should rather be advised to look after their Bodies and by the help of good Prescriptions to get rid of those Fumes and Vapours which occasion these Fancies When the Cause is removed the Effect will soon cease I do not in the least doubt whatever these People may think of their own Case but that this is as properly a bodily Disease as a Feaver or fits of the Falling-sickness In the mean time while they are in this Condition whatever Rules are proper to be given to other Persons for the Government of the Thoughts of all People living those Rules do the least concern them For those Thoughts which they complain of do not at all fall under Regulation or Government because they are suggested to their Minds whether they will or no. And for my part I think it a great deal more advisable if it could be to neglect and despise them than to be perpetually struggling and disputing with them and vexing themselves about them But you will say If Men be such Slaves to their Thoughts and are thus necessarily passive under them where is the Freedom of Thoughts To this I answer In the Fourth Place out of these Three Cases I before-mentioned we have Liberty of Thinking and may chuse our own Thoughts And that Liberty and Freedom we have in Thinking doth to my apprehension mainly consist in this viz That all of us who are not in the Circumstances I have been hitherto speaking of can if we please apply our Minds more vigorously to one sort of thing than to another and accordingly as we do thus apply our Minds so will the most of our Thoughts be It is in our power among the multitude of Objects which present themselves to our Mind as for Instance GOD Vertue Holiness Heaven Wealth Power Greatness Preferments Fine-cloaths Splendid-equipage Sensual-pleasures Recreations Divertisements Knowledge Learning Arts and the like I say that among all this Multitude of Objects that present themselves to our Minds it is in our power to determine our which of them we will dwell upon and make a Business of And accordingly when at any time we have pitched upon any of them as a Business it is in our power to mind that Business either more or less diligently And if it be such a one as that we mean in good earnest to concern our about it it will then so fill our Minds as that by attending to that we shall either prevent in a great measure other Thoughts from coming into our Heads or if they do come in they will not long stay there but will very speedily give place to that which is our main Business at that time And the Reason of this is plain Because our Natures are of that make that two things at once cannot well possess our Minds and therefore if we be intent about one thing we cannot have much room or leisure for Thoughts of another Nature But then Fifthly and lastly Though this that I have said be the true Nature of that Power we have over our Thoughts as to the directing them to a particular Object Yet there is another power we have over them that ought here more especially to be consider'd because in it are laid the very Foundations of Vertue and Vice and upon account of it all our Thoughts become either morally good or evil That which I mean is this Tho' we cannot in many Cases think always of what we would nay tho' we cannot hinder abundance of Thoughts from coming into our Minds against our will yet it is always in our power to assent to our Thoughts or to deny our consent to them And here it is that the Morality of our Thoughts begins According as we Assent or Dissent to the motion that are made in our Mind so will our Thoughts have the Notion of vertuous or sinful Thoughts When any Temptations are presented to us from without we cannot perhaps as I said before avoid the Feeling an irregular Passion or Motion or Inclination stirring within us upon occasion thereof But yet at that very time it is in our power whether we will comply with those Passions and Inclinations or not whether we will consent to them or not whether we will pursue them further or not Now if we do not consent to them but endeavour to stop and stifle and resist them as soon as we are aware of them there is yet no harm done Our Thoughts how undecent or irregular soever they were are rather to be accounted the Infirmities of our Corrupt Nature than our Sins properly so called And thus it is likewise as to our Wandering Thoughts in our Prayers If we strive against them and endeavour to keep our Minds in a Devout composed Temper and attend as well as we can to the Duty we are about I say if we do this I hope those Distractions and Wanderings will never rise up in Judgment against us And as for the frightful Blasphemous Fancies which as I told you some even Pious Persons are tormented with As to them I say they of all other irregular Thoughts have the least danger of Sin in them tho' they be not so solemnly and formally disputed with and contested against Because indeed they are so terrible in their own Nature that no Man in his Wits and that hath any sense of GOD or Goodness can be supposed to consent to them They are indeed great Infelicities but by no means any in any farther than we approve of them and to approve of them for any tolerably good Man