Right Thoughts, Part 2 · Section 28
Sect. XXVIII.
Thoughts of God muſt be Right. Pſalm 2.11.BUt then again, if our THOUGHTS of GOD be Right and Scriptural, they muſt be CHEARFUL as well as FEARFUL, There muſt be a Rejoycing with our Trembling; Divine Thoughts muſt be awful but delightful, as a Son thinks of his Father, not as a Slave thinks of his Taskmaſter, Chearful as well as fearful.or a Condemned Priſoner of his Executioner; for God is LOVE: and how can LOVE be Rightly thought of, unleſs it be thought LOVELY?1 Joh. 4.8.16. Rom. 5.5. or how can this precious box or rich perfume the love of God be ſhed abroad in the heart, and the thoughts thereof not be ſweet-ſented? and indeed the ſweeter (as perfumes are) for being held to the Fire of holy Fear; Our fear not a fear of torment. 1 John 4.18.There is a Fear that hath TORMENT, which Love labours to caſt out; but again there is a Fear that gives temper to true LOVE of God, and ſtrips it ſelf of its All, as it were, to the ſervice of it (as Jonathan did by David) even to its Sword, and to its Girdle, and to its Bow. 1 Sam. 18.4.Our God is a CONSUMING FIRE, Here is Trembling, Heb. 12.29.and good cauſe why; but this God is OUR GOD (as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks) for ever and ever, Pſal. 48.14.He will be OUR GUIDE even unto death, here is rejoycing with our trembling. And O how amiable is this Chequer-work of Mans thoughts in the ſight of God? ſurely things are not as they ſhould be with us, when we Remember God and are troubled: what?Pſalm 77.3. Harbour hard thoughts of the Father of Mercies? Think evil of the Fountain of all Goodneſs? 2 Cor. 1.3. Good thoughts of God. Ezek. 18.32. and 33.11.ah wherein hath God deſerved this at mans hands? Is it becauſe he ſwears as he lives that he hath no pleaſure in the death of him that dies, But that the wicked turn from his way and live, that is, but rather that ſinners ſhould Repent and live? Is it becauſe he cryes out to you, turn ye, Chap. 33.11.turn ye from your evil wayes, for why will ye die? or becauſe he cryes out of you, John 5.40.ye will not come to me that ye might have life? or becauſe he cryes out over you, how ſhall I give up? how ſhall I make thee as Admah,Hoſea 11.8. Chap. 6.4. Pſal. 81.13. Iſaiah 48.18. Luke 19.42. and ſet thee as Ze…im? O ſinners what ſhall I do unto you? or becauſe he cryes out for you, when it is too late, O that ye had harkened unto my voice, that thou hadſt known at leaſt in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes? Wretched Miſcreant! Wilt thou go on to hate Wiſdome, and to love Death, Prov. 8.35.as indeed thou doſt, and then think that God is an Enemy to Mankind; and takes delight in making Creatures meerly to deſtroy them? O ſpit out thy Gall and Venom, and clear thy Thoughts of prejudice againſt thy faithful Creatour, and moſt merciful Preſerver, and account his long-ſuffering to be Salvation; that he,2 Pet. 3.15. that reprieves thee, would pardon thee, didſt thou ſue for his pardon, as thou wouldſt beg for thy Life; for he is ſo Gracious that he waits that he may be gracious, Iſaiah 30.18. Hoſea 12.6. Gods thoughts not to be meaſured by ours. Prov. 12.10.Therefore turn thou to thy God, and wait on thy God continually. And think not to meaſure his pardoning Mercies by thine which are cruelties, nor by thy frowardneſs and paſſions, nor by thy hard Thoughts and evil ſurmiſes, as if God was altogether ſuch a one as thy ſelf, till thou canſt meaſure the ſpace betwixt the Heavens and the Earth (for ſo high are his thoughts above thy thoughts) or till thou canſt find in thy heart to follow thine Enemy,Iſa. 55.7, 8, 9. moment by moment, all the dayes of his life with thine unwearied care for his ſafety, and providence for his ſupply, and by that time that thou haſt done for thine Enemy as God hath taught thee by what he hath done for thee,Gods challenge to Man. 'tis like that thou wilt have better thoughts of thy God; or if thou have not, come and teſtifie againſt him, If thou dareſt, or if thou canſt; for 'tis a challenge of Gods own making,Micah 6.3. O my people, what have I done to thee? teſtifie againſt me; and I (as his Herauld) proclaim this his challenge to thee.
