wonderfull Psal 107. last works that God doth for the sons of men and to draw forth Divine meditations out of all Divine dispensations The mercies of God doe raise and occasion thankfull obedient Thoughts in their hearts 2 Gracious hearts doe extract humble meek submitting Thoughts out of 2 Sam. 16. 11. all sufferings crosses losses and reproaches that befall them What precious praisefull and contented Thoughts did Job raise out of his sufferings But Job Chap. 1. 2. carnall men extract Thoughts of discontent murmuring and complaint out of their sufferings 3 Grace teacheth the Saints to draw forth and distill holy spirituall and profitable Thoughts out of all Creatures that are presented to their eyes When they look up to the Heavens their hearts are raised to think of the infinite glory wisedome and power of God 2 When they see the Sun they think of the Sun of righteousnesse and his plenitude 3 When they behold fruitfull Trees they think of the Trees of righteousnesse that bring forth their fruit in due Psal 1. season 4 When they see springs of water they are drawne to think of the well of lives and water of life 5 When they look upon their daily bread they think of the bread of life 6 When they behold the grasse and flowers of the field they take occasion to consider the brevity and uncertainty of mans life 4 Sanctified persons doe strive to spiritualize all earthly sensible things in their Thoughts They make their fancy serviceable to them in spiritualls When fancy shall present earthly honours pleasures profits to their Thoughts they take advantage thereby to raise their hearts higher and to think thus with themselves What is this to the true honour to those enduring riches of glory and those Rivers of purest pleasures prepared in heaven A sanctified heart will make every Creature a ladder to heaven by extracting heavenly Thoughts It turnes earthly things into heavenly Meditations Here is a large field for our imagination to walk in with much spirituall gaine If a feast be so refreshing what is the continuall feast of a good conscience Pro. 15. 15. What are the spirituall revivements of the Gospel If the meeting of friends be so comfortable what will the meeting together of the Saints in heaven be If a dark Dungeon be so loathsome what is the eternall Dungeon of darknesse While we are in the body the soule hath not onely a necessary but a holy use of the fancy and of sensible things whereupon our imagination worketh What is the use of the Sacraments but to help our soules by our senses and our faith by imagination Sometimes the ministring of some excellent Thought from what we heare or see proves a great advantage of spirituall good to our soules Herein the power of sanctifying grace appears it makes our hearts fruitfull in these heavenly extractions All objects accidents ordinary occurencies and opportunities doe occasion holy usefull thoughts in sanctified soules 11 Renewing Grace inables us to discerne the various times and seasons of holy Thoughts and wisely to suite them thereunto Good Thoughts are then the fruits of Grace when they are seasonable and suitable to all occasions offered by God The dew of sanctifying Grace falling upon us doth sweetly season and soften our hearts and puts them into a true spirituall temper and then our Thoughts are active and addrest with holy affections to apply themselves to the condition of the times and variety of occasions offered for the advancement of Gods glory and the advantage of our owne soules As 1 In sad sorrowfull Times if Gods judgements be threatned out of the word or executed from heaven upon the Nation or place where we dwell When the Church wears her mourning Garment when iniquity blasphemy errors and damnable doctrines doe overflow throughout the Nation in such black and dismal days the thoughts of sanctified hearts are suited and sorted answerably they then willingly entertain Thoughts of sorrow and sadnesse trouble and trembling horrour and humiliation 2 In good and gladsome times when mercy and salvation are wisely and seasonably proclaimed out of the word of life when Divine truth hath a free passage spreads and prospers when the Churches of Christ are in peace and purity c. they are then full of lightsome joyfull and thankfull Thoughts But the Thoughts of formall Professors though they are fill'd with gladnesse or sadnesse according to the increase or decrease of their earthly comforts yet they are not much wrought upon by spirituall occurrences and occasions either by Nationall mercies or judgements either by the prospering of the Churches Cause and truth of Christ or by the abounding of error iniquity in the places where they dwell so they may be free from suffering in their owne persons and outward comforts and their private temporall felicity be not endangered by publick judgements their Thoughts continue dull and formall without any extraordinary impression 3 Grace formeth and frameth our thoughts suitable to that holy spirituall rest that we keep upon the Lords Day