The Sinfulness of Evil Thoughts, Treatise · Chapter 15 – Chapter 16
CHAP. XV. Of preſumptuous thoughts.
BUT of the thoughts of preſumption the world is more full. It is that which firſt digged and opened the Pit of Hell, now keepes it open, at length will fill it up brim full. This is Satans ſtandard-bearer. And of this we may ſafely ſay, It was the firſt ſin in the world. The Original ſin of the lapſing Angels, who not content with their allotted ſtation in ſo high glory, thought it no robbery to be equal with God, and having entertained ſuch a preſumptuous thought of a Dii erimus, they aſpired after it, and were thrown into Hell with it; ſo that their place is no more found in heaven, nor any place for preſumption there ſince. But this their originall ſin they ſoon propagated to mankind (ſoon after falling) Satan in the likeneſſe of a ſubtle ſerpent buzzing in their heads a Dii eritis, ye ſhall be as Gods, they Gen. 3. 5.neither regarding precept, or threat to the contrary, were ſoon tainted with it, and were juſtly for their preſumption, caſt out of Paradiſe. But though it could find no place in Heaven, or Paradiſe, it hath overſpread the whole world; And this Dii eritis (as one ſaith) will never die; but in every preſumptuous ſin, or attempt, or riſing of heart, there is a ſpice of it, Dii ſumus, or Dii erimus, we will be as Gods, and as for the Lord every preſumptuous ſinner ſaith in his heart, I know him not, Ex. 5 3. Pſal 12. …Who ſhall be Lord over us? And being bred in the fleſh, it will never be out of the bone, as we ſay, every one more or leſſe tainted with it. And there are preſumptuous thoughts of two kinds, we are ſubject unto, Carnall and ſpirituall preſumption.
1. Carnall all are ſubject unto, hence if we have an arm of fleſh to truſt in, how apt Jer. 17. 5.are we to ſwell and to depart from the living God, And if we find our mountain to ſtand ſtrong, and lower ſprings of creature ſupplies to run freſh, a David is too apt to ſay, I ſhall never be moved, Pſal. 30. 6.which cauſeth God to hide his face, and turn our ſprings into bloud, that we may learne to know on what ground we ſtand; And ordinarily the men of the world, if their riches increaſe, they are apt to ſay I have a ſtrong caſtle to ſecure me, I may ſay to my ſoul thou haſt goods enough, Take thine eaſe, eat, drink and be merry, I ſit a Pro. 18. 11. Lu. 12. 19. Rev. 18. 7.Queen, ſaith the whore in her pride and preſumption, I ſhall never ſee ſorrow. This preſumption thruſts out gratitude.
So if any thing have been undertaken and ſucceeded, how apt are we to attribute all to our ſelves? and to ſacrifice to our own net, Habak. 1. 16.and to ſay in the pride of our hearts with Nabuchadnezzar, Is not this the Palace that Dan. 4. 30.I have built for the Glory of my Majeſty, &c? And with the Aſsirian to vaunt with the ſtrength of my hand, and with the ſole of my foot have I done theſe things, &c. Which moves the Lord to pull down ſuch, Eſay. 10. 13.that they may learn to know, that the heavens bear rule over the earth, and there is a Dan. 4. 26.divine providence over-rules all humane affairs. This preſumption thruſts out dependance.
So again, if any thing be to be done, we are ready with David to ſay, Go number the 2 Sam. 24. 2.people, that I may know my ſtrength; we will ſend to Egypt, and ſtay our ſelves on horſes becauſe they are many, and on horſemen becauſe they are ſtrong, but look not to the holy one of Eſay. 31. 1.Iſrael, nor do we ſeek the Lord, as the Prophet ſaith. Thus preſumption thruſts out faith and prayer.
