A Divine Message to the Elect Soul, Sermon 4

A Divine Message to the Elect Soul · Sermon 4

VAIN THOUGHTS ARRAIGNED At the Barre of Gods JUSTICE. SET FORTH In a Sermon preached at Linton in Kent, Septem. 29. 1629.

By that Reverend and painfull Miniſter of the Word, WILLIAM FENNER, B.D. Sometime Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge, and late Parſon of Rochford in Eſſex.

London, Printed by T.R. and E.M. for J.S.

p. 97A SERMON OF M^r. WILLIAM FENNERS Preached at Linton, Septem. 9. 1629.

PHIL. 3.18, 19.

For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you weeping, that they are the enemies of the Croſſe of Chriſt, whoſe end is deſtruction, whoſe belly is their God, whoſe glory is their ſhame, …nd who mind earthly things.

THE Apoſtle in the cloſure of this Chapter, ſetteth out unto us a twofold kind of life: Firſt, the life of the godly, and that 1. by way of Exhortation, verſe 17. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk ſo as you have us for an example: 2. By way of declaration, p. 98verſe 20. But our converſation is in heaven, whence alſo we look for the Saviour, even the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Then ſecondly, hee ſets forth unto us the life of the wicked, which walked otherwiſe then the Diſciples and Apoſtles of Chriſt walked, in theſe words read unto you. The Apoſtle warned thoſe wicked men again and again, but they would not take warning, neither did they think themſelves ſo bad as he made them, and therefore they thought they ſhould ſpeed well enough; he preached to them in the Pulpit, and wrote unto them, though he were ſix hundred miles and more diſtant from them, (and that weeping too) that they are enemies to the Croſſe of Chriſt: whoſe end is deſtruction, whoſe God is their belly, who mind earthly things.

The words may be conſt…ued two wayes; either as being meant, 1. Of ſeverall wicked men, as firſt of Heterodox walkers, ſuch as walk contrary to the Apoſtles: 2. Of wicked perſecutors of the Goſpel, enemies to the Croſſe of Chriſt: 3. Of Drunkards and hypocrites, whoſe God is their belly: 4. Of Ambitious and proud perſons, whoſe glory is their ſhame: and 5. of covetous and carnall minded men, who minde earthly things: or as Chryſoſtom expounds the words (and ſo it ſeems is the meaning of them) to be meant of one ſort of men, who mind earthly things, they are ſuch as walk otherwiſe then the Apoſtle walked. Who are they that mind earthly things? they are enemies of the Croſſe of Chriſt: Who are they that mind earthly things? Whoſe hearts p. 99and affections run more after the things of this life, then after the croſſe of Chriſt; Their God is their belly. Who are they that mind earthly things, and think only how to increaſe their living, and enlarge their eſtate, and make them ſure unto themſelves? their glory is their ſhame. Who are they that mind earthly things? that give their hearts (the flower of man) and their affections (the flower of their ſoules) unto the world, and unto the baſe things of the world, ſtill they are they that mind earthly things, which ſet either their loving thoughts, or their carking and caring thoughts, or their fretting and vexing thoughts; or their eager, covetous, and vain thoughts on earthly things, they are they that walk otherwiſe then the Apoſtles of Chriſt walked; Theſe are thoſe that are enemies to the croſſe of Chriſt, whoſe God is their belly, whoſe glory is their ſhame, who mind earthly things, whoſe end is deſtruction.

Hence then will we obſerve this point:

Doct. That thoſe whoſe minds and hearts run habitually on earth and earthly things, their end muſt needs be deſtruction .

Jerem. 6.19. Heare O earth, (ſaith God behold I will bring evill upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, becauſe they have not hearkened unto me, but rejected my Law. Wherein we may ſee 3 things, 1. That the curſe of God is the deſert of curſed evill & vain thoughts: 2. That the plague and curſe of God is the event of evill and vain thoughts; evill thoughts do not onelyonly deſerve p. 100Gods plagues, but alſo bring them: 3. Here is notice given to all the world; Heare, O earth: as if he had ſaid, here is a reckoning that you little dream of, I will bring a plague upon you not onelyonly for your idolatry, for your whoredome and fornication, but even for your vaine thoughts, Prov. 24.9. The thoughts of the wicked are ſinne; the Lord doth not only condemne the actions and courſes of wicked men, but ſets his curſe upon their very thoughts. Sinne is of an homogeneall nature, of which every part of a thing is the whole; every piece of ſtone is ſtone, for it hath the nature of the whole: even ſo it is with ſin, the leaſt part of ſin, the leaſt thought of ſin, the leaſt ſhiver of ſin, is ſin, and abominable before God.

Reaſ 1 The reaſons why thoſe, whoſe hearts and thoughts run habitually on earth and earthly things, muſt needs end in deſtruction, are, 1. That mans end muſt needs end in deſtruction, that never repents: Now, ſo long as a mans thoughts runne uſually and habitually on the things of the world, that man never repents; repentance not onelyonly cleanſeth the outſide of man, but the inſide alſo, even the heart; repentance goeth as farre as the Law of God goeth; where the word of God begins, there repentance muſt needs begin: now the word of God begins and ſtrikes at the heart, as ſaith the Apoſtle, The word of God is ſharp and powerfull, ſharper then any two-edged ſword, piercing to the dividing aſunder of the ſoule and ſpirit, the joynts and marrow, and is a diſcerner p. 101of the thoughts of the heart, Heb. 4.12. Now then if the word of God ſtrike at the thoughts of the heart, then repentance muſt goe and teach ſo farre to reforme and amend the things of the heart, or elſe he never repents. Let a man ſweep his houſe never ſo much, yet it is not clean ſo long as there remains one Cob-web in it: ſo if thy heart be ſwept from drunkenneſſe, whoring and ſwearing, and yet if the old Cob-web of vain thoughts remain in any corner of thy heart, not waſhed out, nor ſwept down, thou haſt not as yet repented: Oh Jeruſalem (ſaith God by his Prophet) waſh thy heart from wickedneſſe, that thou maiſt be ſaved: how long ſhall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? Jer. 4.14. Mark how the Lord inforceth his exhortation: ſee how he backs his counſell▪ [that thou maiſt be ſaved:] as if he had ſaid, thou canſt not be ſaved, unleſſe thou waſh thy heart from vain thoughts: how long ſhall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? He doth not ſay, why doe vain thoughts come in thee? for they will come into the beſt & moſt holy heart; but how long ſhall they lodge within thee? If but vain thoughts do lodge in man & take up their neſt in his heart, if a man let his thoughts dwell upon vain things, and hee give way unto them, and uſe them as his market, trade and recreations, hee cannot be ſaved; it is an emphaticall kind of ſpeech: as if the Lord ſhould ſay, O Jeruſalem, thou never conſidereſt this, and thus he doth as it were pity and compaſſionate them in their blindneſſe and ignoran…e, and p. 102horrible beſottedneſſe, that think that thought is free. Beloved, when the Lord comes to reckon with the world, he will not only reckon with them for their pounds and ſhillings, for their hundreds and thouſands of ſinnes; for their murders, whoredomes, blaſphemies, &c. but he will call them to account for their leaſt ſinnes, the pence and farthing ſinnes, even their very thoughts: agree with thine adverſary quickly, while thou art in the way, leſt he deliver thee up to the Jaylor, and thou be caſt into priſon: thou ſhalt not come out untill thou haſt paid the utmoſt farthing; thou muſt deliver up thy farthing as well as thy pound ſinnes, or elſe thou never agreeſt with thine adverſary. When the Lord by his prophet calls upon his people, exhorting them to repentance, he willeth and exhorteth them to change their thoughts, Eſay 55.7. Repentance is the change of the thoughts, according to the Engliſh Proverb, (I have changed my thoughts:) Look unto thy feet when thou goeſt into the houſe of God, Eccleſ. 5.1. Thou canſt never go to the Houſe of God without thy feet: the thoughts and affections of the heart, are the feet of the ſoul; and thou canſt never go to God without them; and therefore if thy heart and affections run habitually on earthly things, thou didſt never repent, and ſo thine end is damnation.