which is our Christian Sabbath This is a maine triall of the sanctification of our hearts sincerity of our thoughts when we doe carefully and cheerfully entertain and observe the holy Sabboth with a seasonable suitable frame of sanctified Thoughts 1 The Sabbath-day is as it were the Fayre-day of the soul wherein it should furnish it selfe with new spirituall strength with more knowledge grace and comfort in Gods Ordinances 2 It is the spirituall Feast-day wherein our thoughts should feed and feast upon those glorious joyes heavenly pleasures and happy rest which never shall end upon the precious Promises of the Gospel Upon this holy resting day our Thoughts should be raised up to that rest of eternity that our soules and bodies shall enter into when we shall fully rest from all our labours troubles temptations and turmoiles when we shall sin no more and sorrow no more This is to spiritualize the Sabbath when our Thoughts doe solace and satiate themselves in God our Resting-place and in the Resting-place promised by God Sanctified persons doe not onely cease from doing their owne wayes and Isa 58. 13. seeking their owne wills and speaking a vaine word on that day but also in some good measure they make it the very delight of their hearts and the constant work of their thoughts to consecrate the Christian Sabbath as glorious to the Lord. They doe not onely give rest to their bodies from worldly businesse and servile works of their calling but also they empty their hearts and disburden their Thoughts of all earthly cares that so they may wholly attend and entertaine the holy motions of Gods spirit and spend their Thoughts in holy extraordinary meditations suiting the holy Feast-day of their soules I grant that the holiest men living come short of that height of thought-holinesse and uprightnesse that the Royall Law requires But 1 It is the purpose bent and longing desire of their
THE GRAND TRIALL OF TRVE Conversion OR Sanctifying Grace appearing and acting first and chiefly in the THOUGHTS A TREATISE Wherein these two Mysteries are opened I. The Mystery of Iniquity Working in Mans Thoughts by corrupt Nature II. The Mystery of Holiness Working in the Thoughts of Sanctified persons Together with Precious Preservatives against Evill Thoughts By JOHN BISCO Minister of the Gospel in Thomas Southwarke LONDON Printed by M. S. for G. Eversden at the Maiden-head in Pauls Church yard 1655. THOUGHTS are the First-borne of the soule the Beginning of its strength for the bringing forth either of good or evil Our Thoughts are first made up into affections and purposes and then they are made out into works and actions The sinfullnesse of Nature appears most in the disorder of our Thoughts and the power of Grace in the due Government of them The Apostle James saith He that offendeth not inwâ—rd I may say much more He that offendeth not in Thought the same is a perfect man and able to rule the whole body He is a Saint indeed that is so in Thought The ensuing Discourse containes a learned clear and spirituall Revelation of the Mystery of mans Thoughts Shewing both how the Mystery of Iniquity worketh in the Naturall mans Thoughts as also how the Mystery of Holiness worketh in the Thoughts of men Regenerate And therefore having perused this Book I judge the Publishing of it in Print very profitable for the help of All who desire to study and know their owne hearts and there to Sanctifie God both in shutting them with a holy indignation against all evill Thoughts and in opening them with a holy delight for the entertaining and lodging of those that are Good JOSEPH CARYL July 7th 1655. To the Honourable THOMAS ANDREVVS Alderman of the City of LONDON and President of Thomas Hospitall An overflowing fullnesse of all heavenly Graces and all watchfull preparation for the Glory that shall be revealed Much Honoured Sir IT is the promise of the All-Glorious God to honour those that honour him We honour God when we confesse him to be as he is in himself and in his glorious actings to us All the glory that we are able to give to God stands in cordiall verball and reall acknowledgments The most High is infinitly above â—ur highest praises and perforâ—ances 2 There be 4 speciall wayes whereby God honours men 1 When he raiseth them out of nothing worse then nothing yea from the very depth of hell to a height of heavenly honour happiness and holines in Christ Jesus whereby he makes them more excellent then their neighbors Prov. 12. 26. for all true Christians are right honourable and truly royall they are loyall subjects and a Royall Priesthood they are really the 1 Peter 2. 9. Exod. 19. 6. Rev. 1. 6. 5. 