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
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
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
The Right GOVERNMENT OF THOUGHTS OR A Discovery of all vain unprofitable idle and wicked THOUGHTS With Directions for the Getting Keeping and Governing of good THOVGHTS Digested into Chapters for the ease of the READER Whereunto are added four Sermons By the Reverend JOHN ANGEL sometimes Lecturer at Leicester Prov. 4. 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life London Printed for Nath. Ekins and are to be sold at his Shop at the Sign of the Gun in S. Pauls Church-yard 1659. CHRISTIAN READER THe Almighty wise God hath in divers and sundry manners spoken unto men that they might know him and his Sonne Jesus Christ and knowing might believe in him and worship him according to his will to the saving of their soules To this purpose we have the Scriptures which are Gods written Rule of Faith and Life unto us the ministery of men not of men but by men as a standing Ordinance in the Church untill Christ come and the writings of godly and industrious men as adjutory helps But men have sought out strange inventions and that naturall imagination bordering betwixt sense and reason which is in all men works out it self in various wayes of opposition to revealed truth This discourse aymes to give a stop to our walking contrary unto God in our first settings out to Sin which on this side naturall corruption begin at our thoughts I have sometimes wondred to see how busie Satan is in his instruments whose Fancies comply with his suggestions to subvert the truth once delivered to the Saints But I check my self again when I consider that he is Satan an adversary to God and Christ and the salvation of men and that mens imaginations are fruitful wombes impregnated by Satan and numerous in their births as the Serpents in their spawne Amongst other his wiles I would immind every good Christian that in nothing to my apprehension the enemy and his party have prevailed more against the truth and with the fancies of men in our late times then by disputing the many doctrines of the Gospel in Pulpit in presse in open and private Assemblies and that in an irregular way betwixt weak defendants and wrangling Sophisters it may be Jesuites or men of Jesuited principles for in an orderly way by them that know how to distinguish and before them that are wise I am no opposer of disputations that the truth may be manifested and not subverted But otherwise these are the Civill warres raised in the Church and fomented by the seditious to divide the Kingdom of Christ against it self and bring it to nothing By this way of contention especially before them that are weak we have seen heaps upon heaps It 's time to grow wise for the cause of Christ and for our selves lest we suffer these stumbling stones to lye so long in the way of weak Christians that at last they be bedded as in their proper place and will not be removed with all our might Ye have sometimes seen a stone cast into a poole move a little Circle at the fall which after multiplies and widens it self to the bank side We sometimes find the original of errour to be very small like a very Center which inlargeth it self to a circumference such as imagination will make it and such strange thoughts are lodged in mens minds by these means that they are haunted ever after with them as some houses are said to be with spirits of the night Sober men wish that some provisions were made for the safety of soules against these spirits its possible if they that are in power would be carefull in such a work their own lives might be bound up in such a provision But Gentle Reader Thou shalt not need to fear any such questions of doubtful disputation in this short Treatise here is nothing but sober and uncontroverted truths such as may administer Grace unto thee by the blessing of God upon thy reading Thou shalt have nothing here leading to a strange God or another worship but that which may be profitable to all Christians though of divided interests whose minds are not blocked up with prejudice against the sober writings of men This tract teacheth the government of thy own thoughts aright a government of principal concernment to all men for hence arise as from their spring-head both words and works of men and the whole frame of Christian Conversation if therefore this fountain be clean the issues will be more pure and if any can so purge himself of all filthinesse of flesh and spirit that his very thoughts are just it