ordinarily take least notice of their spirituall wounds in their cause and cure they are lumpish and heavie full of sad thoughts evill imaginations many times they roare and complaine but this is their Men doe mistake the spirits wound ignorance they know not what ailes them they are so mistaken in the cause businesse in hand that they judge themselves to bee under some bodily distempers by melancholie passions and other violent humours a great madnesse and ignorance in men and being fallen upon this point let mee tell you that melancholy prevailing in men doth come very neere to the trouble of conscience but it is not the wound of conscience here spoken of Satan makes it his bait and man makes it his burden but wee may not make it this wound concerning which I shall yeeld you two things 1. That melancholy given The operation of melancholie in man way unto doth corrupt the imagination and those actions of the minde or the â—ext instruments by which the minde worketh that therewith the heart affections and conscience are greatly distempered with feare and griefe and doe conceive a many uneschewable miseries against it selfe against which fancies and imaginations no arguments of reason can prevaile and this darkning vapour and blackish fume thus affecting the soule doth add torment unto it making it for the time uncapable of the sense of comfort I say this humour of melancholy hath very subtile spirits that flie up into the braine and the instrument of discretion and there they lodge their contagious qualities which corrupt the spirits and annoy both heart and braine whence arise strange imaginations and fancies in the head Head and heart having entercourse and body and soule being united the soule is nor thereby a little troubled 2. That what ever vaine men judge melancholy is not a spirituall maladie or the wounder spirit here spoken of the difference Melancholy is not the wounded spirit proved by 5. reasons betweene both is great as 1. In the ground and cause the troubles of melancholy ariseth either from naturall causes in the body or from supposed and fained causes the imagination conceiving things to bee so and so when indeed nothing is really so the trouble of conscience ariseth from the sight and sense of sin in the soule the apprehension of divine wrath due to man for sin and such like spirituall and reall causes 2. In the seate of it troubles from melancholy seate themselves in the head and naturall spirits the man having lost the right use of his wits and being mistaken in his imagination in conceits becomming monstrous true trouble is in the conscience and whole soule of man 3. In the cure of it physick may cure the one it being a bodily disease or distemper but it is not all artificiall and naturall meanes that can cure the wounds of the spirit 4. In the effects of it melancholy maketh a man simple and absurd in his thoughts touching himselfe such men will speake to you and yet conceive themselves to bee without head or heart and life they will tell you that they see Divels and feele Divels within them and you shall heare many odd things from them when as trouble of conscience looseth not it selfe but speakes according to the truth and feeling of it selfe 5. In the enlargement of it melancholy seldome or never worketh griefe for Gods dishonour it is not touched with sorrow for sin and when it is cured it gives not a man any ground and measure of spirituall joy it enforceth not a man to Christ for ease and rest it quickens no man to prayer and duty all which the wounds of the spirit in some men doe most kindly and savingly Thirdly and lastly let us know our selves rightly in our troubles of mind and we shall the better know our selves in our comforts nothing doth so prepare the heart for comforts and make us to rellish our comforts as the sense of soule trouble and heavinesse I dare affirme that if wee did know and finde our spirituall wants and wounds more wee would and should withall bee more upon the waies and feelings of comfort then we are Vse 2 Secondly let us have compassion on such who are wounded in spirit you see that such is the weight of their wounds as neither eye hath seene eare hath heard or tongue of man is able fully to expresse none can in any way of expression speake of it but such as have more or lesse felt it and shall we passe by any that are labouring under this burden not yeelding them our pitie 't is a foolish madnesse in many to thinke this sicknesse and this wound to bee but passion conceit and mopishnesse put into their heads by reading good books or hearing some strict Preachers or melancholy because it often changeth the body they think it ariseth from the body and what need all this adoe about it it is cursed cruelty in any to looke upon any labouring under this wound