at the root of godlinesse That thoughts are free or that they are sins not much markable or of heinous consequence yet let me speak the truth as it is in Christ Evil thoughts are sins of special note and dangerous because they are primary sins ns and leaders of other sins in and out out of the heart proceed evill thoughts Mat. 7. 18. as the thoughts of Adultery Murder c. The best action in the world if it proceed not from a well-ordered and disposed thought is not commendable and doubtlesse an evil work premeditated and thought upon is so much more sinfulnful and damnable Simon Magus did not give money for the holy Ghost though he offered it because there were none that would receive it yet Peter perceived him in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity yet Peter denounceth Thy mony perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of the holy Ghost may be purchased with mony Act. 8. 18. 23. others sins are sinsns at second hand and as some think so far forth dangerous as they have residence in the heart 3. Evil thoughts are the occasions of sin and therefore require a strict hand to be kept over them wicked doings and wicked sayings begin at wicked imaginations An unjust man deviseth mischief upon his bed and then sets himself in a way that is not good Psal 36. 4. when God gave up the Gentiles to a reprobate mind they did things which were not convenient they were filled with all unrighteousnesse Rom. 1. 28 29. if the heart be filthy within the mouth will speak out of the abundance thereof it cannot be but a foul heart and mind should be attended with a foul life or a very hypocritical The Gentiles of whom even now had vain minds and they walked in the vanity of their minds Where there is vanity in the mind there will be wickednesse in the walk Eph. 4. 17. 4. God will punish evil thoughts Salomon pronounceth The thoughts of the the wicked are an abomination to the Lord but God will punish abominations Prov. 15. 26. Our Saviour brings the thoughts of unadvised anger and the desires of Adultery within the compasse of sin and of judgement too The actions of the soul though discontinued from transiency into apparent aberrations are both sinful and punishable by the Law of God indeed the lawes of men in their animadversions and punishments reach but to word or deed but here is the breadth and purity of Gods Law that it forewarnes and punisheth the evil of thoughts wherefore look to your thoughts And if but any of those inward parts be wickednesse pray that the thoughts of your hearts may be forgiven Acts 8. 22. 5. Good thoughts are pleasing unto God My son give me thy heart saith wisdom Prov. 23. 26. without the heart all the works of thy hand are nothing worth with God God loves the spiritual sacrificer one that worships him in spirit and in truth and what more spiritual service unto God then to offer him our thoughts these are the first-born of our soules Joh. 4. 23. the prime productions of the mind whereinto no eye pryes but that which is ten thousand times brighter than the Sun in his clearnesse This close sacrificer is by so much more pleasing unto God as he is without base respects to impaire his worth There is no witnesse of what passeth betwixt God and a thinking soul none present but God taking and accepting and the soul-offering In these attendancies of the soul upon God there is no Law-enforcements by punishments or shame which carry them forward nor censure of enemies nor flatteries or rewards of the world And when God finds a pure progeny of holy and unforced thoughts proceeding freely from himself their progenitor and directed to him as their chief good God takes the persons to him as Jacob did Ephraim and Manasseh and bestowes upon them the priviledge of having his name named upon them Gen 48. 16. A righteous man whose thoughts are just is so pleasing unto God that God keeps a Bill of his name that he may remember him in due time God keeps a book of remembrance before him wherein are written They that fear the Lord and that think upon his name Malac. 3. 16. 6. Good thoughts unite us unto God so many good thoughts as we have so much acquaintance we have with God so much as our thoughts are turned unto God so much is God turned unus holy thoughts and heavenly meditations are our Communions with God A man in divine meditations if fixed and active is in a sort slipp'd out of the world and his own body to keep company and to speak with God Happy soule whose thoughts immediately carry him unto God or but immediately thinks of God in the creatures we should let no thought passe unlesse God be at one end of it or have reference to it the Apostle James saith of speeches can one fountain send forth both sweet water and bitter Jam. 3. so of thoughts let me speak can one heart send out thoughts uniting unto God and at the same time thoughts tying us unto the Devill make us one with the world and heaven with the spirit and the flesh no in no sort therefore look that your thoughts keep correspondencie one with another and all with God 7. Good thoughts are comfortable to our soules and therefore we had need to govern our thoughts justly our thoughts in some sort are more comfortable then either good words or works a man may take the truest measure of his gracious stature by his own thoughts It is our joy and Crown of rejoycing before men and Angels if we can say with Paul we have lived in all good conscience toward God Acts 23. 1. To have such an even course in morality honesty charity as gives satisfaction to the good and stoppes the mouths of gain-sayers and to have such a government of words as may teach many hurt none profit all is a great mercy yet this will not satisfy nor give true warrant of comfort to the soul no nor make our outward obedience acceptable to God till we have purified our hearts and set in order our thoughts from whence words and works do arise A man may keep a fair Quarter with the world obtain a good reputation for commendable morality be well esteemed for outward rites of Religion yet have thoughts as black as hell filthy as Sodom he that said hail Master to Christ and kissed him was the Traytour among the twelve and while a soule is so filthy within what comfort can she have of any thing outwardly done Oh when a soule is stung with fiery Serpents and the great red dragon hath wrapped the poor wretch under him Where shall he find comfort and peace Dost thou think to find comfort in thy works Comfort is not there for they were done but in formality and hypocrisy passe to thy words Comfort is not there for words are wind
happy times of the Gospel wherein though every one hath not Eagles eyes yet he may see a glorious light risen and shining though through some clouds I suppose in former times such strict observance of our thoughts might have been slacked with lesse sin than now for God winked at those dayes of ignorance but now excuses for evil thoughts are as unpleadable as for evil deeds If now we walk in an evil way in a way that is not good after our evil thoughts God that spreads out his hands unto a rebellious people all the day long Isa 65. 2. will stretch out his arme against a wicked people to punish them because they will not be perswaded to amendment for they that will not be perswaded to rectisie their thoughts by the actions of Gods hand shall be confounded at the last by the force of his arm And now we are come to the Point where we shall first declare the means how we may attain good thoughts into our souls and after that the government of them All that hath been written hitherto may be referred hither And therefore where I shall have occasion to fall upon the same things again I shall either passe them over briefly or enlarge them with variety to avoid tediousnesse and nauseousnesse from the Reader 1. For the getting of good thoughts into thy mind it is needful that thou cleanse the mind of all vain and evil and drowsie thoughts so much as possibly thou canst he that would have good thoughts like the pillars of fire and smoke to lead his actions day and night in this dangerous wildernesse must in some measure cleanse the heart of its native corruption and of its contracted foulnesse for as we have no reason to expect sweet liquor out of a fusty vessel or good water out of a bitter fountain figs from thorns or grapes from thistles so we have as small ground to expect that an unmortified and unchanged heart should send forth a current of clean and purified thoughts The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things and the wicked man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil things so all fruits are of the nature of the tree whereon they grow Our Saviour who knew how to refer every effect to his proper cause doth affirm That out of the heart cometh thoughts of Murder Adultery Blasphemies and sins of all sorts For the heart is evil above measure and casts into the thoughts continually that poison which either makes them black as Hell or muddles them with mire and dirt of fearful perplexities and worldly cares Wherefore as many as intend to get good thoughts into their minds let them give all diligence that the heart be cleansed from all evil ones But here I admonish him that will set upon this work that it is a work of more difficulty than many account it not so soon done as thought on 'T is not a few sighs and superficial groans 't is not a few proverbial notions nor yet the subduing of some notorious sin which is punishable and shameful in the world but a total and universal change of all the faculties and powers of the soul It is in the words of the Apostle A putting off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceiveable lusts and a renovation in the spirit of our minds by putting on that new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph. 4. 22 23 24. And though we cannot attain the full measure and furthest degree of this cleansing at the first nor yet feel such a sensible apprehension of the same as we desire yet let us not give over endeavours nor be discomforted and disquieted in our souls if God give us a first-fruits he will in time give us a harvest Jam. 5. 7. The Husbandman waits with long patience for the pretious fruit of the earth until he receive the former and the latter rain and if we be patient and stablish our hearts God will give unto us hearts cleansed in some measure of all filthy thoughts In this case we are not without a promise After those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Jer. 31. 33. And if we be once made masters of some good thoughts God will make us masters over more for him whom God finds faithful over a few things he will make Lord over many things and to him that hath it shall be given and he shall have abundance If any would know how to cleanse and purifie the heart he may consult Authors purposely written upon that Subject There are Treatises written thereof for more ample satisfaction wherein he shal find that God ordinarily in his first appearance to the soul useth the outward ministery of the Word and by his Spirit inwardly gives and applies that which is spoken unto the heart of the hearer whereby the heart sees its own corruption and misery and thereupon loaths and abhors it self and as a stomack surfeited with evil humours would willingly disgorge it self so it desires to be delivered of its sin and eased of its misery Then hearing and attending to the Promises of the Gospel of Jesus Christ it conceives hope by Christ that new and living way not onely to be discharged of sin and misery but also to be received into favour with God and then lies groaning at the foot-stoole of grace till God come in by his Spirit and say unto the poor soul I am thy salvation and thereupon it believes and purifies the heart of all noxious thoughts words and actions and beholding Christ in the glasse of Gods Word it is transformed into the image of Christ from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. but this briefly because I would not make too large an excursion if yet it be one out of my way 2. He that would have good thoughts in his mind let him attend the means of grace in Gods several dispensations let him give up his heart unto that form of Doctrine which hath been delivered unto the Saints and subject his soul in all humility unto the whole will of God revealed and openly urged by such as are sent upon his understanding wil and affections in the Ordinance of Preaching which being rightly managed is the power of God unto salvation Here I must admonish them that hear the Word of God that they would be patients to take what God prescribes for the cure of their thoughts That man wil never make a good Disciple and follower of Christ that is not content to deny himself a novice that is proud is not far from the condemnation of the Devil Naaman had almost lost the cure of his Leprosie by despising the waters of Jordan and preferring his own Rivers of Abanah and Parphar We must not quarrel at Gods way or method of cureing our