Reaſ 2 The ſecond reaſon is, that mans end muſt needs be deſtruction that hath no Chriſt in the world: now ſo long as thy thoughts run habitually on earthly things, thou haſt no Chriſt. It is not enough p. 103for a man to hang on Chriſt, for many a man doth ſo, and yet is cut off from Chriſt, and periſheth for ever: thou muſt not onelyonly hang upon Chriſt, but thou muſt alſo get into Chriſt. As in the old world, when the deluge came, and the waters increaſed ſo greatly, that the mountaines and high hils were covered with them, and the people could not ſave themſelves by getting unto the tops of the mountains, no queſtion but many ſeeing the Ark ſwim above the water, did climb up and hang upon the ſides of the Ark, thinking to ſave themſelves, yet none of them were ſaved, but thoſe that were gotten into the Ark: ſo many a man will catch hold of Chriſt, but his hold will be gone, and he periſh for ever, unleſſe he get into Chriſt. Now a man can never get into Chriſt, unleſſe his heart bee purged from vaine thoughts: For Chriſt when he entreth into a man, cleanſeth his heart from vain thoughts, 2 Cor. 10.5. If Chriſt once come into the heart, he will ſet up his throne there: he will hold up his Scepter of Righteouſneſſe in it: when Chriſt cometh, ſee what a work hee will make in the heart, he will not ſuffer a proud thought to remain there to upbraid him: he will not ſuffer ever a ſinfull luſt to ſtand up to beard him; but he will caſt down every imagination, and all high things that exalt themſelves, and he will bring every thought into ſubjection unto himſelf. Therefore if thy thoughts run after the luſts of thy owne heart, thou haſt no Chriſt in thee: for Chriſt (beloved) will never dwell in a foule houſe: I p. 104know there is no wheat without ſome darnell, no gold without ſome droſſe, no wine without ſome lees; ſo there is no man but hath ſome ſin; no man ſo clean, but hath ſome defilements of ſin upon him; therefore if a man have not his cleanſing grace of Chriſt in him, cleanſing the heart from vain things, there is no Chriſt in him: for Chriſt will never dwell in a foule heart. Now beloved, the very vain thoughts of a man defile him: as Chriſt ſaith, Matth. 7.21, 22, 23. Out of the heart proceedeth evill thoughts, and they are they that defile a man All theſe, not onelyonly murder, and adulteries, and uncleanneſſes, and all other abominable ſins, which mens conſeiences ſtartle at, bul evill thoughts defile a man: Aſſure thy ſelf that ſo long as the league of theſe evill thoughts is not broken, thou haſt no Chriſt as yet within thee. Hence is that exhortation of the Apoſtle, Coloſ. 3.12. If you be riſen with Chriſt, then ſeek thoſe things which are above.

Brethren, you muſt remember that there be two kinds of exhortations in Scripture: the one, if a man do them, bleſſed and happie is he: the other, if he doe them not, yet he may find merciemercy; it will be a greif and a ſorrow to him, but it follows not that he ſhall miſcarrie. But there are exhortations that tye to obedience, that muſt be obeyed: or elſe there is no ſalvation, as this exhortat…on of the Apoſtle; it is not left to our choice to do or not to do but if a man be riſen with Chriſt, he muſt doe it: he muſt ſeek the things that are above: that man then that hath his p. 105thoughts run habitually on the world, that man hath no Chriſt in him; and therefore his end muſt needs be deſtruction.

Reaſ 3 Thirdly, that mans end muſt needs be deſtruction that loves not God; now ſo long as thy thoughts run habitually on the things of the world, thou haſt no true love of God in thee. For thus runs the Commandment of love, Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy ſoul and with all thy might. Matth. 22.37. It is as if Chriſt ſhould have ſaid, thou ſhalt love God with all thy heart, and with all thy heart, and with all thy heart: for the ſoul, mind, and heart are all one, that no man might dare to keep any part of their heart from God. Every one will ſay, I love God with all my heart, I go to Church and ſerve God with all my heart: I hear the Word, and pray with all my heart: I receive the Sacraments with all my heart: Doſt thou ſo? and yet let thy thoughts run upon the world? doſt thou pray, and yet let vain thoughts lodge within thee? doſt thou hear the Word, receive the Sacraments, and yet letſt vain thoughts diſtract thee? Doſt thou walk in thy calling, and yet letteſt vain thoughts ſteal away thy heart, and yet ſayeſt thou, I love God with all my heart, when thou takeſt away thy heart from God? How doſt thou think thy thoughts? with thy heels, or with thy heart? Surely thou ſayeſt, with my heart: Why then if thou loveſt God with all thy heart, thou muſt give thy thoughts unto God; God that cals for thy heart, cals for all the heart: now p. 106the heart is nothing but all a mans heart; all the affections and deſires, all turnings and windings, all things that are in the heart do but make up the heart: and therefore when God calls for thy heart, he calls for all the powers and faculties of the ſoule. And therefore the Prophet David would bleſſe God with his ſoule, and all that was within him. Pſal. 103. So thou muſt give thy thoughts, and all that is within thee to God, or elſ: thou giveſt God nothing; therefore that mans end muſt needs be deſtruction that loves not God.

Reaſ 4 Fourthly, that mans end muſt needs be deſtruction, that never gives over his ſinnes: and ſo long as thy thoughts run after the world, thou canſt never forſake ſin: thou maieſt reſolve and think on the contrary, yet ſo long as thy thoughts run habitually on the things of the world, thou doſt not forſake ſin. Wicked and carnall men may have the eyes of their conſciences opened, and their hearts awakened, whereby they may ſee their ſinnes, and the helliſh evill and danger of them: whereupon they may reſolve and purpoſe to forſake them, and then they will make a covenant with God that they will not do thus and thus; I have been touchie and cholerick, but I will be ſo no more; I have beene a prophane ſwearer and blaſphemer of the name of God, but I will be ſo no more; I have been a drunkard, and an unclean perſon, but Lord thou ſhalt ſee a reformation in me. Nay it may be he will tell his Miniſter of it, and his father and his mother, p. 107his wife, his children, and all his friends too of it: but when he comes to his cold bloud again, and theſe cold graces which ſluttered ſo, come to be cold in him, ſo that his heart comes to it ſelf again, then vain thoughts reſt in his heart, and he returns to his old ſins again▪ as the dog to his vomit, and the ſow being waſhed, to the wallowing in the mire.

The Apoſtle excellently deſcribes a man that can never depart from his ſins: They have eyes full of adultery, which cannot ceaſe to ſin: 2. Pet, 2.14. where the Apoſtle ſpeaks not onelyonly of that adulterie which is a breach of the ſeventh Commandment; but of ſuch an adulterie which is a perfect breach of every Commandment, when the heart runneth awhoring after every ſin and vanitie: when the eye of the ſoul is full of adulterie, the heart cannot ceaſe to ſin; when the eye cannot ſee an object of gain or profit, but the mind is preſently engaged and runs after it, when it cannot ſee an object of delight and pleaſure, but it is ſtraightway caught by it: when he cannot ſee any wrong or injurie done unto him, but preſently he is inflamed with revenge, and his heart runs after it: I ſay that if thy eye be thus full of adultery that thou canſt not ſee the occaſions and hints of ſin, but preſently thou art inſnared, and thy ſoul is taken by it; thou art the man that canſt not ceaſe to ſin: therefore untill thou turne the eye of thy ſoule, which is the thoughts and affections of thy heart, another way, thou wilt never ceaſe to ſin. For whereſoever p. 108thou lookeſt, thou wilt be inſnared, ſo long as thy thoughts are evill and vicious; either upon pride, or covetouſneſſe, or ambition, or envie, or delights; thy ſoul will look aſquint on God: and untill theſe vaine thoughts of thine be crucified, thou wilt only look upon the ſatisfying of theſe vain luſts of thine.