10. lowest yet the highest people lowest in their own sense highest in Gods sight 2 God honours men when he gives them hearts to serve him in a faithfull and fruitfull subjection to his will The service of God is not only our duty but also our priviledge and preferment 3 When he raiseth men to places of eminency above others and makes them faithfull in employing their power for God and piously prudent in their publick deportment 4 But the highest honour shall be hereafter in heaven when all the Saints shall be filled brim full with grace and glory We cannot honour God untill he hath honoured us we cannot give glory to God until we have received glory from him We honour him because he first honours us grace is glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. Rom. 8. 30. Sir God hath honoured you with the truest honour in Christ and given you a heart to honour him again I cannot forget your holy zeale and Christian courage that you have openly manifested in standing up for Jesus Christ in owning and pleading his cause against such as endeavoured to pervert and subvert the purity of Gospel Ordinances and the power of Religion And I am confident that the righteous God will not forget your zeal for his cause and love to his servants God hath his Booke of remembrance Malachi 3. 16. and Hand of reward There shall not a good thought word or work in his people passe without secret record and open reward Mat. 6. Your speciall bounty and favour to my selfe ingageth me to apprehend any opportunity of due and deserved acknowledgement But that which is the strongest and most predominant Motive to quicken me to this Dedication is your constant holy affection to the Gospel of Jesus Christ his pure worship and most precious wayes Sir My hearts desire is that all the thoughts of God may be mercy and peace unto you that he would be pleased to add many happy years to your dayes and when you have served God your compleat time advance you to a Heaven of eternall glory a Haven of perfect rest a Paradise of all possible perfections through the free grace of God in Jesus Christ Which shall be the prayer of him who is Your Servant in the Worke of the Gospel JOHN BISCO The mystery of Mans thoughts opened 2. Cor. 10. 4 5. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God or to God to the pulling down of strong holds Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ IN the spirituall appearing of the King of glory to the soule the mighty power and work of the Spirit of grace doth chiefly appeare in these two things 1. In discovering the defilement and disorder of mans naturall thoughts 2. In setting and setling the thoughts in a holy order and spirituall frame of obedience The thoughts of every man as they act in corrupt nature are the great enemies of King Jesus they do strongly oppose his Ruling in and over mans soul they sit in the throne commanding and carrying our affections and actions untill the thoughts be cast down changed and brought under the command of Christ there cannot be that constant conformity in our affections and wayes that the Royall Law requires In the second verse of this Chapter Vers 2 we find there were some that conceived unjust thoughts against the holy Apostle looking upon him as though hee walked according to the flesh The false Teachers charged this upon the Apostle that he preached in a low earnall way making use of fleshly fraile helps as humane learning Arts Tongues and enticing words of mans wisdome setting out himselfe more then Christ they cry downe the Apostle that themselves might appear to the Churches as the only Spirituall Preachers That this was their designe is evident by comparing Gal. 4. 17. They zealously affect you but not well yea they would exclude you that you might affect them Thus our last translation reads it Piscator and Paraeus read it us they would exclude us that is out of your
exalted and sanctified c. Now we must be wise and wary how we conceive of these Metaphoricall Attributes for if we frame any conception of God that is not sutable to his Spirituall Being we are guilty of the highest Idolatry in our thoughts 1. God is sayd to rest the seventh day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quievit cessavit Gen. 2. 2. He Sabathised that is kept Sabath for of this Hebrew Shabath it is called the Sabath or Rest-day We must not conceive that God was wearied with any labour for he worketh without labour but that from that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sabbathum cessatio requies Buxtorf Quies non est vera motus privatio sed finis seu peâ—fectio persecti day God rested or ceased from making more kind of creatures that besides those that he had made on the six dayes he did not create any new kinds Exod. 20. 7. Heb. 4. 5 though as touching the preserving ordering and governing of the world the Father worketh hitherto and Christ worketh Ioh. 5 17. 1. This resting is spoken of God after the manner of men and implies not any wearinesse in him for the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary Isa 40. 28. 2. Gods Sabbath was also his rejoycing in his glorious works and this the Psal 104. 31. Chaldee Paraphrast observes here saying and God delighted the seventh day in his works that he had made and rested 2. God is said to be exalted when his height of glorious excellency might Exod. 15 2. Psal 34 3. Psal 30. 2. and 118. 