masked too often according to the judgement of thy betters the sway of the times thy own projects and designs in hand most men minding to put on a seemingnesse of good intentions as Herod did to worship the babe Christ few walking in the uprightness of their hearts and according to the simplicity of the Gospel If therefore thou wouldst find peace and comfort in times of temptation turn into thy own thoughts if thou findest them swept and garnished sweet and well disposed thou mayest assure thy self Christ hath been there Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile Psal 32. 2. a spiritual guilelesse mind is a comfortable evidence of Christ being in us So a man which would know the cleannesse and virtue of a water comes to the nearest issues that may be found because the lowest streames may be altered by the Channel or inundation of other sloods or foyled by the trampling of beasts so wouldest thou know thy self whether Christ dwell in thy heart or no Search thy thoughts and thy affections these are the immediate issues of thy soul and such as these are such is thy state of grace or nature 8. There is great need thou govern thy thoughts for God knowes all the thoughts of men when David prayed give ear to my words O Lord consider my meditation Psal 5. 1. he prayed in faith knowing that God did what he prayed him to doe God heares the words of his servants praying and considers the very meditations of the heart it is the Psalmists confession that God trieth the heart and reins Thou Psal 7. 9. knowest my down-sitting and my uprising Psal 139. 2 thou understandest my thoughts afar off those voces inconditae unformed and embryon actions of the soule are known unto God Thou even thou onely 1 Kings 8. 39. O Lord knowest all the hearts of the children of men There is nothing so inward and hidden in man that God should not see it openly Many miraculous believers came to Christ at Jerusalem upon the Passeover in the feast day but Jesus would not trust himself with them why but because John 2. 24 25. he knew all men he knew what was in them If the Scribes speak but within themselves Jesus knows their thoughts and reproves them wherefore think ye evill in your hearts Beloved remember what Job answers the Lord I know that thou canst do every Mat. 9. 4. thing and that no thought can be with-holden from thee Such a consideration Job 42. 2 as this will make you wary in the government of your thoughts nothing runs or stayes in your minds and hearts but God looks on it The good or evill of a mans thoughts lye in the dark to the eyes of other men unlesse evidenced by some further production of it in words or gesture or deed but God with whom we have to do seeth all things as clear as in the day for night and day are to him alike what avayles then to hide from men while God looks on who will one day be our judge And thus much concerning the great need which we have of the right government of our thoughts They are the fountains of all actions good or evill evill thoughts are sinne and the occasions of sinne and God will punish for them But good thoughts are pleasing unto God they unite us unto God they are comfortable to our own soules and God knowes all our thoughts therefore let us labour to be the Masters of good thoughts and to govern them aright I might adde that a man hath a good companion yea many good companions toward Heaven that hath alwayes good thoughts with him others sit solitary and complain for want of company but a man of a large heart and good thoughts is never less alone then when alone Those hours are comfortable and full of contentment wherein the thoughts entertain God the chiefest good and those dependancies which bring us to the enjoying of him CHAP. IV. I Have proved that the getting and governing of his thoughts is necessary to the well-being of a just mans life let me proceed to declare the common errours and exorbitancies of the Christians thoughts which though it be a thing difficult considering the variety and multiplicity of the souls unkind progeny of evil thoughts yet by Gods grace I will adventure in the humility of my soul to give you my thoughts in this matter The soul is the nobler part of man fitted of God unto the greatest workes to wit the contemplation of himself and of heavenly things or the framing of our actions to earthly subjects with reference to Gods glory and its own salvation yet sometimes it leaves off its noble work and contrary to her essential being thinkes of nothing at all or contrary to its well-being thinks of that which is unprofitable in both these respects the thoughts of men and women are not just The first common errour of our thoughts may not unfitly be called dulnesse or drowsinesse of thoughts when imagination is dull and thinks of nothing at all or but sleepily it sometimes happens that the mindes of men are as it were dead within them a spirit of heavinesse comes upon them Isa 61. 3. so Ezra sate astonished until the evening sacrifice like a clock that stands when the plummets are down or as a man in a deep sleep or amazement Ezra 9. 4. 5. the soul thinks not of what it hath to do A Christian hath businesse at home in himself and abroad in the world yet oftentimes he forgets himself and thinks not at all or but sleepily of what he hath to do say beloved Is it not sometimes thus with you Do you not sometimes find a damp upon your spirits so that ye had need to pray unto God to quicken them My soul cleaveth to the dust quicken me according to thy word Psal 119. 27. This is a fault of imagination against the nature of it which tends to its perfection by continual action The second errour of our thoughts is when our imaginations are busie but they act not to any profitable end to our selves or others for prevention of evil or attainment of good and too often they act to wicked ends to the harme of our selves and of others The first of these two we may call the vanity of thoughts the other the wickednesse of thoughts First there is a very vanity in some mens thoughts so the Gentiles became vain in their imaginations having their foolish hearts darkened Rom. 1. 21. they could not know God as God and therefore they conceive him in their mindes in the similitude of four-footed beasts of creeping things and of flying fowles This I may call a vanity of minde in regard of object or the thing thought upon The Apostle notes it a fault in that he forbids it Refuse vain and old wives fables and exercise thy self rather unto godlinesse 1 Tim. 4. 7 It would be an endlesse labour to tell you in what variable manner the mindes
thoughts nor at the persons of Gods sending to administer spiritual help unto us In this matter we should say with Samuel Speak on Lord for thy servant heareth 1 Sam 3. 10. or as that devout Cornelius to Paul We are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God Act. 10. 33 3. He that would have good thoughts let him pray let him intreat the Lord to enrich his soul by his sanctifying spirit for by multiplyed acts the spirit doth renew our minds God saves us but not by works of Righteousnesse which we have done but according to his mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost pray for that therefore that ye may be wased and saved Tit. 3. 5. The fourth meanes to get good thoughts into thy mind is to accompany Gods Saints be thou as much as conveniently and without prejudice of thy calling in the company of them that are godly whose communion will edge the good motions that are upon thy spirit as Iron sharpens Iron 2 Pet. 3. 1. Peters Epistles had power in them to stirre up the pure minds of holy men there is a power also in the interloquutories and familiar conferences of holy persons when they meet face to face Paul had a great desire of many years to see not so much the City of Rome in her then glory as the brethren at Rome Rom. 15. 23 24. that he might be filled with their company we believe a communion of Saints and shall we not desire to be assistants one to another to impart and receive some spiritual gifts interchangeably God himself is seen in the congregations of holy men and therefore as Manoah and his wife when they had seen an Angel thought they had seen the face of God So when we shall see the face of Gods people let us think we behold the face of God in them for they are the liveliest pictures of Gods image their conversation will administer thoughts of imitation their conferences will season our unsavory meditations their discourse will draw out waters of life so that we may perceive the deep things of our salvation flowing out of their bellies unto us and though Satan in the company of wicked men do beget upon their imaginations a company of wicked thoughts yet the spirit of God is as plentiful in producing good motions in godly minds by the company of sanctified men do but observe the issues of thy mind after thy fill of their company how barren dost thou return from the tables of those where thou hast not seen the face of God nor heard any talk of heaven and if amongst them Satan have but whistled an horn-pipe how is thy soul dulled or grieved or turned out of the way or unfitted for heavenly thoughts But on the contrary when thou hast been praying fasting mourning or it may be feasting with Gods Saints how cheerful will the soul be it seems to have fed upon some dish like Elijahs meat in the strength whereof thy thoughts goe a long journey in holy meditations therefore be sure of a holy man to thy friend and the more the better and make much account of him or them it 's a wonder to see what force is in the company of godly men to stirre up good thoughts and lamentable to see how Satan strangles good thoughts in some when they are ready to appeare in action by evill company so that those thoughts never live to see the light 5. He that would get good thoughts and store his heart with them must make much of them when they come they are quick movers they come suddenly and they are gone as soon if they be not kindly entertained they will not stay long at the dore knocking nor scraping for acquaintance they are the messengers of Gods Spirit and they bring good newes to the soul that bids them welcom but the non-entertainment of them or the slight entertainment of them is a grieving of the holy Spirit of God that sent them If Davids messengers be unkindly entreated by Nabal or frowned upon they will back to their Lord and acquaint him with their usage and do not thou think but. thy carriage towards holy thoughts will be carried to Gods ear But if thou give kind entertainment to good thoughts they will stay with thee to counsell and comfort thee and they will bring with them home to thine heart many more of their own kind to lodge with thee for God himself will send them in plentiful manner who loves to furnish such an host with the best commers Good thoughts in this respect are something like unto riches they come to them in most plenty who esteem them most the world must be courted and gracious thoughts must be much made of And consider good thoughts are worthy entertainment they are to be reckoned amongst our better friends a man can hardly make too much of them Ps in the multitude of these thoughts the comforts of God refresh our soules Make much of them for first they are good in themselves the births of gracious minds begotten upon them by the Spirit of God for we are not able of our selves to think a good thought Secondly these have been kind to us and done us many a good turn witnesse our solitary nights and tedious houres of sicknesse imprisonment afflictions travailes from place to place while no comforters have been our companions but God and our good thoughts We may say with David We have remembred thy name in the night and have kept thy Law Psal 119. 55. our solitary and night thoughts have benefited us for the keeping of Gods Law and have administred unto us songs in the dayes of our pilgrimage 54. Thirdly our good thoughts are likely to do us good hereafter and it may be at such a time when we shall have more need of them then ever we have had yet it was Hezekiah's great comfort in his sicknesse to think how he had walked before God in truth and with a perfect heart and he beseecheth the Lord also that he would remember him in this behalf 2 Kings â— 3. if bonds or afflictions remain us if we be cast into the Dungeon or be wounded in battail or lye upon sick-beds good thoughts will be unto us our sweetest companions Make much of good thoughts they will season the rooms where they come and make the heart the house of God But here a word of admonition to them that have not good thoughts or rather to them whose good thoughts make offer of departure Suspect beloved your entertainments of them have been harsh or distastful use them more kindly entreat their stay offer them violence keep them by force if it be possible that they go not over the threshold from you Imitate herein Jacobs bold wrestling with God hold them fast let them not go lest ye lose a blessing 6. He that would get good thoughts into his mind must have a great care to keep his
