renewing Grace infused into our souls, whereby we are freely inclined to spiritual good thoughts and works.  
This infused implanted Grace is called in the Scriptures, the life of Christ, or Christ living in us; the image of 
Gal. 2. 20. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Ezek 11.  Christ, the image or impression of his Graces. The new creature: a new heart and spirit, a new frame of heart and spirit put into us; it is the implanting of holy principles, inclinations, and dispositions, whereby our natures are made conformable to the sweet pure holy nature of Christ, and agreeable to all divine rules in some measure.  
Thirdly, this regenerating Grace, or new divine life put into our souls, is the immediate principle of all our holy thoughts and works. Actions come from powers, and are suitable thereunto; holy spiritual Acts cannot come from unsanctified powers and faculties; living thoughts cannot proceed out of dead minds.  
In man's natural life, there is  
1. The soul, which is the principle of life.  
2. Life itself.  
3. Acts of life: These three are inseparable.  
So in the spiritual life, there is  
1. The quickening spirit.  
2. The vital being.  
3. Living Acts: and these are inseparable. This new life is an active power, whereby the soul is enabled to Act and move towards God.  
All our holy thoughts and works are the fruits and actings of this divine life in us: there must be a power and principle of holiness put into man's heart before it can think holy thoughts: every thing acteth according to its being: an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit. Carnal minds cannot thing spiritual thoughts.  
These things being premised I now come to the Doctrine itself; in the opening whereof, I must  
First, demonstrate that renewing converting Grace doth primarily and principally put forth itself upon man's thoughts.  
Secondly, I will declare what are the powerful, precious, operations of sanctifying Grace upon the thoughts.  
First, that sanctifying Grace, after the change of the frame of our hearts, doth first and chief work upon our thoughts; I thus demonstrate.  
1. Evil thoughts are the radical seminal sins which corrupt our judgements, affections, and all our actions; therefore it is necessary that our thoughts should be first cleansed cured and changed by Grace.  
Sin entered into our first parents by their thoughts; crooked thoughts were the root of their cursed apostasy.  
2. All our actual sins have their beginning and rise in our thoughts: evil thoughts are the begetters of all other sins, the first movers and leaders in all evil, the plotters of all iniquity against God and man; Till these radical evils be rooted up, our words and works will be the fruits of sin: therefore after the crucifying of the habitual corruption of men's nature, the principal work of Grace is to mortify and purify their thoughts.  
Hence it is that the first Act of repentance and mortification pressed upon sinners, is to wash their hearts from wickedness; that is, from vain thoughts 
Jer. 4. 14.  which lodge within them: True repentance gins whence sin gins; that is, in the thoughts.  
Secondly, the strong hold whereby the Devil holds possession of men's souls, is chief in their thoughts; Till the thoughts be cast down and changed by converting Grace, the Devil cannot 
2 Cor. 10 4, 5.  be castout.  
Thirdly, all actual holiness gins in the thoughts; habitual holiness is properly in the new frame of our hearts; actual holiness is that which is acted in our affections and conversations: holy works and words have their rise from holy thoughts: as the spirits are in the body, so are thoughts in the soul, they run through all, move all, and Act all in us.  
Fourthly, the new spiritual mind is put for the whole new man, for all that is regenerate in us, in our minds, wills, affections, and all the powers of the soul. Rom. 7. 25. Where Paul speaking in the person of all reverend ones says, I myself in my mind serve the Law of God. 
Rom. 7. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   
It is evident that the Saints do serve the Law of God with all their soul withal within them so far as it is sanctified.  
Why then is the mind only named here?  
Answ 1. Because the work of renovation gins in the mind, or thinking power: this is clearly held forth in Rom. 12. 2. Be ye transformed by the 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  renewing of your mind. That great metamorphosis, or transforming change, which is wrought by the new birth, hath its first beginning in our minds; for if we are transformed by the renewing of our mind; than it must needs follow, that the mind is first renewed; and by the change of the frame of the mind and thoughts, the whole man is changed, and all things made new in us.  
2. Holy thoughts, which are the actings of the renewed mind, do act and command our judgements, affections, eyes, tongues, etc. in a holy heavenly order. For as a man thinketh, so is he, Prov. 23. 6, 7. If a man think graciously, he affecteth graciously speaks and acteth graciously.  
Secondly, I will now show you what are the powerful and precious operations and workings of sanctifying Grace upon man's thoughts; whereby we may easily discern whether we are truly possessed of the glorious state of Grace: And I beseech you mark this searching truth, for a holy gracious frame of thoughts doth far more clearly and infallibly distinguish the power of sanctification from the state of formality and highest temporary perfections, than words and works, and all outwardness of carriage, though never so glorious in appearance: for in these (many times) is much fraud and fallacy, forced feigned behaviours, artificial and counterfeit acting, and hidden hypocrisies. Outward actions and speeches are liable to the Laws of men, open and obvious to the eye and judgements of all; therefore fear of reproach, shame, and punishment; desire of gaining a good opinion for honesty and Religion, and the name of Saintship; hope of raising their outward estates, are of great power to restrain men, and to keep them within good compass and moderation, and to put them upon the profession of piety, outward performance of duties, and joining to Churches: men's words and works may be seemingly holy, honest and honourable, whose thoughts are base, profane, and abominable.  
But thoughts are the free immediate invisible productions of the heart, by their natural secrecy exempted from man's most privy search and censures: No eye seethe these secrets, but that which is ten thousand times brighter than the Sun. And therefore millions of thoughts, many thousand forms of imagination do spring out of the hearts of men, which without any mask, restraint, or reservation, do really represent the true estate and disposition of the heart: so that from them we may be ever sure to take infallible notice, whether our hearts as yet only work naturally, in a delightful framing of vain earthly ungodly thoughts; or else be taught and guided by a supernatural power to compose our thoughts, according to the light of God's word, and holy motions of his sanctifying spirit.  
Prov. 12. 5. Righteous men are discerned and distinguished from wicked men by their Thoughts. The Thoughts of the just are right Judgement, or Justice, (so the Hebrew signifies) but 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  the subtle devices of the wicked are deceit. So in Rom. 8. 5. Carnal men are differenced from spiritual, by the inward frame of their thoughts, They that are according to the flesh, do think of the things of the flesh; but they that 
Rom. 8. ●. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  are according to the spirit, the things of the spirit. This reading is agreeable to the Original, and comes nearest to the scope and intent of the Text.  
Thus the Syrick renders the words, They that are in the flesh do think of 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De re quapiam serio cogita c. Beza.  that which is of the flesh, etc. Thus Tremellius, and Trostius do read this place, according to the Syrick.  
That is, they that are still in a carnal corrupt estate, they fix and spend their thoughts upon fleshly earthly sensual things, and thus Theophyl: and chrysostom expound this place, The mind in carnal men is carnal, they do in their mind think of carnal things: But they that are spiritual, that are renewed and acted by the spirit of grace, their thoughts are chief spent and drawn out upon spiritual heavenly Divine things.  
If we would take certain knowledge of ourselves, whether we are good or evil men, sanctified or unsanctified, we must look into the frame of our thoughts. Every man is compared to a Tree, our thoughts are the most distinguishing fruits whereby we may discern what manner of Trees we are. The only way for other men to know what kind of Trees we are, is by our visible fruits, external works and speeches: But if we ourselves would judge of ourselves, we must try ourselves first and chief by our internal thoughts. The surest and most infallible way to judge of our spiritual estate, is by the constant acting of our thoughts.  
2 Thoughts and imaginations do ordinarily follow the frame and temper of the heart wherein they are form, and so they are the truest discovery of the nature and constitution of the heart: As streams do resemble and express the quality and property of those fountains whence they spring. We may truly judge of the frame and fabric of our hearts, by the ordinary working of our thoughts.  
But now we are not to take measure of our thoughts by some particular stir and extraordinary motions we sometimes feel in them; but according to the common current and general actings of our thoughts; For sometimes evil men may have good motions, and workings in their thoughts towards that which is good; but good thoughts in carnal men do glide and pass away presently without any fruit to their own souls.  
So on the other side, good men may sometimes be overpowered and captivated by evil thoughts, either by the sudden breaking out of remaining corruption from within, or by violent invasion of some enticing object from without; or by the impetuous and immediate injections of Satan: But such thoughts as these are contrary to the general and settled purpose of their hearts.  
2 The New man in them doth repel and resist them.  
3 The Saints know how to repent of them, and pray against them.  
4 They walk more humbly, and set a strong guard and more narrow watch over their hearts for afterwards, lest they should be unawares surprised the second time.  
Thirdly, The whole conversation follows the frame and temper of the thoughts: Such as a man's heart is, such are his thoughts ordinarily; and such as his thoughts are, such is the frame of his conversation. Prov. 23. 7. As a man tbinketh in his heart, so is he. The thoughts of men are the spring from whence issues a good or bad conversation, they are the master-wheel which acteth & turns about the whole course 
Prov. 4. 23.  and carriage of their lives; they have a strong influence upon all their ways.  
The sweetening of this spring sweetens the whole conversation: If waters be corrupt, the fountain must first be cleansed and sweetened, and then the streams will be sweet. The Prophet healed the waters by casting salt into the spring, 2 Kings 2. 20. If our thoughts be full of holiness, they will overflow into our affections, and actions, and fill our speeches.  
What are the powerful operations Quest. of Sanctifying Grace upon man's thoughts?  
They are these especially.  
First, It Discovers a world of wickedness Answ. in men's thoughts, which they never saw before. Renewing grace sets up a new light in the mind, which manifests the Atheism, Idolatry, Infidelity, Unrighteousness, Vanity, Pride, and Profaneness of their thoughts. Carnal men may see the gross irregularities, and open defilements of their works and speeches; but they see not the first rise of corruption in their thoughts. Sinners are possessed with this pestilent conceit, that thoughts are free: but when the word of God falls with converting power upon their souls, the secret thoughts of their hearts are made manifest in their natural filth and 
1 Cor. 14. 24, 25.  folly, so that now they begin to see that the sins of their thoughts are out of measure sinful and innumerable.  
Secondly, Sanctifying Grace Condemns the vanity and vileness of men's thoughts; it draws them to sentence, and condemn the evil of their thoughts, and themselves for their evil thoughts. Carnal men do feed upon the forth of their filthy thoughts with delight, but regenerate men do with much bitterness of spirit judge themselves for their thought-transgressions; yea, many humble souls, sensible of their secret provocations, are more grieved and troubled (setting aside the ill of example, and scandal, ordinary attendants upon open and visible miscartiages) for the rebelliousness of their thoughts, than the exorbitancy and iniquity of their works: It wounds them to the very heart that they are not as well able to preserve their inward thoughts pure and holy towards the all-searching eye of God, as their words and visible actions plausible and orderly towards men.  
Thirdly, Sanctifying Grace begets a sincere and deadly Hatred of all evil thoughts. Psal. 119. 113. Says David, I hate vain thoughts. Renewed persons do not only dislike evil thoughts, but they also hate them, as the grand Enemies of God, they desire to have them crucified.  
2 They hate not only those thoughts which are most black and bloody, but vain thoughts also; they hate all wand'ring and unprofitable thoughts.  
Fourthly, Renewing Grace Sanctifies the thoughts, and puts them into a holy frame: The natural frame of man's heart is evil, therefore all that it frameth is altogether evil. A corrupt 
Gen. 6. 5.  fountain cannot send forth pure waters; but sanctifying grace coming into man's heart, implants a new holy principle, which is the spring of holy living thoughts; it makes the mind ready & prepared to every good thought. A sanctified heart is full of sanctified thoughts, it is continually exercised in godly, useful, and profitable meditations: It can have no rest but in spiritual converses with God. Grace coming from heaven, doth carry up the thoughts into heaven.  
Fifthly, Sanctifying Grace Purifies the thoughts, it mortifies that Lording power which sin exerciseth in men's thoughts before their renewing. The hearts of all men in their corrupt frame are as a boiling Sea, or as a Sepulchre of corruption, evapourating and sending up continually wicked, wanton, and profane thoughts.  
How doth grace cleanse and cure our Quaere. thoughts?  
By a twofold act.  
1 By mortifying the root of all evil Answ. thoughts, the flesh, or corruption of man's nature, that root of bitterness which embitters and corrupts our thoughts continually. Grace purifies 
Acts 15. Mark 7. 21.  our hearts, which are the fountain out of which our thoughts do flow; this fountain must be cleansed, and sweetened before our thoughts can be clean: Can any clean thing come forth of that which is unclean?  
That sinful corruption which reigns 
Job 14. 5.  and rages in the hearts of natural men, must be crucified before the strength of sin can be broken in their thoughts. If carnal men by the power of the word should be so affrighted and terrified from the committing of that sin which they most love, that they durst never actually return again to it; yet than their natural corruption would fill their hearts with speculative uncleanness, and thought-pollutions; their thoughts would still be running after sin. When the worldly man dies, his thoughts perish; so when the old man is mortified in us, evil thoughts die, in respect of their predominant power.  
2 Grace purifies our thoughts by filling the mind with the pure and precious word of God, which is a powerful means to keep out and cast out evil thoughts I have hid thy word in my heart (in my thoughts, says David) that I might not sin against thee, Psal. 119. 11. There is a marvellous power in God's word to drive away and scatter ungodly thoughts; they can no more stand before it, than the Clouds before a strong Northwind. If the word of Christ dwell in our hearts plenteously, it is impossible that vain thoughts should lodge there. If our minds be filled with the word, there will be no room for lose profane thoughts: When rebellious thoughts do rise within us, we shall have this mighty weapon in readiness to resist and repel them.  
When we feel thoughts of unbelief, pride, disobedience, earthliness, etc. begin to stir in us, and to offer themselves, let us try them by the word of Christ, see how contrary they are to it, and we shall feel them vanish away, they will not stand to a Trial. This powerful word applied, will shame and silence them.  
But here some precious souls will Object. be ready to object against themselves: If this be the property of sanctifying grace to purify the thoughts, Then what shall we think of ourselves? We feel idle, vain, lose, earthly, impure, and impertinent thoughts rising in our hearts continually; they assault and break in upon us whatever we are doing, and oftentimes they lead us captive: Oh therefore how can we conclude that we are truly sanctified, when we feel such swarms of unsanctified thoughts?  
For answer whereunto, we must know, Answ. that there is a twofold taking away, or mortifying of sin. Either in its being, or in its dominant prevailing operation.  
1 Regenerating Grace doth not totally abolish sinful corruption, so that it ceaseth to be in us, while we be in this world; for so long as we have a being in this earthly body, the body of 
Rom. 7. 23, 24.  sin will have a being in our souls.  
2 But grace mortifies sin in respect of that overpowering prevailing operation which it once had in us, while we were under sin: So that grace doth not so take away evil thoughts that they cease to rise and stir in us; but it casts them down from their commanding power and prevalency, they do not work with that impetus strength and efficacy as formerly.  
There is in all sanctified persons a new Principle, which always acteth against corrupt thoughts, and never complies with them. Vain impure thoughts will assault and break into gracious hearts, but they do not lodge there; they repel them in the very entrance. Their coming in they cannot hinder, but their lodging they may and must hinder. If thoughts of anger and revenge do break in upon them, they presently turn them out of doors.  
It is the cursed property of profane persons, to give lodging to vain thoughts, Jerem. 4, 14. Oh Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved, how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? Hence 'tis evident,  
1 That they who give lodging to vain thoughts, were never yet purged from their filthiness.  
2 That the lodging of vain thoughts in men's hearts, takes away all hope of salvation.  
3 The first work of grace is to purge our hearts from vain thoughts.  
What is this lodging of vain thoughts, Quaere. which is so damning?  
It imports these three things.  
1 A freeness and openness of heart Answ. to vain thoughts, when the door of man's heart stands open for these vain guests to have recourse and resort unto. A heart unsanctified is compared to a large Inn, or house of common resort, whose gates and doors stand open for all comers, all kind of guests have admission and lodging: So the heart of carnal men stands open continually unto all lose, lawless, wanton, worldly, dissolute and disorderly thoughts, which have free access, but they are shut against holy motions.  
2 Vain thoughts are said to lodge in men's hearts, when they find willing reception, and welcome entertainment, when there is a closing and complying with corrupt thoughts.  
3 When vain thoughts have quiet resting without reluctancy, when they take up their lodging in men's hearts, and settle there from day to day, there being no real resistance raised against them.  
How may we certainly know that Quest. vain thoughts do not lodge within us?  
There be three evident Signs whereby Answ. we may be sure that we do not give lodging to vain thoughts.  
1 A resolute shutting of the door of our hearts against them; when there is a sincere settled purpose of heart through the strength of Christ, that we will not give way to any wicked wand'ring thoughts, though they offer themselves, we will not give the least consent to them; and thereupon we set a strong guard at the door of our hearts to keep out these enemies from entering in. Vain thoughts do creep into the hearts of sanctified men by the windows of the soul; sometimes they break open the door upon them through violence of temptation, but they have no free entrance and admission. When we are made willing to open to Christ, and entertain him into our hearts, we presently cast out all vain ungodly thoughts with indignation, and shut the door against them for ever: And when our darling thoughts shall begin to plead for themselves, We have been household guests, yea, constant dwellers with you so many years, and ye have often solaced yourselves in us; Oh therefore do not turn us out without some warning, give us a little longer time, etc. Not an hour, not a moment, says the sanctified soul, ye have lodged here long enough, too long within me, ye shall not lodge one moment longer  
2 It is a sure sign that evil thoughts do not lodge in us, when there is a strong resistance raised up, and a continual war maintained against them. When vain profane thoughts are dispossessed and cast out, they will strive to re-enter, they will raise war against our souls, to regain their first power: We must therefore resist them with a steadfast faith, and repel them with the Sword of the Spirit.  
3 It is a clear evidence that vain thoughts do not lodge in us, when their rising and stirring in our hearts is troublesome and tormenting to us; and the daily disorder and disobedience of our thoughts is the matter of our grief and humiliation. Renewed men have a fore-vigilancy, and an after-grief, when they are overtaken with evil thoughts; their hearts are of another temper and frame then other men's; they are more resolute about good, and tender about evil. Carnal men can wallow in open notorious offences, without remorse or inward trouble: whereas sanctified souls do sorrow, sigh, and groan under the burden of vain, irregular thoughts; they are more troubled for a lose thought, than others are for wicked works.  
Regenerate persons do daily wash their hearts from the guilt and filth of vain thoughts.  
1 They do by faith apply the precious blood of Christ Jesus for the cleansing of their consciences from the guilt of their daily thought-defilements. There is nothing that more moveth godly men every day to fly to the perfect righteousness of their Saviour, than these sinful stir of their hearts; when they feel vain thoughts rising, and find something in themselves always enticing them to sin, and intermingling itself with their best performances.  
2 They labour by the power of God's Spirit to purify their hearts from the filth of evil thoughts: They do not only sweep their hearts, but they wash and thoroughly cleanse them continually, Jer. 4. 14.  
The house whereinto the unclean spirit 
Matth. 12. 43, 44.  reenters, is said to be swept; some grosser evils are swept out; but this house whereinto the King of Glory enters, and takes up his dwelling, must be washed.  
1 From those darling thought-defilements which stick so close to our affections.  
2 From all unprofitable lose wand'ring thoughts.  
3 From every thought that may any way defile our minds.  
The hearts of Moralists and Formal Professors, are only swept, not washed; they may sweep out thoughts of Atheism, Blasphemy, and such like black and bloody thoughts, but they take no care to wash their hearts from vain, roving and earthly thoughts.  
So then, 'tis evident that evil thoughts may rise in the hearts of good men, but they do not rest there; they will come in, but they are not welcome; they enter in, but are not entertained; they will break into their hearts, but their hearts are for ever broken off from them.  
There are two corrupt Fountains from whence evil thoughts have their original rise: That old adversary Satan from without; and the old man Sin within; both which have a continual influence upon the best men living.  
1 The Devil delights to suggest and inject evil into the Saints rather than others; he knows how torturing and terrifying unholy thoughts are to holy men.  
2 There are in renewed men remainders of corruption, which sends out Armies of vain corrupt thoughts, which war against the new man. Now whiles the cause remains, the effect cannot totally cease. So that the purest souls cannot be free from the rising of impure thoughts: Yea, multitudes of vain impertinent thoughts may violently enter into the hearts of good men, and much disturb and distract them in prayer, and holy performances, by their eruptions, interruptions, knockings, and break in; but they do not lodge in their souls, they cast them out of doors with horror and hatred, as Thiefs that come to rob their souls.  
There be three special Considerations that may support the Saints in their continual conflict and combat against evil thoughts.  
First, That 'tis not the coming in of vain thoughts, and their passing thorough the heart, but their lodging and 
Jer. 4. 14.  resting there which is inconsistent with sanctifying grace.  
Secondly, Evil thoughts rising up, and breaking into the hearts of the Saints, if they do not consent to them, but abhor and repel them with hatred and humiliation, and faith in Christ, they shall not be laid to their charge, neither should they hinder their cheerful and comfortable walking.  
I grant the first stir of evil in the mind, proceeding from within out of our hearts, though not lodged nor allowed of, yet they are our sins, and must be our sorrows, because they are the fruits and actings of sinful corruptions remaining in us: But when we are careful to crush these evil motions at their first rising, and to confess them to God in our daily prayers, and do fly to the righteousness of Christ for covering, they shall not be imputed to us, neither should they interrupt our spiritual joy and peace.  
Thirdly, Though evil thoughts may break into the hearts of good men, and often overpower them, yet there is a vast difference between the evil thoughts of men regenerate, and men unregenerate: There are three main Differences.  
1 Evil thoughts in carnal men come from natural corruption acting in its full strength, vigour and violence. They spring from a superfluity, or overflowing fullness of sin within them: 
James 1. 21.  As a Fountain casts out her waters. so a corrupt heart casts out wickedness. 
Jer. 6. 7.  A Fountain being over-full must have a vent: so the over-abounding fullness of sin, which is in the hearts of carnal men, will break out into their thoughts 
Gen. 6. 5. Psal. 14. 2.  continually, filling and defiling all their imaginations.  
But evil thoughts in renewed men are the issue forth and stir of corruption, conquered, and crucified, and in a dying condition; this corrupt fountain dries up more and more.  
2 Evil thoughts proceeding out of 
2d Difference.  the hearts of carnal men are not resisted and rejected with detestation, but received with delight. But gracious souls maintain a continual combat, and fight against all corrupt thoughts.  
I grant there may be some kind of resistance of wicked thoughts in men unsanctified: But it is  
1 Either a mere natural resistance, proceeding from natural conscience, which abhors and fears some kind of black thoughts; as thoughts of Blasphemy, Atheism, Self-murder, and such like; or else it is the mere fruit of common grace, and temporary perfections, such as is found in formal Hypocrites.  
2 It is a particular resistance: Unregenerate men may resist some particular thoughts, some gross notorious thoughts, but they harbour sundry carnal sensual thoughts, which they feed upon with delight.  
3 Their resistance of sinful thoughts is selfish and servile, it is because of some external misery and dishonourable issue whereunto they lead; they know that the strength of wicked thoughts may produce wicked works, and wicked works may produce shame and suffering in the world.  
But in all sanctified persons there is a strong, constant, spiritual, and radical resisiance of all unsanctified Thoughts  
1 'Tis Universal; they resist every Thought that resisteth the law of God; their heart riseth up against every imagination that riseth up against God.  
2 It is radical; the frame and bent of every sanctified heart is strongly set against all evil, both in thought and affection.  
3 It is spiritual: The Saints resist all evil thoughts.  
1 Because they dishonour God, and hinder the shining of his glory in their Thoughts.  
2 Because they hinder and hurt them in his glorious service.  
3 They fight against their souls.  
4 Their spiritual love to God and his Law, moves them to hate vain Thoughts, Psalms 119. 113.  
3 Corrupt Thoughts acting in carnal men, add more strength to their 
3d Difference.  corruption, they increase the strength and activity of sin: But evil thoughts rising in good men, do tend to the further subduing and weakening of corruption in them: The more they feel themselves assaulted by sinful thoughts, the more they seek unto God in the 
2 Cor. 12.  use of all holy means for the further mortifying of their sinful corruption: They pray more fervently, their cries and groans are heightened and increased; and when they have been overtaken with vain thoughts, they double their after-vigilancy.  
Sixthly, Sanctifying grace inables and inclines us to that spiritual obedience and service that God requires in our thoughts; it formeth and conformeth our thoughts and imaginations to Gods will, and keeps them in continual subjection thereunto. This conformity and captivation of the thoughts of our hearts to the Sovereignty and rules of Grace, is of special and precious consequence. Men will grant that their words and works must be in subjection to God, but how few do rightly understand and really practice thought-obedience?  
●f we search the Scriptures, we shall find that God requires the obedience of our thoughts, as well as of our speeches, and visible actions: We must labour to bring every thought into a sincere subjection to God. Our thoughts must be guided by the written Counsel of God, Prov. 20. 18. Establish thy thoughts by counsel. That is, we must take counsel at the word of God how 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  to dispose and order our thoughts. We should not conceive a thought in our minds, unless we have counsel and direction from God's word.  
Renewing Grace that comes into the soul by the preaching of the Gospel, is effectual to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. Grace first brings in our thoughts to Christ, and then our words and works. Every thought of the heart must bow the knee to King Jesus; he must have his Throne in our thoughts; then he is said to rule in our hearts, when our aim and endeavour is to order all our thoughts according to the rule of his word.  
The spiritual law of God commands and calls for the love and service of our thoughts. Matth. 22. 37. Thou shalt 
M●rk. 12. 30. Luke 10. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  love the Lord thy God with all thy thoughts: he must be served with all our mind; that is, with our thoughts, the actings of our mind.  
It was the earnest desire, and endeavour, of David to order his thoughts as well as his words according to Gods will as in his sight, Psal. 19 15. The words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart shall be to thy will in thy sight, O Jehovah! This reading I take to be nearest the Hebrew. And so the Syrick 
Ad voluntatem thus the interlinear.  reads it, The meditation of my heart shall be according to thy will O Lord. And so the Arabic, The thought of my heart shall be according to thy will. God will 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  accept of nothing but what is according to his revealed will.  
But now though Grace do in some measure subdue and subject our thoughts to Gods will, yet there is still a stiffness and inflexibility remaining in our minds, so far as they are carnal, they are unwilling to bow to the Sceptre of Christ; and they are apt to rebel against his royal Law, and to go astray continually; but when our thoughts begin to stray and wander, Grace brings them in again to the paths of Christ, it lays a solemn charge upon them, not to wander any more, and binds them to subjection: if ever we will prove ourselves to be savingly sanctified, it must be our chief and continual care to serve and glorify God in our thoughts, as well as in our words and works; God must be sanctified in our hearts, and glorified with our 
Isa. 8. 1 Cor. 6. 20. 21.  souls, by giving up all our thoughts and affections to his will.  
There is a thought-service that Jehovah expects and exacts of his people, as well as a tongue-honour, and worke-service: Oh therefore let us labour to render withal reverence and zeal unto the Father of spirits, a continual cheerful thought-service most purely and abundantly, and the rather because it is so exceeding precious and pleasing to God. There be four things that do commend and declare the surpassing excellency and preciousness of this thought-worship and service.  
1. It flows more immediately from the heart, that that God chief desires, and wherein he principally delights: he calls for our heart as that which carries the whole man with it: thoughts are the free and immediate productions of man's heart.  
2. No created power can hinder our thoughts from serving God and converses with him: opportunities, abilities, and means may fail for outward performances, but the heart is always at leisure and liberty to think graciously and spiritually. 1. All the powers of this world, yea all the powers of Hell, cannot hinder a sanctified heart from an invisible fellowship and fruition of God, with thoughts of sweetest rapture and reverence, of love and lowliest adoration. 2. They cannot restrain it from bathing itself in that open fountain the precious blood of Jesus Christ, with thoughts of unspeakable peace joy and triumph. 3. Nor from closing and clasping about the precious promises of life, or diving into the unsearchable depths of Grace and mercy, with thoughts of faith and highest admiration. 4. They cannot hinder a gracious heart from being as a mountain of incense sending up a spiritual sacrifice of praiseful admiring thoughts to the God of mercy.  
3. This thought-service is the most spiritual service, it is ordinarily full of spiritualness intention and life, because it is nearest the object of adoration. The streams which are next the wellhead are purest and strongest; the more spirit and life is in our service, the more precious it is. The best men, though they may strive to do their best every way, yet they shall find different degrees in their abilities to perform, and in the actual discharge of their duties to God: their works do not always answer exactly to their words; their words cannot fully express the thoughts of their hearts; the thoughts of their hearts come infinitely short in conceiving of the excellency of God's majesty, mercy, might, and glorious perfections.  
The thoughts of sanctified souls laying hold with immediate and nearest embracements upon that al-glorious object, the Lord God, and his sweetest attributes, give him the glory of his infinite excellencies with more life, heartiness, and heavenliness, than their words or actions can do.  
4. A constant thought-service is the surest sign of heart-sincerity, John 4. 24. That worship that is most spiritual hath most truth of heart in it: If men's change in words and works and all visible carriage were angelical; yet if their thoughts were not brought into subjection to Gods will, they were still limbs of Satan. A constant striving to subject all our thoughts to Christ is the most sound and undeceiving evidence of our uprightness: this inward thought-service being secret and invisible, is clothed with more certain sincerity, and hath a more special acceptance with God.  
Seventhly, Sanctifying Grace fits man's heart for divine meditations, and fills it with holy heavenly thoughts; it begets an inward fitness and freeness to entertain sanctified thoughts, and brings in fullness of good thoughts; by corrupt nature our minds have not only an emptiness of all holy thoughts, but also an unfitness and averseness to take in holy thoughts: carnal men are unfit, and unwilling, to set themselves to think of God and divine mysteries, to enter into serious thoughts of their sins, of their last end, of the last judgement: they have no mind to think what they have done, what they are doing, or what they shall do: they would have God departed from their thoughts, and all 
Job 21.  thoughts of a holy God and his ways depart from them.  
But when sanctifying Grace falls upon us, it implants a freeness and aptness in our hearts, so far as they are renewed, to holy spiritual meditations; it brings in heavenly principles which are the seeds of heavenly thoughts, and thereby the mind is actuated and inclined to godly meditations.  
2. Grace fills our hearts with sanctified thoughts. Every good man hath a good Treasure in his heart: that is, a 
Mat. 13. 35.  Treasure of Grace to supply his thoughts, a stock of precious Truth to fill and furnish his thoughts continually. Psal. 1. 2. It is made the property of a godly man, That his will is in the law of Jehovah, and in his Law he doth meditate, 
Psal. ●.  or shall meditate; that is, usually meditateth day and night, or by day and by night; that is, continually. The Hebrew word here (for meditate) imports 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  study and exercise of the mind in musing.  
1. A gracious man's will is in the Law of God by way of conformity and holy affection. 2. His mind is upon God's Law and Doctrine by continual meditations: he spends much time, day and night, in thinking upon the precious precepts and promises of God, the purity and excellency of his word, and the marvellous mysteries manifested therein. The thoughts of sanctified men are of a fare more heavenly temper and higher nature, than the largest heart of the best unregenerate man doth or can possibly comprehend: formal professors may have their minds busied in the highest considerations which nature, art, morality, or temporary perfections can attain unto; they may sometimes with joy think upon the promises of life, the happiness of the Saints, salvation that is in Christ, the glory of Heaven, and the like; though these thoughts never have any root or long residence in their hearts, they quickly glide away; the word of God is not rooted and implanted in their thoughts, they are far from making it their exercise, to meditate upon the Law of God day and night.  
The thoughts of formal hypocrites do feed most upon the comforts of this present world and the sweetness of their darling sin: they have a full taste and present feeling of the pleasures of their sweet sin, and present possession of earthly contentments; but no real and sound assurance by saving faith, and universality of spiritual obedience, of the joys and glorious things of Heaven: and therefore they do greedily follow and fix upon the present things of this life, with consent of their erring judgement, delight of heart, and most of their thoughts: but as for spiritual affairs, the glory of God, that one necessary thing, the state of their souls, etc. These things take up the thoughts of hypocrites, but at reversion, by accident and very seldom: and when they they come into their hearts, their entertainment is very cold and strange, their abode short, and while they stay they are apprehended and enjoyed with much weariness and weakness.  
It is the special prerogative of sanctified men to have their hearts filled with holy meditations: the thoughts are never so well and welcome to their hearts, as when they are taken up with the deep mysteries of God's word, and with a holy wisdom studying how they may exalt Christ, and enlarge his kingdom in themselves and others. That this is no idea or idle abstraction that I now propose, appears pregnantly and plentifully in David's practice, who notwithstanding the strong allurements ordinarily incident to Prince's Courts, though the cares and government of a large kingdom laiy upon him, and that he was still followed with troubles and vexations which might much have disturbed and distracted his thoughts, yet the Law of God did still principally take up his thoughts, and that day and night, as himself professeth, Psal. 119. 97. Oh how love I thy Law, it is my meditation continually. His thoughts did 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  feast and fill themselves all the day long upon the glorious truths of God's word with sweetest satisfaction: this is the practice of all sanctified men and women, they meditate upon the word of Christ most contentedly and continually because they love it far before and above all earthly excellencies.  
1. They think upon the glorious precepts of the royal Law because therein God's holy will is manifested.  
2. Their thoughts do feed upon the exceeding great and precious promises of the Gospel, because in them with special security are conveyed to them all the rich treasures of mercy and forgiveness, of spiritual joy and peace, light and life, Grace and glory.  
3. They spend their choicest thoughts upon that rich and royal pearl Jesus Christ, their daily thoughts with greatest joyfulness and oftenest meditation run after it and sweetly refresh themselves with the glory and comfort of it.  
If a poor man upon the way should find a precious orient pearl, with what greediness would his eyes gaze upon it? his excess of joy would easily command and confine his sight to such a rare enriching object, how would his eyes and thoughts be taken therewith? Even so after a man by the hand of saving faith hath laid sure hold upon the pearl of great price, Christ, with all his fullness of Grace and glory; the heart is presently so filled with holy affection and admiration, that for ever after it spends the most, the dearest, and the noblest thoughts upon this heavenly pearl: and the thoughts once one the wing are so cheered raised and taken with the spiritual beauty thereof, that they follow and fly up with continual increase of fervency and longing, until they come unto the clear vision, and plenary possession of it in heavenly glory, and those endless joys of the life to come.  