28. Psal 145 1. Isa 25. 1 and 30. 18. and Majesty is manifested to us 2. When God is in our thoughts inclinations and affections as he is in himself most high We must not think that God can receive any exaltation from his creatures he is infinitely above all our exaltings and extollings men are then said to be exalted when they are lifted up from a low degree to a height of honour power and authority but the Lord God hath 2 Sam. 5. 12. Psal 89 19. the highest height of all honour power and excellency of and from and in himself but now when we set up the will of God as the onely Rule of all our actings his honour as the onely end of all we do the power of his might as our onely strength then are we sayd to exalt God 3. God is said to sanctifie himself and to be sanctified by men he doth sanctifie Ezech. 38 23. Levit. 10 3. 1 Pet. 3 15 Isa 8. 13 14. Ezek 28 â—2 himself when he manifesteth his omniscience power righteousnesse and holinesse in the eyes of men and thereby freeth himself from those blasphemous aspersions and imputations that are cast upon him by evil men sinners do conceive that God is like to themselves that he seeth not Psal 10. that he hath Psal 50. 21. Ezek. 8 12. Psal 10. 13. forsaken the earth that he will require no account of them they think that he cannot do much for them or against them that it is in vain to serve him Now when God graciously accepts Mal 3. and openly rewardeth his own servants and when he punisheth them Ezek. 20. 41. that transgresse with visible judgements Jehovah then declares that he is a Ezech 20. 41. powerfull all knowing righteous Holy God and thereby takes off all those reproachfull imputations which sinners blasphemously cast upon him Ezek. 28. 22. They shall know that I am Jehovah when I shall have executed judgements in her and shall be sanctified in her Ezek. 38. 16. 23. our God is known to be Jehovah a God who gives being to his threats promises in his executing jugdment men Psal 9. are thereby drawn to confesse that Jehovah is a holy God as those did 1 Sam. 6. 20. 2. The Holy God is sanctified of men when they acknowledge his infinite holinesse by fearing him in their hearts and framing all their thoughts and 1 Pet. 3. 4. 15. wayes by divine Rules as in his sight 4. Gods holy name is said to be polluted or prophaned by men Ezek. 36. 20. 21. when they speak any thing that strikes through any of Gods glorious excellencies as that he takes no notice of mens works that he regards not his people that there is no ruling providence in the world c. 2. When men do that which may occasion the enemies to blaspheme Gods name truth and wayes 5. God is said to be justified by men Math. 11. 19. Luke 7. 29. When he is acknowledged to be righteous gracious mercifull abundant in goodnesse and truth 6 Gods sitting in the heavens And on a Psal 2 4. Ps 15. 2. 11 12 2 Chr. 18. 18. Esa 6. 1. Dan. 7. 1. Rev. 20. 11. Throne Ps 9. 5. 8. signifies both Kingly authority and the acting or executing thereof 2. His high exaltation and raigning over all creatures 7. The all glorious God is said to be glorified by men John 15. 8. Psalm 50. Math. 5. 1 Pet. 4. 11. when they acknowledge his glorious excellencies in their hearts words and wayes we must not conceive that men or Angels are able to make the least addition or augmentation of Gods essentiall glory by all their services all the glory that we can give unto God is to acknowledge him to be as he is in himself and in his actings of grace and mercy towards us 8 God is said to be comforted Ezek. 5. 13. when judgements are fully executed and his own justice satisfied 9. God is said to be wearied when he hates and rejects any thing as a man who is weary with bearing a burden casts it off 10. He is said to sleep Psal 44. 24. when according to the sense and apprehension Esa 1 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—ssus fuit 〈◊〉 teste Kimchi ad faâ—gâ—tionem cogâ—â—â—â—â—onum in â—â—â—us quas quis â—aâ—â—â—dit of the fleshly part in men he comes slowly to relieve those that are in extremity of sufferings these things are spoken of God after the manner of men for properly he that keepeth Israel slumbreth not nor sleepeth Psalm 124 4. 11. God is said to be silent when he seemeth to us not to hear our Prayers Psal 28. 1. when he ceaseth to speak to us and answer us These attributes are taken from man there are others that are taken from other creatures As I wings are attributed to God whereby we must conceive his protection and defence of his people whom he gathers and hides under the wings of salvation as a bird doth cherish Deut. 32. 11. Râ—â—h â— 12 Psal 17. 8. Psal 9â— 4 Exod. 19. 4. Thus the Greek and Chaldee here translates it and shelter her young ones under her wings and protects them from the snares of the devil and evil men He beareth them as upon eagles wings Exod. 19. 4. the eagle flying high her young ones being on her wings are