But if thou keep ſilence, let me ſpeak, and tell thee plainly what he hath done unto thee. He made thee a Man, that might have made thee a Brute, and gave thee a Soul endued with Reaſon, Jer. 38.16. Pſalm 139.14.15.Improveable by Grace, and ſo capable of Salvation. He gave thee thy ſhape, that might have made thee a Monſter, and made thee deſirable to others, who might have made thee a burthen to thy ſelf, The Hand of his Providence took thee out of thy Mothers womb, and hath ever ſince ſuffered thee to hang upon it, though thou,Pſalm 22.9. like a Viper, haſt faſtened thy teeth ſo deep in it that thy venomous biting hath often gone, as it were, to his very heart, and he, with more eaſe, might have ſhaken thee off into the Fire of his wrath.Acts 28.5. Pſalm 71.6. He kept thee from ten thouſand Deaths and Dangers in thy fearleſs Infancy, careleſs Childhood, hardy and adventrous youth, and troubleſome Manhood to the very moment that thou art reading this. He made thy Bed in thy laſt ſickneſs,Pſalm 41.3. Pſalm. 36.6. Pſalm 107.30. bare thee up in his everlaſting Arms the laſt time that thou felleſt from thy Horſe, and ſaved both man and beaſt, brought thee ſafe to ſhore the laſt time that thou gaveſt thy ſelf for loſt at Sea. He gave thee thy Poſſeſſions, Thy Promotions, Thy comfortable Relations, thy loving Wife, thy lovely Children, thy health, ſtrength, limbs, liberty, credit, Comforts of all ſorts; even every good gift; James 1.17. 2 Sam. 12.8.And if theſe had been too little, as was ſaid to David, he would have given thee more and greater things then theſe, hadſt thou not been wanting to thy ſelf.Mat. 23.37. How often would he have gathered thee as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings? How often would he have convinced, converted, humbled thee, healed thee, given thee his Son, and given thee his Spirit; And now judge, I pray thee, between God and thy own Soul, Iſaiah 5.3.what could he have done for thee more then that which he hath done? Thou needeſt a Chriſt, and all the day long, Iſaiah 65.2.he ſtretcheth out his hand to tender his Chriſt unto thee; and why did he give thee thy Reaſon, but to lead thee to cloſe with his goodneſs, for thy good?
But beſides, the Lord is GREAT as well as GOOD,God great as well as good. Mat. 21.34, 37. elſe he were not GOD; And hath done more then he owes thee in ſpreading a Table, without compelling thy appetite, that is more then thou expecteſt from thy beſt friend thou haſt, that is but thine equal.2 Pet. 3.19. Matth. 22.4. He hath ſent forth his Servants, and with them his Son, and in them his Spirit, And all theſe ſay to thee, come, All things are ready, O taſt then, Pſalm 34.8.and ſee how GOOD the LORD is. Away then for ſhame with all thy ſour and harſh thoughts of God, Gen. 3.4, 5.and purge out thy old Leaven whereby the old Serpent firſt ſoured the whole lump of mankind with a hard opinion of God, as if he were not enough enclined to mans good. Right thoughts of God muſt be ſweet thoughts.Our thoughts of God, if they be Right thoughts, muſt be SWEET Thoughts as Davids were; Bones of marrow, and not bags of gall; our Souls muſt be ſatisfied with them (as his was) as with marrow and with fatneſs. Yea even for them that were never yet brought into his Pſal. 104.34.banqueting houſe (to taſt of thoſe dainties, Pſal. 65.5, 6. Cantic. 2.4. Pſal. 106.5. Revel. 2.17. God good to all. Pſal. 83.3. Rom. 2.4. Acts 14.17.which Scriptures call the good of his choſen, that hidden Manna, the meat and drink which the World knows not of, the ſweet repaſt of the hidden ones) there is a Goodneſs, yea Riches of goodneſs to be thought of by them, and not to be deſpiſed, but Improved by affectionate meditation till it lead them to Repentance. For he leaves not himſelf without witneſſe, even as to theſe, in that he doth good, and gives them Rain from Heaven, and fruitful ſeaſons, filling their hearts with food and gladneſs; And if he leave not himſelf without witneſs, take heed he leave not thee without excuſe. Think with thy ſelf therefore a little ſeriouſly O man, of this Riches both of the goodneſs, and long-ſuffering, and forbearance of God. Sparing mercies an evidence thereof. Prov. 12.10.Haſt thou not found that there are ſparing Mercies, and canſt thou not think that there are pardoning mercies with the Lord? He that hath laid it upon thee to Regard the life of thy Beaſt, and hath himſelf had ſo continual a regard to the life of thy body, (which indeed is as thy Beaſt or bruitiſh part) but ſtiles himſelf the Father of our Spirits, Heb. 12.9.whileſt he calls others the Fathers of our Fleſh, canſt thou find in thy heart to think that he hath no regard for the life of thy Soul? Jer. 2.31.Hath God indeed been a Barren Wilderneſs to thee, that hath given thee ſo many fruitful ſeaſons? or hath he been only ſo to thy Soul? ſurely what ever he is to other Nations, he hath not been ſo to us: means of Grace have not been wanting to thee,So the means of Grace. not would his Grace have been wanting to thee in the humble and diligent uſe of thoſe means: Thou haſt not been ſtraitned in the Lord ſurely,2 Cor. 6.12. whatever thou haſt been in thy own bowels. Hath He been a Land of darkneſs to thee, who hath cauſed his Sun to ariſe upon thee,Matth. 5.44. though thou art Evil? Or hath he been onelyonly ſo to thy Soul? Haſt thou not alſo heard of a Sun of Righteouſneſs that he maketh to ariſe with healing in his wings upon thoſe that believe in him that juſtifieth the ungodly? Mal. 2.4.Romans 4.9.And if all other thy ungodlineſs be no bar, O why ſhould thy unbelief or hard thoughts of this good God be ſo.