Prov. 3.6. In all thy wayes acknowledge God, and he ſhall direct thy paths. In all thy wayes think on God, or elſe thou mayeſt go to many duties in Religion, but never be direct in thy going; thou maieſt pray a thouſand times, but never be eſtabliſhed in thy prayer: thou maieſt go from Lecture to Lecture, and yet never be eſtabliſhed in thy ſervice: thou maieſt go about many things and never be eſtabliſhed in any thing, unleſſe God be in all thy thoughts: a man may go on in a courſe of Religion, but it is at haphazard, he is inconſtant, and unſteady in his courſe, unleſſe in his heart he think upon God; and therefore his end muſt needs be deſtruction.

This then may ſerve, firſt, for humiliation to the godly: ſecondly, for matter of condemnation to the wicked.

Vſe 1 Firſt, for humiliation; are vain thoughts thus damnable, that when they beare ſway in the heart, they make that mans end to be deſtruction? How then ought this to fill the faces of them that have the Spirit of Chriſt, with ſhame and confuſion, and to make them in a holy manner to be confounded of themſelves, and to think of the emptineſſe, naughtineſſe, and vanities p. 109of their hearts? Beloved, thou canſt not go to prayers, but abundance of vain thoughts will be about thee, like waſps to aſſault thee; thou canſt not go to the Word, but theſe vaine thoughts will be a humming in thy eares; thou canſt not go about the works in thy calling, but vain thoughts will haunt thee, and creep into thy meditations, and take away the main burthen of the work all the day long. Beloved, this ſhould make a godly man aſhamed, and confounded in himſelf in the conſideration hereof. The Prophet David was ſo confounded and aſhamed hereat, that had not God poured in merciemercy and comfort into his ſoul, he had been diſtracted, and ſhould have deſpaired, conſidering the company of vain thoughts that lodged within him, Pſal. 94.19. where hee ſhows what abundance of diſtracting thoughts he had; that if God had not ſuſtained him with comfort after comfort, he had even been been overwhelmed in deſpair by them.

Auguſtine ſaith, a mans thoughts are not in his own power: the heart of man is like tinder; and if the Devill caſt a ſpark into it, thou canſt not hinder it from taking fire; but thou maieſt hinder it from burning further. A ſhip may have leakes in her, and thou canſt not hinder the coming in of water into her: but by thy pumping and induſtry thou maieſt ſave her from drowning in the water; even ſo evill thoughts, though they be rooted out, yet they will come in again; A mans heart is like to the fig-tree that grew out of the ſtone wall, which Epiphanius p. 110ſpeaketh of; the branches were lopt off, and it grew again; the boughs were lopt off, and it grew again; they cut down the body of it, yet it grew again: they pluckt up the roots of it, yet it grew again: till at laſt the ſtone wall and all was fain to be pulled down: Even ſo it is with vaine thoughts in the heart; a man may lop them off by godly ſorrow; he may cut them down, and root them up by mortification, and yet they will be ſprouting up, and riſing up again; till the whole body of ſin be pulled down, and deſtroyed in a man. Gregory ſpeaks of them, and ſaith, man may pluck them up, but yet not ſo but that they will riſe again.

The conſideration hereof ſhould humble us, and make us lowe in our own eyes: Oh then think with thy ſelf and ſay, Oh that my thoughts ſhould be ſo baſe, earthly and vain! what, have I not a God, a Chriſt, a heaven to think upon? have I not excellent Commandments of my God, and thouſands of ſweet and precious promiſes in Scripture to think upon? and muſt I be thinking on every bable? of every ſtraw, not worth the thinking on? Take the Apoſtles exhortation, Whatſoever things be true, whatſoever things are honeſt, whatſoever things are juſt, whatſoever things are pure, whatſoever things are of good report: if there be any …ertue, if there be any praiſe, think on theſe things: Phil. 4.8. What, are there ſo many vertuous things; ſo many holy and pure things; ſo many admirable and glorious things-ſo many heavenly graces, and divine promiſes▪ p. 111ſo many bleſſed paſſages of holy Writ to take up my mind? and ſhall I ſpend my thoughts and time upon ſuch vaine and curſed things as wil yeeld me no profit? This ſhould aſtoniſh the hearts of Gods people, and greatly humble their ſouls.

Vſe 2 The ſecond Uſe may ſerve for matter of condemnation unto the wicked: let this doctrine ſtrike terrour into the hearts of thoſe men, that ſuffer their hearts to be taken up with vaine thoughts: as Peter ſaid unto Simon Magus, ſo let me ſay unto them, Repent of this thy wickedneſſe, and pray unto God (verſ. 8.) that if it be poſſible, the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee. The Apoſtle doth not onelyonly wiſh him to repent of his ſimony and briberie, but alſo of the leaſt vain thoughts of his heart: pray unto God, if perhaps the very thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee: for beloved the very leaſt vaine thoughts that thou thinkeſt, without repentance is impardonable: there is an impoſſibility of remiſſion of vain and idle thoughts without true repentance.

Oh what fearfull news is this to the world that lay not this to heart! Beloved, may we not now run into the eares and hearts of all earthly men with this point, whoſe minds and thoughts are earthly? Is it ſo that he whoſe thoughts run habitually on the world, his end is deſtruction? Then they that make no conſcience what their thoughts are, what their imaginations are, what they think of as they goe up and down, how can p. 112ſuch eſcape the vengeance of hell? Tell me then what thy thoughts are; are they not of thy hawks and hounds, of thy cattell and grounds, of thy gardens and orchards, rather then of Chriſt? When thou walkeſt in the ſtreets, whereon run thy thoughts, but on thy pleaſures, and profits, and earthly delights? yea of every vanity, and every delight canſt thou think, rather then of God and his Commandments. Thou comeſt to Church, thou prayeſt, and heareſt the Word of God; but do not vain thoughts come along with thee? thou goeſt home again, but do not vaine thoughts haunt and dog thee?

It is the brand of a wicked man, not to have God in all his thoughts, Pſal. 4.10. when goods and cattell, plough and cart, pleaſures and outward contentments are in his mind and thoughts; when ruffs and cuffs, houſes and diſhes, tables and faire hangings, or any thing but God can take up their thoughts; they can have thoughts of every thing, but of God they can think none; this is the brand of a wicked man, that he hath no bloud of a Chriſtian in him.

It is a true deſcription of a Pagan and Infidel, that hath no knowledge of Chriſt, to be vain in his imaginations, Rom. 1.21. When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, but became vain in their imaginations: vaine in their diſputes, vain in their reaſonings, vain in their thoughts; in their carriages and diſputations; ſo then though thou knoweſt God, and haſt things enough in thy mind, that convinceth thee that p. 113this God is to be worſhipped; and underſtandeſt the worſhip of God, and the commandments of Chriſt: yet if thou glorifieſt him not as God, giving thy heart and affections to him but art vain in thy imaginations, thou diſhonoureſt God. Hear what God ſaith unto ſuch, All the day long have I ſtretched out my hand unto a rebellious and gain-ſaying people, which walk in a way that is not good, but after their own thoughts, a people that provoke me continually to my face. Iſa. 65.2, 3. As if God had ſaid, I ſent Prophet after Prophet, Miniſter after Miniſter, to inſtruct them in the knowledge of my wayes, I laboured to convert them, and to bring them home unto my ſelf, and to work better thoughts in them; but ſtill they are a people that walk after their own thoughts, that provoke me continually unto my face. There is never a thought of thine, but it is in the verſe face of God, both thought and imagined.