4. The Saints do solace and satiate their hearts with thinking on that surpassing great love and superabundant Grace of God appearing to their souls in Jesus Christ: they are never so sweetly satisfied, as when they are meditating upon the excellent beauty of God's glorious being, his infinite goodness, and immeasurable greatness, and those bottomless treasures that are hidden in Christ.  
5. They are much in the fore-thoughts of the glorious things to come. That honour, holiness, and happiness that the Saints shall have with Christ in the world to come; those rivers of heavenly pleasures, and plenitude of joy, that they shall enjoy in God's presence for evermore.  
But the thoughts of all unregenerate men are earthly sensual and sinful; they are commonly either rooting in the earth, or drowned in pleasures, or running after preferment, or ranging up and down idly & prophanly, or fruitlessly melancholy.  
Wherein do the good thoughts of Quest. sanctified men mainly differ from the good thoughts of formal professors and all kind of unsanctified ones?  
It is evident that unsound professors Answ. may have good thoughts sometimes, as well as good affections, and speeches, which proceed from the thoughts; they may have thoughts materially good, but not spiritually good.  
Men may begin to have better thoughts of the Saints, and of the holy path then formerly; & worse thoughts of themselves and their own ways, yea thoughts against their old ways; yet there is a vast difference between the good thoughts of renewed men, and of the best kind of unrenewed men.  
1. They differ in the principle from whence they rise. The good thoughts of formal hypocrites proceed either from outward principles, as  
1 From the convincing power of God's word which may fall upon them with that conviction and terror, that it may somewhat alter their thoughts and affections, and produce thoughts of humiliation, of reforming their ways etc. Their thoughts may taste of the good word, though they cannot feed upon it.  
2 From the strength of afflictions, which may work in them thoughts of seeking God, and returning to him.  
3 The spirit of God casts in many 
Psal. 78. Hos. 5. ult, & Chap. 6. 1, 2, 4.  good thoughts into their hearts. Or 2. The good thoughts of formalists and temporaries proceed from principles of nature improved assisted and raised by the addition of common gifts and graces 
Heb. 6.  of the holy spirit.  
But the good thoughts of sanctified men proceed from a new living principle implanted in their hearts from the holy Law put into their minds. 
Heb. 8. 2d Difference.   
2. Good thoughts do not lodge with any settled abode in the hearts of hypocrites; they pass as strangers through their minds, they are as a burden to them. If their thoughts do sometimes glance upon divine objects, they are quickly off again; good thoughts in such men do spend their life in their birth, as they arise, so they glide and pass away without any spiritual fruit or profit to their own souls.  
But holy thoughts in holy men have their constant abode, they are their daily exercise and delight; the word of God dwells in their thoughts.  
Eightly, Sanctifying grace settles, fastens and keeps the mind upon good thoughts: there is a strange unsteadiness and unsettledness in our hearts so far as they are fleshly: when they have taken in and entertained good thoughts, yet they will not be long intent on them, unless they be fixed and established by an Act of Grace. There is the greatest reason that divine spiritual things should attract and draw out the attention and intention of our minds. God is a most glorious soule-satisfying object, the thoughts of whose excellencies should swallow up all other thoughts: yet we may find by sad experience that our minds are apt to be most unsteady in our thoughts of God.  
2. Our thoughts are apt to be unstable and unsettled in all Religious performances: As  
1 In prayer, when all earthly impertinent thoughts should stand furthest off, yet how often do they creep in, and carry away our minds from God, and from attending the present service.  
2 When we are hearing God's word how unfixed are our thoughts? how often do they run out to worldly unsuitable objects? But so far as renewing Grace prevails and possesseth our hearts, it healeth and mortifies this unsteadiness, and keeps our thoughts close to divine objects.  
2. Grace puts us upon the careful and constant use of all holy means and helps for the settling and fixing of our thoughts upon good things.  
What means must we use to fix and Quest. fasten our minds to holy and profitable meditations?  
1. Cry unto the God of all Grace, Answ. for strengthening stablishing Grace: let us confess and bewail our thought-unsteadinesse, and entreat God to fix our thoughts on heavenly things.  
2. In our daily meditations let us present variety of good objects to our thoughts, that so our minds may walk from truth to truth, from promise to promise, from one precious object to another. Variety of fresh objects do much refresh the mind.  
3. We must carefully guard our outward senses, that they wander not after vanities: our eyes and ears are often the occasions of our thought-wandring.  
Ninthly, Sanctifying Grace sets up a holy Regiment in our thoughts and imaginations, it sets bounds to them, and implants a heavenly wisdom to rule and overrule them: this is the peculiar prerogative of sanctified me and special character of sincerehearts For,  
1. They alone do hate and abhor idle lose wand'ring thoughts, of which formal professors either take no notice at all, or not much to heart.  
2. Regenerate men do establish (as it were) a gracious Government amongst their thoughts, to keep out confusion, disorder, looseness, and rebellion: they set bounds and limits to the multitudes of thoughts and imaginations that daily arise: they labour to keep them within the compass of divine rules by erecting a holy order of rule and Government amongst them: They confine their Thoughts to a reverend and feeling meditation upon God's word and works; to a care of conscionable managing the affairs of their calling.  
Only sometimes, but sparingly, with many Cautions, exceptions, and seasonableness, they let them out to honest Recreation.  
Whatsoever Thought is wand'ring without this compass, or within it unsincere and selfish, is sinful and exorbitant. If the Saints take any Thought straggling without these limits, or any inticers to vanities and impertinencies, any obtruders and disturbers of the holy order and peace of their Thoughts, they presently apprehend them by the vigilant eye of their spiritual wisdom; they examine them by the Law of God, and condemn them in the Court of an enlightened conscience, and so cut them off in time by the power of Grace, and the sword of the spirit, by repelling and crushing them at their first rising in their hearts.  
Many flatter themselves from a conceit of an impossibility of ruling their Thoughts and imaginations, and are ready to lay all upon natural weakness, etc. They think it impossible to order and overpower their Thoughts, being so divers in kind, sudden in their motion, and so innumerable in themselves.  
But such must know, That if we be truly sanctified, we have a new light, life, and might from Christ, whereby we are enabled to do all that God Commands, evangelically. Sanctified persons have  
1 Such a light as discovers not only dunghills, but motes themselves, even the least flying imaginations, and abaseth their souls for them.  
2 They have a new Divine strength whereby they are able by degrees to subdue and subject their Thoughts to Gods will: And if vain lose Thoughts press in upon them (as they are as busy as little Flies in summer) yet they will not lodge them, but they cast them out with hatred and horror.  
Tenthly, Sanctifying Grace implants ability and aptness in the mind to gather and extract holy profitable Thoughts out of all objects that are presented to it from all things that we see or hear. We are by nature barren and empty of heavenly Thoughts; but Grace coming in doth spiritualise our minds, & the mind so far as it is spiritual spiritualizeth all objects, ordinary occasions, & occurencies, turning them into heavenly, spiritual Thoughts, and useful Meditations.  
1 A renewed heart is ready to raise holy Thoughts out of all providential Acts of God. It is the property of godly wise men to Observe the wonderful 
Psal. 107. last.  works that God doth for the sons of men, and to draw forth Divine meditations out of all Divine dispensations. The mercies of God do raise and occasion thankful obedient Thoughts in their hearts.  
2 Gracious hearts do extract humble meek submitting Thoughts out of 
2 Sam. 16. 11.  all sufferings, crosses, losses, and reproaches that befall them. What precious, praiseful, and contented Thoughts did Job raise out of his sufferings? But 
Job, Chap. 1. & 2.  carnal men extract Thoughts of discontent, murmuring, and complaint out of their sufferings.  
3 Grace teacheth the Saints to draw forth and distil holy, spiritual, and profitable Thoughts out of all Creatures that are presented to their eyes. When they look up to the Heavens, their hearts are raised to think of the infinite glory, wisdom, and power of God.  
2 When they see the Sun, they think of the Sun of righteousness, and his plenitude.  
3 When they behold fruitful Trees, they think of the Trees of righteousness that bring forth their fruit in due 
Psal. 1.  season.  
4 When they see springs of water, they are drawn to think of the well of lives, and water of life.  
5 When they look upon their daily bread, they think of the bread of life.  
6 When they behold the grass, and flowers of the field, they take occasion to consider the brevity and uncertainty of man's life.  
4 Sanctified persons do strive to spiritualise all earthly sensible things in their Thoughts. They make their fancy serviceable to them in spirituals. When fancy shall present earthly honours, pleasures, profits to their Thoughts, they take advantage thereby to raise their hearts higher, and to think thus with themselves, What is this to the true honour, to those enduring riches of glory, and those Rivers of purest pleasures prepared in heaven? A sanctified heart will make every Creature a ladder to heaven, by extracting heavenly Thoughts: It turns earthly things into heavenly Meditations: Here is a large field for our imagination to walk in, with much spiritual gain.  
If a feast be so refreshing, what is the continual feast of a good conscience? Pro. 15. 15. What are the spiritual revivements of the Gospel? If the meeting of friends be so comfortable, what will the meeting together of the Saints in heaven be? If a dark Dungeon be so loathsome, what is the eternal Dungeon of darkness? While we are in the body, the soul hath not only a necessary, but a holy use of the fancy, and of sensible things whereupon our imagination worketh. What is the use of the Sacraments, but to help our souls by our senses, and our faith by imagination? Sometimes the ministering of some excellent Thought from what we hear or see, proves a great advantage of spiritual good to our souls.  
Herein the power of sanctifying grace appears, it makes our hearts fruitful in these heavenly extractions: All objects, accidents, ordinary occurencies and opportunities, do occasion holy useful thoughts in sanctified souls.  
11 Renewing Grace inables us to discern the various times and seasons of holy Thoughts, and wisely to suit them thereunto. Good Thoughts are then the fruits of Grace, when they are seasonable, and suitable to all occasions offered by God. The dew of sanctifying Grace falling upon us, doth sweetly season and soften our hearts, and puts them into a true spiritual temper; and then our Thoughts are active and addressed with holy affections to apply themselves to the condition of the times, and variety of occasions offered for the advancement of God's glory, and the advantage of our own souls. As  
1 In sad sorrowful Times, if God's judgements be threatened out of the word, or executed from heaven upon the Nation or place where we dwell. When the Church wears her mourning Garment, when iniquity, blasphemy, errors, and damnable doctrines do overflow throughout the Nation, in such black and dismal days, the thoughts of sanctified hearts are suited and sorted answerably, they then willingly entertain Thoughts of sorrow and sadness, trouble and trembling, horror and humiliation.  
2 In good and gladsome times, when mercy and salvation are wisely and seasonably proclaimed out of the word of life, when Divine truth hath a free passage, spreads and prospers, when the Churches of Christ are in peace and purity, etc. they are then full of lightsome joyful, and thankful Thoughts.  
But the Thoughts of formal Professors, though they are filled with gladness, or sadness, according to the increase or decrease of their earthly comforts; yet they are not much wrought upon by spiritual occurrences and occasions, either by Nationall mercies or judgements; either by the prospering of the Church's Cause, and truth of Christ, or by the abounding of error & iniquity in the places where they dwell, so they may be free from suffering in their own persons and outward comforts, and their private temporal felicity be not endangered by public judgements, their Thoughts continue dull and formal, without any extraordinary impression.  
3 Grace formeth and frameth our thoughts suitable to that holy spiritual rest that we keep upon the Lord's Day, which is our Christian Sabbath. This is a main trial of the sanctification of our hearts, & sincerity of our thoughts, when we do carefully and cheerfully entertain and observe the holy Sabbath with a seasonable suitable frame of sanctified Thoughts  
1 The Sabbath-day is as it were the Fayre-day of the soul, wherein it should furnish itself with new spiritual strength, with more knowledge, grace, and comfort in God's Ordinances.  
2 It is the spiritual Feast-day wherein our thoughts should feed and feast upon those glorious joys, heavenly pleasures, and happy rest which never shall end, upon the precious Promises of the Gospel. Upon this holy resting day our Thoughts should be raised up to that rest of eternity that our souls and bodies shall enter into, when we shall fully rest from all our labours, troubles, temptations, and turmoils, when we shall sin no more, and sorrow no more. This is to spiritualise the Sabbath, when our Thoughts do solace and satiate themselves in God our Restingplace, and in the Restingplace promised by God.  
Sanctified persons do not only cease from doing their own ways, and 
Isa. 58. 13.  seeking their own wills, and speaking a vain word on that day: but also in some good measure they make it the very delight of their hearts, and the constant work of their thoughts, to consecrate the Christian Sabbath as glorious to the Lord. They do not only give rest to their bodies, from worldly business and servile works of their calling; but also they empty their hearts, and disburden their Thoughts of all earthly cares, that so they may wholly attend and entertain the holy motions of God's spirit, and spend their Thoughts in holy extraordinary meditations, suiting the holy Feast-day of their souls.  
I grant, that the holiest men living come short of that height of thought-holinesse, and uprightness, that the Royal Law requires: But  
1 It is the purpose, bend, and longing desire of their hearts to keep the Lords day holy in all their Thoughts; their aim is to order every Thought according to the Law of the Christian Sabbath.  
2 They cry unto God to fill and sanctify their Thoughts.  
3 They do earnestly endeavour after that holy heavenly frame of Thoughts that is suitable to the Lords holy day.  
4 They have a fore-vigilancy, and an after sorrow; if at any time they be turned awry from this Thought-holinesse, by company, or their own corruption, they are much grieved for it, they repent, and seek unto God to pardon their sins past, and to possess their hearts with more conscience, care and circumspection for time to come. But formal Professors though they may on the Lord's day abstain from their servile labours, from their ordinary sins and vanities, and may outwardly and customarily perform Religious duties, and may have some good thoughts suitable to the bare solemnity of the time, yet they cannot possibly make the Sabbath the delight of their hearts, as is required; they cannot keep a Sabbath in 
Isa. 58. 13.  their thoughts, by holy heavenly meditations suitable to the spiritual rest of that day; they cannot separate their thoughts from earthly affairs and sensual contentments; they cannot keep them off from weekdays businesses, nor keep them in to Divine meditations on the Lord's day. The best of unregenerate men cannot endure an entire and exact keeping of the Sabbath, it is not a Jubilee to their hearts, and the joy of their Thoughts.  
12 Grace teacheth us to fill up the vacuities or empty places of our Time with holy thoughts and heavenly meditations.  
For the clearing up of this truth, take knowledge of these four things.  
1 The whole time of a Christians life is a time of doing the will of God. There is no time for idle irregular thoughts or actions; there is no time for sinning, no time for the mind to stand idle.  
2 There be certain pauses and cessation times wherein we sit down and are not employed in body or mind, as at other times. We have our vacations, our leisure-times, wherein we are not busied in the work of our Calling, or in Religious duties, as prayer, reading, etc.  
3 At such times commonly we have our worst Thoughts: Our minds are never worse employed, then when we are out of employment: Our vacant times are our most dangerous times; for then vain earthly exorbitant Thoughts do most break in upon us, and most strongly prevail. These are the times wherein sinful thoughts, and Satanical injections do most intrude and throng in upon us.  
4 Grace coming into our souls begets a holy care and constant endeavour to fill up these empty times with heavenly and profitable Thoughts. It is a main duty in our exact walking, and a special act of true wisdom, to redeem these vacant times from vanity, and iniquity, Ephes. 5. 15, 16. See that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  
These empty spare times are opportunities 
Col 4 5.  for holy spiritual Thoughts; Therefore it must be our wisdom  
1 To redeem these vacant Times from sin, Satan, and the world, that have so often enslaved them, and have filled them, up with lose profane Thoughts.  
2 It must be our continual care to fill up our leisure spare times with sanctified meditations. Spiritual things that really conduce to the service of God, and most nearly concern us in respect of our eternal estates, are enough to fill up all our Thoughts in our vacant seasons, if every hour had the length of a day. They that do not wisely redeem their leisure times, and spend them in Divine profitable meditations, are the greatest spentriffs and wasters in the world; for time once past can never be recalled; opportunity being lost can never be regained.  
13 Sanctifying Grace teacheth us to spend our solitary times in holy precious and profitable Thoughts.  
1 In our solitary seasons, when we are alone by ourselves, withdrawn from all company, we have the fittest freest opportunities for Divine meditations, and thought-conversings with God.  
2 At such times we are in greatest danger to be beset and assaulted with vain foolish noisome Thoughts from the flesh within us, and with Satanical injections from without; therefore Grace being implanted in our souls, doth quicken us to a constant practice of these three Rules, which are of precious consequence.  
1 It teacheth us to single out some special Divine profitable matter whereon to fix our Thoughts all the while we are alone, that thereby  
1 We may prevent and avoid the ordinary intrusion of idle impure Thoughts, and impertinent wander.  
2 That we may not be guilty of woeful trifling out and wasting our precious time.  
3 That we may keep our minds and all the powers of the soul in holy action and employment, that our Thoughts may not grate and grind one another, and so waste themselves in a barren melancholy. Whensoever we are alone, we have a fit opportunity to reflect upon ourselves, to commune with our own hearts, to enter into serious Thoughts of expostulation and examination concerning our spiritual estates, Oh my soul! how stands the case with thee in respect of thine eternal estate? What assurance hast thou of propriety in Christ Jesus, of thy pardon by his blood, of thy new-birth by his Spirit? What growth dost thou find in grace? What weakening of sin, what strengthening of graces dost thou find since the receiving of the Lords Supper? What hast thou gained by such a Sermon? What victory hast thou obtained over that particular sin which most assaulteth thee? How hast thou served God in and with thy house?  
2 In our alone times we must consider what special sins do most fight against our souls, and interrupt our peace, and cry unto God with extraordinary intention of spirit, for mortifying Grace.  
3 We have now fit opportunity to fall into praiseful admiring Thoughts of God, his superabundant grace and mercy, wisdom and all-sufficiency, etc. or into some other holy meditation.  
4 After we have spent some time in heavenly meditation, we may busy our Thoughts about some lawful affairs of our Calling.  
2 Grace teacheth us to withstand 
2d Rule.  and repel with all godly jealousy and care two dangerous evils.  
1 Thoughts of pleasures from our youthful sins, and unregenerate time, which at such solitary seasons are ready to make reentry and return into our souls, and do strive with much eagerness, being assisted with the Devil's craft, to re-insnare and pollute us with sensual filth and folly, and renewed guiltiness. It is a provoking sin to 
Ne redeamus in cord in Aegyptum hoc enim monet Apostolas, Rom. 6. 21. quem ergo fructum, etc. Augustin.  think of old defilements with new delight; this is to return into Egypt in our hearts.  
In this case Grace makes us exceeding fearful and vigilant, lest the Devil transforming himself should delude us in the glory of an Angel; and by the flashes of his counterfeit light, cast into our hearts some secret sparks of lust; for in our solitary muse we may recall and think of the abominations of our former ways, especially of that sin that was our darling delight, upon purpose to lament, bewail, and abhor ourselves for them, thinking to be more seriously humbled for them; and yet without a very watchful eye, the Devil casting in some secret Thoughts of wont sinful sweetness; That which was intended by us for a renewing and reacting of repentance, 
Recordari volo transactas foed●tates meas, & carnales cor ruptiones anin a meae, non quo ● eas amem, sed ut amem Te Deus meus. Aug. Conses. lib. 2.  may cursedly end in the reacting of old sins, and re-injoyment of filthy pleasures in our Thoughts Grace coming into men's souls breaks the very heart of that sweet sin of their carnal estate, and their hearts from all delightful Thoughts thereof. And as in a besieged City, where the greatest and most dangerous breach is made, there the Inhabitants concur with chiefest care and highest resolution to fortify and make resistance: Even so, sigh the Saints know that before their calling, their delightful darling sin did most fearfully waste their souls, and wound their consciences: they set their thoughts with strongest resolution, and much indignation to resist and repel, abominate and abandon all delightful thoughts of that sin.  
2 Grace makes men careful at such solitary times that they do not act any new sin in their thoughts and imaginations, as sins of speculative wantonness, worldliness, ambition, revenge, discontent, dishonouring God's providence, by unnecessary mistrustful forecasting of fearful accidents upon themselves, families, posterity, goods, and Nation, etc. Some Sons of Belial there are, who make no conscience of acting all manner of uncleanness, and horrible pollutions in their hearts, by the mere work of imagination: Yea, many who carry a counterfeit heaven in their outward behaviour, do harbour execrable hells in their thoughts.  
3 Sanctifying Grace teaches us to 
3d Rule.  make use of these solitary times as golden opportunities for Divine conference and comfortable converse with our God in secret. It draws up our thoughts to a summary view, and serious consideration of those great mercies that God multiplies upon us; and fills our hearts with many joyful, lowly, and most thankful thoughts. Grace seasons some part of our solitary time with holy muse and soule-talking with God; and this is a clear character whereby the Saints are differenced from the best of carnal men.  
Moral persons and formal professors cannot thus fill up their solitary times with holy Meditations; yea, of all things they love not to be alone for thought-speakings with God, and with their own hearts. They may affect solitariness upon some private business, for the more profound contriving of worldly matters, for a more free, but filthy acting of heart-adulteries, and thought-fornication: to feed upon dull and fruitless melancholy, to let their thoughts range and run riot into a world of vain imaginations: But to be alone only for this purpose, that the mind may more freely fix upon Divine objects, and impartially inquire into the spiritual estate of their souls, they cannot they will not endure it: But godly men delight to be alone, that they may be more with God, and have more freedom for godly thoughts.  
14 Sanctifying Grace teacheth us to watch over our thoughts continually, with holy wisdom and godly jealousy. Our hearts are like to a besieged City, liable every moment, both to inward commotions and rise, and outward assaults.  
1 The fountain of Original corruption, though the main stream and bloody issue be stayed and stopped by the sanctifying power of Christ's death, yet it doth still bubble up rebelliously, into vain lose impure thoughts.  
2 The Devil watcheth all opportunities to cast in his fiery darts to set our thoughts all in combustion, and to fill them with fiery lusts; therefore we ought to set a watchful Guard over our thoughts, and Keep our hearts above 
Prov. 4. 23.  all keeping, as we are commanded. We must Guard and keep our thoughts more than any thing that is watched or guarded, whether City, house, or treasure: The eye of vigilancy should never be off from our hearts. The thoughts are the entry of man's heart, and therefore must be kept with a strong guard. As they that would keep out Thiefs, do strongly guard the entry of their house, so they that would preserve their hearts from thievish lusts, must carefully keep their thoughts. If this entry be unguarded, there is a free passage for Devils and all defiling sins to enter into men's souls.  
The hearts of moral men and formal professors lies commonly open without special guard and settled government: Though their words may be watched over, and their outward actions reform, yet they cannot endure the restraint and regulation of their inward thoughts and imaginations. The continual confinement and keeping in their thoughts by a narrow watch, is a yoke that they cannot bear. It may be out of Principles of natural light, and some general apprehensions of the powers of the world to come, they may be so far careful about their thoughts, that if some kind of black and monstrous thoughts do rise up, enticing them to gross and infamous sins, which would bring an odious blot upon their names, or danger in the world, or breed much terror and torture in their consciences, they presently set against them, abandon and expel them.  
Thus formalists may have a slight superficial misguided care, and oversight of their thoughts at some times, but they cannot make it their chief and continual care to watch over all their thoughts at all times, because the Mystery of iniquity working in their thoughts, was never yet opened to them by the power and light of saving grace. The keeping of their hearts is to them the last and least of a thousand cares.  
But all sanctified persons make it the greatest care, and one of their chiefest Christian labours, to guard their hearts, and guide their thoughts, and to keep them always in a holy humble heavenly frame. Our hearts will not keep in order and frame one moment, without a strict watch and guard. The hearts of careless men are like a River that hath no bounds nor banks, which runs out every way. We may take a view of this sanctified watch that grace sets over the thoughts, in these five Points.  
Grace teacheth us to keep a continual watch over our thoughts.  
1 That we may timely discover, and wisely defeat the Devils stratagems and policies, whereby he labours to take and corrupt our thoughts.  
1 Sometimes he assaults us by suggestions raised from the occasions and advantage of  
1 Our natural Constitution and temper.  
2 Of our outward temporal condition, either prosperity or poverty, honour or contempt.  
3 Of our infancy or growth, weakness or strength in Christianity  
4 Of our particular calling, company, place where we dwell, or the like.  
2 Sometimes Satan sets upon us with his own more fearful immediate injections, which are divers. Sometimes he comes add rest in his own likeness, and hellish blackness, as when he casts into man's mind thoughts of distrust, and doubting about the truth of heaven, and of the heavenly word of God, concerning the certainty of the Divine Being, of God's providence and omniscience. For such hellish horrible thoughts as these against God and his glorious truth, are sometimes offered to the most sanctified souls: But they do not wrestle or dispute with these hellbred thoughts; they do not muse upon them, they do not reason and parley with them, nor poor upon them; for thence perhaps would follow some inclinations to Atheism, profaneness, and other fearful consequences. But at the very first approach and appearing of those monstrous thoughts, they abandon and abominate them to the very pit of hell, whence they came: They cry unto God against them, and are much humbled by them, and thence clearly see they are none of theirs, but the Devil's  
2 If the Devil prevail not in this ugly black shape, he at other times puts on the glory of an Angel, and perhaps may bring into our minds good things, but unseasonably, that thereby he may deprive us of some greater good; as at the Preaching of the word, he will cast into our minds good meditations, that so he may take off our attention, and take away the precious seed from us. With these and a thousand more such like vexations and sore troubles in their thoughts, Satan pursues and perplexeth the people of Christ.  
2 Sanctifying Grace sets a strong watch over our hearts to resist and repel all delightful thoughts of old sins, that our souls be not reinfected with the remembrance of former sinful pleasures; for as often as we think upon the passages and circumstances of sins past, with a new delight, our souls are defiled with a new stain, and filled with more guiltiness. The sensual sweetness of men's bosom sins hath taken such plenary possession of their affections in the time of their ignorance, that it will be tempting and soliciting of the Saints with continual baits and allurements, that if it cannot draw them to the recommitting of the outward act, yet it will strongly entice to the enjoyment of it in their thoughts: And if they be not exceeding watchful continually, it will presently ensnare and take their thoughts.  
Here then is the difficult act of holy wisdom, and watchfulness over the thoughts, that we have learned to abhor and repel all allurements of old sinful pleasures, and to smother the very first motions that would draw us to delightful thoughts thereof, by considering of the many wounds those sins have formerly given to Christ, and to our own souls. This is a sure evidence of much growth in grace, when we are able to think of old sins without new delight, when we can represent them to our minds only for renewing of repentance, and deeper humiliation, and then dismiss them with loathing and hatred. It is one of the Devils deepest deceits and designs, whereby sometimes he is too hard for the wisest Saints, he labours to corrupt their affections with the thoughts of the bosom sin of their carnal estate.  
3 Grace sets a continual watch over the thoughts, to discover the first stir of sin in our hearts, and so to crush and crucify all evil thoughts in their first rising: It teacheth us to hold a waking jealous eye over those many baits and lures which come from remaining corruption; and to repel and suppress every exorbitant thought which draws to sin at the first moving thereof.  
Sanctified persons do labour by all means to stop and stifle the first sinful sensual thought, and to crush these young Cockatrices while they are in hatching, to mortify sin at its first appearing in their thoughts. They know full well, that if they do not smother and surprise evil thoughts at their first stirring in their minds, they will presently corrupt their understanding, the understanding their wills, the will the affections, and their affections once enraged, and having the reins (like wild Horses) will carry them headlong into abundance of sins. Oh what a world of mischief and misery do men bring upon themselves by giving way to the first wicked thought? Sin is like Eliah his cloud, at the first small, but afterwards it covers the whole heaven: Deeply then doth it concern us with jealousy and trembling, narrowly and continually to watch and take notice of the first motions of our hearts, to tread down evil thoughts as soon as they arise, not suffering them to stay or take any place in our minds. We must shut the door against vain thoughts, and not give them the least entrance: We must not admit them, and then dispute with them.  
Sinful thoughts are the forerunners of much sin coming after: Men had never come to such a height of sin, if evil thoughts had not led the way; they prepare the way, they open the door and let in all other sins. Corrupt thoughts are of a most contagious nature, they are men's sins, snares, and scourges, in that their hearts are affected and infected with them: All the evil which is in their affections, actions, and speeches, gins in their thoughts: That which is last in their work, is first in their thought. Sin is conceived 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joma. Col. 1.  in their minds, before it is brought forth into practice. The Devil cannot work his will upon men's affections, or prevail over the will but by the thoughts.  
1 A sinful thought is cast into their mind.  
2 This evil thought gins to draw the heart aside from the consideration of God's all-searching eye, to the sight and survey of the pleasures and profits of sin.  
3 It having the heart now by itself, allures, enticeth, and persuades it to consent, holding a conference with the will about the sensual sweetness and contentment which is to be found in earthly pleasures, riches, honours.  
4 Then the will entertains the evil motion, consents and complies; and now sin is completed and finished in their hearts, though it never break forth outwardly.  
5 Their affections add heat and strength, their heart travels with iniquity, and so by the help of opportunity sin is brought forth in their visible conversations: Then follows the often acting the same sin with delight, whence the heart of man is woefully hardened, and totally turned into sin, and so the sinner now fitted for destruction. If we do not stop and stifle sin when it first stirs in our thoughts, we are in danger of falling by degrees into the depth of sin, and we know not whether ever we shall stop or stay until we come to the depth of hell.  
Therefore we must watch to discover and suppress every evil thought at its first moving, especially those which are most fundamental, which are the principal roots out of which others do rise, as doubting, questioning thoughts of God's providence, and care of his children, of his omniscience, omnipresence, justice, etc. Thoughts of deferring duties, slighting Ordinances: Thoughts against the necessity of circumspect walking, etc. When these 
Ephes. 5. 15.  and such like Atheistical thoughts and principles of Satan's, do take place in men's hearts, they keep out good thoughts, and block up their souls against the entrance of soule-saving truths, and do corrupt all their thoughts and ways.  
4 Sanctifying Grace sets a watch over our thoughts in the performance of all holy duties.  
1 To keep out all lose wand'ring wicked thoughts that they do not enter into distract and disturb us in God's work; therefore we are commanded to watch unto prayer, and in prayer, to watch and pray. We must watch in hearing God's word, set a strong Guard at the door of our hearts, and the windows of the soul, that no worldly distracting thoughts come into take off the attention and intention of our minds in good performances.  
2 To keep out unseasonable impertinent good thoughts in religious performances. Thoughts materially good, when they break their ranks, and come into the mind disorderly, out of their due season and place, are sinful. We are apt to think of good things unseasonably, and unsuitably to the present service; as when we are in the act of hearing God's word, or prayer, some good thing that we had heard or read formerly, some good note that we had forgotten, will now readily offer itself to our thoughts, whereby our minds are distracted, diverted, and carried away from the present performance, and our good works weakened and corrupted.  
2 This mis-placing of good thoughts proceeds from our corrupt Natures, whereby we are apt to fix our thoughts upon any thing rather than what God at present calls unto.  
3 It is the grand policy of our adversary the Devil to cast in good things into our minds unseasonably in hearing the word, or prayer, thereby to take off the attention of our minds from the present duty, and so to lame our sacrifice. He knows that wicked thoughts will be abhorred and rejected by godly men, but good things injected may more easily have admission and reception with them.  
5 Grace teacheth us to watch over our hearts continually, that we may be ready to give a wise and humble entertainment to the holy motions of God's blessed spirit. There be good hours and good messengers of Gods sending, golden opportunities, wherein he useth to give a meeting to his Children, and breathes good thoughts into them, these we must embrace and cherish; for as carnal men do freely admit and embrace earthly corrupt thoughts; but they reject and suppress good motions and stir that tend to repentance, and mortification: so renewed men strive to shut out vain thoughts; but they sincerely desire with special reverence and all holy greediness to entertain all good motions put into their hearts by God's Spirit, howsoever occasioned, whether by the Ministry of the word, reading the Scriptures, Christian admonition, or by some extraordinary mercy or affliction any way at any time they highly esteem all good motions grounded on the word of God; they feed and improve them to the utmost, with meditation, prayer, practice. If men begin once to neglect godly motions, by degrees they grieve the blessed Spirit, at length they quench the Spirit. God doth often punish men's slighting of these heavenly motions, by leaving them to the vanity of their own thoughts, and to Satan's horrid injections.  
15 Grace begets a holy jealousy and suspicion of our own hearts and thoughts; and this doth exceedingly quicken and strengthen our spiritual vigilancy. There is still much deceit in 
Jer. 17. 9  our hearts, so far as they are carnal, and though we have taken up resolutions to watch over our thoughts, yet sin is apt to break in and captivate our thoughts, if we be selfe-confident. They that are most suspicious of their own hearts, are least overtaken with evil thoughts, because such are much in prayer unto God, and resting upon God, from whom they receive strength to stand and withstand sinful thoughts, and Satanical injections.  
16 Sanctifying Grace raiseth high and holy thoughts for the advancement of God's glory, and the spiritual advantage of our own and others souls. The thoughts of gracious persons are ordinarily working for the promoting of God's service, and good causes, for the procuring of true good to their brethren, especially in spirituals, for the increasing of Grace in themselves, and spiritual assurance and comfort against the day of trial; for the keeping of a good conscience in all things, and the acting of self-denial.  
But the Thoughts of carnal men are all for self-ends, and selfe-satisfactions, how to get great things for themselves in this world, and to be great in the opinion of others, and to fulfil their fleshly lusts. They that spend their 
Rom. 13. 14.  thoughts and studies for self, how they may satisfy their own sinful affections, and attain their carnal ends, are superlative sinners, they are Masters of the Art of sinning. We have an elegant expression in Prov. 24. 8. The man that thinketh to do evil, they 
Prov. 24. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  shall call him a Lord of wickedness (so the words are in the Hebrew.) That is, the man that bends his thoughts to fulfil his own sinful desires and corrupt affections, shall be called a Lord, that is, the chief and greatest of sinners. 2 A Possessor of all wickedness; a most wiced man in whom is a confluence of all sin.  
Lastly, Sanctifying Grace puts us upon a careful constant use of all holy means that God hath appointed for the preserving of us from the prevalency and pollution of all evil thoughts. Prov. 4. 23. God commands men to keep their hearts above all keeping. That is, in the diligent use of all good means to strive to keep their hearts from entertaining and lodging evil thoughts, to keep them from all thought-defilement. Thus David Resolves to use all holy helps and means for the ordering of his thoughts, according to Gods will. 
Psal. 19 15.   
What special means hath God in his word directed us to use for the preserving Quest. of us from the prevailing power and pollution of evil thoughts?  
There be divers precious Preservatives Answ. that may be helpful to us in keeping of our Thoughts.  