crying out against them censuring of them for hypocrites and in thought sentencing them to hell blaspheming their God and their religion O Considerations for the pitying of wounded in soule you ignorant men learne better and be now instructed 1. That there is no disease for symptomes and torments like unto this all other maladies are naturall but this is supernaturall they come from the constitution of the body this of the soule in them the humours first in this the conscience first and humours last are distempered they may all bee cured by naturall remedies the body may be brought to a fittemperature but it is not all the medicines under heaven that are meerely naturall can cure or comfort here 2. That it is an argument of an unsanctified and stony heart within maÌ„ to disregard taxe or censure men under the miseries of inward perplexities you being mercilesse and wanting tendernesse and experience cannot pittie them aright 3. Blessed are such as judge wisely of such poore soules and do labour to relieve their soules in their woundings this is a worke of mercy indeed and a businesse becomming the most excellent of Christians Motives to pitie and to relieve wouÌ„ded Christians Christ himselfe received his annointing and was sent of God to bind up the broken hearted Esay 61. 1 2 3. Ministers have the tongue of the learned given them to speake a word of comfort to such whose soules are wearie Esa 50. 4. and shall not wee that are Christians comfort the feeble minded and support the weake 1 Thes 5. 14. bearing one anothers burden O let us pity such and pray earnestly to God for such considering our owne case Gal. 6. 1. would wee not bee prayed for were wee in their conditions Vse 3 Thirdly how thankfull should all Christians bee for their freedome from this great burden of a wounded spirit tell me are you set at liberty and is all peace and rest within are the bands of the distresse broken wouldst
of their unworthinesse they stand in their owne light Satan hereby taking advantage against them This I finde to bee a maine master-peece of Satans cunning that before a man is convinced of sinne hee maketh him so full and rich and worthy that hee cares not for the merits of Christ or the mercy of God he will not beg but buy a place in heaven Laodicea was rich and increased with goods and had need of nothing not knowing that shee was wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked Rev. 3. 17. The Corinthians did so shine in their owne opinions and were in such selfe credit that they were rich and full raigning as kings but when a mans eyes are opened to see the sinnefullnesse of his sinnes then hee makes him very poore and his unworthinesse to bee such and so great that it is not for him to thinke of heaven or mercy or Christ a great temptation under which lieth lurking a white divell To relieve the soule in this case I shall propound these few considerations 1. That if unworthinesse were a sufficient ground to keepe men of from divine favour and eternall happinesse none of all the sonnes of men could ever bee saved for all have sinned and by sinne made themselves unworthy of mercy 2. That there is no subjective worthinesse antecedently required unto justification and salvation God well knew the unworthy condition of Israel when hee made them his people entering into the Covenant of life and peace with them Ezek. 16. can you conceive that there was any inherent worthinesse in them that did lie weltring in their owne blood beggars are not worthy of almes traitors are not worthy of pardons nor sinfull men worthy of Christ or mercy Luke 15. 21. and why should we dreame of having a requisite worthinesse of our owne if man had any thing in him he were altogether unfit to come in unto the free offer of grace we see the invitation is made to the monie-lesse and merit-lesse Christian Esa 55. 1. 3. That though worthinesse be not in the streame yet it is in the fountain and though there bee no subjective worthinesse in men yet there is an objective worthinesse in Jesus Christ which is tendred to sinners by grace and accepted by faith there is enough in Christ to make our persons lovely and acceptable to God without whom if we had all selfe-worthinesse wee should remaine in Gods eyes most unworthy persons This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased saith the Father Mat. 3. 17. 4. That notwithstanding mans owne great unworthinesse Assurances for acceptance under unworthines there is enough to assure him of divine acceptance for First Mercy in God is full and free it hath enough in it selfe to incline it selfe to gratious pardons and favourable acceptances God doth blot out transgressions not for mans sake but for his owne sake Esa 43. 25. Secondly mans chiefest selfe-worthinesse is to see his owne unworthinesse and to be humbled for it certainely such Esa 64. 