But ſome man may ſay, I think of God and of Chriſt, of faith and repentance, and of calling on God, of mending of this and that courſe; I think of death, and of my laſt account and every foot I have holy thoughts in my mind.

But beloved, give me leave, I pray you, for to ſpeak ſomething unto you, which, it may be, may ſtick by you while you live: I will propound theſe foure things and diſtinctions unto you, which I will uſe.

Firſt, what doeſt thou think of God and of heaven? then tell me whether thy thoughts be injective thoughts into thy heart, or thoughts p. 114raiſed by thy heart; for there is a great deale of difference betweene thoughts injected and thoughts raiſed: God caſts good thoughts into a godly mans heart, which being fit ſoyl, it fructifies, and brings forth fruit. Again, God caſts good thoughts into a wicked mans heart, but becauſe his heart is not ſanctified, and therefore no fit ſoyl to harbour in, they die and vaniſh: God caſts in, and they caſt out: God caſts in again, and they caſt out again: therefore if thou haſt good thoughts, examine and try whether they be thoughts raiſed from thy heart or no; ſee whether thy heart be a renewed heart, a ſanctified, an holy heart, fit to bring forth good thoughts every day. Beloved, a wicked man may have a thouſand good thoughts, and yet go to hell in the midſt of them all. God caſt a good thought into the heart of the King of Babylon to go againſt Judah and Jeruſalem for to puniſh his people for their ſins, and to avenge himſelf on them for the breach of his Covenant: but what ſaith the text? Reaſ 1 Howbeit he thought not ſo. Iſa. 10. No, his only ayme was how to get honour, how to inrich, to enlarge his territories, and to bring down the Nations under him, and to make his name and fame to be ſpread, and declared through all the world. So God caſts many good thoughts into many a wicked mans heart to repent, and to leave his drunkenneſſe, his pride, his ſwearing and whoring, to be holy and religious: howbeit he thinks not ſo, but he thinks how to eate and drink, how to be proud and haughty; how to p. 115be rich and great in the world; how to be vain and licentious: yea thy thoughts are vile and vain all the day long.

Oh that men were wiſe truly to underſtand this! the want whereof is the cauſe why many thouſands go to hell and are damned for ever. I will make it plain to you: A wicked man reaſons thus with himſelf; I confeſſe, and it is true, I ſinne every day againſt God, and ſometimes drink a pot with my friend, though ſometimes I let fall an oath, and am overtaken in my infirmities▪ yet I thank God, he hath ſanctified my heart; for I think of God and of Chriſt, and I oft call upon his name, and let my thoughts run on good things; God and heaven are many times in my mind, and I am ſorry when I do amiſſe, and the Lord hath bleſt me with a large portion of outward things. Beſides I ſee theſe and theſe ſignes of grace in me, and therefore I think my caſe to be happy. And thus ſecurely they live, and ſo they go on, and ſo they die, and ſo go to hell and periſh for ever and ever. Here is the miſery of it, many think of God, and of Chriſt, of death, and of their laſt account, of heaven, of hell, of faith, and repentance, of leaving ſinne, of crucifying their luſts, and practiſing of holineſſe. Now men think that their thinking of theſe things, is a part of their diſcharge, when indeed they are Additions to, and peeces of their talents, which increaſe their judgements. God caſts in a thought of repentance, of holineſſe, of the remembrance of death, and laſt account: p. 116Doſt thou find thy heart never the better and holier by them? Then know it is only Gods haunting of thy heart, and Gods calling upon thee, and Gods inviting thee unto repentance, to leave thy ſinnes, to come out of thy deadneſſe and formality, to prepare for thy death and judgment; and therefore I ſay, if thy heart now think not ſo, if thy heart do not repent, beleeve, and grow more zealous, and thou art not drawn the neerer to God; I ſay then, that the more of theſe good thoughts that thou haſt had, the greater thy doome will be: if thou haſt had ten thouſands of them, if they have beene onelyonly Gods haunting of thy heart, think thou then now of grace, of God, of thy poor ſoul, which is not bettered by them, nor made holy, then know they are peeces of thy talent, and it doth make thy torments in hell the greater.

2Secondly, thou haſt good thoughts, but the queſtion is, whether they be fleeting or abiding thoughts: Many think of God, of grace, of heaven, of the word of God; and when they heare a Sermon, they will think of God; but theſe thoughts, though they come into their minds, yet they go away preſently, they are in and out at an inſtant, in a trice, they paſſe away and are gone. Beloved, there are two kinds of vaine thoughts; 1. vaine, becauſe the ſubſtance and matter of them is vain, and ſo all worldly thoughts are vain: 2. or elſe for their want of durance and laſting: and ſo are all thoughts of heaven, of God, and grace, and of Chriſt, it they vaniſh away, they p. 117are all vain thoughts, though they ſeeme otherwiſe. Haer what God ſaith, Gen. 6.5. God ſaw that the wickedneſſe of man was great upon the earth, and all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were only evill continually: [all the imaginations] great is the emphaſis of this word [all] all the thoughts: yea all univerſally, are only evill continually.

But you will ſay unto me, Doth not a wicked man think that there is a God: why, that is a good thought; doth he not think that this God is to be obſerved and worſhipped? why, this is a good thought; doth he not think that ſin is to be forſaken? that is a good thought; doth he not think of heaven, and of Chriſt? how then are their thoughts only evill and that continually?

I anſwer, becauſe all the thoughts of a wicked mans heart are vaine: that is, vaniſhing thoughts, not vaine for the matter, which ſometimes may be good and holy, but vaine becauſe they ſoone vaniſh away; thoughts that come and tarry not, that leave no impreſſion in their hearts behind them, theſe are all vaine thoughts, according to that of the Apoſtle, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wiſe that they are vaine: 1 Cor. 3.20. Beloved, in a godly mans heart, when a good thought comes, it abides and dwels a good while in him; and when it goes away it leaves a good impreſſion behind it; it leaves a ſweet ſmell and ſavour in the heart after it is gone, It's made more holy, and ſanctified by it. When a good thought comes into a godly mans heart, p. 118it leaves the print of it behind: when a wicked man hath a good thought, he toſſeth it up and down, and ſuffers it not to ſtay, but preſently puts it away: let a thought of the world come in, and he can give it entertainment for ſeven dayes, yea for ſeven yeers, yea all his life he ſets his heart as a wide gate open to receive them, and to entertain them: but if a thought of God, or of repentance, of holineſſe and ſalvation come into his mind, he is tyred out with it, and it ſoon vaniſheth away; therefore ſo long as thy thoughts are thus vain, though for the matter good, if thou haſt never ſo many of them, yet if they abide not, but thou thinkeſt and unthinkeſt them again; if they come and give thy ſoule a jog, and ſo away; the more I ſay thou haſt of them, though thou haſt many millions, the greater will be thy doom at the laſt day.