The First Preservative.  
1 LAbour to settle a holy Government in our fancy, & to keep our imaginations within the compass of Divine Rules. Man's imagination must be cast down, before his thoughts can be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. 10. 5. Imaginations are properly the operations of the fancy, which is a power of the soul placed between the senses, and the understanding. The fantasy is the imagining power, as the mind is the thinking power in man. Fancy is that which the learned call Imagination and opinion. 
Phantasia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aliter dicitur imaginativa. Alstedius.  Man's imagination of itself, if ungoverned, is a wild ranging thing, it mis-leads his thoughts, and fills them with vanity and sensuality, and his life with unnecessary troubles; it is the great troubler of Israel.  
1 Imagination is a shallow superficial apprehension of outward good or evil things taken from the senses.  
2 The fancy doth greatly prize and value sensible good things, which are present and suitable to man's corrupt nature.  
3 Man's imagination overrules his judgement, until it be filled with a new light and strength. Hence it is that the best things if accompanied with sensible inconveniencies, as sufferings, losses, reproaches in the world, etc. are by carnal men mis-judged for evil things. 2 The worst things, if they be attended with pleasure, profit, and sensible contentments, are by corrupt men mis-judged for the greatest good.  
4 Man's fancy presents to his mind earthly riches, honours, outward enjoyment, as glorious things, wherein is much happiness and contentment to be had. The thoughts and life of many men is almost nothing else but a vain fancy; that which mainly-sets their thoughts on work, is how to please their own fancy, which formeth and imagines an excellency and happiness in earthly enjoyments; and in comparison of which it contemns all true excellency and happiness: Hence arise those earthly covetous ambitious Thoughts which are predominant in men's hearts.  
5 Imagination worketh upon man's affections, and affections upon his thoughts. The reason why sinful imagination works so strongly upon the mind, is, because it raiseth the affections answerable to the good or evil which it apprehends, and the affections stir the thoughts.  
Things work upon the mind in this order.  
1 Some object is presented.  
2 Then it is apprehended by imagination as good or as evil.  
3 Our affections are stirred up suitably to our apprehensions of the object.  
4 The affections work upon our mind, filling it with suitable thoughts. Imagination is the first wheel of the soul, it stirs itself, and other powers of the soul are stirred by its motion; if that move amiss, it moves the other wheels amiss with it; And therefore the well ordering of this is of the greater consequence; for usually as man's imagination conceiveth, so the mind thinketh, the judgement concludes, the will chooseth, the affections are carried, and the outward man acteth  
6 This Imagination doth exceedingly corrupt our thoughts.  
1 By false representations of things to the mind, which begets thoughts by the help of the fancy.  
2 By forging matter out of itself without ground, and so offering it to the mind to work upon in its thoughts.  
3 As our imagination is an ill instrument of the understanding to devise vanity and mischief.  
7 Man's corrupt imagination frameth and shapeth every thing as itself pleaseth; it makes evil good, if it please the senses, and good evil, if it be displeasing to the outward man. Whereupon the thoughts of man's heart are full of unsettledness and unquietness, vanity and falsehood.  
So then, man's natural imagination must be cured, rectified, and sanctified, before his thoughts can be holy and gracious.  
1 Therefore we must pray that God would be pleased to erect a holy Government in our hearts to order, regulate, and restrain this licentious faculty, our fancy.  
2 Labour to keep down these disorderly Rise of our fancy, and to bring our imaginations into the obedience of God's truth.  
3 For the well ordering and bounding of fancy, consider the principal use thereof; sense and imagination is properly to judge what is comfortable, or uncomfortable, good or evil to the outward man, not what is morally or spiritually good, or ill.   