the little Common-wealth of himself overcometh devils principalities and powers Thirdly ordering is a word of perseverance and implieth bringing about of things to an issue and a continuation unto the end for what is order but a Ordo est dispositio à primo ad ultimum per media disposition of things from the first to the last by means conducing thereunto Fourthly in the next place we are to consider what it is to order aright or straightly now a thing may be said to be right What 's meant by aright First that hath rectitude from himself and is the cause of rightnesse in all other things and so God is onely right Secondly that may be said to be right that hath its rectitude from another yet there is in it an infallible rule to square other things by it and in this sense the Law of God is said to be right Psal 19. Thirdly things or persons may be said to be right which are neither the cause of rectitude in others nor yet properly a rule to square other things by yet are they rightly fitted to the true rule and of this are three kinds First such a rightnesse as answereth exactly to the rule both for kinds and degrees And so onely Christs conversation was ordered aright he onely fully accomplishing perfect righteousness Secondly a thing may be said to be right which though it be not wholly directed for matter manner or measure yet is it squared thereunto in some sutablenesse and propertion evangelical and though there be some aberrations and swervings in it yet in comparison of the way of the wicked and in respect of the purpose of the heart the bent of the will the sincerity of the soul and the endeavour of the life And withal in regard of Gods gracious acceptance it may be called an ordering of the conversation aright Which I speak to prevent discouragement in weak Christians so that we may well expound the meaning of my text by that 119. Psal 119. 133. Psal 133. order my steps in thy word And to order in thy word is as much as rightly to dispose it the word of God being the rule of right it must have warrant from the word and be conformed to it from the word and to conclude thus then is a matter ordered aright when it holdeth proportion to the rule and is carried sutably Secondly when it proceedeth from a right principle 1 Tim. 1. 5. even a pure heart a good cause and faith unfaigned Thirdly when it is carried on upon a right ground and motive as suppose the love of God conscience of duty c. and discharged in a right manner in sincerity in humility in the presence of God to be approved of him 1 Cor. 10. 13. And lastly when it is directed to a good end which is the glory of God Opposite hereunto are the indirect crooked turnings and windings of all gracelesse persons who pervert their waies See Proverbs 10. 9. Now for the promise annexed on Gods What 's meant by salvation part it is as full and large all blessings are couched under salvation Salvation is as much as protection safety deliverance in this life and that which is to come the salvation of God is a singular salvation for the addition of God in my Text notes the excellency of it as the mountains of God are excellent mountains and the salvation spoken of is either ordinary or extraordinary and both that which is begun in this world as also that final receiving the end of our faith even the salvation of our souls First that he will give us a glimpse and sight of it in this world by manifesting of it to our souls and assuring us of it say unto my soul I am thy salvation saith the Psalmist Psal 35. 3. he shall see himself saved Secondly the injoying and possessing of it Psal 85. 7. Having thus taken the words asunder and explained them I will now joyn them together and prove the truth of the entire proposition Nothing is more clear in Scripture Proof of the point then this that God hath linked together sanctification and salvation in an unseparable and Adamantine chain never to be broken all the Bible throughout witnesseth that holinesse ever ends in happinesse What is it to order our conversation aright but to lead a godly life And hath not godlinesse the promise of this life and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. yes and the performances too the accomplishment of the said promises those that have their fruit in holinesse shall have Rom. 6. 22 their end everlasting life and they that go to heaven are said to receive an inheritance among those that are sanctified many and precious promises are scattered throughout the world some to persons that fear God some to those that love God c. but all belong to those that order their conversation aright see Psal 91. 10. 11. This also may be proved negatively on the other side that none shall see the salvation of God but they that order their conversation aright without holinesse saith the Apostle no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. And doth not our salvation consist in the vision of God mark well these three particulars First for holinesse Secondly without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Thirdly with holinesse none but he shall see the God of his salvation this is also proved reciprocally on both sides both affirmatively and negatively Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Next for the shewing us his salvation What 's meant to shew us his salvation or making us know our interest in it that is also true sooner or later more or lesse he that orders his conversation aright shall see it Yea it holds proportionably the more exactly the conversation is squared the more clear assurance is given to such a person See for this how confidently David affirms of himself Psal 27. 1 2 3 c. and Paul 2 Tim. 4. 17. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course from henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteousnesse It is the promise of our Saviour Christ John 14. 21. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them there is the right ordering of the conversation I will love and manifest my self unto him The Reasons of the Point The grounds of this truth the first lieth in Gods free-grace and dependeth on the faithfulnesse of his promise for there is no proportion betwixt our conversation for a short time and Gods salvation for ever to be joyned betwixt our imperfect sanctification and Gods perfect salvation but God hath engaged himself by promise to us It is a Reward of favour not of debt as the Apostle distinguisheth Rom. 4. 4. It is not from the merit of our workes but from the meer mercy of God Reas 2 But
called you out of darknesse into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. Let your conversation be such Phil. 1. 27. as becometh the Gospel such as may bring holinesse into credit and fashion and herein labour to exercise your selves to keep a clear conscience void of offence both towards God and towards men Acts 24. 16. The Second SERMON PSAL. 50. ult And to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God THe first Use was exhortatory and Second Use did serve to work mens hearts to a love and willingnesse to the duty The second is Directory and serves to make persons able and skilful in the right ordering of their conversation For this lieth upon us Ministers not onely to convince you of the necessity of your duties and to presse upon you the discharge thereof but also to shew you how and by what means you may be able to put them in practise and not to leave you to shift for your selves after we have acquainted you with the commands of God but to labour to guide your feet in the way of peace Now these Directions that I shal give you are either more general and introductive to the businesse or else more special And first of all It is to be supposed First Direction and premised that a man must first be a true Convert himself before it be possible for him to order his conversation aright the inward frame of his soul must first be rightly set within him which is the principle from whence issues the course of his thoughts words and actions He must first have a right spirit renewed in him before he can have a right conversation Psal 51. 10. this made David pray Renew O Lord in me a right spirit the instrument must first be stringed and set in tune before the musick it yieldeth will be sweet a wicked man and one that is unregenerate can never order his life aright a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and an evill man out of the evill treasure bringeth forth evill things Matth. 12. 33 34. First he must be a good man the tree must be good and then the fruit will be good Secondly he must have a good treasury and his heart must be the store-house of holy graces the mind must be renewed with saving knowledge which must guide him his heart must be seasoned with sanctified affections and so inabled to follow the minds directions and therefore the ground-work of all must first be laid right and we must labor for the grace of regeneration that so we our selves may be Gods workmanship created again in Christ Jesus to good works which he hath prepared for us to walk in Ephes 2. chap. 10. This being premised the next preparation The second direction to the work even in Converts themselves is in the right way to go to work and that is being sensible of their own inability to compasse so great a matter It being more difficult to govern the little world a mans self then to rule a City he must therefore begin the work at self-denial Jer. 10. ch 23. O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself It is not in man that walketh to direct his own steps in whom then doth it lye In God therefore with David we must seek to him Psalm 119. 133. do thou order my steps in thy words this direction is fully given us both negatively and and affirmatively Prov. 3. 5 6. negatively Be not wise in thine own eyes lean not to thine own wisdom affirmatively but acknowledge God in all thy wayes and then thirdly we have his promise that he will direct our steps this shall be health to thy Navel and marrpw to thy bones the summe is that we must not enterprise this businesse out of a conceit of any self-wisdom or of our own sufficiency to effect it but being sensible of our own folly and impotencie we must acknowledge God in all and commend our selves and actions to his direction in the beginning to his inabling in the prosecution and to his benediction in the successe in faith and confidence relying upon him for all in humble prayer begging all from him according to that of the wise man Proverbs 16. 3. Rowle thy ways on the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established or ordered this is a silly direction as it seems to flesh and blood the wisest Moralists amongst the Heathen would but laugh at it humility is not within the lists of their moral vertues Seneca one of the wisest of them hath such strange expressions as these in one of his Epistles Beatae vitae causa fundamentum c. The cause and foundation of a blessed life is in our selves to trust in our selves to be confident in our selves Turpe saith he est Deos fatigare It is a shameful thing to weary the Gods with our prayers for that which lyeth in our own power He goeth on Quid votis opus est fac te faelicem what need supplications when thou canst make thy self happy I blush to speak this but this was the wisdom of these Moralists but we must learn a better lesson from the word of God even to become fooles to our selves that we may be wise in God and I am sure David maketh it his businesse to sollicite God in prayers all over that 119. Psalm Both for his direction and enabling Open mine eyes saith he that I may find or see the wondrous things of thy Law And again Make me to understand the way of thy precepts direct me the way that I shall go and I will keep thy word even to the end And again Order my steps in thy word c. 119. Psalm Yea and whosoever doth not this stumbleth at the very Threshhold and never let him look for good successe It is just with God to leave honest hearts to themselves as he left Peter to shew them their own weaknesse when once they relye on their own strength and abilities and Solomon is bold to say he that trusteth his own heart is a fool we must know that all our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3. 5. the beginning progresse and end of all dependeth upon him who worketh the will and the deed in us of his own good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. and he will have the glory of all to himself 1 Cor. 1. 30 31. that whosoever gloryeth should glory in the Lord. It shall therefore be our wisdom in the way of Gods Commandements our own spiritual duties to draw vertue and power from him by pleading his Covenant and resting on his Promise who hath engaged himself to put his Spirit in us and to give us a new heart and to cause us to walk in his wayes and to keep his statutes as is clear Ezekiel 36. 27. and by this that hath been spoken you may by the way see the necessity of a morning sacrifice of prayer to