3Thirdly, thou thinkeſt of God, but the queſtion is, whether thy good thoughts be ſtudied, or accidentall thoughts; a wicked man that runs gadding in his thoughts here and there, over the whole world upon this and that, and I know not what, in the midſt of a lottery of thoughts he cannot chuſe but ſtumble upon ſome good: he thinks on God, he thinks on Chriſt, he thinks on heaven; but it is by the by, theſe thoughts of his are not naturall; but if he think of the world, of his pleaſures, of his outward delights and contentments, theſe thoughts ariſe naturally out of his heart, they are his owne. Now it may be a thought of God comes by the way; But p. 119a godly man not onelyonly thinks of God, but he ſtudies how to think of God: It is his continuall endeavour to bring his mind to be fixed upon God; it is his whole care for to have good thoughts to dwell habitually in him. There is an excellent phraſe uſed to ſet it forth, Malac. 3.16. They that feared the Lord ſpake one unto another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him of all them that feared the Lord, and thought upon his Name. Where I pray you for to mark, that thinking upon Gods name, and the fear of God are joyned together: for thinking on God, comes from the fear of God; a godly man thinks upon God and fears him; he thinks that God is alwayes with him in every place, and he trembles before him: he thinks God beholds all his thoughts and affections, and he trembles at him: he thinks as he walks up and down in his way, as he is imployed in his calling, as he is performing of any duty of Religion, that Gods eye is upon him and beholds him: and therefore he fears to offend and diſpleaſe him. A wicked man will ſweare and blaſpheme the name of God, and by and by it may be he will cry God mercy, and ſo he thinks of God. The man breaks out it may be into wrath and malice, fury and paſſion; and then it may be a thought will come into his mind for to cry God mercy for it, and thus he thinks of God: The man is careleſſe, earthly, dead, and luke-warme in the performance of good duties; and becauſe his conſcience tels him p. 120it is not good, he will ask God forgiveneſſe: he will be proud, vain and rotten in his ſpeeches, and then it may be a thought will come into his mind to ask God forgiveneſſe, and ſo he thinks of God; he will think of the world, of his pleaſures, profits, and of his luſts and ſinnes, and then it may be a good thought wil come into his mind, and then it may be he will think a little of God too. Beloved, this is carnall and devilliſh thinking on God; thy thoughts then of God muſt bee joyned with the fear of God.

Fourthly and laſtly, thou thinkeſt of God, but the queſtion is, whether thy thoughts of him be profitable or unprofitable thoughts: a godly man thinks of repentance, and repents upon it: hee thinks of calling upon God more faithfully and fervently then he did before: and he accompliſhes his thoughts: for he goes about it, and his heart is the better for it: Thus it was with David when he ſaid, I thought on my wayes, and turned my feet unto thy teſtimonies, Pſalm 119.59. I thought on my wayes (there was his good thoughts) and turned my feet into thy teſtimonies, (there was the profit of his good thoughts.) But on the contrary thou thinkeſt on God, but God hath never the more ſervice of thee: thou thinkeſt of leaving of thy good fellowſhip, and merry companions; but for all thy thoughts, thou retaineſt them ſtill: thou thinkeſt to give over all thy deadneſſe and luke-warmneſſe, and to get more zeale and fervencie: yet day after day, and yeare after yeare, thy heart is as dead, vain p. 121and ſecure as before, as ever before. Examine thy ſelfe and ſee, thou haſt good thoughts (thou ſaiſt) but where is the profit of them? thou thinkeſt of leaving thy wrath, and of bridlling thy filthy paſſions: but art thou enabled by thy thoughts to put up an injury the better? It may be thou thinkeſt on death; but is thy life the more holy and ſanctified by it? Thou thinkeſt of Chriſt and his bloud; but is thy heart purged by it? Oh the wretched miſery of the moſt men in the world, becauſe of the unprofitableneſſe of their thoughts! they have many good thoughts, but they want the profitable uſe of them, they get no good by them.

There is an excellent deſcription of the thoughts of wicked men (though it be Apocrypha,) The heart of the fooliſh is like a Cart wheel, and his thoughts like the rowling Axletree. As the Cart wheele goes round all the day, and yet remaines on the Axletree; ſo is it with wicked men, their thoughts wheele and wheele them up and downe a thouſand thouſand times, their thoughts run upon this thing, and then upon another thing, and ſo they rowle up and down continually, yet their heart is at the ſame paſſe it was ſtill; an earthly heart it was, and ſo it is ſtill, a profane heart it was, and ſo it is ſtill; a carnall proud heart it was, and ſo it remains ſtill; But let theſe know, that the time haſtens wherein God will judge them even for their very thoughts.

Where are they then that ſay thought is free? It 2is true indeed, it is free from mens knowledge, p. 122and from mens Courts but not from Gods; they are not free from Gods all-ſeeing eye, and know, ledge. Thou haſt tried me and known me… …aith the Prophet) thou underſtandeſt my thoughts afarre off, Pſal. 139. Beloved, as you are in the Ale-houſe, or gaming houſe, as you walk abroad in the fields, as you are employed in your callings, or about any holy duty, God ſeeth all thy thoughts what is going in, and what is comming out: there is never a thought in thy heart, but God ſees it; how then can thoughts be free? God will weigh the thoughts of men, Prov. 16.2.

Beloved, what a fearfull day will that hee, when God ſhall take his Scales and weigh (no mans bodies and eſtates, for then it may bee that rich men and fat and groſſe men will out-weigh them that are better:) but he will take mens thoughts and weigh them, hee will weigh their ſoules: he will take mens good thoughts, and put them into one ſcale, and their bad, earthly, carnall, and unprofitable thoughts, into another ſcale, and to try which weighes heavieſt: Now if thy earthly and ſinfull thoughts weigh heavieſt, then down thou goeſt into eternall damnation.

2Secondly, as thoughts are not free from Gods knowledge, ſo are they not free from Gods Word; for Gods word can meet with them: for it is lively and mighty in operation, and is a deſcerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, Hebr 4.12. Doth the word of God diſcern the thoughts of mens hearts? Then much more doth the God p. 123of this Word, and therefore how can thoughts be free?

3Thirdly and laſtly, they are not free from the condemnation of hell and damnation. I am hee (ſaith God) that ſearcheth the hearts and reins, and I wil give to every one of you according to his works; or as ſome tranſlations have it, according to your thoughts: Rev. 3.23. Now if God will ſo ſeverely puniſh thoughts, take heed then how thou tetaineſt any evill thoughts.

I ſhould here give you ſome means in the uſe, that ſo you might rid your ſelves from vain thoughts.

Means 1 Firſt, love the word of God, if ever thou wilt come out of them; prize the truth of God, and labour to get thy mind and thoughts to be… ſet on better things; and then the thoughts of the world, and all vain things will vaniſh away. This courſe the Prophet David took, Pſal. 119.113. I hate vain thoughts, but thy Law do I love. How came it to paſſe that he hated vain thoughts? namely, by loving Gods Law: if he had not loved Gods Law and thoſe excellent things therein, and ſet his heart on them; hee could never have hated vain thoughts: The way then to break of thy league with vain thoughts, is to be in league with good thoughts. Doſt thou complain of vain thoughts in prayer, in hearing the word, in receiving of the Sacraments, and art thou ſtuffed and filled with them, that thou canſt not think: upon God and holy things? thou doſt here by bewray thine own rottenneſſe and p. 124corruption. And therefore know, that if thou loveſt the Lord and his Word, and didſt ſet thy thoughts upon him, thou wouldſt never have them ſo much employed about ſuch baſe things.