The Second Preservative.  
2 WE must present all things to our minds, as the Scripture presents them to us: This will be a good means to keep our thoughts from feeding upon empty windy fancies.  
1 Present to our minds the Reality of spiritual Riches, Pleasures, Honours, and Enjoyments.  
2 The Emptiness of earthly riches, pleasures and honours, which are but shadows in comparison of those true realities that the Gospel discovers. The Spirit of God sets forth these earthly things as empty and dangerous things, calling them vanity, uncertain riches, 
Eccles. 1 2. Luke 15. 9 Prov. 23. 5.  unrighteous Mammon, Thornes, yea, Nothing.   

The Third Preservative.  
3 WE must propound True objects for the mind to work upon in its thoughts. Our fancy is prone to raise false objects, and thereby false conceits and foolish thoughts in us. Our best way to take off our thoughts from false objects, is to fix them upon true objects: As  
1 To think of the infinite greatness and goodness of God, and his peculiar perpetual love to us in Christ.  
2 The plenitude of Grace and Glory that is in Jesus Christ.  
3 The high and heavenly Mysteries revealed in the Scriptures; the exceeding great and precious promises of the Gospel.  
4 The real possessions, preferment, and Royal privileges of the Saints.  
5 The great day of judgement that we must all appear before the Lord Christ, and be made manifest what we are, and what we have done, and be strictly accountable for all our thoughts, words, and works.  
6 Let us think of Heaven, that Paradise of all glorious perfections, plenitude of blissful joys, and Rives of purest pleasures, flowing from the immediate vision and enjoyment of God for evermore.  
The feeding and fixing of our minds upon these high and heavenly objects will be a means  
1 To preserve us from vain sensual thoughts.  
2 To produce thoughts of true holiness, it will draw us to think thus with ourselves, If these things be so indeed, then must we frame our thoughts and ways suitable to these holy Principles.   