therefore if our Thought-transgressions be a burden to us if we do really loath these sinnes and our selves for them if there be a sincere striving to mortify every evil thought know assuredly that we ought to cast our selves upon the greatnesse and freenesse of Gods mercy and believe the pardon of all our thought-pollutions 3. Seeing there are the seeds of all kind of wicked and abominable thoughts Vse 3 in mans corrupt nature and these are so ready to assault and beset us continually we may see then what great cause we have to look to our thoughts that they be not over-run with vanity nor over ruled by sinfull corruption we should never trust our thoughts alone without Jobs Covenant Job 31. 1. without Davids bridle the mind of man is the mouth of the soul thoughts are the speakings of the mind Psal 14. 1. let us keep this mouth of our souls as with a bridle The great God gives us a very strict command to look to our thoughts Prov. 4. 23. above all keeping keep thy heart that is above all strive and study to keep thy thoughts pure in a holy heavenly frame without spot and defilement These words do clearly import that there are many things given us in charge to be kept but above all our hearts and thoughts we are commanded to keep our selves unspotted of the world 2. To keep the words of Christs patience 3. To keep a good conscience 4. To keep holy the Lords day 5. To keep our brethren 6. To keep the works of Christ to the end 7. To keep that which is committed Revel 2. 26. to us 8. To keep the doore of our lips 9. To keep all the commandements of God but above all keeping keep thy heart and in it thy thoughts above all this is the true import of the Hebrew text 1. Keep thy thoughts more than all things that are to be kept our chiefest care and greatest caution must be spent in keeping our thoughts we must guard them night and day and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. prae omni custodia plus quam omnia custodienda Piscator with a fourfold watch and ward We must keep our thoughts as a City or strong Castle is kept with all kind of fortifications and as rich men keep their treasures with looks and barres The word in the originall as one Servavit observavit custodivit munivit curavit Significat etiam seris vectibus qu◠claudere observes is borrowed from the affairs of warre Let us imagine a City not onely begirt with a straight and dangerous siege of vigilant and blood thirsty enemies but also within full of secret commotioners that are ready to betray the City How greatly would it concern that City with all vigilant policy to stand upon its guard day and night for prevention of danger thus it is with our hearts 1. Satan is ever waiting opportunity to throw in his fiery darts 2. Worldly sensuall objects from abroad are ready to insinuate themselves and to ensnare our thoughts 3. There is the flesh from within which raiseth many inward commotions and rebellious stirrings in our own hearts Now godly wisemen are sensible of all this danger and by their own experimentall knowledge are acquainted with the many wounds and breaches made in the soul both by these open enemies and secret Rebells which rise up within their own bowels and therefore they have daily need of much heavenly wisdome holy care and conscience in guarding and keeping their hearts Thus we are expresly commanded to observe and fortify our thoughts against all assaults and to keep them from all pollution with all possible diligece now to quicken us to this duty let us seriously consider 1. That this is the great commandement of God it is the fundamentall comprehensive command the keeping of our thoughts is a keeping all the commandements fundamentally all purity and true piety begins in the thoughts 2. This keeping of our thoughts is a keeping all the Commandements virtually because every divine precept requires a thought obedience 2. If our thoughts be holy our affections and actions will be holy also 2. A holy frame of thoughts sends forth actions of life that do manifest the glorious life of Christ in us Prov. 4. 23. out of it are the issues of life the actions and outgoings of lives of that new heavenly life which is eternall living words and works are issues of gracious thoughts but dead defiled actions and speeches are the outgoings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of evil thoughts Thoughts are spring actions and streams as our thoughts are so are the actings of our affections so are our prayers and all our performances therefore it concerns us above all keeping to keep our thoughts Thirdly consider that mans heart of it self is sufficient to bring forth all kind of evil thoughts and that without any injection from Satan and instigation from outward objects the Devil may cast in any thought into our heart but all the powers of darknesse cannot fasten the guilt and spot of any one sinne upon our thoughts without our entertainment and closing with the sugestion but the corrupt heart of men hath a sufficiency to beget and conceive any wicked blasphemous thoughts and to corrupt the whole man with all kind of sinfull thoughts and works as having in it self the ground and spawn thereof 2. Mans cursed heart is exceeding prone to think evil continually 3. It invites and inticeth Satan to suggest and greedily entertains whatsoever he injecteth 4. All outward objects serve as occasions to stir up evil thoughts in us therefore our chiefest care must be to look to our thoughts 4. God is the onely Lord and Ruler of our Thoughts he layes claim to them as his sole right and peculiar Royalty and he hath a Soveraignty over the whole soul and all its powers Earthly powers take upon them to govern our tongues hands and visible actings but God onely challengeth a power and principality over our thoughts therefore by turning Libertines in our thoughts we turn God into an Idol of our own fancy denying his Soveraign dominion over our thoughrs and knowledge of them and so we rob him of his chiefest Royalty 5. The observing ordering and keeping our thoughts within due bounds is the glory and strictnesse difficulty and singularity of the true Religion above all others in the world If we look to our speeches and actions what singular thing do we did not the Pharisees do as much meer mortall men do the same Wherein stands the difference between true hearted Israelites and all hypocrites it is mainly in the purity and piety of the Thoughts Phariseees and formalists may mumble over their prayers morning and evening and keep from open notorious evils they may be blamelesse in their visible conversations Phil. 3 4 5 6. Hypocrites may appear in glorious outsides talk strictly pray and discourse to admiration but their thoughts are overrun with vanity and earthlinesse That
ranging thing it mis-leads his thoughts and fills them with vanity and sensuality and his life with unnecessary troubles it is the great troubler of Israel 1 Imagination is a shallow superficiall apprehension of outward good or evill things taken from the senses 2 The fancy doth greatly prize and value sensible good things which are present and sutable to mans corrupt nature 3 Mans imagination over-rules his judgement untill it be filled with a new light and strength Hence it is that the best things if accompanied with sensible inconveniencies as sufferings losses reproaches in the world c. are by carnall men mis-judged for evill things 2 The worst things if they be attended with pleasure profit and sensible contentments are by corrupt men mis-judged for the greatest good 4 Mans fancy presents to his mind earthly riches honours outward enjoyment as glorious things wherein is much happinesse and contentment to be had The thoughts and life of many men is almost nothing else but a vaine fancy that which mainly-sets their thoughts on work is how to please their owne fancy which formeth and imagins an excellency and happinesse in earthly injoyments and in comparison of which it contemnes all true excellency and happinesse Hence arise those earthly covetous ambitious Thoughts which are predominant in mens hearts 5 Imagination worketh upon mans affections and affections upon his thoughts The reason why sinfull imagination works so strongly upon the mind is because it raiseth the affections answerable to the good or evill which it apprehends and the affections stir the thoughts Things work upon the mind in this order 1 Some object is presented 2 Then it is apprehended by imagination as good or as evill 3 Our affections are stirred up suitably to our apprehensions of the object 4 The affections work upon our mind filling it with suitable thoughts Imagination is the first wheele of the soule it stirs it selfe and other powers of the soule are stirred by its motion if that move amisse it moves the other wheeles amisse with it And therefore the well ordering of this is of the greater consequence for usually as mans imagination conceiveth so the mind thinketh the judgement concludes the will chooseth the affections are carried and the outward man acteth 6 This Imagination doth exceedingly corrupt our thoughts 1 By false representations of things to the mind which begets thoughts by the help of the fancy 2 By forging matter out of it selfe without ground and so offering it to the mind to work upon in its thoughts 3 As our imagination is an ill instrument of the understanding to devise vanity and mischief 7 Mans corrupt imagination frameth and shapeth every thing as it selfe pleaseth it makes evill good if it please the senses and good evill if it be displeasing to the outward man Whereupon the thoughts of mans heart are full of unsettlednesse and unquietnesse vanity and falshood So then mans naturall imagination must be cured rectified and sanctified before his thoughts can be holy and gracious 1 Therefore we must pray that God would be pleased to erect a holy Government in our hearts to order regulate and restrain this licentious faculty our fancy 2 Labour to keep downe these disorderly Risings of our fancy and to bring our imaginations into the obedience of Gods truth 3 For the well ordering and bounding of fancy consider the principall use thereof sense and imagination is properly to judge what is comfortable or uncomfortable good or evill to the outward man not what is morally or spiritually good or ill The Second Preservative 2 VVEE must present all things to our minds as the Scripture presents them to us This will be a good means to keep our thoughts from feeding upon empty windy fancies 1 Present to our minds the Reality of spirituall Riches Pleasures Honours and Injoyments 2 The Emptinesse of earthly riches pleasures and honours which are but shadowes in comparison of those true reallities that the Gospel discovers The Spirit of God sets forth these earthly things as empty and dangerous things calling them vanity uncertain riches Eccles 1 2. Luke 15. 