6. Luk. 15. 21. as have base low esteemes of themselves and can dwell upon the guilt and merit of their owne sinnefullnesse judging themselves to hell for it such Phil. 3. 7. as can with Paul disclaime from all worth in themselves and doe see in all their parts and gifts and performances an inability to engratiate them with God such as can in the best of conditions and after the best of performances bewaile their weake expressions of duty acknowledging themselves to be most unprofitable Luk 17. 10. servants needing the mercy of a God and the merit of Christ these I say are men of the greatest worthinesse with God according to the old truth hee paies best for Heaven that seeth hee hath nothing at all to pay for Heaven Thirdly an unworthy sinner may plead out the Covenant of grace with God and the freenesse of the tenders of his mercy I know no man that can or doth more admire and magnifie divine mercy then a sinner truly sensible of his owne unworthinesse I know none more desirous of mercy then such I know none will be more ready to accept of Heaven and favour out of freenesse of grace then such I know none to whom the offer of salvation purchased by Christ is made but such and what now doth hinder them from comming in unto God pleading with him after this or the like manner Gratious Lord I am here before thee for mercy and for thy Christ I see in my selfe nothing worthy thee or thy Christ for I am wholy sinnefull if thou now wilt receive mee for thine owne and pardon mee my sinnes out of thine owne free grace and for the merit of thine onely Sonne alone thou shalt shew thy selfe a gratious God indeed O Lord that which draweth mee in unto thee for grace is thine owne free grace thou gavest mee the word and hope of comfort and therefore I durst not stand out Lord loe heere I am before thee without all confidence in my selfe O let it be unto mee according to the freenesse and richnesse of thy mercy refuse mee not though I am unworthy to be called thy sonne 5. That too much standing on selfe-unworthinesse is many times an argument of secret pride and opinion of merit men would faine bee some body with God and doe something for Heaven Lord how willing is man to have a finger in his owne salvation and to be at the least a co-adjuâ—or with Christ in the office of his Redemption when as in truth it is mercy alone that must doe all and such are most in the way of comfort that referre their spirituall condition unto mercy setting up and advancing the free favour of God as the onely cause of their spirituall estate 1 Cor. 15. 10. tell mee sadly and seriously thou troubled soule if thou hadst more goodnesse in thee if thy graces were more perfect in thee and thy services had beene or could bee better performed by thee then thy hopes and assurances could and would rise within thee then thou couldest have confidence and settlement within thee yes and what is this I pray thee but the spice of pride and secret dependance on merit what wilt thou looke upon thy selfe and within thy selfe and draw out principles of salvation from thy selfe how art thou onely beholding to grace and to Christ for thy salvation when thou thus porest and priest into thy selfe if thou wilt be a cause of thine owne good thou must bee a ground of thine owne glory and if thou wilt bring thy penny thou wilt make thy selfe joynt purchaser with Christ tell mee O Christian hadst thou all thy desired qualifications would they or can they equall the favour of God and durst thou to stand upon this so as to build thy eternall welfare on it bee perswaded out of this vaine and empty conceit of thine and cease further to perplexe thy soule under the thoughts of thine unworthinesse God indeed lookes not out
and deserting of his when God goeth away with his light and leaveth his in darknesse so as they cannot see or apprehend him to bee their God now they begin to question themselves and their estates exceedingly Ten relievemēts against doubtings in the mind But you will say unto mee what shall a Christian doe for his setling that is doubtfull in minde I shall yeeld unto you these helps following First know that the estate of no Christian is so absolutely perfect on earth that at all times and in all things it should yeeld him an absolute certaintie or freedome from al doubts whilst there is a divell to tempt and Christians are weake in judgement and experience lying in the cradle of godlinesse they may be tossed too and fro fall to questioning of their estate there is no tree so surely rooted Simile but in blasting times it may bee shaken Peter doubts and the Disciples doubt and the Christians doubt though they did not despaire Mat. 14. 31. 28. 17. 2 Cor. 4. 