The Right Government of Thoughts, Tract · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
ANd now Beloved, I am come to ſpeak of good thoughts with the means how to get them, and the manner of their government.
In the handling of this ſo needful a duty, and ſo fruitful a ſubject, I muſt premiſe ſome introductory particulars: to ſhew the poſſibility and neceſſity of this work: it is neceſſary, or elſe God would not have commanded it; it is poſſible, or elſe God would not have promiſed aſſiſtance to performance.
1. Hear how God commands this duty: O Jeruſalem, waſh thy heart from wickedneſſe, that thou mayeſt be ſaved; how long ſhall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? Jer. 4. 14.What is that great Commandment in the Law? is it not to love the Lord thy God? But how?Mat. 22. 37. is it not with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy ſtrength? Unleſſe the mind and heart be in our love and obedience, there will be no ſtrength in them, nor acceptance with God of them.
2. God hath promiſed mercy unto all who willingly endeavour to turn away from all their evil thoughts, and turn unto him with all their hearts. God requires a heart waſhed from iniquity, that the ſoul may be ſaved (as ye read but now) and God promiſeth not onelyonly to be abundant in mercy to pardon what is paſt; but alſo to perfect the work begun:Iſa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God for he will abundantly pardon.
I may adde, that it is a part of our regeneration to be renewed in our thoughts: the Apoſtle urgeth it: Be ye renewed in the ſpirit of your minds. Eph. 4. 23.
And further, that Goſpel-light requires Goſpel-thoughts: it was propheſied of theſe dayes: At that time they ſhall call Jeruſalem the Throne of the Lord, and all the Nations ſhall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord to Jeruſalem: neither ſhall they walk any more in the imagination of their evil heart. Jer. 3. 17. When God makes the Church his Throne and the Nations gather into it, to worſhip the Lord, then ſhall they leave off their wicked thoughts, and walk no more after them. We live in theſe happy times of the Goſpel, wherein, though every one hath not Eagles eyes, yet he may ſee a glorious light riſen and ſhining, (though through ſome clouds.) I ſuppoſe in former times ſuch ſtrict obſervance of our thoughts might have been ſlacked with leſſe ſin, than now; for God winked at thoſe dayes of ignorance: but now, excuſes for evil thoughts are as unpleadable, as for evil deeds. If now we walk in an evil way, in a way that is not good, after our evil thoughts, God that ſpreads out his hands unto a rebellious people all the day long: Iſa. 65. 2. will ſtretch out his arme againſt a wicked people to puniſh them, becauſe they will not be perſwaded to amendment; for they that will not be perſwaded to rectiſie their thoughts, by the actions of Gods hand, ſhall be confounded at the laſt by the force of his arm.
And now we are come to the Point: where we ſhall firſt declare the means how we may attain good thoughts into our ſouls: and after that the government of them. All that hath been written hitherto, may be referred hither: And therefore where I ſhall have occaſion to fall upon the ſame things again, I ſhall either paſſe them over briefly, or enlarge them with variety, to avoid tediouſneſſe, and nauſeouſneſſe from the Reader.
1. For the getting of good thoughts into thy mind, it is needful that thou cleanſe the mind of all vain, and evil, and drowſie thoughts, ſo much as poſſibly thou canſt: he that would have good thoughts like the pillars of fire and ſmoke, to lead his actions day and night in this dangerous wilderneſſe, muſt in ſome meaſure cleanſe the heart of its native corruption, and of its contracted foulneſſe: for as we have no reaſon to expect ſweet liquor out of a fuſty veſſel, or good water out of a bitter fountain; figs from thorns, or grapes from thiſtles: ſo we have as ſmall ground to expect that an unmortified and unchanged heart, ſhould ſend forth a current of clean and purified thoughts. The good man out of the good treaſure of his heart brings forth good things, and the wicked man out of the evil treaſure of his heart brings forth evil things: ſo all fruits are of the nature of the tree whereon they grow. Our Saviour, who knew how to refer every effect to his proper cauſe, doth affirm, That out of the heart cometh thoughts of Murder, Adultery, Blaſphemies, and ſins of all ſorts: For the heart is evil above meaſure, and caſts into the thoughts continually that poiſon, which either makes them black as Hell, or muddles them with mire and dirt of fearful perplexities, and worldly cares.
