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CHAPTER VI.

Directions for the Government of the Thoughts.

I HAVE shewed you, in my "Treatise of Walking with God," how much man's thoughts are regarded by God, and should be regarded by himself; and what agents and instruments they are of very much good or evil: this therefore I shall suppose and not repeat; but only Direct you in the governing of them. The work having three parts, they must have several Directions. 1. For the avoiding of evil thoughts. 2. For the exercise of good thoughts. 3. For the improvement of good thoughts, that they may be effectual.

Tit. 1. Directions against Evil and Idle Thoughts.

Direct. 1. Know which are evil thoughts, and retain such an odious character of them continually on your minds, as may provoke you still to meet them with abhorrence.' Evil thoughts are such as these: 1. All thoughts against the being, or attributes, or relations, or honour, or works of God: atheistical and blasphemous, idolatrous and unbelieving thoughts: all thoughts that tend to disobedience or opposition to the will or Word of God: and all that savour of unthankfulness, or want of love to God: or of discontent or distrust, or want of the fear of God, or that tend to any of these also sinful, selfish, covetous, proud studies: to make a mere trade of the ministry for gain: to be able to overtalk others: searching into unrevealed, forbidden things inordinate curiosity, and hasty conceitedness of your own opinions about God's decrees, or obscure prophecies, prodigies, providence, mentioned before about pride of our understandings.

All thoughts against any particular word, or truth, or precept of God, or against any particular duty; against any part of the worship and ordinances of God; that tend to irreverent neglects of the name, or holy day of God: all impious thoughts against public duty, or family duty, or secret duty; and all that would hinder or mar any one duty: all

not think to shift off duty, and save himself to a better time. Saith Mordecai to Esther, "Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house more than all the Jews for if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall their enlargement and deliverance arise from another place, but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed; and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this." Are you ministers? O preach the Gospel while you may: redeem the time: all times are your season: so great a work, and the worth of souls, commandeth you to do it "in season and out of seasen'." A man that is to save many others from drowning, or to quench a fire in the city, is inexcusable above all men, if he redeem not time, by his greatest diligence and speed.

Sort VIII. Lastly, it is especially incumbent on them to redeem the time, who, being recovered from sickness, or saved from any danger, are under the obligation both of special mercy and special promises of their own: who have promised God, in the time of sickness or distress, that if he would but spare them and try them once again, they would amend their lives, and live more holy, and spend their time more carefully and diligently for their souls, and shew all about them the truth of their repentance, by the greatness of their change, and an exemplary life. O it is a most dangerous, terrible thing to return to security, sloth, and sin, and break such promises to God! Such are often given over to woeful hard-heartedness or despair: for God will not be mocked with delusory words.

Thus I have opened this great duty of Redeeming Time the more largely, because it is of unspeakable importance; and my soul is frequently amazed with admiration, that the sluggish world can so insensibly and impenitently go on in wasting precious time, so near eternity, and in so needy and dangerous a case. Though, I bless my God, that I have not wholly lost my time, but have long lived in a sense of the odiousness of that sin, yet I wonder at myself that such overpowering motives compel me not to make continual haste, and to be still at work with all my might, in a case of everlasting consequence.

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CHAPTER VI.

Directions for the Government of the Thoughts.

I HAVE shewed you, in my "Treatise of Walking with God," how much man's thoughts are regarded by God, and should be regarded by himself; and what agents and instruments they are of very much good or evil this therefore I shall suppose and not repeat; but only Direct you in the governing of them. The work having three parts, they must have several Directions. 1. For the avoiding of evil thoughts. 2. For the exercise of good thoughts. 3. For the improvement of good thoughts, that they may be effectual.

Tit. 1. Directions against Evil and Idle Thoughts.

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Direct. I. Know which are evil thoughts, and retain such an odious character of them continually on your minds, as may provoke you still to meet them with abhorrence.' Evil thoughts are such as these: 1. All thoughts against the being, or attributes, or relations, or honour, or works of God: atheistical and blasphemous, idolatrous and unbelieving thoughts: all thoughts that tend to disobedience or opposition to the will or Word of God: and all that savour of unthankfulness, or want of love to God: or of discontent or distrust, or want of the fear of God, or that tend to any of these also sinful, selfish, covetous, proud studies: to make a mere trade of the ministry for gain: to be able to overtalk others: searching into unrevealed, forbidden things inordinate curiosity, and hasty conceitedness of your own opinions about God's decrees, or obscure prophecies, prodigies, providence, mentioned before about pride of our understandings.