8. a mans estate may be good and his title currant to God and Christ and Heaven and yet he may bee irresolved and troubled with many doubtings and that for a long time together Secondly that doubtings within the soules of Christians doe not argue a totall want of faith but an imperfection and small portion of faith it is not the absence of faith but the littlenesse of faith in them which is the ground of their doubtings O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt where we see that Christ doth impute Peters doubting to the Littlenes of faith a ground of doubting and vvhy littlenesse of his beleeving I say that when faith is little in comparison and little in operation this is the ground of doubting for here wants proportionable strength unto setling here men have too open an eye upon their wants and discouragements but a very dimme eye to see their helpes and incouragements in a word here is a want of strength to repaire to the meanes of establishment and a marvailous unskillfullnesse to argue from the promises and to maintaine its owne grounds thus it is as the lesse Simile the fire is the more is the smoke so the more imperfect the faith is the more is and will be the doubtings of Christians a little heate and great mists and a little faith and great Simile doubtings may goe together in Christians Thirdly that faith and doubtings are not opposed as life and death where the presence of the one determinately concludes the absence of the other but looke as cold and heate in remisse Simile degrees may bee in one and the same subject though the nature of cold be not the nature of heate so though faith be not doubting nor doubting One and the same person may beleeve and doubt and hovv faith yet both may and doe meete in the same person actuall doubtings may bee where is habituall faith they are not answering parts one unto another for they remaine in contrariety and opposition nor things that are simultaneous in their acts and operations doubtings can no more consist at the same time with the acts of faith then its possible that a man should lay his hand on the rock and not lay his hand on the rock at the same time or that a mans eye should see and not see the colour at the same time the soule cannot at the same time set out from the same faculty opposite acts and it cannot bee that while the soule doth beleeve it should doubt Fourthly that Gods children for the presence of weaknesses A caution doubtings must not conclude a nullity of grace and faith within themselves God forbid that we should thinke our field had no corne because of many Simile weeds in it or the heape had no wheate because of much chaffe or the soule no grace because of doubtings Fiftly that the least degree of faith within the soule of a man though accompanied with never so many doubtings doth denominate Christians beleevers with God Peters doubting did not put him out of the ranke of beleevers Christ doth not say to him O thou of doubting thy faith is little but hee Mat. 14. 31. gives him this title O' thou of little faith God judgeth of his according to their better part and if hee finde a little grace among many corruptions hee calls us according unto the grace Sixthly there must bee care taken to distinguish doubtings in Christians from doubtings that are found in unregenerate men most true it is that the same disease of doubting is incident unto good and bad it is corruption in both it being a sinne for any to doubt yet it is as true that doubting stands differingly in the godly from the wicked in these respects 1. In the godly there is doubting against a temper and frame directly opposite unto doubtings doubtings in them doe hold an opposition against faith and perswasion wrought in the soule faith in nature and Doubting a nature and an infirmity act is opposite to doubting in nature and act they have two springs or causes in the soule of man it is impossible that the doubtings of the godly should spring from their spirituall frame and temper grace doth not begin or cherish doubtings in any it forbids to doubt and commands to beleeve it grieves at doubting and thirsts after setling so that they stand as infirmities in the godly not as a nature in unregenerate men doubtings are a nature and of their entire constitution doubtings are begotten and bred up in them by a nature that is wholy sinnefull and doubtfull 2. In the godly doubtings are subdued in their power by reason of conversion and Sanctification wherein this as well as all other sinnes receiveth it deaths wounds the life and trouble of doubts onely remaine Doubtin in combate and in conquest in the godly interrupting them in the great worke of beleeving for were not faith assaulted by the stirrings of doubtings within it would doe its part most gloriously but now as a man that hath a maimed leg cannot moove as hee desires