spirits sanctification in his own perswasion and the worlds reputation ought to have just thoughts and to be the Master or Governour of them he must endeavour to get them into his mind and having gotten them it is required that he rightly govern them for the orderly and seasonable producing of their effects in words and deeds The government of his thoughts is a righteous mans great businesse of great necessity and of much difficulty It 's day work and night work with him his meditations are alwayes upon it he so delights in the Law of the Lord that he meditates in it day and night Psal 1. 2. Some are careful of their actions that by them they give no offence to the weak nor lay stumbling-blocks in the way of them that are without These are commendable amongst the godly others go further they keep their lips as it were with a bridle and they are purposed that their mouths shall not transgresse Psal 39. 1. Psal 17. 3. yet few people go so far as to take heed to their thoughts It seems all men are not aware of it that their inward thoughts may be very wickednesse but a wise man thoroughly instructed and sanctified by the Spirit of God loves the Law of God with such vehemency that he hates those floating vanities of his thoughts which rise in opposition to it I hate vain thoughts said that righteous man but thy Law do I love Psal 119. 113. And every just man doth so govern his thoughts that they are generally good I do not say that every particular thought of a righteous man is just David had his exorbitancies in thoughts or else they had not so much appeared in his doings and yet his heart was right with God for the main And so it is with many of Gods dear children they have excurrent and sinful thoughts the knowledge whereof give many a secret prick upon their consciences though they have good meanings and good hearts generally It is written of Asa that the high places were not taken away out of Israel in his days neverthelesse the heart of Asa was perfect all his dayes 2 Chro. 15. 18. A righteous man may sometimes think foolishly as well as speak unadvisedly with his lips or put his hands unto wickednesse Yet as his words and workes are for the main end regulated by the word of God so are his thoughts A righteous man is the master of just thoughts And though Master-workmen may sometimes mistake in their lines and measures and sorting their materials yet not like them that have no skill in building If a righteous man meditate in Gods precepts he will have respect unto Gods wayes Psal 119. 15. Take the reason of the righteous mans practise on this behalf First his thoughts are moved upon by the Spirit of God though God be not in all the thoughts of the wicked yet the righteous God leads by his Spirit and guides by his counsel There are many that are after the flesh and these mind the things of the flesh 〈…〉 they cannot think of higher things because they have no higher principle of life within them but there are some that are after the spirit these mind the things of the spirit for they have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God Rom. 8. 5 and therefore mind and think upon the things of God and their thoughts are just 1 Cor. 2. 11. Secondly a righteous man hath an holy principle of good thoughts within he hath grace inherent the new man is put upon him and he is renewed in the spirit of his minde and Eph. 4. ergo though he was sometimes darkness yet now he is Eph. 4. 8. light in the Lord. O the sweet and secret interviewes and consultations held betwixt God and the souls of his beloved ones they think upon God in the night-season while others lie upon their beds and sleep securely Their thoughts enter into his Pavilion while other mens thoughts rove and wander abroad amongst many vain things and know not where to make any stay to fasten themselves the spirit of life which is in them that are Christs quickens their mindes to think upon that which is just Rom. 8. 2. Having thus farre proved that the thoughts of righteous ones are just and that he which is a righteous man must have good and just thoughts my method shall be 1. To shew the necessity or needfulnesse of this government of the thoughts 2. The errours and exorbitances of mens thoughts 3. The remedies against these exorbitancies Generally Particularly 4. The meanes to get good thoughts 5. Rules to govern good thoughts gotten CHAP. III. FIrst the needfulnesse of the government of thoughts appears because thoughts are the fountain or spring of all humane actions whether they be good or evil A man ordinarily first thinks and after speakes out with his mouth or workes outwardly with the members of the body My heart was hot within me while I was musing the fire kindled and I spake with my tongue Psal 39. 3. So the wicked devise devices against Jeremy and then smite him with the tongue Jer. 18. 18. Pharaoh thought to deal wisely and then commands to destroy the Hebrew children wherefore seeing actions good or evil issue from our thoughts we ought to take notice of that wise advice Keep thy heart with all diligence Prov. The soul retains so much of its spiritual nature and native perfection that after the similitude of God it is in continual action though it be its imperfection to be in doing either good or evil Thoughts passe in the mind as currently as water in the livelyest fountain it is not like a watch in thy pocket which will not run without winding up it is a natural mover and is in uncessant motion towards good or evil Gods thoughts are good eternally but the best mens thoughts are to good and evil were they onely good and not evil the lesse care of prevention would serve in this government of thoughts But 't is the misery of our souls that the imaginative faculty whose perfection is alwayes to think should be taken up too often times with thinking evil The Holy Spirit notes this with a black coall The imaginations of natural men are evil continually though the thoughts of the righteous be just Gen. 6. 5. Gen. 8. 21. Grace and nature mixe in the regenerate man and because of these different principles his thoughts move within him to good and to evil as he said I delight in the Law of God after the inward man but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my Members Rom. 7. 22 23. This is one reason why our thoughts have need of government Secondly evill thoughts are sin Prov. 24. 9. The thought of foolishnesse is sin not the action only but the thought also is sin it is a loose opinion and strikes
of men are enclined to six their thoughts upon matters according to their disposition education place or company nothing possesseth the brains of some but toyes fancies humours fashions discourses of Robin-Hood tales of Southamptons Beavis c. or that Athenian disposition and unwearied desire to hear news of others with an idle invention how to utter the same complementally to others some minding gameing and sports hawking hunting c. Others new fashions good-fellowship mirth and jestings which are not convenient These vain thoughts are especially appropriated to the worser sort of men and women yet the best of Gods children want not some out-runnings in this kind But it would be considered that these thoughts are vain imaginations indeed for they neither lift the soul to communion with God upward nor have reference to the setling of the souls peace inward nor direct the soul to the performance of any warrantable action in its course downward Such are all the daughters of this imaginary vanity If it be here objected that God hath granted thoughts recreatory for the souls wearinesse as well as exercise for the bodies relief it is true indeed but these thoughts must be squared by these rules or else they be not exempted from vanity 1. The object of recreatory thoughts must be things that are in their own nature truly indifferent for we are herein subject to be partial our thoughts blinded by affection rather than led by judgement out of the Law of God What we think to be no hurt may be and often is no lesse poisonful than Hen-bane 2. We must admit them as underlings to our better and more necessary thoughts lest servants ride on horseback and Princes go on foot 3. They must not take up over much time lest instead of fitting the minde thereby to better thoughts they exclude good thoughts altogether 4. We must be wary lest under pretense of these indifferent things for the mindes recreation Satan do not fasten upon us some deadly temptation for these recreatory thoughts are not seldome the bands to bring in some other filthy sins wherefore if those which thou callest recreatory thoughts be sinful if they take up a disproportionable time if they fasten upon thee any wicked temptation if they enfeeble thy mind from better thoughts be thou assured they have a measure of vanity in them What though some plead for these things as are the thoughts so is the man The servants of Christ shall find that when they give way to such thoughts the holy courses of their souls are interrupted their peace which ought to be dear unto them is endangered their pretious and unredeemable time spent and their inward man seldom sends them away without disturbance Let the thoughts therefore of vain matters passe for vain thoughts The second vanity of thoughts is the unstayednesse or levity of them which is a kind of shuttlenesse or sicklenesse of our thoughts the mind in this respect whether conversant about good or evil may not unfitly be compared unto the unstable eyes of the Adulterer which be in every corner of the house now in heaven soaring aloft immediately in hell diving beneath or like the lightning which flasheth in a moment out of the East into the West These may be called wandering imaginations our mindes being naturally subject in this manner to stray out of their appointed limits as Dinah out of her fathers house with no lesse danger than she found shame This vanity the Apostle seems to note unto us when describing the blindnesse of the Gentiles hearts he tells us That they walke in the vanity of their mindes having their understandings darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them Eph. 4. 7. 18. They had walking imaginations but they were in the dark and therefore wandred in uncertainties Such roving unsetled thoughts there was in the people of Israel when sometimes they were in their thoughts for Egypt sometimes for Assyriah which occasioned the Prophet to complain of them Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt as thou wast of Assyriah Jerem. 2. 36. This Errour as all others began from the fall of Adam before which the mind being assured of its chief good was moved in a stable manner about that Center as the Stars equally about the Pole but thenceforth losing her enjoyment of the chief good and instead thereof having the fruition of infinite seeming goods it became like a Planet or wandring Star carried unstayedly or uncertainly about the same These Roveings are especially in sanguine men and such as are most removed from undistempred melancholly for doubtlesse melancholly persons in their best temper have the most solid and fixed imaginations as the sanguine and cholerick the most moveable but the wanderings of imagination they breed a disturbance in every action about which the mind is employed a disturbance sensible to any who carry about them an observant eye Yet Gods servants find the most apparent harme by such thoughts when they set themselves about heavenly businesse suppose prayer or meditation or hearing c. Gen. 15. 11 If Abraham be about his sacrifice the birds come down and trouble him till they be frighted away so while we are about Gods worship these kind of thoughts do most of all molest us It is a hard matter to keep the soul to a stable motion of thoughts but most difficult when 't is exercised about supernatural duties For now the Devil who envies our good and the glory of God in such duties casteth into our mindes vain and impertinent thoughts Besides our mindes themselves are unhandsome and indisposed to such work naturally and though where grace is there may be a willingnesse of spirit yet there is also a weaknesse of flesh But it may be some will be so far from accounting this an errour that they will rather call it variety of invention quicknesse of wit sharpnesse of understanding and the contrary no better than dull melancholly or blockish stupidity I answer these There is a wide difference betwixt this unstayed course of thoughts and true and quick or sharp invention or wit For first this levity of thoughts is from an intercourse of impertinent imaginations hindering if not frustrating the maine intendment whereas variety of inventions and quicknesse of wit truly so called is a quick minding and managing of thoughts suitable to the project intended Again unstayed thoughts disable the heart from resolutions propounded for bringing forth actions But quicknesse of understanding is the best Midwife for speedy delivery of the soul from the hard labour of unresolvednesse into an estate of liberty to act freely and stoutly The third vanity of thoughts is when as to the end propounded or which ought to be they are unprofitable Some have working imaginations never idle alwayes busie but as good never a whit as never the better Some think themselves to be wise above other men but they
