An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…

All the conceptions of wicked men are wickedness. They are very fruitful in wickedness, and they bear no other fruit. Mischief is not only that which he conceives, but all that he conceives; he conceives nothing else. A wicked man cannot think or conceive one good thought; he may think of that which is materially good, but he conceives no good (Gen. 6.5.) All the thoughts of the imaginations of his heart are only evil, and that continually. All the Creatures which he forms in his mind, all the children of his understanding are deformed and monstrous; He conceives mischief, which as it notes a continued act, so an act continued about, or upon the same object.

All the conceptions of wicked men are wickednesse. They are very fruitfull in wickednesse, and they beare no other fruit. Mischeife is not onely that which he conceives, but all that he conceives; he conceives nothing else. A wicked man cannot think or conceive one good thought; he may think of that which is materially good, but he conceives no good (Gen. 6.5.) All the thoughts of the imaginations of his heart are onely evill, and that continually. All the Creatures which he formes in his minde, all the children of his understanding are deformed and monstrous; He conceives mischeife, which as it notes a continued act, so an act continued about, or upon the same object.

Fourthly, Observe.

To be a contriver, a plotter, a conceiver of mischief, is worse then then to be an actor, or a doer of mischief. It is ill to have a hand in any sinful evil, it is worse to have a head in it, but worst of all to have a heart in it. Conceivers of mischief always have their hearts and heads in mischief; and if they are not stopped, will have their hands to it too: they who are plotters, and designers, would be actors. Hence they are called, Workers of iniquity. They have an inward Shop, and an outward Shop: first they work it in their thoughts, and mould it there, and then it comes out. To conceive mischief is properly, the Devils trade, he rather deviseth then acts wickedness. There are many wickednesses in the World which he cannot act; but he is or would be the plotter, setter, and contriver of them all: This is the wickedness of the Devil: and every conceiver and deviser of mischief is of the Devils trade. A good man may (possibly) do evil, but a wicked man deviseth evil. As it notes the spiritualness of a man in holiness, when he doth not only act that which is good, but his heart is upon it, he conceives and frames it in his mind. So it notes a man spiritually wicked, when his mind frames wickedness. The Apostle concludes of himself (