no more can Christians beleeve as they would by reason of doubtings which doe crosse them but this is all that doubtings can doe in the godly they can molest but never command their powers are crushed and faith riseth up victoriously over all at the last now in wicked men doubtings raigne and have soveraigne authority 3. In the godly doubtings are partiall it is of the subject not of the object in action not Doubtings 1. Partiall 2. Entire affection of evidence not adherance of the circumstantialls not substantialls it is thus with Christians that though in many passages they cannot bee certainely perswaded that they are good and right yet in many other things they are setled and resolved whereas doubtings in wicked men are totall and entire 't is all doubting and that in all things 4. In the godly doubtings turne unto their profit God for very
may be my case Sol. True some diseases are dangerous and some are deadly and there are relapses curable and incurable such who falling back out of malice and obstinacie resting themselves in a constant delight of those sinnes into which they have relaâ—sed making their sinne their gaine can gaine no assurance of healing but such as fall backe through incogitancie and infirmitie being exceeding troubled at heart for their sinnes and relapses into their sinnes may expect and shall finde a cure Leave disputing and use these meanes following and by the blessing of God you shall Foure meanes to get out of relapses get out of your diseases of sinne into which you are relapsed First worke the relapses upon your soules repeated sinnes are as broad and deepe wounds of which if a man meane to bee soundly cured hee must admit of a sound and thorough search relapses into sinne are like the returnes of the distemper into the body of which if a man expect to bee rid hee must resolve to fetch up and finde out the distempering cause untill a man soundly feeleth and truly knoweth the evillnesse of relapses hee will not seeke out for any recoverie by the helpe of judgement conscience and the law wee may finde out the full evill of relapses into sin Secondly physick the soule for this sinne wee are to drink downe the bitter potion of repentance wee must not thinke to come off of this sin with a few teares and a little sorrow renewed staines in the soule are not easily gotten off we must lie down in our shame and our confusion must cover Ier. 3. 25. us renewed sinnes must have our renewed sorrowes and renewed hatred the more a man sinnes the more reason hath he to hate sinne and the oftner he sins one sin the more reason hath hee to labour the mortifying of that get above all things a strong and setled hatred and abhomination of all sinnes for time to come and an unfeigned sorrow for sinnes past Thirdly keepe to the Ordinances our spirituall recovery is by meanes who though they can do little of themselves yet being blessed and assisted they can doe much these set out relapses to the life quicken the heart to sorrow breake open the riches of Gods unspeakeable mercy and goodnesse in promises of pardon and healing and doe greatly enable the heart to beleeve all promised mercy Fourthly hast in unto God suing out the promises which hee hath made in the Covenant let no feares or distrusts keepe you off but goe in unto God or else you perish your diseases are your owne but all recoveries doe belong to God Hos 13. 9. Ier 3. 22. who hath undertaken to cure all that returne to him and therefore come to God againe A threefold vvay of comming to God for cure 1. With confession freely and humbly acknowledging your fault with the Church Ier. 3. 13. 2. With petition intreating his pardon and his peace say receive us gratiously Hos 14. 2 4. 3. With faith perswading thy soule from the promise and performance of God that thou shalt be healed There are severall promises made to answer all the possible exigencies of Christians and why doth God make promises of healing and forgiving the backslidings of his people is it not to encourage the hearts of his children to lay hold on that promise and to sue it out in the needfull time surely if we did more speedily and heartily beset the Lord wee should finde a great healing of our revoltings and backslidings CASE VIII Of strange and terrible thoughts following Christians A Christian hath a double conversation from whence troubles doe arise unto him one is outward another is inward that notes the whole carriage of the life this the course of the whole soule a Christian is not a little troubled with himselfe being wise to study himselfe and to finde out the frame and temper of his heart and made tender to feele even the least erroneous flashings of the apprehending facultie such as his thoughts are which doth proove unto him great souleburdens as I shall now open