The Fourth Preservative.  
4 WE must labour to Set bounds to our fancies, and put bonds upon our thoughts. There is still some remainder of wildness in our fancy, and unsettledness in our minds after renewing; therefore we must confine our thoughts and imaginations within the compass of Scripture Rules. Lay a strict command upon them not to stray, or turn aside from the strait path; and if they begin to wander, and run out, it must be our wisdom and endeavour,  
1 To restrain and reduce them presently, to stop these waters at their first breaking out, and not to give the least way to the inordinate irregular rise of our thoughts, and rovings of our fancy.  
2 To fasten our thoughts to the Cross of Christ. Consider how cruelly we have pierced the Lord of Life, by our thought-sins, and that he died to redeem us from our vain thoughts.  
3 To confine our thoughts to some heavenly, precious, and profitable objects, as the appearing of God's Grace, the Glorious appearing of Christ, and our appearing before him.  
2 If our imagination break lose and defile our minds, and memories, yet let it not defile our wills: Give not the least consent to these sinful motions, but tread them down at their first rising, before they move to the practice of any thing.  
3 We must never entertain groundless imaginations: Let us cross and crush those imaginations which cross the grounds both of Religion and Reason. How often doth imagination deceive us in sensible things, much more than will it deceive us in spirituals? The imaginary grievances of our lives are more than the real. Such is the incoherence, absurdness, and unreasonableness of men's imaginations, that often times they are ashamed and vexed for giving the least way to them.   