2Secondly, if ever thou wouldſt rid thy heart of vain thoughts, eſpecially when thou art in holy action, thou muſt goe unto God by prayer; there is no greater bridle to reſtrain a man from vain thoughts, then this conſideration, that hee is to goe to God. I ſpeak not this to the men of this world: Carnall men, who can ruſh into Gods preſence hand over head, without any fear or reverence, they can ſet upon any duty without any preparation: but I ſpeak it to the godly man, whoſe heart dreads and ſtands in awe of God: Wilt thou let thy mind rove and run all the day on worldly things? how then wilt thou call upon God? Doſt thou not know that this is the cauſe of thy dulneſſe, thy deadnes and wandrings of thy heart, when thou art about any good duty, namely, becauſe thou ſuffereſt thy heart to be laſhing out, and roving abroad on the world all day, no marvell if it keep his haunt at night: and therefore thy heart being vain God will never hear thy prayer, Job 35.13. God will never bear vanity. Comeſt thou to God with a vain prayer? God will never hear it. Comeſt thou with a vain eare to the hearing of the Word? God will never hear it; or with a vain heart to the Sacrament? God will not regard it. Lay this ſeriouſly to thy heart, if ever thou p. 125wouldſt have thy heart to the duty thou art about, buſie thy mind upon good things; for if thy heart be accuſtomed to vain and worldly things all the day, it is no marvell if it returne to its haunt again at night.

Thirdly, conſider that you have not ſo learned Chriſt: It is the Apoſtles argument, Epheſ. 3. conſider then what you have learned of Chriſt; hath Chriſt taught you ſo? hath Chriſt taught you ſuch a love, and given you ſuch a liberty, that you ſhould love the world more then him, and imploy and beſtow all your thoughts wholly in ſeeking after vain things? Hath Chriſt taught you ſuch a faith as this? Hath Chriſt taught you ſuch a repentance as this, to have your thoughts more upon the world then upon Chriſt? to repent of ſin, and yet never forſake ſinne? Have ye ſo learned Chriſt? Hath he not taught you ſuch a faith as purifieth the heart, ſuch a ſanctification as cleanſeth the ſoul and the minde, ſuch an obedience as bringeth every thought into ſubjection unto himſelf? Therefore if now thou ſhouldſt ſtill retain thy vain, dead, earthly and carnall thoughts, it is not to learn Chriſt: Chriſt teacheth thee no ſuch doctrine, nor giveth thee any ſuch licentious libertie; but thou learneſt of the Devill, and of thine owne heart: for all evill and vain thoughts ariſe from theſe three heads.

1Firſt, from the variety and abundance of the thoughts of the world, which our Saviour calls the cares of this world.

p. 1262Seconly, from the fountaine of corruption in mans heart, the heart of man being alwayes like a ſink, naturally running with filthineſſe, or like a living quickſet, alwayes bearing: ſo is it with the heart of man, alwayes imagining vain thoughts.

3Thirdly, from the damned malice of the Devill, and his fearfull ſuggeſtions and temptations both within and without: the Devill is fitly called a tempter and trier; for by theſe ſuggeſtions and temptations he feels and tries mens hearts; and thereby knowing to what they are moſt inclined, and which way they are ſooneſt overcome, accordingly he fits his temptations for to intrap them. Now theſe thoughts are infinitely variable, according to the conſtitution, place, quality, paſſions, affections, and conditions of men: as of the poor man in his beggery, of the rich man in his abundance, of the Miniſter in his calling, of the Magiſtrate in his, and ſo of all other men. Now the whole world is not able to fill the heart; how then ſhall we number the thoughts of it? But for the better underſtanding, we will rank them into theſe four heads, to ſhow how thoughts become vain.

11. Materially, mens thoughts are vain, when the matter of them is vain.

22. Formally, when though for the matter they are never ſo good, yet the manner of thinking them is evill.

33. Efficientially, when the man that thinks them is vain.

p. 12744. When it is a thought that might become the beſt Saint upon the earth, or a glorified Angel in heaven; yet the drift of the ſoule being carnall and vain, the ſoule thereby becomes vain alſo.

1Firſt then materiall vaine thoughts, are all thoughts of the world, of the works of thy calling, of thy recreations, eating, drinking, ſleeping, thoughts of thy wife and children, and the like; they are vain thoughts, not ſinfull neceſſarily, yet they may come to be ſinfull five manner of wayes.

Manner. 1 Firſt, when we think of them primarily, that is, in the firſt place, when we think of them before we think of God. Tell me then, what are thy firſt thoughts in the morning? Hereby a man may know his thoughts whether they bee good or evill. Conſider, I ſay, what it is that firſt preſents it ſelfe unto thy thoughts: certainly, that which the heart is moſt haunted withall, and moſt taken up with, is moſt naturall unto it: If the heart be carnall and earthly, it will have carnall and earthly thoughts: if it be a godly and gracious heart, it will labour to make God the firſt in his thoughts. I know the godly man fails in many things, and many unruly thoughts in him may rebell; but it is the very griefe of his ſoule, and he will never reſt nor be at quiet, till he hath got Balm from Gilead, ſtrength from Chriſt for the ſubduing and crucifying of them, even of thoſe vain and ſinfull thoughts that ſtick cloſeſt unto their hearts, and are moſt prone unto p. 128them naturally: ſo that it is the practice of a godly man firſt in the morning to lift up his heart with his hand unto God; and when he is up, his thoughts are wholly upon God. See this in David, who conſidering that the Lord was preſent everywhere, made this uſe of it, When I awake I am preſent with thee, Pſal. 139.18. His heart was lifted up to God, he did endeavour to ſhake hands with God (as it were) in his holy meditations, worſhipping and adoring God with his firſt thoughts: he would be ſure to give God the flower and Maiden-head of his firſt ſervice and thoughts; as ſoon as ever he was awake, his heart was in heaven. This ſhewes that the thoughts of men that …ive in their ſins, are damnable thoughts? Thou that ar… a drunkard, a ſwearer, a profane perſon, a carnall worldling, that never haſt repented, I tell thee, that the very thinking of thy meat and drink is damnable, the very thoughts of thy recreations and of thy ſleep, are damnable thoughts: to think of the workes of thy calling, yea of ſetting thy foot upon the ground, or of any thing that God hath commanded thee for to doe, are all damnable thoughts. Why? Becauſe thou giveſt not God thy firſt thoughts. Wilt thou think of thy belly and back, before thou thinkeſt of God and how to be converted unto him? Wilt thou think of thy Markets and Faires, before thou …hinkeſt of thy reconciliation with God? The firſt thing that every ſoule is bound for to doe, is to get in with God: Firſt ſeek the kingdom of God. p. 129ſaith our Saviour and the righteouſneſſe thereof, Matth. 6.35. Where our Saviour doth not forbid our taking of thought for the things of this life, but that they ſhould not be ſought after in the firſt place; ſo that our firſt thoughts and endeavours ſhould be after the Kingdom of heaven. Therefore all thoughts whatſoever, which are conceived before a man bee converted, and ſo thinks of God, are all damnable thoughts.

Manner. 2 Secondly, all worldly thoughts are ſinfull, when we think of them too uſually (as Chryſoſtome ſpeakes) becauſe we think of the univerſalitie of them. Beloved, it is lawfull to think of the world and to think of our trade and imployments, to think of our corn, of our cat…ell, fields, barnes, wives, children: for if God have commanded or commended theſe things unto us, then ſurely he gives us leave to think on them, that ſo we may accompliſh our buſineſſe the better; but let us take heed they bee not too uſuall with us: for we have ſoules as well as bodies, and there is a heaven as well as an earthly buſineſs to think upon: thou art not to live here alwayes, therefore take heed that thy thoughts be not too uſuall and common upon the things of the world let not earth and earthly things have too much of thy thoughts. As the Prophet David ſeeing the thoughts of wicked men wholly to run after the things of the world, he tels them, all their thoughts periſh: and ſo I tell you, if that your thoughts on the world run together with heap p. 130and crowd, and then you bundle them up in bundles (as it were) they all prove damnable, and ſhall periſh.

