The Right Government of Thoughts, Tract · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
THus I have ſpoken of Remedies for the two firſt errours of thoughts (to wit) the dowſineſſe and vanity of them, in regard of object, in regard of unſtayedneſſe, in regard of unprofitableneſſe, and in regard of confuſion. I ſhall now alſo ſay ſomething for remedy againſt the wickedneſſe of thoughts, which happens when our thoughts draw in our affection and will to deſire, and like of wickedneſſe, and our minds to deviſe to bring it to paſſe. I will not here give the remedies to theſe two errours ſeverally, but together, and at once. Expect not a remedy for every kind of wicked thoughts apart, as erroneous, heretical, covetous, ambitious, revengeful, proud, &c. for the objects of the affections are almoſt infinite, and the evil imaginations of the mind working toward the accompliſhment of wickedneſſe, are ſo various, who can know them? Yet ſomething I ſhall ſay to theſe; for it will be expected by the Reader, and I am bound to it by promiſe in this undertaking: Here again I muſt leave much for the judicious to do of themſelves in their own occurrencies of thoughts: Yet thus for a help unto them that are weak.
Have thy thoughts drawn in thy likeing of that which is ſinful, and is thy mind plotting to accompliſh it? Firſt give ſtop to theſe wicked affections and deviſings at their firſt beginnings: Sero medicina paratur: Long and confirmed diſeaſes are ſtubborne to yield unto medicine: an infant-thought may take a check; but if it grow man by continuance, all the wit and ſtrength thou haſt will hardly bow him back. The phanſie will take fire at a temptation before we be aware, like tinder, which kindles at the leaſt ſpark falling into it, and 'tis a mover as quick and ſpreading as fire. The lightning is not quicker than thought: we had need therefore to be ſpeedy in giving ſtop to our wicked thoughts. Job knew this, and therefore made covenant with his eyes, not to think upon a maid. Job 31. 1. What the eye ſeeth, or the eare heareth, the heart may deſire; but unknown, undeſired. If it be poſſible keep wickedneſſe from the eye and eare; theſe are the two principal gates by which ſin enters into our hearts: if the watch were kept more ſtrictly at theſe gates, we ſhould not ſo often find our enemy within us. If David had looked better to his eyes, adultery had not gotten into his thought: nor could the whoriſh woman have come into the young mans heart, had he kept her out of his eares: it was with much fair ſpeeches that ſhe cauſed him to yield. Prov. 7. 21 The eye and the eare, are the out-works of the ſoul: he that would keep out evil thoughts, muſt barricadoe theſe gates.
Let evil thoughts receive a check at their firſt offer to enter; for he that gives way to his imaginations, ſhews that he would give way to wicked actions, if they were as free from ſhame and puniſhment.
And a man may know much of his gratious ſtate by his own uſing of his thoughts: he that forbears evil, out of a conſcience of ſin, will forbear alſo to imagin evil in his heart: but men of corrupt minds, are not men of renewed ſpirits.
2. If thou canſt not ſtop them in their beginnings, then thy care muſt be to divert them to ſome more profitable or pious object. When the water hath gotten in upon us, we make draines and water-courſes to carry it ſome other way: and ſo likewiſe muſt we do with our evil thoughts: if they have broken in upon us, we muſt turn them aſide to ſome other matter. As ſuppoſe, coveteous, or envious, or proud thoughts, be got into thy mind, thou mayeſt divert them to liberal, merciful, humble thoughts.Joh. 4. 12. The woman of Samaria, was a great admirer of Jacobs Well,ver. 20. and the mountain of Samaria, the one for water, and the other for the worſhip of God: Chriſt diverts her opinion of Jacobs Well, by telling her of a Well of water ſpringing up unto everlaſting life:ver. 14. and her opinion of Gods worſhip in Samaria: by reſolving her that ſalvation is of the Jews, and diverting her to think of a worſhiping of God in ſpirit and in truth. ver. 22, 23. If I ſhould preſcribe one object in the multitude of your evill thoughts to turn them unto: it ſhould be God, who is infinitely long and broad, and wide, beyond the extent of the ſouls deſires or thoughts: Kingdoms cannot ſatisfie ambition; Gold as the duſt of the ſtreet cannot ſatisfie covetouſneſſe: pleaſures to ſatiety and loathing, content not the fleſh: and the mind is as unſatisfied with thinking and knowing; onelyonly God is of that infiniteneſſe, and of that excellency that all thoughts and deſires, are terminated in him; and all thoughts and deſires that turn themſelves unto God, are bettered by looking upon him.
