The Sinfulness of Evil Thoughts, Treatise · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Of groſſe and ſuperſtitious Thoughts.
THere is a company of groſſe and ſuperſtitious Thoughts, which moſt men, eſpecially ignorant perſons that know not God, his holy nature, and ſpirituall worſhip, and that make corrupt Reaſon their Judge, and humane Example or Tradition their Rule, are ſubject to be overtaken with. Such was this groſſe Thought of Magus, who thought any gift of God might be purchaſed with money. How groſſe and ſuperſtitious were thoſe Iſraelites, who thought Sacrifice, and Temple-ſervice, was the ſumme of all obedience, when this, God ſaid he called for, not that, i. e. not that alone, or in the Jer. 7. 22, 23.firſt place; and much worſe, when they thought the ſacrificing of a child, might go for the ſparing of a luſt, of which the Lord ſaith, it never came into his mind to command Jer. 7. 31.ſuch a bloudy ſacrifice. Such Sauls conceit, who thought a fat and full ſacrifice of his own deviſing, might excuſe an half obedience. 1 Sam. 15. 21. Mar. 7. 11.How ill did the Phariſees teach, that what was given to Corban (ſpent in ſacrifice or maintaining Gods ſervice) was better then what was given to relieve an indigent Parent; Religion muſt excuſe ill nature and diſobedience. How groſſe and ſuperſtitious a conceit was that, that waſhing of Cups, Pots, Mar. 7. 8.and hands, (externall reverence and devotion, ſuch as all popery is made up of; Kneeling, faſting, croſſing, &c.) made them a holy people, though the heart were not kept but defiled.
That it is more Piety to ſhun a heathen, and def…e a heretick, then the fouleſt ſin; that it were more impiety to enter into the Praetorium, Joh. 18. 28.then to condemn Chriſt, worſe to put; Judas his money into the holy Corban, then Mat. 27. 6.to hire him to betray his Maſter. That ſome notable act of charity, and a round ſumme at death, bequeathed to pious and charitable uſes, may expia…e oppreſſion, and rapine in life, and want of reſtitution at death (a new kind of Simony) and yet the man be ſafe. That the ſpoile of the poor wi…l make as good a way to an heavenly Kingdom, as Davids ſending the ſpoile of his enemies before him, did to his attaining 1 Sam. 30. 26.of an earthly Kingdom. Whereas that monſter of mankind Selimus (the moſt barbarous of all the Turkiſh Emperors) dyed a better Chriſtian than theſe, who being adviſed by Pyrrhus the Baſſa, to beſtow the great wealth he had taken from the Perſian Merchants, upon ſome hoſpitall for the poor; Replied (more like a Chriſtian than many with us) God forbid I ſhould beſtow other mens goods wrongfully taken from them, upon works of Charity and devotion, for my own vain-glory and praiſe: But ſee they be reſtored to the right owners. God hates robbery for burnt-offering, ſacrifice without mercy, mercy without righteouſneſſe, and all externall obſervance of Religion, without inward religiouſneſſe of the heart.
Of theſe groſſe and ſuperſtitious Thoughts I might ſay much more, but here is more need of teares than words, they are the great obſtructers of Reformation in our Land at this day, among the multitude (encouraged alſo too much by ſome Churchmen) By reaſon whereof that may be ſadly ſaid of our times which was of Jehoſhaphats, 2 Chr. 20. 33.Howbeit the high places were not taken away, (after all indeavours of Reformation) for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts to ſeek the Lord God of their Fathers.
Theſe are the Philiſtines which have captived the Ark of God, and would fain ſet it up by their Dagon, who make many a godly heart mourn with her who cryed out Ichabod, The glory is departed, where is the glory of Englands 1 Sam. 4. 21.Reformation?