is impossible But then on the other side If we consent to any wicked motion or Inclination that we feel in our let it come in how it will never so suddenly never so unexpectedly if we close with any Thought that prompts us to Evil so as to be pleased with it to delight in it to think of pursuing it till it be brought into Action in that Case we are no longer to plead our Original Corruption for in that very instant we become Actual Sinners Actual Transgressors of the Law of GOD the Obligation of which reaches to our very Hearts and Thoughts as well as our Actions Tho' yet we are not so great Transgressors so long as our Sin is only in thought or desire or purpose as if it had proceeded to outward Action All this is taught us for true Divinity by no less an Author than St. James in the first Chapter of his Epistle Ver. 13 14 15. Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God tempteth no man But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Then when lust hath conceived it bringing forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Which Passage of the Apostle doth plainly contain these Three Propositions First That no Man is drawn to commit Sin by any State or Condition that GOD hath put him into no not by any Temptation either outward or inward that
is presented to him It is not a Sin to be tempted no nor to feel that we are tempted by some disorderly Inclination that arises in our Minds thereupon But Secondly Then our Sin begins when we yield to the Temptation when we are drawn away by our own Lusts and enticed when they get the Victory over us and we do consent to them Then Lust hath conceived and bringeth forth Sin But Thirdly Tho' the very consent of our Wills to a Temptation be a Sin in us yet that Sin is not so great as it will be afterwards if it be brought to Action Sin in the Desire or Purpose is but an Embryo it is but the first Rudimenâ—s of Sin but when it comes to be acted it is then a Sin in its full Dimentions and the Consequents of it may be fatal without Repentance Sin when it is finished bringeth forth Death Having thus given some Account how far our Hearts and Thoughts do fall under Government I now come to my Second Point that is to treat of the Art of Governing them or to lay down the necessary Rules and Directions which are to be observed in order thereunto And we shall not need to go far for these Rulles for they will all naturally flow from the Principles I have already laid down And I think they may conveniently enough be reduced likewise to these Five followng First From what hath been said it appears That the First and great Point to be done by us if we would keep our Hearts in a good Frame and order our Thoughts to good Purposes is that we rightly pitch our main Designs that we chuse that for the great Business of our Lives that really ought to be so Now what that is can bear no Dispute with any Man that will faiâ—ly use his Reason For certainly that which is our greatest Concernment in the World ought to be our greatest Business and Design in the World And it is evident to every one that believes he hath a Soul to save that his greatest Concerment of all is to approve himself to that GOD who made him and disposes of all his Affairs and who accordingly as we sincerely endeavour or not endeavour to serve Him will make us either very Happy or very Miserable both in this Life and the other So that there can as I said be no dispute about what ought to to be the great Business and Design of our whole Lives and to which all other Businesses must yield Now if we be so wise as really to propose this as our main End and resolve to mind it and follow it as such I say if we be so wise as to do this we have made a very great step towards the obtaining a Security to our that the greatest part of our Thoughts and Desires and Affections will be such as they should be such as will be acceptable to GOD and satisfactory to our For as I told you before whatever is our main Business be it what it will it will in a great measure draw all our Thoughts to it Our Natures are so contrived that we must always be thinking of some thing or other But then they are so contrived likewise that we think most of that which is most in our Eye most in our Esteem most in our Pursuit And this is that which our Saviour tell us Where you Treasure is there will your Heart be also Whatever it be that you place your Happiness in upon that will your Thought run upon that will your Desires your Inclinations your Affections be fixed We have a world of Instances of the truth of this every day before our Eyes If a Man hath set his Heart on Money and proposeth it to himself as the Business of his Life to be Rich Why I dare say such a one will own to you that most of his Thoughts are upon that Project and that he finds it so far from being difficult to keep his Mind close and steady to his Main Interest as he calls it that it is rather difficult to him to think of any other matters If a Man be given up to Pleasure and thinks nothing worthy his living for but Wine and Women and good Eating and good Company is it not natural to such an one to bend all his Thoughts that way Or doth he