3. If evil thoughts ſtill preſſe in upon thee, if they will not be ſtop'd nor diverted, break them off with ſome violence; if they be unreaſonable and juſtle out better thoughts, lay hands upon them;1 Cor. 9. 27. if the body grow unruly, it muſt be kept under and brought into ſubjection. Some thoughts are ſo wicked, that they will not be caſt out (like thoſe Devils) without faſting and prayer. If any thought within thee ſhall croſſe Religion or reaſon, reſolve to croſſe it. There are ſome curſed imaginations which are the mother-roots of a multitude of ſins: as thoſe which move Queſtions ſeriouſly of Gods Eſſence, Perſonality, Mercy, Juſtice, Power, Providence; and whether the Scriptures be the word of God: whether the ſouls of men be immortal; whether there be a Heaven or a Hell: ſuch thoughts as theſe ſhould not be diſputed withal, muchleſſe allowed, but expelled or kill'd: if but ſuch thoughts as theſe be ſuffered and allowed within, they will make a ſoul as deſolate of grace, as a City is without an inhabitant; he that hath no rule over his own ſpirit, (certainly 'tis true in this caſe) is like a City that is broken down, and without walls.Prov. 25. 28. I ſhall never marvel that he is a wicked man, whom I know to allow himſelf or others, in ſuch thoughts as theſe: but I ſhal think grace is ruined in that man, that diſputes theſe things, & determines them againſt the Scripture.
4. If wicked thoughts will not begone yet, thou haſt this remedy left: call in help againſt them: pray them away, pray God in to thy help againſt them: pray for a change of thine own nature, of thine own thoughts: Was not this the thing which David prayed for? Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right ſpirit within me. Pſal. 51. 10. 'Tis plain it was. Let us lift up our hearts in prayer againſt all our ſinnes in thoughts: but eſpecially againſt them that are wicked ones: heavy thoughts and vain thoughts are errours, and not excuſeable from ſin: but wicked thoughts are of a worſer generation, we muſt purge our ſelves from theſe with greater diligence: I know fooliſhneſſe is bound up in the heart of a child, an evil heart cannot but think evil: Prov. 22. 15. What can I look for from an Adder but her poiſon and her ſting: yet we may pray out fooliſhneſs out of our hearts. And I believe Paul often uſed this help againſt the evils of his own heart; for he ſaith, When I was a child, I ſpake as a child, I underſtood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childiſh things. 1 Cor. 13. 21. It may be thou art a child in thy ſpeaking, in thy underſtanding, in thy thinking: pray that thou mayeſt become a man, and be able to put away childiſh things.
Thus much of the evil of thoughts, and how we may by Gods aſſiſtance, remedy the ſame. I beſeech you Brethren apply theſe remedies to the ſeverall errours of your thoughts, and they will doe you much good.
Object not an impoſſibility for any to remedy the infirmities and ſinfulneſſes of thoughts: what nature cannot do, grace may, and what man cannot do, God can. Every Chriſtian who hath the ſpirit of God, is enabled by that ſpirit within him, to do all things Evangelically, or with a Goſpel allowance, whereunto he is called of God. If God would have the thoughts of a righteous man to be juſt, God hath not made it an impoſſible work: what nature within thee is averſe to do, and what grace within thee cannot do, that the ſpirit within thee can do, and the Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt without thee hath done: wherefore deſpair not of the work, but go about it.