Hence it is that the Lord often takes delight to wither the arm of fleſh, to blaſt our deſignes and deny the race to the ſwift, Eccle. 9. 11.and the victory to the ſtrong, and ſends us home mourning and well beaten for our pains, as Iſrael once, who would go up preſumptuouſly in their own ſtrength, and took not God Num. 14. 44, 45.along with them, they were beaten home Deut. 1. 45.with ſhame, then did they lament their folly. And as the ten tribes, who went againſt the wicked Benjamites in their own ſtrength, they were more then ten to one for number, yet did they loſe in two battels forty thouſand, and might have had more ſad dayes, if they had not been driven by Jud. 20. 21; 25 and 26. compared.their ill ſucceſſe to ſeek God, faſt, mourn, and humble themſelves. Gods people are ſometimes too ſtrong in their own eye, and too ſure, and too many for him to go along with and give ſalvation to' as the Lord ſaid once to Gideon. God ſhould have no more Jud. 7. 2.from ſuch then he had from Herod, who took the Dii eritis upon him, and the vox dei, The voice of God, and not of man, and became Ac. 12.a worm-eaten God for his paines, a juſt recompence for a wormes affecting the honor of a God; Or then he had from Pope Adrian the ſixt, who having cauſed a fair Colledge to be built, cauſed this inſcription to be ſet over the gates, Trajectum plantavit, Levanium rigavit, Caeſar dedit incrementum, Utrecht planted me (there he was born) Lovaine watered me (there he was bred up in learning) and Caeſar gave the encreaſe, for he had preferr'd him to the Papacy, to ſhew the folly and preſumption of whom, one wrote, Hic Deus nihil fecit; Here God had no hand in all, ſaid Luther.
Thus this preſumption thruſts Gods honour out of the world.
Therefore doth the Lord warn his people to take heed of theſe preſumptuous thoughts and ſpeeches, when their ſilver and gold is multiplied, &c. not to ſay in their hearts, My hand hath got me this ſubſtance, but thou ſhalt Deut. 8. 17, 18.remember it is the Lord who giveth thee power to get this ſubſtance.
Theſe preſumptuous thoughts have been coſtly and dear thoughts to many a man, who have paied full dear for them, and by this preſumption, they have preſumed themſelves out of all, and preſumed themſelves into miſeſery, beggery, infamy and diſgrace. The Lord walking conſtantly by that his juſt old rule, to pull down the high hearts, and looks, and lay Pſal. 18. 27. Eſa. 2. 18.low the loftineſſe of man, and to exalt the humble and meek.
2. Spirituall preſumption. Thoughts of this kind are more dangerous, whereby many have preſumed themſelves into hell, the proper place for it, as we may ſee in a few inſtances.
1. How many are there that will adventure their eternal ſalvation on this preſumptuous reaſoning; If I be Elected I ſhall be Saved however I live, if not, all holineſſe and endeavours are in vain: But doth Election deſtroy or eſtabliſh meanes? You will not reaſon thus, God hath decreed there ſhall be Seed-time and Harveſt while the world ſtandeth, therefore we need not plow or ſow; or if thy houſe were on fire, and thou in thy bed, thou wouldeſt not ſay, if God have a purpoſe to ſtay the fire, I need not cry out, or ſtir out of my bed, but thou wilt find a tongue to call, hands and feet to ſtirre, and haſt thou no hands, nor feet, nor cries, nor prayers, nor teares to eſcape Hell. Faith ſees a ſweet conſonancy between decrees and promiſes, precepts, threats and means; Preſumption is not content to oppoſe Heaven it ſelf, but would ſet all Heaven in a flame, making variance between decree and decree, (as of ſalvation and ſanctification, both decreed ſimultaneouſly and at once, 2 Theſ. 2. 13.) between decrees and promiſes, decrees and precepts, &c.
2. Many are apt to preſume on ſalvation, relying totally and ſolely on Gods mercy, as they think, (which is indeed the onelyonly refuge of Saints) but not in way of duty and holy fear, departing from ſin, and they think they give much glory to God by relying on his mercy ſo much as they do; but the Lord abhors this preſumption. When wicked men ſay, I ſhall have peace, though I walk after the Imagination of my heart, adding drunkenneſſe to thirſt, The Lord ſaith, he will not ſpare ſuch, but his anger and jealouſie ſhall ſmoak againſt that man, &c. Deut. 29. 19, 20. So Micah 3. 10, 11, 12. They build up Sion with bloud, and Jeruſalem with iniquity, the heads thereof judge for reward, and the Prieſts thereof teach for hire, and the Prophets thereof divine for money, yet will they lean upon the Lord, and ſay, Is not the Lord amongſt us? none evil ſhall come upon us. Therefore ſhall Zion for their ſake be plowed like a field, and Jeruſalem become heaps, and the mountain of the houſe as the high places of the forreſt. Is there no way to exalt Gods Mercy but by deſtroying his juſtice, purity, truth and holineſſe? And is there no other Faith with thee, but what deſtroies fear, obedience, repentance, and conſcientiouſneſſe? How unlike are theſe to David and the Saints, who ſay, Pſal. 130. 4.there is mercy with thee, therefore thou ſhalt be feared. Ames faith well, qui ſalutem ſine reſipiſcentia & pietate ſperant, ſperando preſumunt, praeſumendo pereunt. They who once perſwade themſelves, they ſhall be ſaved, yet mind not repentance and godlineſſe, ſuch perſwaſion is preſumption, ſuch preſumption is perdition.
3. Many have preſumed themſelves into Hell by a vain dream of long life, and a fond preſumption of late repentance, when we can neither boaſt of to morrow, or were we aſſured of longer life, have we any promiſe of late repentance: Qui promittit penitenti veniam, non promittit peccanti penitentiam; God hath made a promiſe of pardon to the penitent, but none of repentance to the preſumptuous offender. Many have had ſpace given to Rev. 2. 21.repent, that have not the grace given, as is Gen. 6. 3. Rev. 22. 11. Mat. 21. 19.ſaid of Jezabell. God will not have his Spirit always ſtrive with ſinfull man, but will at length ſay, he that is filthy, let him be filthy ſtill, never let fruit grow on thee henceforward; ſeeing I would have purged thee, and Ezek. 24. 13.thou waſt not purged, thou ſhall not be purged till I cauſe my fury to reſt upon thee.
Secondly, It is not likely thou ſhouldeſt repent at laſt, after ſo long a courſe in ſin; Jer. 13. 23.Can the Ethiopian change his skin, and the Leopard his ſpots, then may ye learn to do well Novella planta facilius eradicatur, quam cum profundius radices egerit. Ames.that have been accuſtomed to do evil. Is it a likely matter thou ſhouldeſt pull up an Oake of twenty years growth and deep rooted in the earth, which thou canſt not pull up after it hath ſtood but one year, but mighteſt eaſily the ſame day it was ſet: Is repentance likely to be any thing eaſier to a dying man when all his ſins come flocking in together, when paines torment, when ſtrength and underſtanding faile, when friends diſtract, &c? Is it likely a dying man ſhould be able to do more, and bear a heavier burden then a man in his ſtrength? Is it likely a man ſhould find that in the dark and ſtumble upon it, which they could never find in the light? How irrationall are thoughts of late repentance! But that many are willing to deceive themſelves, and preſume to find a ſhort and eaſie way to life.
Thirdly, If thou ſhouldeſt then repent, it is a great queſtion whether ſuch repentance would be accepted, for though true repentance is never too late, yet this late repentance is ſeldome true. God may juſtly ſhut the door upon thee, and ſay, I know thee not, Depart thou rejecter of my grace, thou worker of iniquity; Go to the Gods that you have choſen, Jud. 10. 14. or as in Deut. 32. 37, 38. Where are the Gods, and the rock in whom they truſted? Which did eat the fat of their ſacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings, let them ariſe, and ſave thee in the time of thy trouble, or let them that have had the beſt, take all the reſt too. I am not willing to judge any mans eſtate that is gone before, with his late repentance: But I remember what once Saint Auſtin, Excellently ſaid on ſuch an occaſion, he was asked what he would ſay of a man that lived wickedly, and died penitently, and had confeſſed his ſins, and was abſolved, why ſaith he, what ſhall I ſay? ſhall I ſay he is damned? No I will not, for I may not judge him; What then ſhall I ſay, he is ſaved? no I will not, for I may not deceive thee; but ſhall I ſay nothing? Yes ſaith he, this is all I ſay to thee, repent thou truly, and timely, and thou art ſafe. And if thou wilt repent when thou canſt not ſin, thy ſins have left thee, and not thou thy ſins. Laſtly I would reaſon with thoſe that intend a late repentance, and aske them what they think of repentance; Is it good, or is it evil? If it be good, why do they not get it now? If evil, why will they ſeek it at any time? But if thou thin eſt it good, and yet deferreſt the practiſe of it, ſo oft as thou thinkeſt it good, thou condemneſt thy ſelf, and ſo oft as thou thinkeſt it evil, and yet intendeſt to practiſe it at laſt, ſo oft thou condemneſt repentance, and the grace of God.
4. And there is another preſumptuous thought, and as deſtructive as any the former, which is of ſuch who think to fly to the death of Chriſt, and the grace of the Goſpel, yet ſtill live in their ſins. They ſay we cannot outſin the death of Chriſt, nor can our ſins come up to the meaſure of the grace of God, but if ſin abound never ſo much, grace will yet more abound. But do you thus requite the Lord, ye fooliſh people and unwiſe? Shall we ſay, Let us continue in ſin that grace may abound? Ro. 6. 1. Ro. 3. 31.Doth faith now make void the law? God forbid, ſaith the Apoſtle, to both theſe inferences. Sure that man is paſt grace, or hopes of it, that paſſeth ſo little by it, that if grace reigne, it muſt not reigne by righteouſneſſe, but by unrighteouſneſſe unto eternall life through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. The grace of God that bringeth ſalvation, was wont to teach men to deny uugodlineſſe, and worldly luſts, and doth it now teach to deny Tit. 2. 11. 12.Godlineſſe and heavenly luſts of the ſoul? as I may ſay (the ſpirit luſteth againſt the fleſh) Gal. 5. 17.and to live any otherwiſe then ſoberly righteouſly and Godly in this preſent world.
5. I ſhall mention but one more preſumptuous thought, which is the preſuming upon our own ſtrength of grace, and many have been overthrown by this. In te ſtas, & non ſtas, ſaid Auſtin, thou wouldeſt ſtand of thy ſelf, and therefore canſt not ſtand, In me ſtas, qui nonſtas, ſaith Chriſt; In me thou ſhalt be ſure to ſtand who canſt not ſtand; Peter is a ſad warning to us, who over-confident of his own ſtrength, was ſoon frighted into a baſe ly, and curſed oath and execration, at the firſt look and word of a confident girle. But Pendleton is a ſadder, who in the beginning of Queen Maryes daies, told ſelf-diſtruſting Sanders how ſtoutly he would ſtick to the truth, to the laſt drop of blood, and that every drop of his fat body ſhould be fryed out at Smithfeild, ere he would conſent to the introducing of Popery. Sanders had not ſo many words but more feares, yet weak, and ſelf-fearing Sanders became the Martyr, and Pendleton the Apoſtate. How much was Peter ſafer Mat. 14. 30.when in the midſt of the Sea ready to periſh, he feared and cryed out, Lord ſave me? then when on firm ground, he feared not, and therefore prayed not. Be ſtrong in the Lord Eph. 6. 10.and in the power of his might (ſaith the Apoſtle) when thou art to engage in the ſpirituall warfare, and put on the Armor of God, but take heed of preſuming on thy own ſtrength, but put it off as David did Sauls Armor, that thou mayſt not be ſaved by bow, 1 Sam. 17.and by ſword, and by battle as it is, Hoſ. 1. 7. but by the Lord; and as in Zach. 4. 6. not by might, nor by power, but by the ſpirit of the Lord. When I am weak, ſaid the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 12. 10.then am I ſtrong, and we find by ſad experience, when we are ſtrongeſt, then are we weakeſt. Much ſafer therefore it is to 2 Cor. 12. 9.boaſt of our infirmities, that the grace and ſtrength of Chriſt may reſt upon us, then to make our boaſt in our own ſtrength, to be ſold for our preſumption into the hands of our enemies. Be not highminded Ro. 11. 20. 1 Cor. 10. 12.therefore but feare; and when thou thinkeſt thou ſtandeſt, take heed leaſt thou fall. Bleſſed is he that feareth alwayes, Pro. 28. 14.and hideth himſelfe; the foole rageth and is confident. How many had been ſafe, Pro. 14. 16.how many had been ſaved if they had not preſumed?
CHAP. XVI. Of Murmuring Thoughts.
NExt follow a Regiment of Murmuring and diſcontented thoughts (both neere a kinne and much alike, onelyonly) theſe are more unconſtant, tumultuous and quarrelſome, and as undiſciplined Souldiers are ready to mutine upon all occaſions, you may hear them muttering and complaining as they go along. They are bred onelyonly in an ungratefull and ungracious heart, and argue foreign derivant quidam a foreign grunio quod more ſuum gruniant. Aret. in Jud. 11. 16. Leigh. Crit.a proud, haughty, froward, and dog-like, or ſwine-like diſpoſition. They run to and fro, and like the ſnarling dog, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, they grudge if they be not ſatisfied. The quiet and contented ſpirit never wants a feaſt; And the murmuring, diſcontented ſpirit never wants woe; when he wants, he ſeeks and makes it, creating it to it ſelf; and ſuch have Paſhurs doom to me, Magor-Miſſabibs, Jer. 20.a Trouble and Terror to themſelves. They are never long pleaſed in any condition. If they want, then they grumble, if they want not, but ſee another have what they have not, they murmure as much. Rachel hath more of beauty, and more ſhare in her husbands affection than her ſiſter, yet if ſhe have not children too, at her deſire, ſhe breaks out into murmuring with open mouth, crying, give me children or I die. Humble Hannah in like caſe prayes, but quarrels not, mournes, but murmures not, grieves but grudges not, layes open her deſire, to God, and reſignes up her ſelf to God, and loſt nothing by the hand. But others are neither well full nor faſting, ſomewhat diſcontentieth ſtill; The mixt multitude were weary of their lives in Egypt, and weary of the way to Canaan out of Egypt: Over-joyed with Manna at the firſt, and greedy of it, never had ſuch fare in their lives, after a while cloyed with it, they ſay, their Onyons ſmelled better. And carnall Iſrael, how did they provoke God, by their continuall murmurings? Their bricks were doubled in Egypt, there they murmured, Pharaoh purſued them, then they murmur, they meet with bitter water, they murmur again, at another time no water, more murmuring, they murmur for bread, murmur for fleſh, murmur for the way, murmur at Canaan it ſelf, murmur at Moſes, murmur at Aaron, they muſt be ſtoned, murmur at Caleb, and murmur at Joſhua, they muſt be ſtoned too, yea murmured againſt God himſelf, nothing but murmuring, oh vile, perverſe diſpoſition. A godly man ever checks theſe diſtempered thoughts and keps them down, and when he findes his heart begin to whimper, and wrangle as a froward child, he ſeeks to huſh and quiet it. My ſoul keep thou ſilence unto God. Why art thou diſquieted within me O my ſoul, ſaid David, reaſoning with himſelf. I was dumb and opened not my mouth, ſaid he at another time, becauſe thou didſt it. Of Patience comes eaſe, we ſay, and of ſubmiſſion comes contentation. It is the Lord, ſaid Eli, let him do what he will. Correct me he may, injure me he cannot. Good is the Word of the Lord, ſaid Hezekiah, when a ſad meſſage was ſent him, concerning his poſterity; It ſhall not be in my dayes, that is a mercy. It is captivity that is threatned not deſtruction, that is a mercy again; if deſtruction yet not damnation, that is a greater mercy ſtill; It is not hell, and what ever is ſhort of that is ſhort of deſert, and rich Mercy. Why ſhould the living man complaine. It is meer mercy that we are not conſumed, ſaid the Church, Lam. 3. 22.