But ſome one may think, Objection. Micah 3.6is there any evil in the City, and the Lord hath not done it? nay doth he not own it? where is then the Goodneſs you ſpake of? Out of the mouth of the moſt high proceedeth not evil and good? is not He ſaid to frame Evil? to deviſe evil, God the Author or evil. Lam. 3.38. Jerem. 18.11. Micah 2.3. Iſaiah 45.7. Anſwer. Joh 37.23. Lam. 2.33. God good in correcting. Micah 6.8. Chap. 7.18. Iſaiah 28.21. Mal. 1.8. Rom. 9.20. And puniſhing. Puniſhment of the wicked good to the good.to create Evil? And can this conſiſt with ſo great Goodneſs? But think again, O Man, that the Scripture ſaith, the Almighty will not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of Men. As a good Parent doth not correct willingly, yet he were not a good Parent, ſhould he not correct. He hath ſhewed thee, O man, what is good, to do Juſtice, and to love Mercy; And cannot God be good, though he do Juſtice, whileſt he love Mercy? for Mercy pleaſeth him, or he delighteth in Mercy, but Judgment he calleth his ſtrange work. But go thou and firſt offer this to thy Governour, before thou preſumeſt to reply againſt God, and tell thy Prince, if thou dareſt, that His Government is not good, becauſe He hath Bethlehems for Mad-Folks, and Houſes of Correction for Rogues and Vagabonds, and places of Execution, and inſtruments of Death for Traytors and Capital Malefactors. But how ſhould the Government be good to the Good, if it ſhould not reſtrain and puniſh the Evil? Nay ſurely the Lords goodneſs is never more orient in the eyes of his people, then when he takes vengeance (not onelyonly of their Enemies but) of their inventions, and yet pardons their ſins,So of their own ſins. Pſal. 991.18. and ſaves their Souls. And oh how ſhall he come to be glorified in his Saints, and admired in them that believe, 2 Theſ. 1.10. Verſe 8.Even when the Lord Jeſus ſhall ſhew himſelf from Heaven with his mighty Angels, in flaming Fire, rendring vengeance to them that know not God, and obey not his Goſpel? So that the Goodneſs of God is never the leſs conſpicuous, but indeed ſo much the more glorious, being beheld (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks) together with his Severity, Rom 11.22. Goodneſs of God no leſs conſpicuous for his ſeverity.as bright colours are the moſt reſplendent when they are heightened from the darkeſt ſhadows: Behold, ſaith He, the GOODNESS and the SEVERITY of God. Lo here a Right Theme for Thoughts. Behold his Goodneſs, but Remember his Severity; Think of his Severity, but forget not his Goodneſs; That the Thought of Severity without Goodneſs, may not make thee deſperate, nor of Goodneſs without Severity make thee Malepart and wanton, but that both together may make thee humble and hearty, and dutiful and diligent, fearful and yet chearful in all ways of Holineſs and new Obedience.