unto you in this manner shewing Foure things about the thoughts of men Three sorts of thoughts 1 Natural to you foure things 1. That thoughts are of three sorts 1. Naturall 2. Spirituall 3. Sinfull Naturall thoughts are those motions stirrings and acts which reside or are framed in the sensible and intellectuall part of man and they doe comprehend under them those reasonings consultations purposes resolutions intents meditations considerations conceits and apprehensions which the understanding by the helpe of fancie frames within it selfe these following the nature of man in constitution and creation and immediately resulting from the mind of man are not unfitly called naturall thoughts man is borne and was made a thinking creature such thoughts will be in us do what we can it being naturall to the mind to be thinking and if we take such thoughts in a simple consideration they are no sinnes or faults the minde of Adam in Creation yea and of Christ himselfe who was in all things like unto us sinne excepted were full of such thoughts rightly composed they had many transactions in their mindes yea and their mindes held notable discourses with the things that they knew and touching things to be done they had their fore-thoughts preparing them to actions and they had their after-thoughts recollecting things done by them Spirituall thoughts are those 2. Spiritual motions and turnings of the minde flowing from the work of grace in the soule and determining themselves in spirituall and supernaturall objects there are two things which doe constitute the spirituallnesse of mans thoughts 1. The originall cause of them namely their springing from a sanctified fountaine that is closed within the soule the mind must bee renewed and sanctified altered and cleansed ere it can and doth yeeld out holy inclinations and motions and have within it holy projects counsells imaginations and reasonings 2. The speciall object of them the thoughts pitching themselves in a right way upon things that are divinely good and making for Gods glory and mans salvation are said to bee spirituall These kinde of thoughts are peculiar unto Gods Saints after regeneration for without the Spirit no man is able to thinke one good thought 2 Cor. 3. 5. as for wicked men if wee consider their thoughts formerly they are starke naught yea and if wee consider them objectively they may bee naturally and morally i. e. as they moove in the way of nature and tend to the good of a civill state and countrey good but spiritually good they are not they no way further their sanctification and obedience but doe occasion much hardnesse and sinfullnesse unto them Sinnefull thoughts are the 3. Sinfull motions and stirrings of mans mind unto sinne when the mind by the object or the subject doth muse on sinne and wickednesse representing and acting over the same in imagination and speculation entertaining
to the pleasure of the body then sinfull thoughts do to the delight of the wicked 3. Ill thoughts in the godly are in resistance as they come not in with welcome so they stay not there in quiet and entertainement they doe bewaile them and pray against them labouring the remoovall of them by all meanes 4. Ill thoughts in the godly doe spring from corruption impaired and disabled by the presence and power of sanctifying grace which can hold mo peace with corruption ill thoughts in wicked men doe flow from corruption in strength and unsubdued and therefore they make no opposition against them any farther then they oppose themselves to themselves and their owne ends it is one thing to bee troubled with the evill of thoughts and another thing to bee troubled with the clogging circumstances of thoughts an evill man may resist an evill thought for the declining of some sensible evill or for the furthering of some other evill all a wicked mans thoughts doe bowe and bend to sinfull projects whereas good men under the trouble and vexation of evill thoughts receive much good at the last God hereby making them more fearefull of sinne and watchfull over their thoughts 5. That multitude of rising and injected thoughts not affected but vexing and perplexing the soule cannot take away the ground of a Christians comfort and confidence there is no Mark 3. 18 Acts 8. 