imagine vain things and the Lord knowes the thoughts of those wise men that they are vain Psal 2. 1. 1 Cor. 3. 20. The Jews in Pauls time were wholly bent to the maintenance of Moses Ceremonies which yet the Apostle taxeth as unprofitable to those that were occupied in them for saith he there is a disanulling of the Commandment going before because of the unprofitablenesse thereof Heb. 7. 18. Those foolish Questions about the Law edifie not but rather turn to the subversion of the hearers and by consequence are not profitable in Apostolical judgement There are that trouble themselves about Questions and strife of words 1 Tim. 6. 4. but mark what Mark the Apostle puts upon them They are proud knowing nothing men of corrupt mindes ver 5. if their mindes were not corrupt they would not trouble themselves about such matters This errour is most common in these forward times wherein the most refined wits and sharpest inventions are unprofitably taken up with needlesse disputes fruitlesse and curious if not cursed arts foolish speaking witty jeastings and a thousand such unnecessary impertinencies not destinated unto any good end the accomplishment whereof never brings any true content to the party nor any profit to the brethren This fault howsoever many make small account of as thinking it a great glory to be accounted knowing or witty or thinking it a sufficient perfection not to be idle or in the intention of their thoughts not to be hurtful yet those that know all their actions should be respective unto some good and content not themselves with a bare negation of evil cannot but abhor the unprofitablenesse of their thoughts And is it not pitty to see men spend such pretious time and lay out such unvalueable gifts as some have acquired in purchasing that which profits nothing It s pitty such wine as is contained in some vessels should run at waste and do no man good And this is so much the more to be regarded and pitied because where this unprofitable vanity of the mind reigns it fills the apprehensions of men with such vain delight in their frothy undertakings that they become utterly uncapable of any course of study or endeavour to do good unto the Church of God Of our thoughts therefore as of our actions let this be a general rule They must be destined unto some good end for it matters not with what earnestnesse or with what eagernesse we pursue them unlesse directly or by consequent they be in some way profitable The fourth vanity of our thoughts appears in the disorderlinesse or confusion of them it sometimes happens that the Devil cannot fasten upon us a deadnesse of thoughts nor lodge vain imaginations in our hearts nor cause us to wander in uncertain cogitations nor cast our minds into the mould of unprofitable inventions but that by the grace of God we are in some measure freed from all these and then he labours to make confusion and disorder amongst our most profitable and necessary inventions and resolutions for though the thoughts of a good man be warrantable in themselves and intended for a good end yet the order of them may be so confused that the good intended is impeded if not disappointed As in a course of speech long and often parentheses darken the speakers meaning and hinder the apprehension of the hearer So in thoughts and in things of continued action impertinencies and out-runnings disgrace the course and speedy performance When the thoughts of a mans mind are double the man is a tottering thing and therefore if Satan can bring a man to double-mindednesse he knows he will be unstable in all things political or religious for a double-minded man is unstable in all his wayes Jam. 1. 8. and then he hath gotten much advantage of him by this wile Behold this thing in thy self first what an unpleasant accident in thy soul when formerly well setled is this confusion of thoughts though good in themselves as when amongst thy divine meditations and spiritual cogitations there creep into thy minde thoughts of profit lawful pleasures or necessary labours which howsoever they be not onely permitted but also commanded of God to have a place in our thoughts at their times and in their order for there is a time for all things yet rushing in at the time of thy devotions they put all out of order further as they are unpleasant so they are disturbant A devoted heart cannot indure interruption in spiritual duties by worldly attendance or other occasions from without While Christ was about his Fathers businesse he likes not the importunity of brothers or sisters that stand without to speak with him Suppose a soul upon some extraordinary occasion resolve upon a course of thoughts to humble himself How troublesom are cogitations of joy and rejoyceing Who would not now shut the door upon them as intruders unsent for and unwelcome like water in a ship or like snow in harvest 3. God requires a season for our thoughts and therefore likes not a hudling confusion of them as the Lord hath appointed labour to fit every person and to fit every time so he hath appointed suitable thoughts for every occasion When we are about Sacrifice God hath appointed one sort of thoughts to possesse our minds and when we are about our Callings another Our minds must have their changeable suites as well as our bodies the working day hath his thoughts and the Sabbath his vain thoughts are no more lawful on the Sabbath than vain words are He that said Thou shalt not speak thine own words nor do thy own workes said also Thou shalt not think thine own thoughts Isai 58. 13. What we are about if it be warrantable and seasonable God would have our hearts and hands to intend it otherwise disorder cannot be avoided The phansie of men that is but natural left to its own wilde way of working and not moderated by reason will make strange compositions and mixtures and locations of things presented to it by the senses as we see in dreames and if grace moderate not there will be strange confusions in the thoughts of men If therefore our thoughts be confused I cannot reckon them among the thoughts of the Righteous whose thoughts are just CHAP. V. HItherto I have discovered some errours of thoughts as dulnesse and vanity which last appears First when the mind is busied about vain objects Secondly when the mind it self is loose and unstayed Thirdly When the mind propounds no profitable end Fourthly When the thoughts are disordered or confused I shall now speak of some other vanities of our thoughts which go far beyond these hitherto mentioned because they have not errour onely joyned with them but also apparent wickednesse Those already spoken of are native infirmities in all men and therefore also the best of men are faulty more or lesse in them but there remain yet two other exorbitancies of thoughts which are incident to the minds and thoughts of the
and that if they can refrain such words and works as are of evil report and punishable then their peace is sound and themselves just though their thoughts be black as hell and conform to the works of the Devil And indeed thoughts are free from punishment by the Laws of men which onely reach to the outward man and a man is not bound by Law or any duty to reveale all his thoughts unto another Salomon tells us That a prating fool or a man of foolish lips shall fall Prov. 10. 8. But the good man must perswade himself that the Lord takes notice of abhors and will punish evil thoughts as the breaches of his Law therein extending more than the laws of men It is a known distinction among all that there are sins of thought as much as sins of word or of deed We read of some that erre because they imagine evil of some that sinned because they tempted God in their hearts Prov. 14. 22. Psal 78. 18. Psal 58. 2. of others that did work wickednesse in their heart Our Saviour gives a check to the Scribes for their evil thoughts Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts Mat. 9. 4. Yea in the Court of Conscience and in Gods sight evil thoughts are in some respect more sinful or lesse excuseable than either words or deeds What is that condemning sin of unbelief what that of hypocrisie whose punishment in Hell is the pattern how other sins shall be punished They are not sins of word they are not sins of work but sins of the inward parts of the mind and of the heart Consider further upon this matter and ye shall perceive 1. That evil thoughts are Ring-leaders to other sins all other uncleannesses begin at the heart Mat. 15. 18. whether they be blasphemies or false-witnessing which are sins of the tongue or murders and adulteries which are sins of deed From contemplative wickednesse we go on to actual so lust within when it hath conceived at temptation without brings forth sin Jam. 1. 15 Imagination is the great wheel of the soul if that move amisse all the whole man runs at random for as the phansie conceives the judgement concludes the will chooseth the affections pursue or eschew and the members of the body execute Wherefore in regard of precedency or causality sins of thought are more sinful or inexcuseable than either words or deeds 2. Our thoughts are more at liberty than our words or actions there is lesse byas hanging upon our thoughts than upon our outward man As these are more free from the shame of the World the censure of enemies the punishment of outward laws the reprehension of godly brethren so they are lesse swayed by hopes of favour from such we love or reverence or hope to rise by In evil times especially many things may afford excuse for miscarriages in our words or deeds Many dangers are following them that are of free language and open works which in this frailty of the flesh may put on our outward faults a mincing infirmity but none nor any of these can any way diminish the fault of our thoughts For notwithstanding all these our thoughts are freed from the byas of fear or favour Jonathan could love David as his own soul though he went in his Father Sauls Army which hunted him as a Partridge upon the mountains Obadiah thought reverently of the Lords Prophets and preserved many of them from the cruel rage of Jesabel though he lived in Ahabs Court But if the inward parts be wickednesse there is no faithfulnesse in those sinners There is no faithfulness in their mouth their inward part is very wickedness Psal 5. 9. It s possible God may have some whose hearts are right with him in evil times though they halt in their words and outward behaviour But if the thoughts of the heart and mind be evil whatsoever the outward appearance is there is no believing of such 3. The temptations of Satan have not such power over our thoughts as they have in our outward man in as much as the Devil is no searcher of hearts and therefore cannot so easily puddle these fountains as he doth by Gods permission our words and deeds I do not say Satan hath no power but not such power The Devil knows the constitution and temperament of mens bodies and can move the humours and by them he can stir up the affections he can represent false species by the senses unto the cogitative faculty and thereby disorder the thoughts But he hath not such an immediate illapse or entrance into the heart as into our outward senses and by how much our thoughts receive less violence and opposition from Satan by so much the sins of our thoughts are lesse excuseable as he is lesse a sinner that sins by temptation than he that sinneth without But thou wilt say Our words and deeds bring more damage unto others and breed a greater scandal amongst the good than our thoughts do I answer Yes and therefore God condemns outward actions that are sinful But the evil of our thoughts are as filthy in our selves and as open to the eyes of God as our actions are and God who especially respects our spirits whether in mortification to sin or in quickning to righteousnesse hath equally forbidden our thoughts as our words or deeds He that said Thou shalt not bear false witnesse Thou shalt not steal said also Thou shalt not covet Wherefore we ought to have a conscientious care of our evil thoughts as of our evil deeds we must account them sinful and punishable and take heed how we receive in thoughts hand over head Good thoughts indeed should be welcom'd when they come lest we be found to resist the Spirit of God for in a motion upon thy thoughts the Spirit of life may come into thy soul But on the other hand if evil thoughts do offer themselves we ought to keep them out I have insisted upon this remedy the longer because until this be cleared up to the judgement that thoughts are sins and punishable and we ought to make a conscience of them all other remedies of evil thoughts will be unprofitable and the mind wil be pestered with them The second General Remedy against evil thoughts is Let a man judge and condemn himself for evil thoughts there is no man living can say his heart is clean and 't is meet that a Christian feel a trouble and heavinesse within him wrought by that disorder and trouble that is in his thoughts Paul is our pattern crying out Oh wretched man that I am Rom. 7. 24. Let us think it expedient for us to cry out against that body of evil thoughts within us that God may deliver us from them Ps 51. we shall never have true and sound peace in our selves unlesse our hearts be clean created within us The Pharisee which cleanseth the outside of the platter hath no true comfort while his inward parts are full of ravening and wickedness Luc. 11.