put any force or violence upon himself in thinking and contriving all the day long how to bring to pass the gratification of his Lusts or his Appetites Why my Brethren if we did all of us in good Earnest make the Service of GOD and the purchasing Heaven and Happiness to our as much our Business our End our Design as these Men make Wealth or Pleasure to be theirs we should certainly be thus affected The common Course of our Thoughts would naturally and easily without the least constraint run upon those Objects And we should take as great delight in thinking of our Treasure and contriving for the obtaining of it as they do in thinking and Projecting for theirs I say Thus it would be with us For I cannot for my Life apprehend what Charms there can be in Worldly or Sensual Things to attract a Man's Mind what Fetters there can be in them to bind his Thoughts and tye them to themselves but that there are the same or greater in Vertue and Goodness in the Love and Favour of GOD in a pure Conscience here and Eternal Glory hereafter Always provided that they are as much made the Objects of our Choice and Pursuit as the other And therefore I cannot but suspect where we see Men so very cold and backward to Spiritual Things and so apt to spend all their Thoughts upon trifling vain or worldly Matters that it is with a great deal of Pains and Reluctancy that they can bring themselves to think of their Everlasting Concernments I say I cannot but suspect that these Persons have not yet laid up their Treasure in Heaven as our Saviour expresseth it they have not yet so wholly devoted themselves to the Service of GOD as to make it their Main Business When once they have done that I dare assure them they will find it so far from being a force upon them to think of good things that will be natural to them and they will find the greatest pleasure in the World in so doing Secondly Whoever would keep his Heart always in a good Frame and be able to give a good Account of his Thoughts to GOD must have an especial care to avoid Two Things viz. Idleness and loose Company For both of these do stangely unhinge a Man's Mind and disarm it of that Severity which is its best guard and defence against Evil Thoughts and make it become an easy prey to every Temptation that will attack it A wise Man should never be at such a pass as to say I have nothing to do I do not know how to spend my next hour But should so order the Course of his Life that all
The Government of the Thoughts A SERMON PREACH'D before the KING and QUEEN AT WHITE-HALL The 4th of March being the 2d Sunday in LENT 1693 4. PROV iv Ver. 23. Keep thy Heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of Life By the Most Reverend Father in GOD JOHN Lord Arch-bishop Of YORK Publish'd by Their MAJESTIES Especial Command LONDON Printed and Sold by Hen. Hills in Black-Fryars near the Water-side for the Benefit of the Poor PROV IV. Ver. 23. Keep thy Heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of Life THE Argument with which this Audience was entertained the last Lord's Day being the Government of the Tongue I cannot think it improper or unseasonable for me who have the Honour to come next to treat labour the Government of the Thoughts there being a near relation between these two and a necessary dependance of the one upon the other Our Words indeed are more easily governed than our Thoughts because they are more in our Power But it will be impossible either to govern our Words or our Actions as we should unless we first bring our Thought in some measure under Government I must confess this Argument of the Government of the Thoughts tho' it be a very useful yet it seems also a very nice and difficult one through the great variety of Cases arising from Mens different Tempers which will not come under the same Rules and yet ought to be provided for But however this shall not discourage me from undertaking this Argument it shall only make me more carefull as to what I say about it That is to have respect as much as I can to all sorts of Tempers and to deliver what I have to say with so much Plainness that every-body may go along with me The Words upon which I ground my Discourse are those of Solomon which I have read unto you and which contain one of those Precepts that he lays down for the Religious Conduct of our Lives Keep says he thy Heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of Life Not to trouble you with what others have said upon this Text I take the true Meaning of it to be this By the Heart here which we are exhorted to keep we are to understand the Inward Thoughts and Motions and Affections of our Souls or Spirits all which in the inspired Writings are constantly said to be seated in the Heart This undoubtedly is the Scripture Notion of the Heart And when we are here bid to keep our Hearts with all diligence I think there is no question to be made the Meaning is That we should diligently attend to the Thoughts and Motions and Affections of our Minds that we should watch them narrowly lest at any time we should give our Consent to something we ought not This is the Meaning of Keeping our Hearts with all diligence And then a Reason