The Fifth Preservative.  
5 IT must be our wisdom to fear and fly the occasions of evil Thoughts. As we must make use of the best helps and outward advantages of time, place, objects, that may have a kind working upon our fancy and thoughts: So we must avoid the contraries that may be occasions of ensnaring and corrupting our Thoughts. The wisest men living cannot keep their Thoughts from pollution, unless they be careful to fly such objects and occasions as minister matter of evil to their minds.  
1 There is in man's mind not only an active power, whereby it is able to Act, but also a passive and receptive disposition whereby it may be wrought upon.  
2 Outward occasions have a great efficacy and operation upon this passive power of man's mind for the production of evil thoughts; as we see in David.  
3 The efficacy and strength of outward occasions stands in these two things.  
1 In an impression of that evil in the minds of men which before was not thought of by them.  
2 Occasions do awaken and stir up the corruption of their hearts, and draw it out into corrupt thoughts.  
There be four special occasions which we must avoid if we would keep our thoughts from defilement.  
1 Vain alluring objects: We must not please our fancies with vanities and curious sights  
2 Eat the company of vain profane persons, which hath an ensnaring influence upon man's thoughts.  
3 Beware of curious inquiries into unwritten unrevealed mysteries, which doth occasion cursed thoughts.  
4 Idleness is a grand occasion of idle impure thoughts: It is the Devil's hour in which he takes advantage to fill and defile men's thoughts.   