The Apostles would not have younger widows received to minister as widows in the Church to lodge strangers and to wash the Disciples feet as their manner was lest they learn to be idle and wander about become tatlers and busie-bodies 1 Tim. 5. 13. Idlenesse or that which is worse creeps into the practise of those that are not well or fitly employed so it doth upon the mind Standing waters will puddle and the mind not employed stands and breeds verminous and evil thoughts We make draines to cleanse standing waters if we mean to keep them wholesome and we must find issues for our thoughts about some bodily or mental labour if we mean to keep them just as the thoughts of the Righteous are And that ye may the rather make use of this Remedy against idle thoughts Consider 1. It is against the nature of mans mind to be out of action in sleep the senses both outward and inward are bound up yet even then the phantasie hath her dreams of actions The heart of the Spouse was awake while she slept I sleep but my heart wakes Cant. 5. 2. So in the very drowsinesse and heaviness of a Righteous soul all is not all his thoughts ought not to be bound up there are or ought to be some excurrencies of the thoughts to Christ 2. The body not employed grows resty and carries on the man headlong not onely to that which is besides but also to that which is contrary to the course of goodnesse Idlenesse is the hour of temptation wherein Satan joynes with our imagination to plot or attempt the production of some or much mischief 3. Employment and action hath the promise This is the warrantable way wherein so long as the mind is found walking the labour thereof shall not be in vain It is the Righteous mans portion to enjoy the good of all his labour which he taketh under the Sun 1 Cor. 15. Eccles 5. 18. So then if ye respect the nature of the mind which is alwayes in action or the disposition of the body not employed or the blessing of God over both while they are in action according to his will ye cannot but make use of this Remedy for the cureing of the minds idlenesse But before I passe from hence I must admonish that thoughts employed about bodily labour is not enough nor all there are employments of our thoughts which are more mental and almost abstracted from the body and these are very needful such as contemplation and meditation of heaven and heavenly things a soul thus employed whether he be in the body or out of the body he cannot tell such a neighbourhood or indistance he apprehends betwixt God and his mind Again I admonish that labour whether it be about bodily things or such as are more the work of the mind yet it must be about that which is good otherwise the remedy may be worse than the disease It s better saith our Proverb to be idle than ill employed The Apostle would that every one should labour but he that labours bodily must labour the thing that is honest and he that labours with the mind must study to shew himself approved unto God a workman that need not be ashamed Ephes 4. 28. 2 Tim. 2. 15. Further I admonish that your thoughts be employed about those things especially which are within your Callings he that moves in his Calling though but slowly though not so fast as others shall in the end find comfort But I cannot hope to gather grapes of thorns nor figs of thistles Every tree must bring forth his own fruit the Magistrate hath his thoughts the Minister his and the honest Husbandman and Tradesman theirs Once more I admonish that your thoughts of employment be in such things as are proportionable to your strength and parts Jether the first-born of Gideon was too weak and fearful to rise up and slay Zeba and Zalmunnah Judg. 8. 20. And the Apostle thought judiciously that a Novice or young Christian newly come to the Faith would not be a meet man for the office of a Bishop lest being lifted up with pride he should fall into the condemnation of the Devil 1 Tim. 3. 6 When men take upon their shoulders burdens that are too heavy for them they reel to and fro like drunken men sometimes they are brought to their wits ends and sometimes they fall with shame to themselves and injury to others that come near them It s so also when any are puffed up in their fleshly minds and take upon them to meddle in things that are above them CHAP. VIII I Shall stay no longer upon this Remedy against idle and sleepy thoughts by urging to bodily or mental imployment The next errour of thoughts as I have observed to be remedied falls in here which is a lightnesse or vanity of our thoughts in busying themselves upon vain objects such as old wives fables fictions of Poets nothings or things that are nothing worth The Remedy is to choose out reall and better things for imagination to work upon for as are the thoughts so is the man The body grows into likenesse with those things whereon it usually feeds So do souls into similitude with those things which the imagination daily thinks upon that man must needs be a vain man whose studies and cogitations are vaine Wherefore as he that would expel wind out of the stomack must feed upon some wholesome nourishment which hath vertue in it to expel wind So he that would expel windy phansies out of his mind must propound to his consideration some serious truths worthy of his Christian thoughts In this case some have thought meet to propound to our consideration those quatuor novissima Death the day of Judgement the joyes of Heaven and the torments of Hell to remedy our vain imaginations and doubtlesse thoughts upon such serious truths as these would take off our minds from vain things What if I should beseech you to think upon the infinitenesse of God the love of Christ the comforts of the Holy Ghost What if I should entreat you to think upon those great works of God Creation Providence Redemption Sanctification Preparation and Donation of the Kingdom of Heaven Would not the thoughts of these things force out of your minds the thoughts of strange gods strange religions and worship What should the thoughts of heathen gods as Baal Moloch or Ashtoreth do among these what should Christians study Romances Playes Interludes Fashions vain histories who have Bibles to look into and the mysteries of salvation to study and the duties of Religion to learn and practise hear the Apostles advice Phil. 4. 8. and receive it as an Antidote against all vain imaginations whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue and if there be any praise think on these things all things that are true and
judicious may take cognizance of it which is that righteous men must not think only how they may profit themselves he that thinks in his thoughts to please himself only will not truly endeavour in his course to profit all men in this case 't is good advice Phil. 2. 4. look not every one of his own things but every one on the things of others so the Apostle more purposely 1 Cor. 10. 33. I please all men in all things not seeking mine own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved Again let others be admonished that they do not think their endeavours and studies to be unprofitable unlesse they be singular and above others of their own rank Surely if we would labour to know with sobriety we should be more profitable to others and lesse troublesome unto our selves an affectation of singularity is but the pride of a mans heart and such usually to get applause for something of rare invention neglect the more profitable employment of their thoughts about their calling And now we will proceed and prescribe a remedy to the fourth vanity of thoughts which appears in their confusion and disorder The remedy must be to suit and order our thoughts according to our businesse with respect to time and place and persons the imagination is infinitely fruitful and to order all her conceptions conservations compositions seperations creations of new species productions of them into thoughts and propositions of them to the mind and will would be a labour too busie for me to meddle with in this case I must leave the work to every judicious Christian to consult with the rule of Gods word according to the emergencies of his thoughts yet I humbly conceive that this remedy prescribed against the confusion of thoughts may be of much use and benefit Consider then what is the businesse thou art about humane or divine and let thy thoughts be composed to attend upon it divine thoughts suit with divine works and humane thoughts with humane businesse while all things are done to the glory of God to this purpose referre that of Salomon Eccles 9. 10. whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might Consider the time whether holy by divine appointment by publick or private destination or permitted to common labours of thy calling Let not Sabbaths and dayes of humiliation be prophaned with common thoughts holy thoughts are for holy Sabboths thoughts of mourning are for dayes of fasting and prayer thoughts of rejoycing in the Lord for dayes of feasting and thanksgiving and thoughts of thy calling for dayes of work and trading So for holy places and assemblies holy thoughts are suitable and in all things which thou hast to do consider thy own calling and chiefly mind thine own businesse 2 Thes 3. 11. a busie body in other mens matters is of no good report in the Scriptures the thoughts of such persons are as confused and disorderly as the businesse of their lives attend what thou dost and what is meet for thee to do in time and place and I am perswaded thy thoughts will be lesse confused and more orderly CHAP. IX THus I have spoken of Remedies for the two first errours of thoughts to wit the dowsinesse and vanity of them in regard of object in regard of unstayednesse in regard of unprofitablenesse and in regard of confusion I shall now also say something for remedy against the wickednesse of thoughts which happens when our thoughts draw in our affection and will to desire and like of wickednesse and our minds to devise to bring it to passe I will not here give the remedies to these two errours severally but together and at once Expect not a remedy for every kind of wicked thoughts apart as erroneous heretical covetous ambitious revengeful proud c. for the objects of the affections are almost infinite and the evil imaginations of the mind working toward the accomplishment of wickednesse are so various who can know them Yet something I shall say to these for it will be expected by the Reader and I am bound to it by promise in this undertaking Here again I must leave much for the judicious to do of themselves in their own occurrencies of thoughts Yet thus for a help unto them that are weak Have thy thoughts drawn in thy likeing of that which is sinful and is thy mind plotting to accomplish it First give stop to these wicked affections and devisings at their first beginnings Sero medicina paratur Long and confirmed diseases are stubborne to yield unto medicine an infant-thought may take a check but if it grow man by continuance all the wit and strength thou hast will hardly bow him back The phansie will take fire at a temptation before we be aware like tinder which kindles at the least spark falling into it and 't is a mover as quick and spreading as fire The lightning is not quicker than thought we had need therefore to be speedy in giving stop to our wicked thoughts Job knew this and therefore made covenant with his eyes not to think upon a maid Job 31. 1. What the eye seeth or the eare heareth the heart may desire but unknown undesired If it be possible keep wickednesse from the eye and eare these are the two principal gates by which sin enters into our hearts if the watch were kept more strictly at these gates we should not so often find our enemy within us If David had looked better to his eyes adultery had not gotten into his thought nor could the whorish woman have come into the young mans heart had he kept her out of his eares it was with much fair speeches that she caused him to yield Prov. 7. 21 The eye and the eare are the out-works of the soul he that would keep out evil thoughts must barricadoe these gates Let evil thoughts receive a check at their first offer to enter for he that gives way to his imaginations shews that he would give way to wicked actions if they were as free from shame and punishment And a man may know much of his gratious state by his own using of his thoughts he that forbears evil out of a conscience of sin will forbear also to imagin evil in his heart but men of corrupt minds are not men of renewed spirits 2. If thou canst not stop them in their beginnings then thy care must be to divert them to some more profitable or pious object When the water hath gotten in upon us we make draines and water-courses to carry it some other way and so likewise must we do with our evil thoughts if they have broken in upon us we must turn them aside to some other matter As suppose coveteous or envious or proud thoughts be got into thy mind thou mayest divert them to liberal merciful humble thoughts Joh. 4. 12. The woman of Samaria was a great admirer of Jacobs Well ver 20. and the mountain of Samaria the one for water and
