of the coming of it and do enjoy Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost in which the Kingdom stands And God is Omnipresent and those that enjoy the Light of his Countenance dwell in Heaven and are within the Gates thereof which though they stand open no unclean thing can enter W. S. A Small TREATISE Concerning Thoughts and Imaginations EVil Thoughts and Imaginations are great troublers of the World of Mankind and it is a great plague and misery which man is accompanied and surrounded with who is given up to follow and obey his own evil Thoughts and Imaginations or to walk according to them It was a fore judgment pronounced against the disobedient rebellious Jews in the Word of the Lord by Jeremy saying Hear O earth behold I will bring evil upon this people even the fruit of their thoughts And the Lord by the Prophet Isaiah saith I have stretched out my hand all day to a rebellious people which walked in a way that was not good after their own thoughts which are thoughts of iniquity and the act of violence is in their hands Also 't is written Every thought and imagination of mans heart are only evil and that continually And very great is the misery bondage and slavery of mankind in this estate he is an enemy to God and to himself and to his Neighbour and Brother Wasting and destruction are in their paths who have not God in all their thoughts Now reader that which is principally on my mind is to set before thee a certain infallible way how thou mayest come to be saved from following or obeying thy own thoughts and to gain strength against and get victory over all thy imaginations that are evil and also how thou mayest attain to good thoughts and heavenly Meditations in the room thereof and how thou mayest come to know every good thought and desire brought into the obedience of Christ and every evil thought and imagination destroyed and consumed with the breath of his mouth and the brightness of his appearing And when thou art restored and brought into the same estate mankind was in before transgression Evil thoughts must be consumed and good thoughts must be subject and obedient to Christ even into the Garden of God how thou must then dress and keep the Garden Thou must then watch over and in the Wisdom and Power of God govern thy thoughts lest the Serpent beguile thee as he did Eve First Thou must understand that * Many in their carnal thoughts and imaginations conceive and affirm that it was the outward Earth God cursed and that it would have brought forth no bryars thorns nor thistles which are good Creatures in their places if man had not sinned such thoughts are vain and foolish for all Creatures of God are good the Fire and Air Earth and Water Sun Moon and Stars and all the product of them and they all stand and remain in the blessing and keep their place state and order according to the will of God and are obedient unto him and he is the upholder thereof by the word of his power the ground evil thoughts and imaginations arise from is now that which God in the beginning cursed from this ground spring all the Bryars Thorns and Thistles and other hurtful Weeds in the world of mankind in whose heart they began to spring grow and increase even so soon as he began to lose his Faith in God his Maker incline to hearken to the voice of the Serpent and give credit to his lyes which begot a vain thought from whence a false hope sprung that they should by eating the forbidden fruit better their conditions be as Gods according as the Serpent told the Woman the weaker Vessel and by this false hope grounded upon the thoughts and imaginations entered the first transgression then when the temptation was entred into and sin committed thoughts and imaginations began to multiply and fill the disobedient earthly heart of mankind who having now turned his back upon the heavenly slighten the voice and command of God who was his Teacher and Lawgiver and * How man lost his state at first Let those that are restored thereto again take warning thereby for the same temptation danger attends lent his ear to the wicked one and gave up his mind and heart to obey him even with thoughts it was all for the best Thus poor mankind being deceived with vain thoughts and false hope lost his habitation and dwelling-place in Paradice which after he had transgress'd he still thought to keep for he was soon convinced he had done amiss in cating the forbidden Fruit and fear possest his heart when he heard the voice of God in the cool of the day and therefore sought means to cover and hide himself from the sight of God but herein his thoughts were vain and his endeavours to no purpose the Woman Man and Serpent all received the fruits of their own doings nothing but life good and blessing were known before now death evil and cursing the fruit and effect of disobedience which as I have said entred first by giving place to a vain thought and desire in * Wicked men and sinners of these times and ages of the world propose not that end to themselves the Devil needs not lay such baits snares to win them to his obedience being such vassals to him that his motions and commands are sufficient hope to gain and better their estate become the daily companions of mankind who found and finds by woful experience that saying true When sin is finished it brings forth death So man having lost his place in the Garden which God planted through neglecting his work which God appointed him to do which was to dress it and to keep it for the Garden needed dressing and keeping before the sorbidden Fruit was eaten before Innocency was lost before sin was committed hefore the Serpent became a Tempter Devil and Destroyer And this ariseth in my mind to teslifie to all the wise in heart that after they are come to find that which was lost to witness a Restoration and Regeneration and a returning into Eden again into Innocency again they have work there to do Dressing and Keeping are two very significant words this was the business of mankind in the beginning in the state of Innocency if he had not neglected this work slighted the Light Power Wisdom and Glory of God with which he was replenished he had never fell when the temptation got into a thought if he had watched in the Light and Wisdom of God he would have seen and discovered the tendency of it and have prevented its coming to a desire and act But first giving * The beginning increase and progress of sin and how to stop and prevent it place to a selfish thought it soon sprang to a hunger or desire thence into act this is the beginning and progress of sin at this day which mankind in