is added why it concerns us thus to keep them And that is this Because out of the Heart are the issues of Life What is the Meaning of that Phrase Plainly this The Issues the Fruits the Effects hat are shewn in our Lives and Conversation do certainly proceed from he Heart and therefore accordingly as that is well or ill guarded or kept so will our Lives and Conversations be The Goodness or Badness of our Lives doth altogether depend upon the Attending or not Attending to the Thoughts and Motions and Inclinations of our Minds As our Caution and Watchfulness in this Point is greater or less so will our Course of Life be better or worse And therefore it concerns us all that mean to live well to be infinitely careful in this Matter This is a plain Account of the Advice that is here given us So that you see if I mean to discourse pertinently to my Text my Argument must be what I said the Care and Management and Government of our Thoughts as they fall under a Religious Consideration In treating of this Argument there seem to me Two Things needful to be done First To give an Account what Power a Man hath over his own Thoughts Secondly To shew wherein the Art of Governing of them doth consist It is indeed this Second Thing which my Text naturally leads me to speak to But I cannot speak to that to any purpose till I have made way for it by clearing the First It is in vain to give Rules about the Government of our Thoughts till we know how far we have Power over them how far they fall or do not fall under our Conduct and Management And I must needs say that most of those I have met with that have discourse about the Government of Thoughts by not enquiring into and setling this Point have been so far from benefiting all their Hearers that desired to receive Benefit by their good Advices that to several of 'em they have done harm because as to them their Advices have been perfectly unpracticable Now those that by their own Experience found them to be so instead of considering that that Teacher might be in a mistake or that he did not sufficiently weigh and examine the Case of all Persons be gave his Advice to have peremptorily concluded that they themselves were in the fault and therefore they were in an evil Condition because they found themselves not able to live up to what was advised them The First Question then is How far a Man hath power over his own Thoughts There is not indeed any single Answer to be given to this Question that will fit all Men. For that is impossible It would be as unreasonable to demand it as it would be to require of a Workman to make a Garment that should fit all sorts and sizes of Men. Some Men by the very Principles of their Make and Constitution are much better able to govern their Thoughts than others Some that are naturally weaker have by long use and many tryals obtained a greater power over their Thoughts than others Again the same Persons that at some times have a greater power over the motions of their Minds may at other times have a less command over them and this according to their Health or their Business or a hundred Contingencies of outward things do affect them So that all that can be done as to this matter is to lay down some general Propositions which every-body is to apply to himself as there is Occasion And Five of this kind I have to offer and which I think will take in all or the greatest part of what belongs to this Argument The First Proposition I lay down is this That the first motions of our Minds are very little if at all in our power By the First motions of our Minds I mean those sudden Thoughts or Apprehensions or Passions or Desires which are excited in our Minds by any Object that is at that time presented to our Imagination As to these I say we are not so much Masters of our
the Portions of his Time as much as is possible may be filled with some useful or at least some innocent Imployment It is Idleness and having nothing to do that is the Mother of most of those vain and unprofitable and sinful Fancies in which some Men spend their days And whereas Temptations do now and then come in the way of other Men the Idle Man is forced to seek out Temptations for the Shipwrack of his Vertue And therefore no wonder if he that seeks them finds abundance of them And truly Loose and Impertinent Conversation which was the other thing I named tho' it looks something with a better Grace yet is not much better than Idleness For where-ever it is much used it will so emasculate a Man's Mind and take off the edge and vigour of it as to serious things that he cannot easily get it into a good Frame again Evil Communication saith St. Paul doth corrupt good Manners And therefore those People a great part of whose Life is taken up in gadding up and down in Play in merry Meetings in telling or hearing idle Stories and the like It is impossible but their Thoughts and Inclinations and the whole Frame of their Hearts will be suitable that is to say very frothy very light and foolish not to say prophane and wicked and Atheistical too if the Company they much converse with be of that strain Thirdly Another thing of great moment for the Keeping our Hearts is to be