Objection. If God be ſo good, why did he not make all mens condition ſuch? Jerem. 2.5. Anſwer. God did ſo. Eccleſ. 7.31. Rom. 7.12. Gen. 2.16. Verſe 17. Pſalm 8.6.But mayeſt thou think again, if the Lord be ſo good, He might have made all Mens condition to be ſuch? 'Tis true indeed, He might do ſo, and He did ſo, And I may challenge thee yet again in His Name, what Iniquity did thy firſt Father (and all his Poſterity in him) find in God, that he went far from him (and they with him) and walked after vanity, and became vain? Did not God make man upright, and give Him a right Law, a Commandment that was Holy, Juſt and Good? was it not Juſt, that He that gave man all the reſt of the Trees of the Garden ſhould keep One to himſelf, and that, He that put all things under mans feet, ſhould appoint him a teſt for his obedience to His Supream Lord? And was it not good, Gods goodneſs in the firſt COVENANT.that He gave Him a Law that He might keep, and a Principle and Power that might keep it, if he would; that He forbad Him, and forewarn'd Him what would hurt Him; and promiſed Him Life in keeping a practical Law, a Commandment that was fair and that was facile, proper for Him, and profitable for all Mankind in Him. Muſt the great God to ſhew his goodneſs to poor man, Gen. 1. to 26. Verſe 26.27. Chap. 2.17.firſt build a world as a well furniſhed Houſe, before He brings in his Gueſt, & then call a Counſel as it were, in Heaven, about molding a clod of Earth into an Excellent ſhape, and breathing therein a living Spirit and Imprint thereon a Divine ſimilitude, and place Him as his Vice-Roy upon Earth, and to hold all, as it were, but by (the payment of a Pepper-Corn) the Forbearing of one Tree; And when miſerable Man after all this, hath not made good his Allegiance, but broken Faith with his Maker, ſelling Himſelf and his Poſterity for an Apple, or ſome ſuch like thing, to the evil firſt of Sin, and ſo of Suffering, ſhall mans Impudent Poſterity preſume in their Hearts after all this to call in Queſtion the goodneſs of God, for no other reaſon but his making his Word good, his Threatning good, and ſo his Commandment good in the penal part of it, which was that part which he undertook to make good, if Man failed to make good the other part of Obedience? Ah how truly may it here be ſaid, that the fooliſhneſs of man perverteth his way, Prov. 19.3.and his Heart fretteth againſt the Lord? When He that tranſgreſſeth a good Law, judgeth that Law, and pronounceth it Evil by His diſobedience; How can He that made that Law, vindicate that Law, or be good in his place, without making of it good, by puniſhing the Tranſgreſſor; Think therefore (vain Man) what thou wilt, but know that the Lord is well pleaſed for his Righteouſneſs ſake, Iſaiah 42.21. Gods goodneſs in rewarding the leaſt good in the wicked.and (if a man vilify) He will magnify his Law, and make it honourable. Thou wilt grant him to be a good Maſter that rewardeth the Good, though He Puniſh the Evil Servant: produce therefore thy Cauſe, and bring forth thy ſtrong Reaſons; If thou do well, ſhalt thou not be accepted? But and if thou do evil, Is it Gods fault that Sin lyeth at thy door? Gen. 4.7.An Ahabs Humiliation (ſo good a Maſter is God, though the Man was but an Hypocrite) ſhall have a temporal Reward; The Lord is ſo good,As far as he is capable. 1 King. 21.29… Ezek. 29.18, 20. Rewards ſpiritual good. Mat. 10.42. With a ſpiritual bleſſing. 1 Kings 14.13. that He will not ſet a Nebuchadnezzar a poor Heathen to work, but He ſhall have his wages. A cup of cold water given in his Name ſhall not want its Reward. If any one perform any Spiritual good, the good God ſhall give him a ſpiritual Reward, yea will take great notice even of the leaſt good thing, as in the caſe of young Abijah in whom was found ſome good thing towards the Lord God of Iſrael, in the wicked houſe of Jeroboam: and will remunerate the performances… of outwardly good things, with compenſations ſuitable to the perſons and performances, as the removal of outward Evils, and the Donation of outward bleſſings: The Ninevites they Repent them of their Sins (though it were but after a faſhion, as appears after by the Burthen of Nineveh in Nahums Propheſy) And this good God,Nah. 11, &c. Jon. 3.10. He preſently Repents him of the Evil that he had ſaid he would do unto them, and did it not, till they repented them again of their Repentance. Gen. 39.5.Potiphar and Pharaoh make much of Gods Joſeph, and God bleſſed their houſes for Joſephs ſake. And muſt God pervert Judgment, Juſtice not derogatory to goodneſs in a Judge.and not puniſh the wicked, that he may have thy good word, or be well thought of by thee? Is his Juſtice derogatory to his Goodneſs? Thou canſt applaud the ſentence of a Judge in Condemning the Injuries that have been done unto thee; why canſt thou not as well ſay unto God with the Pſamliſt,Pſal. 119.39. thy Judgments are good? Yea with many; He is the beſt Man that will leaſt bear an Injury, but is moſt vindictive, Heb. 10.30.and muſt not vengeance be the Lords, and may not he repay, without incurring thy evil thoughts.
A wrong thought of Gods goodneſs, to think He will deſtroy none. Iſaiah 27.11.'Tis an evil Thought of Gods goodneſs that ſome Ignorant Ones have, or at leaſt would fain have, that he that made them will never deſtroy them, nor indeed ever would he, had they continued what he made them; But this good God ſaith expreſly, and He knows what he hath to do, It is a People of no underſtanding, therefore he that made them will have no mercy on them, and he that formed them will ſhew them no favour.