Wherefore as many as intend to get good thoughts into their minds; let them give all diligence that the heart be cleanſed from all evil ones.
But here I admoniſh him that will ſet upon this work, that it is a work of more difficulty than many account it, not ſo ſoon done, as thought on. 'Tis not a few ſighs, and ſuperficial groans: 'tis not a few proverbial notions: nor yet the ſubduing of ſome notorious ſin, which is puniſhable and ſhameful in the world; but a total and univerſal change of all the faculties and powers of the ſoul: It is in the words of the Apoſtle, A putting off concerning the former converſation, the old man which is corrupt according to the deceiveable luſts, and a renovation in the ſpirit of our minds, by putting on that new man, which after God is created in righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe. Eph. 4. 22, 23, 24. And though we cannot attain the full meaſure and furtheſt degree of this cleanſing at the firſt, nor yet feel ſuch a ſenſible apprehenſion of the ſame as we deſire; yet let us not give over endeavours, nor be diſcomforted and diſquieted in our ſouls, if God give us a firſt-fruits, he will in time give us a harveſt.Jam. 5. 7. The Husbandman waits with long patience for the pretious fruit of the earth, until he receive the former and the latter rain: and if we be patient, and ſtabliſh our hearts, God will give unto us hearts cleanſed in ſome meaſure of all filthy thoughts. In this caſe we are not without a promiſe: After thoſe dayes, ſaith the Lord, I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts. Jer. 31. 33. And if we be once made maſters of ſome good thoughts, God will make us maſters over more; for him whom God finds faithful over a few things, he will make Lord over many things: and to him that hath, it ſhall be given, and he ſhall have abundance.
If any would know how to cleanſe and purifie the heart, he may conſult Authors purpoſely written upon that Subject. There are Treatiſes written thereof for more ample ſatisfaction: wherein he ſhal find, that God ordinarily in his firſt appearance to the ſoul uſeth the outward miniſtery of the Word, and by his Spirit inwardly, gives and applies that which is ſpoken unto the heart of the hearer, whereby the heart ſees its own corruption and miſery, and thereupon loaths and abhors it ſelf, and as a ſtomack ſurfeited with evil humours, would willingly diſgorge it ſelf, ſo it deſires to be delivered of its ſin, and eaſed of its miſery. Then hearing and attending to the Promiſes of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, it conceives hope by Chriſt, that new and living way: not onelyonly to be diſcharged of ſin and miſery; but alſo to be received into favour with God: and then lies groaning at the foot-ſtoole of grace, till God come in by his Spirit, and ſay, unto the poor ſoul, I am thy ſalvation: and thereupon it believes and purifies the heart of all noxious thoughts, words, and actions, and beholding Chriſt in the glaſſe of Gods Word, it is tranſformed into the image of Chriſt, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord: 2 Cor. 3. 18. but this briefly; becauſe I would not make too large an excurſion (if yet it be one) out of my way.
2. He that would have good thoughts in his mind, let him attend the means of grace in Gods ſeveral diſpenſations: let him give up his heart unto that form of Doctrine which hath been delivered unto the Saints: and ſubject his ſoul in all humility unto the whole will of God revealed, and openly urged (by ſuch as are ſent) upon his underſtanding, wil, and affections, in the Ordinance of Preaching; which being rightly managed, is the power of God unto ſalvation.
Here I muſt admoniſh them that hear the Word of God, that they would be patients, to take what God preſcribes for the cure of their thoughts. That man wil never make a good Diſciple, and follower of Chriſt, that is not content to deny himſelf; a novice that is proud, is not far from the condemnation of the Devil. Naaman had almoſt loſt the cure of his Leproſie, by deſpiſing the waters of Jordan, and preferring his own Rivers of Abanah and Parphar. We muſt not quarrel at Gods way or method of cureing our thoughts, nor at the perſons of Gods ſending, to adminiſter ſpiritual help unto us. In this matter, we ſhould ſay with Samuel, