The Sacred Mystery of the Government of the Thoughts, Chapter 14
CHAP. XIIII. Caſes of conſcience to be reſolued herein. Is,
WHether it be an argument of vnſanctified thoghts that we thinke more and oftner of earthly then heauenly things.
The reſolution hereof
Conſiſts in a wiſe diſtinction of our thoughts.
Whereof ſome are iniected by Sathan, and made our owne by liking and entertaining of them.
Others ariſe from the corruption of nature, not thorowly purged.
Hence ariſeth this concluſion.
That if wee conſider and conioyne all theſe ſorts together, both what are iniected by Sathan, and what ariſe from our owne corruption, it may not be denyed, but that our thoughts are generally more euill then good, more vponupon worldly then heauenly things.
And yet it doth not follow, that therefore they are vnſanctified altogether: ſeeing the tryall of ſanctificatiō conſiſts not in the multitude of our thoughts either way inclined. (For ſo both good and euill thoughts are ſinfull.) But the triall ariſeth from the diuers entertainement of them. That though as they ariſe in our hearts they are euill without conſent, and ſo though iniected by Sathan, yet cannot poſſibly bee ſo ſeuered from corruption, but by ſome mixture therewith, they will proue alſo euill: yet if wee ſhall diſlike of them, and by prayer humble our ſelues before the Lord, to the quaſhing of them, and make them occaſions to prouoke vsus to heauenly motions, eſpecially ſuch as are contrary thereunto: this is an vndoubted argument that though they be euil, yet they are ſanctified vntounto vsus, Rom 7.20.21.
For as good motions reiected, are thereby to vsus vnſanctified: ſo alſo euen euill Thoughts repelled, and reſiſted may bee ſanctified: becauſe the Triall of ſanctification, is not from the motions themſelues, or their obiects: but from the power of the Regenerate Will, eyther entertayning the good, or reiecting the euil, & ſo an euill thought beeing ſubdued, or rectified may proue good, & occaſiō more good, & a good thought, being neglected & peruerted, may be euill, and an occaſion alſo of much more euill.
The ſatisfaction hereof conſiſts in this conſideratiō: That as al our thoughtes are naturally euill, ſo euen in the ſtate of grace, without maruellous preparation and watchfulneſſe, euill thoughts will eyther goe along with, or elſe beginne our beſt actions, though we ſet vponupon duties, which in themſelues are good, yet vſually we beginne with vnprepared or vnſanctified thoughts, as not out of the intentions of the heart, not as in Gods preſence, not to his glory, but careleſly as in the ſight of men; receyuing the word, as the word of man: praying as to man, and carnally, for vaine glory, and by reſpectes, ſo that indeede ordinarily our beſt thoughts in Gods ſeruice, are not onelyonly not good, in theſe reſpects, but are ſufficient to chalenge the whole action of hypocriſie.
And therefore here the tryall is not ſo much, how wee beginne, for corruption likely will bee ſure to ſhare herein, and ſo to ſerue it ſelfe rather then God: but let vsus conſider, how we go on, how corruption is maſtred, and grace preuayles, holy thoughtes grow more frequent and ſeaſonable, enliuing the buſines, nay principally, conſider wee how wee make an end, rather being humbled for the interruption and exorbitancy of our thoughts, and ſo acknowledging our ſelues to bee vnprofitable ſeruants, then any whit ſtanding vponupon the worth of what wee hauehave done, or can doe: for thus ſhall wee giuegive God the glory of his mercy, in crowning his owne worke, and ſo intereſſing our ſelues in Chriſt, ſhall bee accepted in him aboue any worth in our ſelues, and ſo enabled by him to further conſtancy in well doing.
And ſo, though we hauehave more time giuen for worldly occaſions, and therefore may imagine that wee now hauehave abilitie to let looſe our thoughts vponupon them: yet ſeeing no creature of God is good, vnleſſe it be ſanctified by the Word and Prayer, therefore the holy heart labours to make all thinges pure and holy thereto, by ſanctifying the ſame. Hence it followeth, that a wiſe Chriſtian labours to bee a Law vntounto himſelfe, euen in his outward libertie, vſing the world, as if hee vſed it not, and though his minde may be imployed in worldly occaſions, yet it is not ſet vponupon them: Neyther doth hee beginne them with carnall occaſions but in obedience to Gods wil, and deſire to glorifie him therein, as to lay vp a good foundation thereby againſt the life to come. 1. Tim. 16.19. And ſo hee goeth forwarde therein with ſpirituall affections: as to fitte himſelfe to his generall calling, and benefite the Church of God: And ſo he concludeth them with holy Thoughts of praiſing God, abaſing of himſelfe, caſting his care vponupon God, and reſigning himſelfe to his bleſſed will, not being carefull in any thing, as diſtruſting the prouidence of his God, but making ſtill his requeſts manifeſt vntounto his God, who will neuer fayle & forſake his children. And ſo hath his …nuerſation in heauen, tho…h hee liues in the world, …cauſe hee faſhions not himſelfe thereto: but rather by the experience of it vanitie, is wayned from the ſame, and ſo hungring more earneſtly to bee with his God.