Manner. 3 Thirdly, worldly thoughts are ſinfull and damnable, if thou thinkeſt of them too ſavourly: a carnall-minded man thinkes ſavourly of the things of the world, the thoughts of earthly things are ſavoury unto them: a wicked man hee will thinke of God and of the world: but which is the ſavoureſt thought to him? He will think of Chriſt, of heaven, and of the word of God, and of ſuch a Sermon he heard, but alas, hee finds no ſavour, taſte, nor relliſh in them; he finds no ſweetneſſe, joy, or delight in them: but when he thinkes of the world, of his gold and ſilver, of his lands and livings, Oh theſe are merry thoughts unto him, …heſe are ſweet unto him, and pleaſant to him, and his heart is not at home in his own neſt; he can think of theſe ſeven dayes, nay ſeven moneths, nay ſeven yeares together, and yet never be weary, but his thoughts as ful & as freſh as at the firſt: But bring him to a Sermon, or to a prayer, and he is jaded preſ…ntly, his heart is empty, and his thoughts are at an end: For (ſaith the Apoſtle) they that are after the fleſh ſavour the things of the fleſh, Rom. 8, 5. It is a true note of an earthly, carnall, fleſhly heart▪ to be thinking on earthly and vain things ſavourly. Thou maiſt think on the world, but it muſt be onelyonly with a caſt of thy thought…, as one that looks upon a thing with a ſquint eye: but when thou art to think on God, or on the things p. 131of God; then thou muſt gather all thy thoughts and affections, thou muſt lay all the powers of thy ſoule together, and thou muſt imploy them only to this work.

Manner. 4 Fourthly, worldly thoughts become ſinfull, when we think of them without counſell; then (ſaith Solomon) they come to nought, when a man conſiders not afore-hand what thoughts are neceſſary and needfull and ſo reſtraines and keeps off all impertinent thoughts: then his thoughts will prove diſtruſtful, carking thoughts, caring for the morrow, contrary to the rule of Chriſt, Matth. 6.33. Take no care for to morrow, let to morrow care for it ſelf. He doth not forbid here Chriſtian provident thoughts: for godly, honeſt, and ſober thoughts, are fitting and neceſſary, but he ſeems hereby to cut off all diſtruſting, carking thoughts.

Manner. 5 Fifthly, worldly thoughts come to be ſinfull, when they are thought needleſly. And here I will ſhew how farre a man may think of the world; namely, ſo farre as his neceſſary buſines requires. Suppoſe a mans buſineſſe be upon merchandiſe, it is lawfull to think of it, and of his ſhop and wares; but if thou wouldeſt know how farre; why ſo farre as is it for thy buſineſſe; But if thou haſt ſo many of them, that thy heart is taken up with them, and thy mind ſtill on them, then they are ſinfull thoughts. There is many a man that in following of his buſineſſe beſtowes more thoughts then his buſineſſe requires, he hath ten thouſands of ſuperfluous p. 132thoughts; but let ſuch remember the exhortation of the Wiſe man, eſtabliſh thy thoughts by counſell: counſell will tell a man when he hath thought enough, and what thoughts are fit for his imployment. Not that any man can carry himſelf alwayes in that golden mediocrity or mean; but a Chriſtians care muſt be daily more and more to pare off all ſuperfluous thoughts of earthly things.

2Now we come to the ſecond thing: 2. Thoughts are vain formally, when though the matter of them be never ſo good, yet the manner of thinking them is evill. It is poſſible that a wicked man go to hell, though he performes the ſame things for the matter of them, that a godly man doth: a godly man comes to Church, ſo doth a wicked man; a godly man prayes in his family, ſo doth a wicked man; a godly man reads the Scriptures, ſo doth a wicked man; a godly man repeats Sermons, and conferres of good things, ſo doth a wicked man. There is no work that comes to the outward act, that a godly man doth, but a wicked man may do the ſame: here onelyonly is the difference, in the manner of working. I will ſet it out to you by a place of Scripture; In a great houſe (ſaith the Apoſtle) there are not onelyonly veſſels of gold, and of ſilver, but alſo of wood and of ſtone, ſome to honour, and ſome to diſhonour, 2 Tim. 2.20. Mark how the Apoſtle here ſets out the reprobate and the elect, comparing them to veſſels of honour, and diſhonour: the veſſels of diſhonour are of the ſame p. 133matter that the veſſels of honour are of: ſuppoſe it be pewter or ſilver, caſt it into an honourable forme, and it will be a veſſell of honour; but caſt it into a diſhonourable forme, and it will be a veſſell of diſhonour, for baſe and mean ſervice; even ſo it is between a true Chriſtian and a meer formall profeſſor, the matter of their ſervice is one and the ſame; ſuppoſe it be hearing the Word, or receiving of the Sacraments, prayer, or the like, the ſubſtance and action is the ſame; but take the ſame prayer, and let a godly man caſt it in his forme, and it is holy and prevailes with God: let a wicked man take the ſame prayer, and caſt it into his diſhonorable forme, and it becomes ſinfull, not regarded, and abominable in Gods eyes. For hearing of the Word of God, the godly man heares, and the wicked man heares; the matter in both is the ſame; the godly man he caſteth the Word into a godly mould, he heares the Word, and he trembles at it; he heares the Word and beleeves it, he heares the Word, and his heart bowes to it, and reſolves to practiſe it: a wicked man he heares the Word too, but he caſteth it into a diſhonourable mould, he heares it with deadneſſe and dulneſſe, without trembling, without faith and obedience. So a godly man may think thoughts of God, and ſo may a wicked man think thoughts of God, the matter of both is good; yet the thoughts of the wicked are vaine, though hee thinks of God, becauſe he caſteth it into his diſhonourable frame: he feares not God, his heart p. 134trembles not at God, but his heart is as full of dead earthly affections as before; he thinks of hearing the Word, but it is after his own faſhion, he thinks of praying, but he prayes with his owne ſpirit, and not with the ſpirit of Adoption.

The Pſalmiſt tels us, that the whoremaſter, the drunkard, and the thief, thinks of God, but it is after his own faſhion: Pſal. 50.21. Theſe things haſt thou done (ſaith God) and I held my tongue, and thou thoughteſt that I was even ſuch a one as thy ſelf: A wicked man goes on in his ſins, and thinks that they are not ſo devilliſh and abominable, as ſome ſay that they are: and he thinks that God thinks ſo too; he is earthly, carnall, luke-warme, and dead-hearted, and if he repent at the laſt, he thinks all will be well, and hee thinks God is of the ſame mind too: he goes on in his drunkenneſſe, ſwearing, pride, and hypocriſie; and he thinks if he do but remember to ask God mercy, and to cry, Lord receive my ſoul, when he is going out of the world, he thinks he ſhall not go to hell, but be carried to the joyes of heaven, and he thinks God is of his mind, that God thinks ſo too: But mark what the Lord ſaith, I will reprove thee, and ſet thy ſins in order before thee. Oh conſider this you that forget God, leſt he teare you in pieces, and there be none to deliver you.

3Thirdly, mens thoughts are vain, when the heart that thinks upon them is earthly and vain; wherefore if all the wicked men in the world p. 135ſhould lay their heads together to think a good thought, yet they cannot: for their hearts are vain hearts, ſinfull hearts, they may think of excellent propoſitions concerning God, his worſhip, his word, and ſervice; but ſo long as the heart that thinks upon them is carnall and vain, they cannot ſpeak that which is good, as ſaith our Saviour: Matthew 12.34. How can you ſpeak good things? Object. Why, may ſome man ſay? may not a wicked man read a Chapter in a Bible? are the words ſo hard to be underſtood, and pronounced? cannot a wicked man take a Sermon and read it, and hear a Sermon and repeat it? what are letters and ſyllables ſo hard to be pronounced?