must be granted that such an one hath a Virgin-soule and is perfect pro statu viatoris as a travailer to heaven though not as one actually possessed in heaven And for this end I commend this book to thy reading and meditating thoughts Besides it is an argument rarely handled in print for ought I know some indeed have brief and accidental notions upon it but purposed tracts of this subject are few in our English Tongue and therefore let it be thought the rather useful to the Church of God and a subject more fit for that accomplished servant of Jesus Christ to appeare by in the world again now he is absent from the body and present with the Lord. The Authour of this small Tract was Mr. John Angel who had been twenty years together Lecturer at Leicester and approved by all that knew him to be a man mighty in word and doctrine though at last clouded by some malevolent aspects upon him occasioned as it is said not for vice or heresie but non-engagement yet Governments as men have their mortalities and God who knew to use his servant in several places stirred up the hearts of a religious people at Grantham in Lincolnshire to set him up a Candlestick there where he shone as a burning light untill God translated him to shine above as a star for ever and ever Here moreover are no high swelling words to amuse the Reader but a grave and a plain stile suited to all but especially to them that are of lower forms in the School of Christ for the government of their thoughts I commend it therefore to thy reading for the Authours sake and for thy safety in the reading of it as also for the rarity of the subject the general concernment that it is of and for the plainnesse of the matter and method thereof And I leave thee to the Grace of God the Father and of our Lord Jesus Christ By him who is a Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ and of all that love him in sincerity T. B. THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. Containing the Preface Division Interpretation and scope of the Proverb fol. 1. CHAP. II. The Argument or matter subject of the whole that a man ought to have good thoughts and to be the Master and Governour of them 8. CHAP. III. The needfulnesse of good thoughts Eight Reasons 13. CHAP. IV. Of the Errours of
thoughts which are Dulnesse Levity Wickednesse whereof Dulnesse and Levity 26. CHAP. V. Of the wickednesse of Thoughts drawing in the will to complacency in wickednesse and the understanding to devise mischief 43. CHAP. VI. General remedies of evill Thoughts 50. CHAP. VII Particular remedies against evil thoughts and against dulnesse 70. CHAP. VIII Remedies against Levity or vanity of Thoughts 76. CHAP. IX Remedies against wickedness of thoughts 89. CHAP. X. Get good thoughts and keep them Reasons Rules to get good thoughts 98. CHAP. XI Govern good thoughts gotten Reasons Rules ten for the right government of good thoughts 122. The right GOVERNMENT Of THOUGHTS CHAP. I. The thoughts of the Righteous are just Prov. c. 12. v. 5. THis Son of Wisdom who carried away the Birth-right and blessing from all the sons of Adam who are now or have been before him took as sufficient notice of the orders rankes and dispositions of men as he did of the natures qualities and operations of Herbs Plants and Trees and accordingly fitted to every particular both men and things suitable Proverbs describing what they were or declaring what they should be wherein he useth a kind of unimitable brevity for memory and a frequent opposition for perspicuity So here the thoughts of the righteous are just but the counsels of the ungodly are deceit Now this wise Discourser upon Gods secrets revealed and of natures under God directs his Proverbs unto men either marshalled into ranks in general as good or evil or branched into divers particulars as the diligent and the sluggard the humble and proud c. And according to this direction of the matter-subject unto persons the Proverbs are either general or particular This Proverb in regard of persons to whom it is directed seems to be a general spoken to good men under the name of Righteous For I observe that Salomon speaks to the better sort of men under the names of good men righteous men wise just as he doth to the worser sort of men in opposition the evil man the wicked man the unrighteous the fool Three things in the text offer themselves to be unfolded 1. Who is Salomons Righteous man 2. What be his thoughts 3. How they are said to be just First if ye ask who is Salomons Righteous man I answer as before he that is a good man a just man a wise man