22. thought of heart bee it never so vile but it may be repented of and divine grace can pardon it and they are not of force to alter a mans estate in grace or glory confider what I say that if Satan should studie all the arts of hell to coine the Note most abhominably abhominable thoughts of Atheisme blasphemy murder c. and afterward dart them with all the violence of hell into the minde of men men in the meane time abhorring and rejecting them they shall proove but mens crosses they shall not be reputed as their sinnes and so shall no way impaire their happinesse standing twixt them and Heaven and as they cannot alter an estate in happinesse no more can they diminish a condition in holinesse Benjamin was never the more dishonest because Iosephs cup was in his sack or Ioseph the more uncleane because his mistresse did attempt his chastity no more doe the evill of injected thoughts alter the gratious temper of a Christian doth the beating Simile of the waves against a rock alter the temper of the rock no more doth the injecting of evill thoughts by Satan change a Christians holy condition 6. That where thoughts are sensibly evill and naught it is more wisedome to seeke their cure and strengthning against them then to stand too long complaining of them and of trouble or danger by them and here know 1. That it is no easie or ordinary worke to alter order and keepe under a mans thoughts they are very wilde and unruly and wily 2. That it is not naturall meanes or agents which can cure the Christian of the evillnesse of his thoughts that which turnes nature must bee another thing then nature all naturall causes worke onely in a naturall way and to that onely which is naturall a spirituall agent and a spirituall way is required to free men from ill thoughts I Six helpes against evill thoughts cannot fall into all particulars let these that I shall name suffice for the generall 1. Repent for the whole evill of your thoughts let Acts 8. 22. them breake and bleede your soules and then you are in the way to bedelivered from them Wash thine heart O Ierusalem Ier. 4. 14 from wickednesse that thou maist bee saved how long shall vaine thoughts lodge within thee how doe men come to remoove and dislodge vaine thoughts it is by repentance for sinne and ungodlinesse this is the forsaking of a mans thoughts spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah Esa 55. 7. If thou hast done fâ—olishly in lifting up thy selfe or if thou hast thought evill lay thine hand upon thy mouth saith Salomon Prov. 30. 32. 2. Give scope and rule unto Gods Word which is every way healing and ordering unto the evillnesse of mens thoughts the Word is a notable meanes to preserve yea and to deliver from evill thoughts it begets a new The use of the Word about the thoughts is five-fold spring I meane a new minde and that will send out new and suppresse the old thoughts the Word of God is 1. A searcher and discerner of the thoughts and intents of mans heart it traceth and hunts out the secret windings and mindings of the same Heb. 4. 12. 2. A condemner and reproover of sinfull thoughts it doth indite all evill thoughts sharpely checking men for contemplative wickednesse Mat. 5. 28. 3. A remoover of sinnefull thoughts it frees the soule from evill cogitations Psal 119. 11. the voice of the Word sounding in the soule unto evill thoughts is like the wise clamour by which the ravenous birds are scared from their unjust prey 4. A subduer of evill thoughts let the Word worke never so powerfully yet strange thoughts will remaine still in the soule but the Word is of that force that it casts downe imaginations and brings into captivity every thought 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. 5. A preserver against evill thoughts the Word of God can keepe out evill thoughts and maintaine good thoughts in the minde it will store and enrich the mind with divine principles and habits so that the minde shall not be naked and emptie but full with the variety of heavenly notions the Word is full and the minde shall finde heere a promise and there a precept there a threatning and heere a reward c. the Word is mighty in operation and it will draw out with sweetest power those heavenly principles and with them those gratious habits in the minde unto some acts and operations like as the Sun in Simile heate is virtuall to the flowers so is the Word in power to the stirring up of habituall grace and implanted principles the mind by it is set on working and musing on that which is good In a word the Word of God doth present the minde with fresh objects of meditation whereby it mooves the soule from one meditation to another from one good thought to a better 3. Wisely keepe off from all such occasions and things which might stirre up and continue in you evill thoughts there are many things which will foment matter of evill to the minde which hath not onely active but receptive dispositions it doth not onely worke from an inward but an outward cause occasions have beene very impressive upon the minde we may see it in David and Peter c. There are seven things stirring Seven things to be avoided as continuing sinful thoughts in men up evill thoughts in men to be taken heed of 1. The not making conscience of evill thoughts it was wont to be said that a Quicquiâ— pudet dicere puâ—et