The Sacred Mystery of the Government of the Thoughts, Chapter 2 – Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Of thoughts in generall. 1. What they are, 2. how they they differ from conſent to ſin, and ſuch occaſions thereof, 3. what are the ſubiects and 4. cauſes of them, 5 how we are to order them, 6. with the vſe thereof.
THat wee may lay downe ſome certaine direction for the well gouerning of our thoughts. We are firſt to conſider what theſe Thoughts are. Namely, they are the firſt motions of the the minde vntounto good or euill, either ariſing from the inward diſpoſition of the heart, or elſe ſuggeſted outwardly by Satan, or elſe occaſioned by outward obiects, that preſent themſelues vntounto the ſenſes: and ſo to the common ſenſe, & thereby ſtirring and affecting the heart, to the liking, or diſlike of what is conceiued and ſo producing good or euill actions in the conuerſation.
Firſt, I ſay, they are the Firſt motions, as thereby to diſtinguiſh them from the Affections, which are accompanied with the concurrence of the will, which though they ſeeme to break out ſuddenly, yet they hauehave theſe motions proceeding and occaſioning the ſame. And ſecondly, to diſcerne them from ſuch ſodain and violent actions of reuenge, luſt, &c which howſoeuer they may ſeeme to bee firſt conceiued in the birth: yet in truth they wanted not both the firſt ſuggeſtion, and ſecond approbation to occaſion the ſame: howſoeuer in time, they may ſeeme to be all one, nay like the lightning which oftentimes ſeemes to breake out before the thunder, ſo they may ſeeme to preuent the motiō vntounto euil. And ſo 3. to determine the true ground & order of the accompliſhment of euil & conſumatiō thereof, as ariſing frō the corruption of the heart originallie, without which all ſuggeſtion of ſatan, or occaſions frō obiects could not auayle to commit ſin, which onelyonly of it ſelf is ſufficient to raiſe vp, & cheriſh the matter of ſin, that it may bee inexcuſable for the firſt motion, much more for the acting thereof.
4 And ſo to humble the Saints in their firſt motions to good, which ſeeing they may many times proceede from Sathan if they be vnſeaſonable, and not befitting our perſons, and callings: howſoeuer they proceede from our ſelues, or from the illightning Spirit: they are no warrant of our renued nature, vnleſſe they bee entertained, and approued by the will, and ſo in ſome meaſure practiſed.
5 And yet withall to comfort the Saints. And that both in reſpect of the euill motion, that if it bee not conſented vntounto, but reſiſted: it ſhall not bee imputed: eſpecially in regard of the good motion, that if it bee entertayned and endeauoured to bee put in practiſe, howſoeuer wee may be hindered in the act by Tentation or oppoſition: yet if there be a willing mind, the Lord will accept it according to that which wee hauehave, and not according to what wee hauehave not, 2. Cor. 8.12.
Of the kinds of euill thoughts.
1 I ſay they proceed eyther from the heart, in aſcending out of it, being naturally as a boyling ſea, or ſepulchre of corruption, ſteeming and vaporating vppe continually a world of all wicked, and ill diſpoſed imagination, as the ſtomacke vapoureth vp continually into the head all noyſome and flatulent vapours: therin declaring,
1 The root of thē, namely the euil and corrupt hart. Math.
2 And ſhewing, that this alone is ſufficient to poyſon the whole man with all kind of wickedneſſe, as hauing in it the ground and ſpawne thereof.
3 And withall making it manifeſt, that as without this corrupt fountaine, all motions iniected by ſatan, or occaſioned from the world, are not effectuall to ſinne, as wee ſee in our Sauiours example: ſo this corruption of the heart is the cauſe of all ſuch iniected thoughts by Sathan, of all ſuch occaſioned thoughts, from the world, and the obiects thereof.
And ſo thereby conuincing wretched man to bee the ſole author of his owne miſery, as hauing the ground and matter within himſelfe, Ioh. 13.