But further when in Scripture a man hath the denomination of a Righteous one it is either from the justice of Christ imputed which is absolute in perfection though relative in apprehension or from that inward and inherent renovation of soul and body whereby God makes a man righteous in himself habitually and in his course of life suitable in kind though not in measure unto that primary justice which was in Adam Or thirdly a man is called righteous in appearance because he is apprehended by himself in his own thoughts or judged by others to be righteous by his words and deeds This Proverb though it exclude not the just man by imputation yet it especially points out him that is just by renovation and in appearance who is not onely really accounted such in the righteousnesse of Christ but also made such by the spirit of Christ and known by himself to be such by his habituated thoughts and appearing to the world to be such by his words and deeds This is Salomons righteous man a man righteous in Gods acceptation a man made righteous by renovation a man righteous in his own perswasion and in the worlds reputatation The second thing to be unfolded is What the thoughts of the Righteous be I answer God the first producer of all things who made the mind of man useth it also to bring forth all reasonable and humane actions as a free agent under himself and to this end hath ordained in it a power to frame thoughts and to dispose them towards action that by these the soul might move it self continually toward the chief good and by them may communicate her self with earthly things natural and humane The mind inclined and moved by God the first cause hath motions within it self called thoughts and of these there are two sorts whereof the first receive their determination within the soul and in the same have their perfection being therein produced and reflecting upon the mind put themselves forth no further The other sort are the immediate forerunners of actions whether it be that the soul lift up it self to communion with God in divine contemplation that she may utter her self in prayer or praises or communicate her self with the creature in lower resolutions and actions These private stirrings of the soul within doors are the thoughts of men and when they are just they are the thoughts of the Righteous These thoughts of men are various and infinite according to their variety of objects about which they are conversant But when their first mover is God and Gods glory their end propounded and a wise man the disposer of them they are just thoughts And thus we are led to the third particular which is How the thoughts of the righteous are said to be just Ans Things are said to be right or just many wayes First that is right which hath rectitude from it self and is the cause of rectitude in every other thing and so God onely is righteous Secondly things are said to be right which have rectitude from another yet there is in them such an equity conferred that they are made infallible rules for men to square all their actions by them and thus the Law and the whole revealed will of God is righteous Thirdly things are said to be righteous which are ordered and done according to this rule whether perfectly as the righteousnesse of Christ God-man which answered fully to the rule of Gods will revealed both for kind and degree or proportionably and acceptably whereby something is done according to rule though not fully and without aberration yet well in comparison of what wicked men do and holding some proportion to the rule and finding acceptation with God who supplies the wantâ— of such righteous men from the fulnesse of Christ In this sense the thoughts of the righteous are just viz. comparatively with the thoughts of wicked men though not fully according to the rule yet holding some proportion with it and having acceptability with God Thus having unfolded the words observe that the scope or special intention in this Proverb is to deliver to the world the true ground of all pious and honourable and just actions which is next and immediately under God the thoughts of the righteous CHAP. II. THe thoughts of the Righteous are just Ye have heard the Proverb expounded and it appeares to be a Doctrine of it self affording a stable and sufficient ground unto a holy course of life in word and deed The Argument and matter-subject of this Treatise is this To shew that he which is a righteous man in Gods acceptation by the
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
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.