as attentive as is possible to the First Motions of our Minds and whenever we find that they tend toward something that is forbidden to stop them as soon as we can We cannot as I told you before often prevent irregular Desires or Passions or Inclinations from arising in our Minds upon sundry occasions But this we can do As soon as we are aware of them we can refuse our Consent to them and in that case I hope they will not be imputed to us as Sins Nay not only so but we can refuse their breaking out or shewing themselves in our Words or our Actions For the motions of our outward Members are all at our command tho' the first motions of our Minds be not Here therefore will lye a main Point in the Art of well-governing our Minds and Thoughts You cannot perhaps for Instance prevent a sudden Passion of Anger from rising in your Minds upon Twenty Accidents But as soon as you feel this Passion you can thus far stifle it you can seal up your mouth so that the Passion shall not vent it self in unseemly words And if you will withdraw that fuel from the new-kindled Fire it will soon be extinguished and die Whereas if you suffer it to break out in bitter Speeches and Expressions it will flame beyond measure Thus again If any undecent impure Fancies or Desires should be excited in you upon any occasion It was not perhaps in your power to keep them from coming into your Minds but it is in your power to withdraw from the Temptation that caused them and to endeavour to direct your Thoughts to some other Object at least not to proceed one step in any outward Action towards the Accomplishing of those Desires If you take this Course the Disturbance of your Mind will soon cease and you will return presently to your ordinary Temper And let me tell you this further That by your being thus careful to resist and smother the first beginnings of Sin you will not only preserve in a great measure the Innocency of your Minds under the present Temptation but you will also have this farther advantage that by this means you increase your Power over your Thoughts against the next time that the Temptation returns Every check you give to the first motion of Sin makes the next assault of them the less furious And if you do constantly use your thus to Guard and Watch over your Hearts you will in time obtain such a Command over them that you will not be troubled with a quarter of those irregular Desires and Passions which heretofore upon several occasions used to be kindled in you By this Method you will strengthen your Faculties and enlarge your Powers and by degrees bring your to that happy Temper of Soul that there will be no great War between the Law of your Members and the Law of your Minds But the World and the Flesh will be Crucified to you as you are to them that I may use St. Paul's Expressions But then Fourthly That you may be able not only to keep bad Thoughts out of your Minds but also to have a constant spring of good ones there are some particular Exercises very proper for this purpose to be recommended Such I mean as these Converse with discreet and pious Persons who read good Book especially the Holy Scriptures taking times of Meditation and Recollection and above all Fervent and Constant Prayer to GOD. It is not to be told how every one of these things doth help to inspire us with good Thoughts and Purposes A little Passage now and then tho' but occasionally dropt in a Conversation that is to the business of Vertue and Goodness will supply us some times with Matter for good Thoughts for a considerable while after What lasting Impressions then do ye think would be left upon our Minds if we made it our constant Exercise every day to read or hear something out of the Bible or some other Good Book with a design to grow Better thereby But above all things we must take care to be diligent and serious in our Applications to the Throne of Grace It is hearty Prayer and Devotion that when all is done will prove the most Effectual Means for the keeping ourt Hearts steady to that which is Good and securing them from the pollutions of the sensible Earthly Objects that do surround us O therefore let us be constant in our Religious Offices Nay let us take every Opportunity that our Affairs will allow us of raising our Minds to GOD and thanking him for his Infinite Love and Goodness to us and imploring the continual Influences of his Grace and Holy Spirit and re-inforcing our Vows and Purposes of persevering in his Service By this means we shall come to lead Spiritual Lives indeed Our Souls will be a perpetual Fountain of Good Thoughts And while we live here our Conversation will be in Heaven For GOD and Christ and the things above will have our Hearts tho' the World hath our Bodies But then in the Fifth and Last Place Notwithstanding what I have hitherto said concerning the Diligence with which we are to keep our Hearts yet this is always to be remembered That with our Diligence we must be careful to joyn Discretion My Meaning is this We must have a care not to intend our Thoughts immoderately and more than our Tempers will bear even to the best things But we must so keep our Hearts as at the same time to preserve our