Anſw. I anſwer, (beloved) that is not the meaning of our Saviour [How can ye that are evill ſpeak good things]: no, no, a wicked man may read Gods Word, and propound good queſtions, as well as a true Chriſtian; but he cannot ſpeak good words, that is, he cannot ſpeak h…m from a good heart; and therefore his heart being carnall and vain, good words in his mouth are as a jewell in a ſwines ſnout: It is a word indeed, but not a ſpeech, when he reads or pronounceth Gods Word. Ariſtotle ſaith, that ſpeech is nothing but the expreſſion of that that is within the heart. Now then, if the word and truth of God be not ingraffed in thy heart, if thy heart be not heavenly when thou ſpeakeſt of heavenly things, thou doſt pronounce them, but not ſpeak them. But when thou ſpeakeſt of earthly p. 136things then thou ſpeakeſt to the purpoſe; becauſe thy heart is ſet upon them, and thy minde and the tongue goe together, there is no jarre or diſcord betwixt them: but if thy heart be not pure, though thou ſpeakeſt good things, or holy things, yet in Chriſt ſenſe thou ſpeakeſt them not: For (ſay I) how can a vain, evill, corrupt heart think good thoughts? An evill tree cannot bring …orth good fruit (ſaith our Saviour); he doth not ſay, that an evill tree cannot be made good, for it may be graffed into anothe… ſtock; divers wayes there are to make it good: but ſo long as it is a corrupt tree, it cannot bring forth good fruit; Doe men gather grapes of thorns, or ſt…ges of thiſtles? Doſt thou goe to a drunkard, and thinkeſt there to finde any religion in him? or to a whoremaſter to finde grace in him? Doſt thou goe to a ſwearer or a prophane perſon, and thinkeſt thou to find any feare of God in them? Indeed ſometimes there may be ſome morall good found in them, but they are as a pearle in a dung-hill out of its place.

Fourthly, all mens thoughts come to be vain, when the drift and end of the heart and ſoule in thinking of them is vain.

But thou wilt ſay unto mee, the end of my good thoughts is Gods glory. What? is it not to Gods glory that we goe to the Word and Sacraments that we pray and give almes?

I anſwer▪ the end of every good work in it ſelf is Gods glory; but is it the end of the worker, ſpeaker, or thinker? I make no p. 137queſtion but the end of a good action in it ſelf, is the glory of God; ſo the end of prayer is the glory of God, the end of all preaching and Sermons is the glory of God, the end of giving of almes, and of all good thoughts, is the glory of God, but the end of the man that prayes and preaches, what is that? the end of the hearer and giver of almes, what is that? the end of him that ſpeaks well, what is that? Beloved, muſt men have falſe and corrupt ends, which we will branch out into theſe three heads.

For the firſt▪ men will be thinking and plodding from morning till night of their worldly buſineſſe: Now becauſe they know they muſt think on God, to make God amends, perhaps they will think on him at night, when they have diſhonoured him all the day. So men will ſwear and ſwagger drink and be drunk, and when they have done, ſay, Lord have mercy upon me, and ſo they think to make God amends. What (beloved) will yee ſweare, ſwagger, drink, be drunk, and lie, be ſecure and worldly, and then ask God forgiveneſſe to make him amends? This is to break Priſcians head, that you may give him a plaiſter. Will you treſpaſſe your neighbour, that you may ask him forgiveneſſe? This is a damned and deviliſh religion; yet this is the religion of many men in the world, you ſhall have them keep daies and weeks and yeares in the obſervation of the times of Gods worſhip; they will keep the Sabbath in comming to Church, they will hear Sermons, pray and think of God: p. 138but all this is to make God amends for the wrong that they have done him: they know they have offended God, and therefore they will do ſomething to make him amends: like thoſe wicked men in Jeremies time, who did ſteale, murder, commit adultery, ſwear falſly, and burn incenſe unto Baal; and walk after the gods whom they knew not, and then come and ſtand before God in his houſe, which was called by his name, and ſaid, We are delivered, though we have done all theſe abominations. As if God ſhould ſay unto wicked men, What, will yee ſwear, ſteal, lie, and be earthly, giving up your ſelves unto all manner of lewdneſſe in the breach and contempt of my commandements, and then think by making a prayer unto me, and by lifting up your eyes unto me, and by giving your eares to hear my word, thereby to make me recompence? No, no, I have ſhowed thee, O man, what is good, Micah. 8.

2Secondly, the end of mens thoughts is commonly to collogue with God. Let a man be under the croſſe, in calamity, pain, and miſery, then God ſhall heare of him often, then he will think of God, and of his ſinnes: nay, the beaſtlieſt wretch in a whole Pariſh, upon his ſick-bed, then, Oh how will he call upon God, then ſend for the Miniſter, let him pray for me, read a chapter or ſome good book; then God ſhall have ſervice upon ſervice, then he ſhall have the firſt, ſecond, and third courſe. But all this is but to be raiſed up again; and then when he hath received a little ſtrength, he fall off again: like p. 139the Jewes, who when God ſlew them, they ſought him: and they returned and enquired early after God; nevertheleſſe they did but d…ſſemble with him with their mouthes, and flatter him with their double hearts, Pſ. 78.34. There is many a man that ſeeks to God, yea, that ſeeks to him with tears, and performes many a good duty, and yet he doth but flatter with God, he doth it but to curry favour with him: hee is afraid of ſickneſſe, croſſes, plagues, and death, and curſes upon him, if hee ſhould not doe ſo: and therefore to prevent this, he will diſſemble ſome ſervice to God.

3Thirdly, to ſmother and choake their owne conſciences; their hearts think and tell them, they muſt think of God, their conſciences tell them, that they muſt have ſome holineſſe, ſome religion; that they muſt keep the Sabbath in ſome ſort, that they muſt pray, and goe to Church: and hence it is, that the drunkard, ſwearer, whoremaſter, will ſometimes have thoughts of God, and will be performing ſome outward acts of Religion, Why? his conſcience otherwiſe would not let him be at reſt, but it is as the Devils bandog to drive him to it.

Thus when the Prophet commanded the people to worſhip the Lord, to reverence his name, to hallow his Sabbaths; their conſciences told them that they muſt doe ſo, or elſe all the threatnings of wrath and vengeance denounced by the Prophets would come upon them, Hence it is that the Lord by his Prophet exhorts, ſaying, Ariſe yee, and depart, for this is not your reſt: your p. 140mind hath another haunt, you have this and that black luſt, this is not your reſt. Doth thy heart reſt on God and good things? If thy heart be good and holy, ſo that it takes up its reſt in God, and in Chriſt, then it is well; but if thou only turneſt aſide to good duties, and falleſt as it were by chance upon holy things; away, away (ſaith God) this is not your reſt. Ariſtotle ſaith, that the being of a thing conſ…ſteth in the end of a thing. Therefore if the end of thy thoughts and courſes be earthly and vain, then certainly thy religion is earthly and vain. Thou goeſt up and down; what is it that thou lookeſt after? Is it that thou maieſt have grace, or that thou maiſt follow thy calling, and get thy living? is it this that thou wouldſt have, for which thou keepeſt ſuch a digging and ſcraping, and ſuch a laying up? Then thy end is carnall and vain, and thy drift and end declareth the truth of thy ſoul, that it is carnall and vain.