mind off from evil objects wicked persons places of iniquity things that are sinfull in themselves or occasionally for though wicked men make no matter to offer themselves to these temptations as nakedly as mad-men run into the tents of their enemies yet the children of God who have observed what foyles other men or themselves have formerly received by such fool-hardines wil wisely keep themselvs at a distance this made him pray turn away mine eyes Lord lest they behold vanity he that hath no care in this case may find great disorders creep into his thoughts before he be aware 'T is the nature of imagination to receive the species or shapes of things from the outward senses and laying of them up a while till she hath judged of them then to report them to the understanding and from what she hath received she can also create new species and non-entities of which kind are the usual fictions of Poets it behoves a man therefore to take heed with what objects or matters he hath to do lest by them something get into the mind to disorder and dissettle the government of his disposed thoughts or being themselves in possession keep out better things then themselves from entring keep off therefore from things that are in themselves simply unwarrantable and from those also which are such by accident and circumstantially as were those things whereof the Apostle speaks Idols Temples and meat sacrificed unto Idols Why but Paul doth not condemn such things as unlawful but notes them indifferent true but to him that is perswaded in his own mind not to him that doubts to him that walks in charity not to him that gives an offence to a weak brother for whom Christ died Why but it is lawful to make sin it self the object of our thoughts we may think of it we may think of Adams sins of our own sins we may think of the misery of man by sin we may consider from whence we are fallen what was our purity of nature our prosperity in Paradise and what Countenance we had from God in that state and how sin hath now taken up the room wherein God kept and curses have succeeded in the stead of blessings alas our case is now so miserable that we have not a labour without wearinesse a pleasure without satiety or pain a meat without poyson a way without a Serpent a friend without weaknesse these things we may think of else why are we called upon to repent our selves of our sins to confesse them to pray pardon for them to walk humbly and to fear because of the terrours of the Lord. Yea further we may think of the workings of Satan against us with what trains and subtilties he seeks to entrap and ensnare us that he may bring us to destruction both of bodies and soules whiles our flesh confederates with him against us like a kingdome divided in it self and the world conspires with both by frowns and favours to separate us from God Else why are we so often called upon to beware of the wiles of the Devil to subdue our own flesh to take heed of the world lest our hearts be pierced through with many sorrows and if so What need is there to have a care to keep our minds from evil objects I answer 't is lawful to think of our own sins of the malice of the Devil of our own miseries of the deceitfulnesse of the world and of our own flesh while the thoughts of these things convey them so to the understanding that it disproves them to the will that it abhors them so far as they are evil and thereupon set our hearts upon thoughts of mortification but if the thought of these things shal draw in the wil to like of them and the understanding to plot a forwarding of such wickednesse as these propound then the thinking upon these things become evil thoughts And thus we must have a great care to keep our minds from evil objects lest too much poreing upon them do secretly and closely conveigh some of their malignity into our minds and affections Wherefore think not of sin but to loath it think not of the Devil but to resist him think not of thy flesh but to subdue nor of the world but to hate it so far as the love of it is enmity against God But take off every thought concerning these things which draw in the wil to like or the understanding to devise mischief 7. That ye may get good thoughts into your minds propound something of worth and usefulnesse to your considerations Imagination will create and multiply good thoughts from a subjectof worth and excellency and here thou mayest take up into thy thoughts the four Cardinal Workes of God First the Creation is a useful subject to think of the matter out of which all things made their appearance at the first was nothing the power by which God wrought them was a word the variety of creatures produced were all things in Heaven above in the Earth beneath or in the Waters under the Earth All things were brought out of nothing by the Creators word If thou cast thy thoughts upon thy self onely thou mayest say with the Prophet I am fearfully and wonderfully made Passe hence to the wonder of mans Redemption and when thou lookest into the mystery hereof leave off thy marveling at the frame and furniture of the World the Sun the Moon and Stars which he hath made What wonder I at the Leviathans greatnesse taking his pleasure in the Deep or at the smal dimensions of the Wren and Pismire all these things are light in comparison when I think of God made Man and descending from Heaven in the Son a Babe born of a Virgin swadled and laid in a manger proclaimed by Angels yet spitefully used by his creatures dying and lying in the grave and from thence rising again and ascending back into Heaven from whence he descended before This the Apostle commends unto us in the Gospel 1 Tim. and calls it The great Mystery of Godlinesse God manifested in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into Glory When thy heart hath somewhat filled it self with the work of Redemption thou mayest for variety sake lawfully call up into thy thoughts the wonderful work of Gods providence how manifold are Gods works how in wisdom doth he govern them all Any of Gods works of providence may sweeten the labours of the longest day and shorten the tediousnesse of the longest night Even Gods special care of thy particular self in the several ages of thy life when seriously thought upon is no lesse than wonderful How many dangers of thy childhood of thy youth of thy age hath God discovered unto thee and sometimes prevented them sometimes carried thee through them and yet delivered thee from them How many mercies hath he prepared and performed for thee which never came into thy mind Or if
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