9. Prov. 23. 5. unrighteous Mammon Thornes yea Nothing The Third Preservative 3 VVEE must propound True objects for the minde to work upon in its thoughts Our fancy is prone to raise false objects and thereby false conceits and foolish thoughts in us Our best way to take off our thoughts from false objects is to fix them upon true objects As 1 To think of the infinite greatnesse and goodnesse of God and his peculiar perpetuall love to us in Christ 2 The plenitude of Grace and Glory that is in Jesus Christ 3 The high and heavenly Mysteries revealed in the Scriptures the exceeding great and precious promises of the Gospel 4 The reall possessions preferment and Royal priviledges of the Saints 5 The great day of judgement that we must all appear before the Lord Christ and be made manifest what we are and what we have done and be strictly accountable for all our thoughts words and works 6 Let us think of Heaven that Paradise of all glorious perfections plenitude of blisfull joyes and Rives of purest pleasures flowing from the immediate vision and injoyment of God for evermore The feeding and fixing of our minds upon these high and heavenly objects will be a means 1 To preserve us from vain sensuall thoughts 2 To produce thoughts of true holinesse it will draw us to think thus with our selves If these things be so indeed then must we frame our thoughts and wayes suitable to these holy Principles The Fourth Preservative 4 VVEE must labour to Set bounds to our fancies and put bonds upon our thoughts There is still some remainder of wildnesse in our fancy and unsettlednesse in our minds after renewing therefore we must confine our thoughts and imaginations within the compasse of Scripture Rules Lay a strict command upon them not to stray or turn aside from the straight path and if they begin to wander and run out it must be our wisedome and endeavour 1 To restrain and reduce them presently to stop these waters at their first breaking out and not to give the least way to the inordinate irregular risings of our thoughts and rovings of our fancy 2 To fasten our thoughts to the Crosse of Christ Consider how cruelly we have pierced the Lord of Life by our thought-sins and that he died to redeem us from our vain thoughts 3 To confine our thoughts to some heavenly precious and profitable objects as the appearing of Gods Grace the Glorious appearing of Christ and our appearing before him 2 If our imagination break loose and defile our minds and memories yet let it not defile our wills Give not the least consent to these sinfull motions but tread them downe at their first rising before they move to the practice of any thing 3 We must never entertain groundlesse imaginations Let us crosse and crush those imaginations which crosse the grounds
1 Sam. 2. 3. eye He seeth and knoweth all the Creatures that we make in our hearts our thoughts and imaginations When vaine ungodly thoughts doe assault us we should think thus with our selves God is present he stands by and look on he seeth my thoughts This apprehehension will be a powerfull means to fence our thoughts against evill We have an excellent place for this Job 31. if we compare vers 1. and v. 4. together it is one continued speech I have made a Covenant with mine eyes why then should I thinke of a Job 31. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maid Doth not he see my wayes and number all my steps What was the reason that Job durst not yield to a vaine impure thought Because God seeth it saith he he beholds my wayes That is the secret wayes of my heart my thoughts God takes notice how many thoughts I think and what they are So that Job's eye was fixed upon Gods eye and this fixed and overpowred his thoughts that he durst not take liberty in his thoughts 1 Let this impression be alwayes upon our hearts that God stands by and takes a strict view of our thoughts and will call us to a reckoning for them This will be an excellent means to keep us from the prevalency of those evill thoughts that assault us 2 Consider that God doth not stand by as a meer looker on but he takes such notice of all the thoughts that passe through mens hearts that he ponders and weighs them as it were to give them the fruit of their thoughts Mens sinfull thoughts are laid in one ballance and the righteous judgements of God in the other To his Children he gives correction but he weighs out punishment wrath and damnation to wicked ones 3 Let us consider who it is that knows our thoughts it is the all-knowing all-powerfull God whose eyes are as flaming fire and his feet like brasse There is no man but needs an increase of faith in this truth for if the infinitenesse of Gods presence and knowledge were firmly believed it could not be but that we should be more carefull and eyefull of our thoughts and wayes then we be Therefore for a clearer conviction and plenary perswasion of this truth I will present two eminent places one is in Ephes 4. 