2 I add, That theſe thoughts proceed from Sathan, as being iniected by him, who being a Spirit, can inſenſibly caſt euill thoughts into our hearts: who taking aduantage of our corruption, apte to receiue them as tinder is the fire: doth therefore caſt them as oyle into the flame, to make it more vehement, and dangerous: Diſcouering herein, as the ſubtilty of Sathan, who knows in what ground to ſow his ſeed: ſo the deſperate corruption of our Nature; which is not only euill in it ſelfe, but hereby enticeth and prouoketh Sathan, like a filthy harlot, to commit ſpirituall fornication with the ſoule, and ſo to beget not onelyonly all ſorts of blaſphemous and abominable thou…hts, but thereby Appro…ion, & conſent to euill, and ſo acting and conſummating thereof: and ſo diſcouering the deſperatneſſe of naturall corruption, which willingly ſubmits to, nay entertaines the power of Sathan: yea inui…es him with it to whoriſh allurements, to the conſummation of all wickedneſſe, euen as the ſent of the carion, drawes the rauens thereto: and diſcouering the impoſſibility of nature to any good: ſeeing it is not onelyonly prone to euil continually-but greedily enticeth and entertaines all ſorts of diueliſh rentation, to perfect iniquity.
3 I adde, tha… …heſe euill thoughts procee… from outward obiects, whi… thogh they be good in the…lues, yet by the corrup… of man, they become all ſubiect to corruption: and ſo beeing altred in their prime quality by our ſinne, they proue inſtrumentes by the diuine iuſtice, to conſummate the ſame, and to take vengeance of the ſinne of man, by being occaſions to ſtirre vp delight in ſinne, and ſo to the acting and conſummating thereof: and ſo being ſubiect more and more to va…ty by our abuſe; ceaſe not to groane and ſigh in their kind and manner for their deliuerāce from corruption; and ſo to the haſtning of eternal vengeance vponupon man, the cauſe of their corruption.
Diſcouering herein as the diuers kinds of euil thoghts, from the diuers Grounds of them: ſo alſo the order and conſummation of euil Thoughts: That firſt, they proceed from the euil heart: 2 Hereupon they are encreaſed by Sathans iniection, and ſo enflamed more and more: 3. And they are ſeconded by the world, and outwarde occaſions, all ſeruing as fuell to encreaſe the inward fire, and as matter to nouriſh and maintaine the ſame, til it hath ſet them and it ſelfe, all on fire of Hell.
And hereby manifeſting the impoſſibility of mans recouery, eyther from himſelfe, or from any thing in the world, ſeeing by reaſon of his corruption, all things become impure vntounto him, as being matter of ſin, and fuell for vengence.
Diſclayming their niceneſſe and peruerſeneſſe, their ſuperſtition and hypocriſie, that teach to abſtain from Meates, which God hath created good, and that for feare of pollution frō the creature, ſeeing that which onelyonly goeth out of man, onelyonly defileth him, and all other creatures, 2. that refuſe their good, in regard of the corruption, that accidentally accompanies the ſame, 3. And eſteeme good things euill, becauſe they are abuſed by euill men.
And teaching vsus, how to Sanctifie al things, and make them pure vntounto vsus; euen by purging firſt our ſelues; becauſe to the pure, all things are pure, Tit. 1.11.15. and ſo how to conuerſe with, and in the World; Euen by walking, as lights in the middeſt of a crooked generation, by ſanctifying the ſame vntounto vsus by the Word, and Prayer, 1. Tim. 4.5.
What is the proper ſubiect of them?
Thirdly I add, That as theſe motions and euill Thoughts proceede from the heart: ſo they rebound againe vponupon the ſame, ſtirring and affecting of the heart to the liking or diſliking of what is conceiued: diſcouering herein the contagions and poyſon ſome nature of theſe Thoughts, that not onelyonly by their ſent, they delight the heart, which was the fountaine of them: but further alſo doe enſnare and enuenome the ſame, to affect and conſent thereunto. Aduancing hereby the admirable wiſdome and iustice of God: who makes the euill heart it owne ſcourge and tormenter, in that it is affected and infected with thoſe thoughtes, which aſcend out of the ſame.
And ſo therein conuincing it deſperate eſtate in ſinne: that through it Natiue corruption, is faſt bound in the chaines therof, being ſo farre from reſiſting the firſt motion to euill, as that thereby it is enticed and enſnared to conſent thereto.
And ſo it followeth, that from this conſent, it proceedeth to the act of euill, and ſo to cuſtome therein, and ſo to the benumming and peruerting of the conſcience, that hee may make vppe the meaſure thereof.