the other for the worship of God Christ diverts her opinion of Jacobs Well by telling her of a Well of water springing up unto everlasting life ver 14. and her opinion of Gods worship in Samaria by resolving her that salvation is of the Jews and diverting her to think of a worshiping of God in spirit and in truth ver 22 23. If I should prescribe one object in the multitude of your evill thoughts to turn them unto it should be God who is infinitely long and broad and wide beyond the extent of the souls desires or thoughts Kingdoms cannot satisfie ambition Gold as the dust of the street cannot satisfie covetousnesse pleasures to satiety and loathing content not the flesh and the mind is as unsatisfied with thinking and knowing onely God is of that infinitenesse and of that excellency that all thoughts and desires are terminated in him and all thoughts and desires that turn themselves unto God are bettered by looking upon him 3. If evil thoughts still presse in upon thee if they will not be stop'd nor diverted break them off with some violence if they be unreasonable and justle out better thoughts lay hands upon them 1 Cor. 9. 27. if the body grow unruly it must be kept under and brought into subjection Some thoughts are so wicked that they will not be cast out like those Devils without fasting and prayer If any thought within thee shall crosse Religion or reason resolve to crosse it There are some cursed imaginations which are the mother-roots of a multitude of sins as those which move Questions seriously of Gods Essence Personality Mercy Justice Power Providence and whether the Scriptures be the word of God whether the souls of men be immortal whether there be a Heaven or a Hell such thoughts as these should not be disputed withal muchlesse allowed but expelled or kill'd if but such thoughts as these be suffered and allowed within they will make a soul as desolate of grace as a City is without an inhabitant he that hath no rule over his own spirit certainly 't is true in this case is like a City that is broken down and without walls Prov. 25. 28. I shall never marvel that he is a wicked man whom I know to allow himself or others in such thoughts as these but I shal think grace is ruined in that man that disputes these things determines them against the Scripture 4. If wicked thoughts will not begone yet thou hast this remedy left call in help against them pray them away pray God in to thy help against them pray for a change of thine own nature of thine own thoughts Was not this the thing which David prayed for Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me Psal 51. 10. 'T is plain it was Let us lift up our hearts in prayer against all our sinnes in thoughts but especially against them that are wicked ones heavy thoughts and vain thoughts are errours and not excuseable from sin but wicked thoughts are of a worser generation we must purge our selves from these with greater diligence I know foolishnesse is bound up in the heart of a child an evil heart cannot but think evil Prov. 22. 15. What can I look for from an Adder but her poison and her sting yet we may pray out foolishness out of our hearts And I believe Paul often used this help against the evils of his own heart for he saith When I was a child I spake as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things 1 Cor. 13. 21. It may be thou art a child in thy speaking in thy understanding in thy thinking pray that thou mayest become a man and be able to put away childish things Thus much of the evil of thoughts and how we may by Gods assistance remedy the same I beseech you Brethren apply these remedies to the severall errours of your thoughts and they will doe you much good Object not an impossibility for any to remedy the infirmities and sinfulnesses of thoughts what nature cannot do grace may and what man cannot do God can Every Christian who hath the spirit of God is enabled by that spirit within him to do all things Evangelically or with a Gospel allowance whereunto he is called of God If God would have the thoughts of a righteous man to be just God hath not made it an impossible work what nature within thee is averse to do and what grace within thee cannot do that the spirit within thee can do and the Righteousnesse of Christ without thee hath done wherefore despair not of the work but go about it CHAP. X. ANd now Beloved I am come to speak of good thoughts with the means how to get them and the manner of their government In the handling of this so needful a duty and so fruitful a subject I must premise some introductory particulars to shew the possibility and necessity of this work it is necessary or else God would not have commanded it it is possible or else God would not have promised assistance to performance 1. Hear how God commands this duty O Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse that thou mayest be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee Jer. 4. 14. What is that great Commandment in the Law is it not to love the Lord thy God But how Mat. 22. 37. is it not with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and with all thy strength Unlesse the mind and heart be in our love and obedience there will be no strength in them nor acceptance with God of them 2. God hath promised mercy unto all who willingly endeavour to turn away from all their evil thoughts and turn unto him with all their hearts God requires a heart washed from iniquity that the soul may be saved as ye read but now and God promiseth not onely to be abundant in mercy to pardon what is past but also to perfect the work begun Isa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon I may adde that it is a part of our regeneration to be renewed in our thoughts the Apostle urgeth it Be ye renewed in the spirit of your minds Eph. 4. 23. And further that Gospel-light requires Gospel-thoughts it was prophesied of these dayes At that time they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord and all the Nations shall be gathered unto it to the name of the Lord to Jerusalem neither shall they walk any more in the imagination of their evil heart Jer. 3. 17. When God makes the Church his Throne and the Nations gather into it to worship the Lord then shall they leave off their wicked thoughts and walk no more after them We live in these
thou wilt Consider that gratious work of Regeneration whereby the Spirit of God which breaths where it listeth takes up a poor creature already dead in sins and trespasses and breaths into him the breath of Life sets him on his feet and teacheth him to go and holds him by his arm that he should henceforth fall no more for ever I do but shew you some things of worth and usefulnesse to think upon not to consine a larger soul to these subjects onely I know every particular work of God carries wonder in it yet if thy soul do but climb like promonts to these mentioned thy understanding will have so much in view that thy thoughts need never be idle nor ill employed but find a matter to raise a good thought upon and to multiply invention Even every visible and objective thing is a book laid open before thy eye wherein thou mayest reade something of Gods worth and thy own duty Reader take these courses for the getting conserving and encreasing good thoughts in thy mind It may be some of these directions may seem uselesse unto thee yet thou hast my offer of love to thy soul and they may be unto thee though unseen at the first like Minerals under ground which lead to and fro with a thousand veins enriching the Miner CHAP. XI I Forbear further rules for getting good thoughts and shal now speak of the rules more particularly whereby we must govern good thoughts once gotten If it be expected by any that I should have been most large or onely upon this point for the right governing of a just mans thoughts Let it also be considered that all that hath been hitherto written hath been but directions to the same purpose He that would govern his thoughts aright must know not onely how to rule them being gotten but how to remove hindrances of them which I have done by discovery of the evils of thoughts and the remedies thereof general and particular He must also know how to get good thoughts which I have done by directing means for that purpose and therefore when I have also given you rules for the governing of your good thoughts being gotten I shal think I have discharged my duty in this undertaking according to the measure of the gift of God bestowed upon me for the edifying of his Church And that I may stir up your pure minds to this great Work of governing your good thoughts being gotten Consider 1. It s honourable and praise-worthy for a man to govern his own thoughts well It was Salomons praise that when God bid him ask and have that leaving out riches and long life and honour out of his petition as things lesse desireable he did earnestly desire Lord give thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people 1 Kin. 3. 9 It is no lesse praiseable in a Christian being made a king over a state as disordered as people as mutinous viz. his thoughts and having the same promise which Salomon had to ask and receive and particulary to ask wisdom of God who gives it Jam. 8. if he beg of God that wisdom which is from above whereby his heart may be guided to settle his disordered if not rebellious thoughts in peace and security Certainly 't is a work of great wisdom to govern our thoughts aright and if they be accounted wise who helped by power and cunning can rule a multitude well they are also to be reputed wise who can rule their own thoughts which are a great people for number and as apt to mutiny as men are surely such who rule well within are to be accounted worthy of double honour as they that rule well without Further when we consider the difficulty of governing thoughts well we must needs think them worthy praise who can do it some are born Kings and many have made themselves Kings over Countries and Nations of people which yet could never conquer their own thoughts but continued slaves to their own wills a man may conquer others by strength of arms and policy but a man can never conquer his own thoughts truly untill nature be helped by sanctifying graces in as much therefore as grace superadded to nature makes it in every thing more illustrious by so much is the Christian rightly ruling his own thoughts more honourable then other men But notwithstanding what can be said for the praise of them that govern their thoughts aright yet there are many in the world and they men of no mean parts who admire and by their endeavours advance the government of Houses Churches and Kingdomes who yet decry the ordering of the heart the government of the thoughts as needlesse or impossible But needlesse it is not as ye may perceive by our prefixed discourse concerning the needfulnesse of the government of thoughts and this that followes The inward government of the soul is the president for all external governments among men and the Heathen knew this who called man a little world if Moses had not seen the form of the Tabernacle in the mount he could never have made it to Gods mind if men do not frame a form of government in their own minds they will hardly be able to form a government acceptable to men as he that will govern the Church must first learn to govern his own house so must he begin to rule well in that private little place of his own heart that minds to govern others the best men are the best Kings and the most conquering their own hearts are the greatest Worthies Again he that governs his thoughts well God will subdue all his enemies under him all the rebellions of his own flesh shall yield to him all the strivings of the world against him cannot prevail he rides on conquering all things and not to be conquered but he that is of a loose and disordered carriage towards his own soul shall find his thoughts and actions as loose to him as his care is over them Impossible it is not for a Righteous man to govern his thoughts aright though I must confesse that to nature unreformed it is impossible as also that where nature is renewed the highest perfection of this gift is not attainable before the enjoyment of glory Yet notwithstanding the meaner degrees may and ought to be expected from God and are attained unto by every good Christian in this life for God hath promised to give unto his servants a new heart and that his grace shall be sufficient for them Jer. 31. Wherefore seeing nothing is impossible to whom God hath promised possibility let not us be discouraged from prescribing let not others be discouraged from receiving rules for government of our thoughts being a work both possible and necessary Rule 1. It will be the wisdom of every Righteous man to lift up the head of some just thought into place of Eminency and Command in his mind whereunto all the rest must be subject which must have both coercive and coactive power like
that Centurion in the Gospel and say to one thought go and to another come parity if but in thought is next to mutiny orderly government amongst equals is a soloecisme in Politicks But where may we find such a Saint among the people such a thought among the cogitations as may overtop all the rest what if thou shalt set up the thought of Gods fear upon the throne of thy heart holding up the Scepter of Gods word and taking up the Regency of thy whole man as of the multitude of thy thoughts I conceive the fear of God taking it in the Scripture sense pro toto Dei cultu for the whole worship of God is most meet to be a Master a Prince over all our thoughts for what but religion should be the main scope of a Christians whole life and what rather then this should command all the company of our thoughts into order amongst themselves and into the obedience of Christ What is it which the Psalmist chiefly promiseth to teach his children but the fear of the Lord Come ye children hearken unto me and I will teach you the fear of the Lord psal 34. 11 many would be accounted wise and prudent but none are truly wise but they that set up the fear of God in their hearts Even a scorner seeketh wisdom but findes it not Prov. 14. 6. alas wisdom lyes not in the scorners way nor amongst their great men and wise men of the world whose wisdom is but foolishnesse with God 1 Cor. 3. 19. Where lyes it then but amongst them that are religious The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome Prov. 9. 10. Doubtlesse they have a good understanding that do thereafter the praise of it endureth for ever And set this further upon your hearts consider that they which despise that wisdome which the fear of the Lord teacheth are but fools for their labour The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom but fools despise wisdom and instruction Prov. 1. 7. my advice is therefore that ye set this fear of the Lord as Regent over your thoughts If ye please to look amongst the men of this world ye shall see a Master thought higher then the rest in every unregenerate man at whose beck all the rest as underlings bow and give obedience not unsitly compared to the Master Bee in the Hive whose rising or settling carries with it the whole swarm Thus the thought of covetousnesse in Judas of fame in Magus of idolatry in Jezabel of adultery in Herod of honour in Nebuchadnezzar of revenge in Cain of nigardize in Nabal of self-preservation in the unjust steward were as the Pole-starre about which all the rest of their thoughts moved respectively In the thoughts of a wicked man the thoughts of some sin takes the throne in whose government he delights this thought drives out all good ones that stand in his way and oppose him and if any be received in 't is but with reservation of power to remove them again at pleasure And even evill thoughts themselves which are not of the same kind with the principal are so farre countenanced as serviceable to the Regents purpose so the thought of ambition brings in all other thoughts of revenge Covetousnesse Pride Envie c. to be her servants so that a man may say such Master such Servants such Mistresse such Maids and when they cease to be serviceable to their Masters main design he casts them off and takes in others If wicked men be thus wise in their generations let the children of light learn to be more wise then they and let them also enthrone the thought of Gods fear and delight in her government and then evil thoughts will vanish as the mists before the morning Sun this will take in all thoughts of such vertues and words and works as may be serviceable to the worship of God and make even those inferiour thoughts about things indifferent and the lawful businesses of our calling subservient and profitable to her main design of honouring God and when they cease to be so serviceable the fear of God enthroned among the thoughts will cast them off The second rule Let all thy thoughts be ordered according to Gods word for if the fear of God be Regent the word of God is her known Law by which she governs The testimonies of the Lord as they were the delight so they were the Counsellers of the holy Prophet Thy Testimonies are my delight and my Counsellers Psal 1 19. 24. they must be Counsellers to every soul that lives under the fear of God Religion hath no Law above Scripture nor equal with it and that man cannot have set up the fear of God in his heart who undersets the Scripture or speaks against it or behaves himself frowardly towards the rule thereof That man cannot have a good thought in his heart who hath an evil heart to the Scripture But as when Moses took the rod into his hand the waters stood on heaps and divided themselves above and beneath So when the heart which fears God takes into consideration the word of God the thoughts that come from above and the thoughts which come from below divide themselves and start asunder in which sense the word is called a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. Wherefore that evil thoughts may divide from thee and good thoughts may stay with thee let all thy thoughts come before the word of God Religion wil allow no thoughts under her government but such as wil be ruled by her Laws And this rule I have given the more willingly lest any thoughts arising out of zeal and affection to Religion and not according to the word of God should usurpe amongst you the name of Good thoughts In this kind I observe Gods children commit great errours packing many unwarrantable and unseasonable actions upon seeming good affections to the fear of God I love those persons whose good meanings and good affections make them zealous of Religion but I love and honour that soul more whose affections are zealous yet wil not allow that for Religion which is not according to Gods Word if any other opinion get the stampe of men upon it for religious it s more than I know that it hath Gods Image and Superscription upon it 3. That thou mayest govern thy thoughts aright Consider thine own standing and qualification in the Church of God for every several standing and state require several thoughts The Apostle marshals Christians into three ranks 1 John 2. 13. Children young Men and old Men. Like thoughts become not every age no more than like apparel doth Josephs party-coloured Coat became him while he was his father Jacobs wanton but when he was Pharaohs Counsellour he must put on his graver habits While the Apostle was a child he spake as a child he understood as a child he thought as a child but when he became a man be put away childish things It