mayest be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee Now the only way to dislodge them and to be rid of their company The way to be rid of evil thoughts and to see their destruction is to shew them no countenance make no provision for them give them no entertainment but by the light of God which discovers them to be thy enemies judge them and keep thy mind exercised in the light and power of God that it is turned to and not in thy thoughts and imaginations give them no regard and though they do and may arise pursue and compass thee about like Bees yet thou keeping thy eye fixed in the light and power of God which is as nigh thee as thy thoughts are and sheweth them unto thee thou wilt see them in due time scattered as chaff before a fierce wind and destroyed as stubble before a devouring fire Now as thou comest to be a believer in the light and to trust in the power of God to which thy mind is turned thou wilt become in very deed a child of it and soon be able to say darkness is past and the true light now shineth by which thou canst see and judge every thought and motion that ariseth and stirreth in thy mind whether evil or innocent hurtful or harmless and have wisdom to order them accordingly And this is that primitive wisdom mankind had in the beginning but he abode not in it through looking at the temptation and beauty of the thing presented to the eye of his mind A dam's temptation was inward and mysterious or through receiving from the Woman for he was not deceived with the beauty of an Apple or some other outward fruit nor by the talk and perswasion of any creature like our English Snakes or the Devil in the shape of it as vain man in his carnal mind imagines when he reads the History thereof but the temptation was more mysterious and inward the Woman was deceived in her Thoughts in her Judgment and Understanding was she beguiled before she obeyed the Tempter it appeared good for food Gen. 3.6 pleasant and desirable and able to make one wise before she eat 1 Tim. 2.14 Rom. 8.20 or gave to her Husband Paul saith the woman being deceived was in the trangression subjected to vanity not willingly but through hope she hoped to find the Serpents words true and to become more wise and more happy by taking the Serpents counsel but instead thereof fell into the depth of misery the same danger attends the Children of light the Sons and Daughters of God for Adam was a Son of God before Transgression * The Sons and Children of God of the light and of the day are only capable to fall as Adam did and not the children of the Devil Darkness they are to be restored into Innocency into uprightness before they are in danger to fall from it as Adam did And it is only such who are in the restoration children of the light and of the day that are capable to fall as Adam and Eve did and to sin after the similitude of Adam's Transgression and to lose innocency purity holiness and uprightness as they did and be driven out of the Garden of God as they were Such as were never in it nor ever dwelt in the state of restoration innocency purity and holiness cannot be said to fall from or lose it c. Children of Darkness and children of the Devil who have gone astray from that womb and always dwelt in darkness end in the region and shadow of death never knew what a harmless innocent estate is what the life of purity and holiness is nor what the simplicity of the Gospel and Christ is so cannot be beguiled as the Serpent did Eve of that they never knew nor had as men and women now in the world yet such are beguiled by the Serpent in another sort not of what they have had and did once enjoy but of what they might have and should enjoy And this he effects by keeping the eyes and minds of people abroad and by perswading them to follow any thing The way and work of the Devil to keep man in the fall in the degeneration in death and darkness slaves in his kingdom and walk in any way rather than to turn the eye of their minds inward to the Light Word Power and Spirit of God which shines which speaks which works in man in order to lead to teach to guide and direct him into the way of life and salvation and to bring him into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God into a perfect translation from darkness to light and from the Kingdom and power of Satan to the Kingdom and power of the Son of God and to know Christ made unto him Wisdom Sanctification and Redemption This is the blessed end of God in sending his Son a light into the world The precious love of God in sending his Son even to enlighten the Gentile Jew Professor and Prophane and that through him they might believe and receive eternal life and enter into that blessed rest that God hath prepared which the Primitive Christians who believed entred into where they did not speak their own words nor think their own thoughts nor do their own works their heavenly Father spake in them and their thoughts were thoughts of God and he wrought all their works in them and for them This is a blessed state indeed and none are entred into the rest which God hath prepared but such as are come to witness and experience these things now in this age as the Primitive Christians did in ages past For while any are found thinking their own thoughts speaking their own words and doing their own works though under a profession of Christ and Christianity they cannot enter into the rest which God hath prepared though they may create to themselves false rests and kindle a fire and walk by the light of their own sparks but in the end lie down in sorrow True rest and peace is obtained or comes through a true self-denial a dying to self-sinning and self-righteousness self-thinking and self-working contriving and inventing self-wisdom knowledge and understanding also all these things must bedenied annihilated or brought to nothing and confounded the feeding upon these things occasioned The seeding of the forbidden Fruit which was good in it self though not for food occasioned and occasioneth at this day all the misery that attend monkind and occasioneth the Curse add all the labour and turmoil trouble forrow and torment that hath attended and doth attend mankind since the fall to the death must they all come before a sitting down in the Ringdom of God can be witnessed or before any can cease from their own works as God did from his Now thou who art a child of light understand this one thing for thy comfort and encouragement in thy warfare against evil thoughts that notwithstanding