Diſcouering therein, firſt; the deſperat corruption of nature which hath in it ſelf the ſeedes and ſpawne of it ſelfe, of all ſinne, no not the ſinne of the Holy Ghoſt exempted: and is ſufficient of it ſelfe to the conſummation of all ſinnes, though there were no Diuell to tempt, no outward obiect to allure, and ſo conuincing him to be ſole author of his owne condemnation, to the Iuſtifying of God, and his righteous iudgements againſt him, to the abaſing and confounding of the pride of the fleſh, and the aduancement of the merite of Chriſt, as being onelyonly auaileable for his recouery, onelyonly ſufficient to the perfection of his Sanctification, that God may hauehave the onelyonly glory of all his mercy.
And this I lay downe as a Deſcription of T…oughtes in generall, becauſe naturally they are onelyonly euill: continually the beſt are not without ſome mixture of corruption, ſufficient without Gods rich mercy, to conuince and confound not onelyonly all naturall, but euen all ſpirituall inherent righteouſneſſe▪ that ſo all pride of fleſh may be abaſed, and the Lord only aduanced in his free goodnes & mercy.
CHAP. II. Ʋſes to be made in generall of our Thoughts.
1 VVHereas Hypocriſie vſually makes a fayrer ſhew in Religion then doth ſinceritie; in regard of outward ſhewes and and actions: yet herein is the honour of Sinceritie, this the triall hereof, euen by making conſcience of Thoughts: this is the prerogation of Grace, to keepe rule in the inward man, to captiuate the imaginations, and ſubdue the Thoughts to the obedience of Chriſt. 1. Cor. 10.4.
OnelyOnly the Regenerate man makes conſcience of the 10. Commandement, concerning luſtful thoughts and deſires, and ſo herein makes conſcience of all the reſt. Math. 5.
2. Whereas in regard of the varietie and intricatenes of our thoughts, yea indeed their infiniteneſſe in a manner, we cannot take notice of them, and ſo neither of our owne hearts: howſoeuer this to the carnall man may be an occaſion of prophaneneſſe and hypocriſie: yet to the regenerate, it proues a gratious means to deny our ſelues, and renounce our owne righteouſneſſe, that we may be found in Chriſt. Ioh. 9. 3. Phil. 10.11.
3. Seeing ſecuritie is the moſt damnable and feareful deluſion that Chriſtians may bee ſubiect vntounto, as nouriſhing all curſed hypocriſie, and preparing by the ripening of ſinne, to ſudden and vnauoydable vengeance: There is not a better helpe to preuent the ſame, then the meditation and obſeruation of our thoughts, as yeelding continuall matter of feare, humiliation, &c.
4. Whereas the Lord vſeth meanes to the preuention of euill, and therefore not onelyonly hath ſo left the minde of man, as that it is a continuall fountain to yeeld ſuch ſtrange and monſtrous thoughts; but further alſo leaues it to Sathan, who peſtereth it ofttimes with worlds of horrible imaginations and temptations to euill: And this to preuent the actions of ſin and cuſtome therein: Therefore this vſe may wee make of our Thoughts: either to recall ſinne paſt vnrepented of, or to preuent ſome ſinne we are ſubiect vntounto: or to ſtir vp to ſome ſuch dutie, as we hauehave neglected and growne cold in.
5 Whereas the Lord is the ſearcher of the hearts & reines, hee knoweth our Thoughts long before: therefore, as this may ſettle the heart againſt that ſecret Atheiſme, that ſaith in his heart there is no God, ſo it may further vsus to ſinceritie-to labour trueth in the inward man, to do all things as in Gods preſence, to approue the heart in al things vntounto God.
6 Whereas the Lord hath ſo eſtated vsus in this life, as that we hauehave no abiding Citie here, but as ſtrangers are trauelling to what is aboue: hereunto eſpecially furthers the conſideration of our Thoughts. As being continuall matter to vnſettle vsus in any repoſe of this life, and gratious meanes to prouoke vsus to hunger after perfection & glory in the life to come, where wee ſhall bee free from theſe inborne neighbours, and noyſome companions, haunting vsus in all occaſions, places, and times, being preſent with vsus, whē we ſhould do good, and alwayes conuincing vsus of euill, when wee do our beſt, who ſhall not now deſire to be rid of this body of ſin, that wee may more freely and intirely ſerue our bleſſed God.
7. Laſtly, this Doctrine of Thoughts will proue an excellent ſpurre for our encouragement to all conſcionable holineſſe. For as our Thoughts are, ſo will bee our words and actions, labour we to rectifie them, and all will be conformable.