A treatise of mans imaginations Showing his natural evil thoughtsA treatise of mans imaginations Shewing his naturall euill thoughts

Sect. 2. Of murdering thoughts.

Sect. 2. Of murthering thoughts.

The second evil thought of man against his neighbour ⟨p. 104⟩with consent, is a thought of Murder, or of any thing that tendeth thereto. Of this we have particular examples in Scripture. Deut. 15. 9. The Lord forbiddeth the Jews to have this murdering thought in their hearts: I will not relieve the poor, I will not do good unto them; giving us to understand, that this was the common thought of the Jews, or else he would not have forbidden it: yea the Lord doth there set out this thought by two signs; first, an evil eye, when a man turns his countenance from the poor, or looketh on them without compassion: secondly, unmerciful dealing, when a man will not help the poor by gift, according to his ability. And because all actions ⟨p. 105⟩proceed from thoughts, the heart being the fountain of our deeds, hence it appeareth, that this murdering thought against the poor, is rife in this age: for where is the man that doth pity the poor, and doth good to them according to his ability? nay, the Lords complaint against the Jews may be fitly applied to our times, in regard of cruelty and oppression: The spoil of the poor is in your houses: what have ye to do, that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor. Isa. 3. 14. 15.

The second euill thought of man against his neighbour ⟨p. 104⟩with consent, is a thought of Murther, or of any thing that tendeth thereto. Of this wee haue particular examples in Scripture.