dead and gone Surely whether they were of high or low degree they were but vanity and now they are dead there is an end of their vanity rather then of themselves their vanity is gone but their excellency remaineth with them there is but one and that is the last piece of their vanity which remaineth which is the captivity of their bodies under the grave and the turning of it into rottennesse but yet they are insensible of it and feel no pain and being for ever blessed in the presence and fruition of God himselfe they do live in the certain and assured expectation of the re-union of their bodies with their soules and therefore I say with the blessed Apostle in the very same case 1 Thes 4. 18. Comfort your selves one another with these words and so for a time I will lay aside my Text and betake my self to the present occasion of which that very spectacle doth mind us And now give me leave for a conclusion of my Text a little to invert the words and what the Psalmist speaks of every Adam by way of contraries to apply to every true Christian and that is this Every true Christan even in his worst estate is altogether excellent this is the difference of our being in the first and second Adam In the one altogether vanity in the other altogether excellent excellent in their life excellent in their death Rom. 14. 8. for if they live they live unto the Lord and if they dye they dye unto the Lord whether then they live or dye they are the Lords take them in their worst estates even in afflictions and there they rejoyce under the hope of the glory of God and their affliction which is but for a moment worketh a far super-excellent and an eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 9. afflicted on every side but not forsaken cast down but they perish not come what can come come what may yet are they in all things more then conquerors and every thing turneth to their good Rom. 8. 23. And as it followeth in the same place neither life nor death nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord and therefore as Salomon in his Ecclesiastes after his large discourse of vanity for a conclusion of all Ecclesiastes 12. 13. brings in the remedy and the counterpoyse of vanity even so say I with him let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man Assure your selves there is nothing that eates up vanity but grace onely and so much the more grace ever so much the lesse vanity All things under the Sun are vanity but onely grace and therefore let all our prayers and endeavours be set on this to have Grace to serve God in this world that we may have glory the reward of our service in the world to come Now to God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost be rendred all Honour and Glory both now and evermore AMEN A PREPARATION For the COMMUNION 1 Cor. 11. 28. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. THe things whereof we are to examine our selves may be referred to two heads our Sins and our Graces The necessity of the examination of our sins appears in this That sins unexamined are unespied being unespied they will be unrepented being unrepented we shall bring them with us to the Sacrament and being brought along with us to the Sacrament or the Lords Table they will be a Bar to the confirmation of Gods Covenant with us whereof the Bread and Wine is a Seal and also to our reaping the comfort sweetnesse and benefits of that Ordinance for where there is no searching and trying of our waies there can be no turning unto the Lord Lam. 3. 40. Now there are four principal helps to further us in the examination of our sins 1. A distribution of our lives into certain portions according to our ages of childhood youth manhood old age and it will be useful for us severally to remember So much of my time I spent in my fathers family under the government of my parents so much time abroad under the care and tuition of others and these and these sins committed during that same time such a quantity of time spent in the service of others and such a portion being a free man at my own liberty so many years passed over in a single estate so many in Matrimonie or Wedlock This distribution of our lives into certain portions will help us to a discovery of our particular sins and the aggravation of them from our nativitie to the present moment wherein we begin to examine our selves Whereas without this our apprehensions and view of them will be but confused onely in grosse and in general But when we have thus quartered our lives and considered those special sins that have been committed by us in those several divisions the main sins of our lives will appear in a kind of order before us Yet we are still to remember that besides those greater and more eminent sins of our lives which appear there will be many unknown sins many omissions of good duties many slender performances of our best duties discharged which will escape our search The second help will be to set before us the glasse of Gods Law sum'd up in the ten Commandments for by the Law is the knowledge of sin Rom. 3. 20. in which glasse we must consider the latitude and extent of every commandment how far it reacheth in the several prohibitions of evil and precepts of good for Gods Commandments are exceeding broad Psal 119. 96. if thus we shall do with heedfulnesse then we shall see our faces in the glasse of Gods Law to the full and our own spots and wrinkles and we shall find those things upon our review to be sins which in acting of them it may be we deemed to be none and understand what Paul meant Rom. 7. 7. I had not known sin but by the Law for I had not known lust except it had been said thou shalt not covet The third help is a consideration of the heightning circumstances of sin the aggravating conditions whereby our sins may appear unto us as too often they are exceeding sinful for we ought to examine the heinousnesse of our impieties as well as the multitude This will cause our humiliation to be deeper our sorrow to be heartier and engage us more feelingly to be thankful unto God for his great love in pardoning of them through Christ See this praâ—tise by Peter upon his denial Mark 14. 72. Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him before the Cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice The aggravating circumstances of his sin helped on to draw out his tears with
Offices as King Priest and Prophet of his Life Death and Resurrection c. Secondly We are to know our selves first as originally created in Adam invested with Gods image Eccles 7. 31. God made man righteous Secondly as by sin and disobedience we are by nature children of wrath and that the frame and thoughts of our hearts are onely evil and that continually Gen. 6. 5. Thirdly as by grace and regeneration we are renewed in holiness and righteousnesse after the image of him that created us Eph. 4. 24. Thirdly We must know the Covenant of grace and how it is distinguished from the Covenant of works by this God requires perfect obedience Cursed is he that continueth not in all things that are written in the Law to do them Gal. 3. 10. But by the Covenant of grace The just shall live by faith Gal. 3. 11. in this Covenant of Grace God promiseth life if we obey as in the other Covenant but withal he gives faith and obedience that we may live he promiseth to put his fear in our hearts and that he will not depart from us and that we shall not depart from him Jerem 32. 40. and ch 31. 33. Fourthly we are to know the nature of a Sacrament That it is a visible sign of invisible graces represented thereby That it is a seal of the Covenant betwixt God and us Rom. 4. 11. for t is there called a seal of the Righteousnesse of faith so was Circumcision so is Baptisme and the Lords Supper Again we must understand the Analogie and proportion betwixt the outward sign and the inward graces signified That the Bread signifieth the Body and Blood of Christ and being set apart for holy use they also signifie the designment of Christ by God the Father unto the Office of Mediatour John 6. 26. for him hath the Father sealed the Bread broken and the Wine poured out the actual crucifying of Christ The tradition of it by the Minister unto us signifieth both the delivery of Christ to death by the Father and the reaching of him out unto us in that Ordinance and that by Bread and Wine whole Christ is represented with all his graces and benefits It is our duty further to understand the ends of the Celebration of the Sacrament both principal that it must be done in remembrance of him for the shewing forth of his death until he come Luke 22. 19. 1 Cor. 1. 23. Lesse principal that we may have sealed unto us all the benefits of his death as ours Rom. 4. 11. Whosoever is a stranger unto these things cannot be a good Communicant he is not able to discern the Lords body 1 Cor. 11. 29. Nor is his heart right without this knowledge there will be some evil unespied and lurking in the heart And when we have examined our knowledge for substance we must secondly examine the sincerity of it it is not sufficient that we know unlesse our knowledge be sanctified which must be tryed by these grounds First A sanctified knowledge humbleth the Owner it makes our spots and blemishes perspicuous to our selves the more we know the more we discern our selves to be ignorant This is clear in Paul there was not a man more rarely accomplisht with all kinde of knowledge than he there lived not upon the face of the earth a more humble soul he was in his own judgement the least of all Saints Ephe. 3. 8. the greatest of sinners 1 Tim. 1. 16 The Scribes and Pharisees on the other side knew much and were great Scholars but their knowledge was not sincere because it puffed them up 1 Cor. 8. 1. they scorned to learn any thing of others John 9. 34. Thou art said they altogether born in sin and dost thou teach us Again they slighted others that were ignorant and therefore they say This people that know not the Law are accursed It seems they were highly conceited of their own knowledge Secondly Where knowledge is sincere the mind is impartial to all truths such a person doth not hood-wink himself and will not see some truths as Peter speakes of some that were willingly ignorant of some truth 2 Pet. 3. 6. they would not see some things to be sin because they resolved to continue in them This is a deteining the truth in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1. 18. whereas a man of a sanctified knowledg is like Cornelius Act. 10. 33. ready to hear all things commanded of God though they cross his opinions or affections interrupt his pleasures or draw some inconveniency upon him Thirdly A holy and sincere knowledge may be known by the end propounded practise is the end of sincere knowledge Psal 9. 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee Some desire to know and onely to know and that is vanity some desire to know that they may be known to know and that is curiosity some desire knowledge to make a gain of it that 's mercenary coveteousnesse But some desire knowledge that it may be a guide to their affections a directive of their actions and that they may communicate their light to others and this is true Christianity The second Grace to be examined is our faith Faith is a resting on Gods Promises and Christs merits for salvation In a justifying faith there are four acts included The first is knowledge of the word which Christ would have his give credit unto as this Whosoever believeth on Christ shall be saved 2 An assent of the mind unto the truth which God speaks Of these somewhat hath been spoken before The 3d. act of faith whereon consists our justification is a resting of the heart upon Gods word especially his promises of salvation by Jesus Christ a clasping about them with our affections resolveing to cast all our hopes upon them And hence it is that the Scripture describes faith under such termes as imply a rolling our selves in Christ hence a soul goes out of it self and puts on the Lord Jesus Christ and desires to be found in him Philip. 3. He is willing to be naked as to the righteousnesse of the Law and to be found in the righteousnesse of Christ This is hard work for natural men for such think that for their good intentions and good meaning and their unblameable civility they shall go to Heaven though in words they professe they look to be saved only by Christ Moreover he that rests upon Christ fot justification and salvation will rest upon Christ for direction for he believes Christ is wisdom unto him and he will rest upon him for sanctification also for he believes Christ hath purchased holinesse for him and will give it him because Christ is made unto us of God both wisdom to teach us and righteousnesse to justifie us and sanctification to hallow us and redemption to save us 2 Cor. 1. 20. Finally faith rests upon Christ in all estates in adversity as well as in prosperity When we cannot discern God a loving Father by things that are seen