Innocency had and hath power and wisdom from God to prevent if he abide in it and keep in his watch-tower the light and strength of God which is as near him as the temptation can be and sufficient to preserve him and where this work is neglected men yea holy men fall and sin after the similitude of Adam's Trangression and are beguiled as the Serpent did Eve drawn out of Innocency and a sinless estate after they have attained unto it therefore let none be high-minded but fear and take the second Adam for example who when he was tempted did not hunger or desire after the things presented though very spacious in appearance and accompanied with very large promises even as the first Adam had but 't is written while the temptation lasted he eat nothing he let nothing in gave no place to selfish thoughts and enticements of the enemy so when the temptation was over Angels ministred unto him Let this be the example of all the Children of Light and as they do thereafter the powerful salvation of God shall surround them and neither heights nor depths Angels Principalities nor Powers things presen or things to come shall be able to separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus This is as a word by the way Now evil thoughts and * They are as the wings of the great red Dragon who troubles Heaven Earth Angels and Men. imaginations are of a multiplying nature and do mainly increase and take root in the generality of mankind who through evil works are estranged from the life of God remaining a degenerate plant sprang from the seed of the evil doer and dwells and labours in that ground which God hath cursed and knows not the seed of the Woman to bruise the Serpents head and to redeem and preserve him from following and obeying his own thoughts and imaginations which are evil and that continually And indeed in that state can be no otherwise whether they lead into self-sinning or self-righteousness both are an abomination to the Lord and destructive to the well-being of mankind both temporal and eternal for all the wickedness that hath been brought forth and acted in the world since the beginning began or appeared first in the thought and the thought being cherished and joyned to by the mind will and understanding it increased and increaseth into words and actions That which is clean cannot proceed from that which is unclean the heart of mankind in the fall is universally corrupted and desperate wicked and as hath been said the thoughts and imaginations thereof are evil and that continually And before it can be otherwise there is an absolute necessity that every particular man and woman must know and experience for and in themselves their hearts cleansed purged and purified and created anew the ground must be made good before the seed the heavenly plant can grow increase and flourish therein before good thoughts heavenly thoughts and meditations can arise spring and remain therein And when this estate is known witnessed and enjoyed then to abide with him dwell and walk with him who hath wrought these mighty things in thee and for thee and in his wisdom and power to dress and keep the Garden the Heart with all diligence that that which would defile enter not again creep in again as it did in the beginning which is possible Therefore what the Spirit of God put man upon in the beginning when he was a noble plant in Eden Man was to dress and keep the Garden before Transgression entred and when he comes to know sin and transgression finished or restoration into Innocency again he must be exercised in the same work wholly a right Seed viz. to dress and keep the Garden so the Spirit of God now in this age saith to the Disciples thereof Watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation take heed lest as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your minds should be corrupted from the simplieity that is in Christ Now this I testifie from certain knowledge that God hath ordained means whereby mankind whose heart is so corrupted that nothing that is good proceeds out of it neither any thing that is heavenly and of God springs up in it that can live a moment being so foul and so dark even like a foul dark piece of earth outwardly on which the Sun never shines nor the rain falls that man in this miserable state may come to know and experienye his foul heart cleansed purged and sanctified as the Christians in the Primitive times did Though mankind may be in a state like unto dry bones scattered in a Valley without marrow and life yet such may come to unit eagain and finews and flesh to come upon them and to receive the breath of life and to know God also whose work it is who works marvellous things in the Earth and in the Heavens as those who go down into the deeps behold Such were some of you but now are you washed cleansed and sanctified c. the fallow ground may be plowed up and bear seed and the wilderness may become a fruitful field and streams may break forth in the desare and the desart may come to rejoyce and to blossom as a Rose crooked things may be made streight and rough places smooth great heavy dark high Mountains may be brought down and removed yea melted at the presence of God and the low valleys may be ezalted yea the wilderness may become like Eden and the desart like the garden of the Lord. All these mighty works and wonders hath the Lord wrought in this age in and for a remnant who are come to the fulfilling of the Prophesies are living witnesses of the same and do in his Holy Spirit and Power proclaim that the love and mercy of God towards lost man is universal and that his hand is stretched * Fallen man cannot help himself therefore the eye of God pittieth him and his hand is stretched out to help him he is only required to lay hold and depend upon the same and it will bring falvation to his house forth to help him out of the snare pit and deep dark dungeon wherein he is fallen out of which he cannot by all his strength wisdom and invention help himself and so set him at liberty that he may run the ways of his Commandments with delight and that he may come again to stand upright as God made man in the beginning and lay aside all his thoughts and inventions wherein he corrupted himself and to bring him into such a state and condition that he may be able to do all things that are good to think good thoughts speak good words and do good works and to eschew and avoid the contrary this to know and be able to do is the one thing needful wihtout which all men are miserable let their knowledge wildom and profession of Religion Opinion and Invention be what it will