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All thoughts against any particular word, or truth, or precept of God, or against any particular duty; against any part of the worship and ordinances of God; that tend to irreverent neglects of the name, or holy day of God: all impious thoughts against public duty, or family duty, or secret duty; and all that would hinder or mar any one duty: all

thoughts of dishonour, contempt, neglect, or disobedience to the authority of higher powers set over us by God, either magistrates, pastors, parents, masters, or any other superiors. All thoughts of pride, self-exalting ambition, selfseeking covetousness: voluptuous, sensual thoughts, proceeding from or tending to the corrupt, inordinate pleasures of the flesh thoughts which are unjust, and tend to the hurt and wrong of others: envious, malicious, reproachful, injurious, contemptuous, watchful, revengful thoughts: lustful, wanton, filthy thoughts: drunken, gluttonous, fleshly thoughts: inordinate, careful, fearful, anxious, vexatious, discomposing thoughts: presumptuous, and secure, despairing, and dejecting thoughts: slothful, delaying, negligent, and discouraging thoughts: uncharitable, cruel, false, censorious, unmerciful thoughts; and idle, unprofitable thoughts. Hate all these as the devil's spawn.

Direct. 11. Be not insensible what a great deal of duty or sin are in the thoughts, and of how dangerous a signification and consequence a course of evil thoughts is to your souls.' They shew what a man is, as much as his words or actions do: "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is hem " A good man or evil is denominated by the good or evil treasure of the heart, though known to men but by the fruits. O the vile and numerous sins that are committed in men's thoughts! O the precious time that is lost, in idle, and other sinful thoughts! O the good that is hindered hereby both in heart and life! But of this having spoken in the treatise aforementioned, I proceed.

Direct. III. 'Above all be sure that you cleanse the fountain, and destroy those sinful inclinations of the heart, from which your evil thoughts proceed.' In vain else will you strive to stop the streams: or if you should stop them, that very heart itself will be loathsome in the eyes of God. Are your thoughts all upon the world, either coveting, or caring, or grieving for what you want, or pleasing yourselves with what you have or hope for? Get down your deceived estimation of the world: cast it under your feet, and out of your heart; and count all, with Paul, but as loss and dung, for the excellent knowledge of God in Christ: for till the world be dead in you, your worldly thoughts will not be

Prov. xxiii. 7.

dead; but all will stand still when once this poise is taken off: crucify it, and this breath and pulse will cease. So if your thoughts do run upon matter of preferment, or honour, disgrace, or contempt, or if you are pleased with your own pre-eminence or applause; mortify your pride, and beg of God a humble, self-denying, contrite heart. For till pride be dead, you will never be quiet for it; but it will stir up swarms of self-exalting and yet self-vexing thoughts, which make you hateful in the eyes of God. So if your thoughts be running out upon your back and belly, what you shall eat or drink, or how to please your appetite or sense; mortify the flesh, and subdue its desires, and master your appetite, and bring them into full obedience unto reason; and get a habit of temperance; or else your thoughts will be still upon your guts and throats: for they will obey the ruling power; and a violent passion and desire doth so powerfully move them, that it is hard for the reason and will to rule them. So if your thoughts are wanton and filthy, you must cleanse that unclean and lustful heart, and get Christ to cast out the unclean spirit, and become chaste within, before you will keep out your unchaste cogitations. So if you have confusion and vanity in your thoughts, you must get a well furnished and well composed mind and heart, before you will well cure the malady of your thoughts.

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Direct. IV. Keep at a sufficient distance from those tempting objects, which are the fuel and incentives of your evil thoughts.' Can you expect that the drunkard should rule his thoughts, whilst he is in the alehouse or tavern, and seeth the drink? Or that the glutton should rule his thoughts, while the pleasing dish is in his sight? Or that the lustful person should keep chaste his thoughts, in the presence of his enamouring toy? Or that the wrathful person rule his thoughts, among contentious, passionate words? Or that the proud person rule his thoughts, in the midst of honour or applause? Away with this fuel: fly from this infectious air if you would be safe.

Direct. v. At least make a covenant with your senses, and keep them in obedience, if you will have obedient thoughts. For all know by experience how potently the senses move the thoughts. Job saith, "I made a covenant with my eyes, why then should I think upon a maid." Mark

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