6. One God who is above all and in you all and through all 1 God is above all he looks down and beholds all that men think and doe on earth as a man that stands above in a high place can see all that is done below But it may be objected though a Object man be above yet there may be some corners dens and caves wherein men may hide themselves from the eyes of him who is above them God is said to be above all and through Answ all and in you all he is in us in our hearts and spirits by his all-knowing eye and all-searching presence God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeth every corner of our hearts every thought and secret of our hearts He looks through us through our hearts as a man looks through a clear glasse This is more plainly held forth Psal 139. 1 2. O Jehovah thou hast searched me and knowne me thou knowest my downe-sitting and mine up-rising thou understandest my thoughts afar off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My familiar thoughts my neerest and most inmost thoughts as the Hebrew imports Jehovah knowes the thoughts of men afar off because he knowes the Principles that are within their hearts and what they would act if occasion were offered As a man that knowes what roots are in his Garden he can say this and this will come up in the spring though no Flower appear for the present Oh therefore let us labour to keep this apprehension alwayes present with us that God beholds and takes notice of all our thoughts The Tenth Preservative 10 WEE must be mainly carefull to give up our first thoughts to God at our awaking in the morning This will be a good means to keep our thoughts close to God all the day following This was Davids constant practice as appears Psal 139. 17. When I awake I am still with thee That is in my thoughts I am still meditating of thee When we awake we should first fill our minds with the thoughts of God 1 Of his greatnesse and goodnesse of his mercy that is renewed every morning 2 Of his presence with us his all-searching eye that is over us and his mighty hand that is with us to assist us in doing his work and to resist all evils and enemies for us 3 We should fix our first thoughts every day upon that great and glorious end for which we have our life and being and how every thing we doe and that befalls us may be reduced ordered and made serviceable to this high end Gods glory The setting of our thoughts in a holy order every morning will much conduce to the right ordering of our thoughts it will prevent and keep out those earthly sensuall vanities which doe attend at the door of our hearts to make the first entry and to take up our thoughts for all the day Those objects that doe first take possession of our thoughts in the morning do much prevaile with our thoughts the day after The perfuming of our spirits with some gracious meditations at our first awaking will much sweeten our thoughts all the day It is a thing much to be lamented and laid to heart that Christians who professe themselves Heires of Heaven having matters of that weight and excellency to exercise their hearts upon should spend their thoughts upon trifles vanity and nothing as all earthly things will ere long appear Now one chief cause why mens hearts and heads are so fill'd with earthly sensuall thoughts is because they doe not season and strengthen their minds with thoughts of God and heavenly things at their first awaking The Eleventh Preservative 11 IT will be a precious means to keep us from evill thoughts if we be constant in holy fore-thoughts and after-thoughts every day 1 In the morning fore-thinking and resolving in the strength of Christ Jesus to watch over our thoughts all the day and to keep our hearts above all keeping that we offend not in our thoughts 2 We must keep a strict watch over our hearts the day following and though vaine vagrant thoughts doe crowd in yet take notice of them abhor and repell them complain to God against them 3 At night we must try examine our thoughts call them to account what they have acted how they have carried themselves the day past Take that course with our thoughts that men doe with idle Servants they set them their task in the morning and at the end of the day they call them to a reckoning this makes them carefull to doe their work The Twelfth Preservative 12 IF we would be kept from idle impure thoughts we must keep our bodies and minds close to the