The Sixth Preservative.  
6 THat we may with more success keep our thoughts, we must keep a continual watch over the windows of the soul, our senses, as the Worthies of old did Job would not trust his eyes without a Covenant, Job 31. 1. David is an earnest Petitioner to God to be the keeper of his eyes. Turn away mine eyes from seeing vanity. 
Psal. 119. 37.  Oh! what a world of wickedness doth the Devil convey insensibly through these floodgates of sin, into the thoughts of those men who are careless and watchlesse this way? As to instance in the ears and eyes.  
1 What abundance of pollution and ill is thrown into the hearts of men through their ears, by the filthy tongues of wicked wretches, set on fire of hell, and breaking out into rotten ribald speeches, which afterward beget much speculative wantonness in their thoughts.  
The slanderous tongue drops into the ears many false reports, which are the cursed seeds of wrathful revengeful thoughts in men.  
A Tale-bearer comes and tells thee, that such a one spoke of thee so and so, whereas in truth it was neither so, nor so; hereupon thy heart is filled with hard conceits and thoughts of fury against thy innocent brother, whereby thou art guilty of mental murder; Therefore it concerns us to watch over our ears, to stop them against corrupt speeches, and to drive away a backbiting tongue with an angry countenance, 
Prov. 15. 23.  etc.  
2 The eyes of men (if they be not guarded with a most eyefull wisdom) are a means to let into their hearts swarms of vain filthy thoughts. David's dreadful example may teach all the Saints to the world's end to watch over this wand'ring sense with extraordinary care and restless jealousy. An idle cast of the eye upon Bathsheba filled his heart with adulterous thoughts, which brought forth such a Hellish brood of lust and looseness, which wounded his soul as deeply and dangerously, as perhaps any of the Saints ever since.  
If the wisest men shall suffer their souls to be led by their fancies, and their eyes to run after vanities, their thoughts will be so filled with vanity and vexation, that at last they will cry out with grief and shame, Vanity of vanity, etc. The eyes will quickly betray 
Eccles. 1. 2.  the heart; therefore we must make a Covenant with our outward senses, resolving in the strength of Christ, that none of them shall be instruments or occasions of letting in sin into our thoughts. If our eyes and ears be not kept with a continual watch, the Devil will enter in by these windows, and fill our thoughts with all vanity and profaneness.   

The Seventh Preservative.  
7 WE must treasure up the precious word of God in our minds, labouring to abound in the sanctified knowledge of Divine truths, that so the mind may feed upon spiritual truths, and turn them into sanctified thoughts. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart, brings forth good things. That is, golden precious thoughts and speeches. If there be not a treasure of golden truths in men's hearts, their thoughts will be drossy, vain, therefore we are commanded to lay up the words of God in our hearts; and to 
Deut. 6. 6, 7.  speak of them, not only to our children in our houses, but also to and with our own hearts, when we are walking, or riding on the way, etc. wherein we are often alone, and our time is spent in thinking.  
That this speaking of God's word to ourselves by holy meditation, is here also intended, will clearly appear by comparing Prov. 6. 21, 22. where Solomon exhorting us to bind the word of God upon our hearts, gives this encouragement, When thou awakest it shall talk with thee: That is, the word of Christ dwelling in our hearts, will talk with us in our thoughts, and administer matter of heavenly thoughts continually.   

The Eighth Preservative.  
8 WE must labour to purge our hearts from earthly, carnal, and inordinate affections; and to keep our love, fear, joy, and grief in a holy heavenly frame: This will be an excellent means to keep our thoughts in a pure holy frame. The thoughts first stir the affections, and the affections being raised, work strongly upon the thoughts; they draw the thoughts to fix upon objects that are suitable and sweet to themselves. Whatsoever we love, desire, or fear, will be much in our thoughts. If our love and delight be sincerely set upon God's word, our thoughts will feed upon it continually; as appears in David's example: How do I love thy Law? it is my meditation day and night. If our fear be 
Psal. 119. 97.  given up to God, our thoughts will be much upon his glorious Name, Mal. 3. 16.   

The Ninth Preservative.  
9 WE must strive to fill our minds with a strong apprehension of God's Omnipresence and omniscience, that all our thoughts are open and naked before the great God; there is No Creature hidden from his all-searching 
Heb 4. 12, 13. Jer. 17. 10. 1 Sam. 2. 3.  eye. He seethe and knoweth all the Creatures that we make in our hearts, our thoughts and imaginations. When vain ungodly thoughts do assault us, we should think thus with ourselves, God is present, he stands by, and look on, he seethe my thoughts. This apprehehension will be a powerful means to fence our thoughts against evil. We have an excellent place for this, Job 31. if we compare vers. 1. and v. 4. together, it is one continued speech. I have made a Covenant with mine eyes, why then should I think of a 
Job 31. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Maid? Doth not he see my ways, and number all my steps? What was the reason that Job durst not yield to a vain impure thought? Because God seethe it, (saith he) he beholds my ways: That is, the secret ways of my heart, my thoughts. God takes notice how many thoughts I think, and what they are: So that Job's eye was fixed upon God's eye, and this fixed and overpowred his thoughts, that he durst not take liberty in his thoughts.  
1 Let this impression be always upon our hearts, that God stands by and takes a strict view of our thoughts, and will call us to a reckoning for them. This will be an excellent means to keep us from the prevalency of those evil thoughts that assault us.  
2 Consider that God doth not stand by as a mere looker on, but he takes such notice of all the thoughts that pass through men's hearts, that he ponders and weighs them, as it were, to give them the fruit of their thoughts. men's sinful thoughts are laid in one balance, and the righteous judgements of God in the other: To his Children he gives correction, but he weighs out punishment, wrath, and damnation to wicked ones.  
3 Let us consider who it is that knows our thoughts; it is the all-knowing, all-powerfull God, whose eyes are as flaming fire, and his feet like brass.  
There is no man but needs an increase of faith in this truth; for if the infiniteness of God's presence and knowledge were firmly believed, it could not be, but that we should be more careful and eyefull of our thoughts, and ways, than we be: Therefore for a clearer conviction and plenary persuasion of this truth, I will present two eminent places, one is in Ephes. 4. 6. One God, who is above all, and in you all, and through all.  
1 God is above all; he looks down and beholds all that men think and do on earth; as a man that stands above in a high place, can see all that is done below.  
But it may be objected, though a Object. man be above, yet there may be some corners, dens, and caves, wherein men may hid themselves from the eyes of him who is above them.  
God is said to be above all, and through Answ. all, and in you all; he is in us, in our hearts and spirits, by his all-knowing eye, and all-searching presence; God 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  seethe every corner of our hearts, every thought and secret of our hearts: He looks through us, through our hearts, as a man looks through a clear glass. This is more plainly held forth, Psal. 139. 1, 2. O Jehovah! thou hast searched me, and known me, thou knowest my downe-sitting, and mine uprising; thou understandest my thoughts afar off. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  My familiar thoughts, my nearest and most inmost thoughts, as the Hebrew imports.  
Jehovah knows the thoughts of men afar off, because he knows the Principles that are within their hearts, and what they would act if occasion were offered: As a man that knows what roots are in his Garden, he can say, this and this will come up in the spring, though no Flower appear for the present. Oh therefore let us labour to keep this apprehension always present with us, that God beholds and takes notice of all our thoughts.   

The Tenth Preservative.  
10 WE must be mainly careful to give up our first thoughts to God, at our awaking in the morning: This will be a good means to keep our thoughts close to God all the day following. This was David's constant practice, as appears, Psal. 139. 17. When I awake, I am still with thee. That is, in my thoughts, I am still meditating of thee. When we awake, we should first fill our minds with the thoughts of God.  
1 Of his greatness and goodness; of his mercy that is renewed every morning.  
2 Of his presence with us, his all-searching eye that is over us, and his mighty hand that is with us to assist us in doing his work, and to resist all evils and enemies for us.  
3 We should fix our first thoughts every day upon that great and glorious end for which we have our life and being, and how every thing we do, and that befalls us, may be reduced, ordered, and made serviceable to this high end, God's glory. The setting of our thoughts in a holy order every morning, will much conduce to the right ordering of our thoughts; it will prevent and keep out those earthly sensual vanities which do attend at the door of our hearts to make the first entry, and to take up our thoughts for all the day. Those objects that do first take possession of our thoughts in the morning, do much prevail with our thoughts the day after. The perfuming of our spirits with some gracious meditations at our first awaking, will much sweeten our thoughts all the day.  
It is a thing much to be lamented and laid to heart, that Christians who profess themselves Heirs of Heaven, having matters of that weight and excellency to exercise their hearts upon, should spend their thoughts upon trifles, vanity, and nothing, as all earthly things will ere long appear. Now one chief cause why men's hearts and heads are so filled with earthly sensual thoughts, is, because they do not season and strengthen their minds with thoughts of God, and heavenly things, at their first awaking.   

The Eleventh Preservative.  
11 IT will be a precious means to keep us from evil thoughts, if we be constant in holy fore-thoughts and after-thoughts every day.  
1 In the morning forthinking and resolving in the strength of Christ Jesus to watch over our thoughts all the day, and to keep our hearts above all keeping, that we offend not in our thoughts.  
2 We must keep a strict watch over our hearts the day following; and though vain vagrant thoughts do crowd in, yet take notice of them, abhor and repel them, complain to God against them.  
3 At night we must try & examine our thoughts, call them to account what they have acted, how they have carried themselves the day past: Take that course with our thoughts, that men do with idle Servants, they set them their task in the morning, and at the end of the day they call them to a reckoning; this makes them careful to do their work.   

The Twelfth Preservative.  
12 IF we would be kept from idle impure thoughts, we must keep our bodies and minds close to the work of our calling. As we must walk faithfully in a lawful calling, so our minds must be fixedly intent on the business of our calling; a diligent hand and intensive mind must go together. This I take to be the meaning of that Scripture, Eccles. 9 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. That is, all that we have a calling to do, and all that we do in our callings, we 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  must do it with our strength; that is, with strength of wisdom and knowledge, with strength of thoughts. That this is the meaning, is evident from the latter part of the verse, For there is no work, or thought, or knowledge, or wisdom in the grave whither thou goest. There is no thought in the grave. So the Hebrew 
Eccles. 9 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX.  word signifies, and so the Greek Interpreters render it, and others also.  
When we act in our particular callings according to Divine Rules, we serve God therein, therefore we must put forth the intention and strength of the mind, in the works thereof: The stream of our thoughts must run along with the works of our hands, and be confined within the compass of our Callings, whiles we are acting therein: This will be an excellent means to keep in our thoughts from running out into vanity and vileness. 'Tis impossible for idle men and women to be free from idle, foolish, and filthy thoughts. An idle life is a burden to itself, and it burdens man's mind with abundance of vain ungodly thoughts. If the body be not employed in labour as it should be, the mind will be intent on things that it should not, and perplexed with those troubles that it would not.  
Idleness is the hour of Temptation, wherein Satan joins with our imagination, and sets it about his own work, to grind his Greese; For the mind of man is as a Mill, it either grinds that which is put into it, or else works upon itself, wearing and wearying itself in foolish and fruitless thoughts. When David was idle, how did his thoughts run out into folly and filth? They that live without a Calling, or walk idly and inordinately in their Callings, do always lie open to all kind of wicked thoughts; therefore it is God's appointment, that every man should make choice of an honest vocation, and labour faithfully therein.  
1 To set our thoughts on work, and to hold them doing in the works and concernments of our Callings: The spirits of men are active and restless, and will be busied some way or other; therefore it must be our care to find them work, to keep our thoughts always acting, either in the duties of piety, or works of our Calling, or in Divine meditations.  
2 God hath appointed our vocations to set bounds to our thoughts, to confine them to their walk, that they may not run out to impurities or impertinencies. If the thoughts of men were left at liberty, they would run out on every side like a River that hath no bounds nor banks: But now we must take heed that we do not burden our minds with many things: Overmuch business fills men's hearts with dividing disturbing thoughts, and torturing cares.  
2 Distracting care fills men with vain earthly and wand'ring thoughts.  
3. It wastes and weakens the mind, and so unfits it for any spiritual duty.  
4 These thoughtful cares are needless and unprofitable, they hinder and hurt us in our business.  
Lastly, We must be much in prayer to God, that he would be pleased to purify and sanctify our thoughts, to settle them in a holy frame, and keep them free from defilement. The keeping & right ordering of man's thoughts, is above man's strength. We are not sufficient of ourselves, as of ourselves, to think one good thought, nor to keep out one wicked thought: We must commit our thoughts to Gods keeping and ordering, he is the only King over them, and Keeper of them: Let us believe and plead that precious Promise, Prov. 16. 3. Rowel thy works unto Jehovah, and thy thoughts shall be established and ordered by him; he will fix them upon Divine objects, and thereby free them from that disorder, distraction, and confusions which are apt to assault and annoy us. Oh therefore! when vain proud profane thoughts begin to rise in us, and to war against us, we must cry mightily to God, and say, We have no power to stand and withstand these Armies of sinful thoughts that come against us; but our eyes are unto thee O Lord God for strength to resist them, and victory over them.  
Remember;  
1 Where our strength is, 'tis in the Lord Christ our head, and in the power of his might, Eph. 6. In his own might shall no man be strong.  
2 That we have the Promise of present help, and future victory.  
3 We must pray, and act faith, believe God's power and Promise, and it shall be to us according to our faith.  
4 As it must be our constant care to crush and suppress every vain thought at its first rising; so it must be our daily prayer that God would Cast down our imaginations, and bring into captivity all our thoughts to the obedience of Christ.  
FINIS.    

ERRATA.  
PAge 16. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 17. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 21. line 5. for first r. fifth. p. 25. l. 10. r. Principle. p. 26. l. 15. for any, r. my. p. 37. l. last, r. softened. p. 40. l. 5. r. man. p. 41. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. l. 23. r. out of. p. 42. l. 22. for he, r. she. p. 45. l. 2. for and, r. an. p. 53. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. l. 19 for giving, r. gaining. p. 65. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 69. l. 3. for they, r. their. p. 75. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 76. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 78. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 83. l. 7. r. presumptuous principles p. 89. l. 8. for proud r. prone. p. 94. l. 23. for proclamations, r. provocations. p. 95. l. 16. r. presumptuous thoughts men. p. 98. l. 25. deal and. p. 99 l. 27. r. alone good. p. 100 l. 10. r. primarily. p. 103. l. 3. for to, r. of. p. 104 l. 3. for immediately, r. immenfly. p. 111. l. 10. for is, r. his. p. 115. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. l. 20 for surely, r. freely p. 117. l. 22 for with, r. in. p. 118. marg. for ira. r. ire. p. 126. l. 3. r. comfortless. p. 130. l. 25. for inclinations r. valuations. p. 137. l. 26. for main, r. vain. p. 138. l. 29. r. dispensed. p. 143. l. 20. for and, r. but. l. 28. r. they that. p. 147. l. 11. for is, r. a. p. 164. l. 22. r. with his great. p. 166. l. 14. for foolishness, r. lowliness. l. 20 for gifts, r. graces. p 171. l. 17. r. reveted. p. 173. l. 4. for daily, r. easily. l. 30. r. prone. p. 178. l. 5. r. affectation p. 179. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 180. 1, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 181. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 182. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 184. l. 17. r. inward. l. 29. r. shame. p. 199 l. 19 for first, r. fifth. p. 203. l. 10 r. overflow. p. 240. l. 3. r. they. p. 257. l. 5. for of, r. and. p. 263. l. 23. r. true of. p. 171. l. 13. deal first. p. 272. l. 13. r. last place. p. 318. l. 1. r. as the spring, actions and speeches as streams. p. 319. l. 23. r. moral. p. 343. l. 9 r. where. p. 344. l. 2. r. renewed. p. 369. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 375. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 411. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   

Mr Bisco Of the Mystery of Free Grace.  
Mr Bisco's Treatise of the Thoughts.   

  

The Man in the MOON Discovering A Word of Knavery under the SUN.  
Knave's her's amongst you.  

Stand honest men and you shall hear,  
How many Knaves will soon appear,  
Their passage and their chief deceit,  
I am intended to repeat:   
London, Printed for Charles Tyus, at the three Cups on London-bridge 1657.   

The Man in the MOON  
WHoop sir, who comes here? O 'tis my fat bellied Host, with his Furkin o● foul Kitchinstuff, now called my Landlady; O what a bulk of Tallow do they carry about them? enough to serve all the Kitchinstuff-Tubs about London: My Hostess (forsooth) should have been a Scrivener, for she writes a very fair hand, after a large account; those that are her guests had better pay them ready money, then to let pale-faced chalk stand as a witness at the Bar, For my Landlady hath taught her score the Art of Perjury, that whosoever deals with chalk shall prove him to be a Knight of the post, and 'tis because he's a sworn servant to Guts and Garbage.  
Stand off Master Horse-courser, what do you mean to ride over me▪ The nimble Ia●e that you ride on has been ● good Hackney, and now to cousin your Chapmen you have let him blood, gave him a drinch, And put a live Eale in his belly; this makes him pr●●●ce and leap as if the Devil were in him. But if the Horse ●new my mind, and would toss you out of the Saddle, and break your neck, intr●th I would pay for your supper, and ●i● a farewell to misfortune, but by such an Accident she Hangman would lose both money and a good suit of , and the Gallows want her due. O you are very well guifted for the order of your Trade you'll swear and lie with ere a whore in England, before you'll bait one penny of the price. And will avouch one of your new moulded spitals to be as fashionable a horse as any is in England.  
What I hear Master Confidence, O he's a Student at Law. for when fools fall out then Knaves prosper; the good cash out of some troublesome Curmudgeons pockets makes the Lawyers laugh like a Carpenter's dog with a rule in his mouth: whosoever féeds the crafty Lawyer fat; shall besure to go with an empty belly: and if you starve your cause, you shall not have one jot of Law to help you: if you sue under form of paperous, your desperate case will be thrown over the Bar, like a perjerd Lawyer then may ye come home by weeping cross, and sing the Lamentation of a bad Market.  
O the Baker beware of the Pillory, I promise you you were something near the matter, O men of uneven size, Whose consciences are seared as hot as a new baked twelve penny loaf you must have the Governors of the City to look to your light weights, and light bread, you teach so fair an example for lightness, that some of your wives cannot choose but be light, and make your horns too heavy for your heads, I'd wish you mend your hand, else the poor apprentices (whose guts cries Cubert) will curse you for the small hapeny Loaves as they have for their breakfast.  
Stand square sir, what doth your brains turn round like a Windmill? Thou seamest to be a kind of an upright man, but I fear thou art a white Devil. O thievish Rascal, thou hast never a true finger on thy hand, (except it be thy thumb) nay this is not all, for thy T●le-dish of itself is conscionable, but when a handsome girl comes to the Mill to have her grist ground, stra●t your man Thomas (as you call it) is ready mounted and with your fair words & promising her grist tole-frée, you lay her down upon a bawdy sack, and enter into her con, cupisence: She as merry as the Maids runs home and tells her mother how the Miller had took no toll, but in half a year after she is queasie-stomackt, like a Gréen-sicknesse Girl newly come to a big belly, than her mother (forsooth) must carry her daughter's water to the Doctor, for she complains of a Tympany, which makes her so swell about the middle, but the conclusion of all brings the Miller's knavery to light, by the help of a Midwife.  
hay toss what's here? the picture of ill Luck, one that looks as if he had sucked his dam through a hurdle, O 'tis a Saint of the times, called Porridge John, a great consputer, always carring a Bible under his Arm, but never makes no use on't, unless it be to vamp his own Opinion, And though it be never so false, it must stand for positive truth, this fellow is a Devilish Cormorant, for at one breakfast in conceit he is able to swallow the greatest Church in England, the minister, Clerk, Bells, steeple and all: his maw is the similitude of hell, nay for an ordinary collation he must have a twelve penny Loaf, a dozen of shéeps heads, And four Gallons of Porridge to stop his ungodly guts, The Butcher's dogs of Smithfield-bars have cause to curse him for devouring their paunches, O he's a filthy swinyard, and if such fellows as these are the only Saints, sure enough the Devil has brought his hags to a fair Market.  
hay day, what more knaves still? have a care sirrah of your trappanning, lest you're clapped in a wooden pound for't, & so is forced to take a view of the pictures at the Exchange, and to be a Surveyer of Leaden hall Market. when your face will be daubed with rotten Eggs: to make you look like a shitten clout or a sodden shéeps head. This Trappan is an errand politic Rascal, let all men defy him, as they do the Devil. for if he catches you in his clutches, hée'l have no more mercy of you, than a dog of a Bear, or a Devil of a damned soul, his deceit, cunning and craft is so much, that it is not easily to be reckoned if Morbus Gallicus do not seize upon his bones, I do much marvel, for he kéeps company with none but common whores and to be sure before he'll leave off his trade he'll take up a worse where in time he may wear the Threecorner-cap at Tyborn, and smell the hot cakes at p●●ddington.  
O Master broker, that has removed two times without a Habies Corpius, from Long-lane to Hounds-ditch, And from Hounsditch into Charterhouse lain, this fellow bites the poor to death for whereas the good Act of Parliament, allows them six in the hundred, these Milaters of the Law, raises it to forty pound in the hundred Racking of their Debtors intolerably; Making no more conscience of his ways, than a prick eared Saint doth to lie with his sister, O this fellow is a public enemy to the State, And whereas thieus deservs hanging for stealing, so brokers deserves hanging for Extortion, let him go, and the Devil and six pence go with him, than he shall have money and company, the cruelty of this hell hound first caused this Proverb to be in use, That a cunning knave needs no broker.  
How now Master Spruce, you have played the tailor surely, you have got you New Clo●ths, new hat new shoes; and stockings, new band and Cuffs, and a new shirt, but I wonder what's become of all the Army that marched under your command, have you removed their quarters only at present till all your new things goes to Mistress Lavender, than your old bosom friends must be again your chiefest Companion, Well tailor, well, thou hast a fine Art in cutting three sléeves, for two, and casting one into hell, And bid the Devil take it, for you are oft troubled with such trifles, powder béef will not serve your turn, but you must have cabbage with it, this is a custom that belongs to tailors, as the lash doth to a Bridewell-bird.  
How now Master Doorekéeper, I see you are a kind of a plain-faced gentleman, now since you came from Kingsland College, and took your degrees in a hothouse, what though you have lost your Pimping place, now Damerus Page sings in Newgate you may live well enough with catching of Mice against a wall. it will not hurt your nose, nor be offensive to the Commonwealth; it was the using of Venus' trade excessively that caused the bridge of your nose to fall, and your head to have a bald crown, there went the hair away, and now you must turn Fidler and get a sound post to prop up your nose, else your music will play nothing but the running of the Rats in Smithfield.  
What's here Jeremy's Ghost. a coarse raised from the dead, or an air spirit covered in a black suit, O Pinch-out the Usurer, that hunger snouted rascal, who hath got a Red Herring a broiling in his bosom to serve him for his day's diet: good Master save charges let me persuade you to relieve the poor, if not to be liberal to yourself and your friends and not to go creeping about like a wand'ring jew, looking as bleak in the face at winter as a withered face Band doth that hath been carted upon a Shrove Tuesday: why will you starve your guts to increase your riches? dost thou not know when thou art gone all's gone? spend free with moderation, for that which is got over the Devil's back will be spent over the Dam's belly: stand back with your short knife, your Mills and jills and your impudent bulks that stare a man in the face whilst another picks his pocket, you have learned the slight of hand and can conjure better than any hocus pocus in England, you have your art at your finger's ends, as if you had served seven years to the trade, and so come to be Fréemen of the City, being sworn at the Old daily, your names is recorded at Newgate, your Copy sealed with a Roman T. and your Indenture at last hanged upon the files of Tyburn and there's an end of a bad Market.  
Stand off Master Ketch-po●e, you that can with your false warrants and counterfeit Writs to arrest poor senseless men that cannot read your subtlety, this knave is merciless, for if you fall into his clutches he drags you to Lob's pound as round as a hoop, give him his fees and that will stop his mouth, but without money you must to Prison and there lie and perish if the Creditor be no more merciful than the Bailiff: these kind of people are the Commonwealth's Cormorants, that devour whole Families at a Mouthful, they have abundance of exploits, deceits, cunning, craft, treachery, traps, snares, falsehood, and perjury, that it is good for an honest man (if he can) to keep out of their company.  
How now, what art thou whose head hangs down like a Bulrush? O it's a Knight of the Post, a public and a common for sworn Varlet this fellow for 12. pence shall swear the richest man in England out of his estate, and oaths goes down with him as easy as a Sow sucks a Tub full of wash, and hath as good an appetite to forswear himself as a bigbellied Woman long● for Buttermilk.  
H● makes no Oats of his Oaths, as a horse does of chap hay, but with him they have as good a digesture as the best meals meat a man can eat at a table, a Halter ch●ak him and all those that are of his generation: and whilst knaves do either hang or mend let all honest men sing with me this wholesome Ditty, called, an Item for honest men,  
The tune is, Ragged and Torn.  

O What a mad world is this,  
that Knaves are in every Town,  
For right must often t●ke wrong,  
since honesty is thrown down:  
The weakest must go to the wall,  
the strongest themselves can defend,  
And poor men must pay for all;  
for their troubles will never have end.  
Yet knavery still I defy,  
for I scorn to be of their crew.  
Though others do flatter and lie,  
I'm ragged and torn and true.   

I will not be like to mine host,  
that always enlargeth his score,  
Nor yet a grand knight of the post,  
nor pimp for to wait on a whore:  
These callings are wicked and bad,  
and none but grand knaves that do use it,  
Whilst honesty sets very sad,  
'tis pity that knaves should abuse it,  
For I still do knavery defy, etc.   

The Lawyer and Broker are evil,  
the Miller's a lecherous thief,  
The Usurer clings to the Devil,  
and the Tailor gets Cabbage and beef  
These all are expert in their trades,  
and know how to shirk and to shift,  
But those are the merriest blades  
that helps a dead man at a lift,  
Yet knavery, etc.   

The ●aker and devilish Trappan,  
the File-cly and Ketchpole agree,  
To undo and wrong every man,  
so wicked and bad now they be:  
They lay their traps and their Gins.  
and every politic snare,  
Is laid to break poor men's shins,  
unless you do take special care.  
But knavery still I defy, etc.   

Then Item I'd have you beware  
of those that dissemblers be,  
And those that speaks wondrous fair. whose hearts and their tongues disagree  
With Item take heed of your foes, and those that pretend are your friends  
For you may want money and clothes, when as they have served their own ends  
And Item still knavery defy, and all that belong to the crew.  
A penny these Items will buy, and so I do bid you adieu.   
S. S.  
FINIS.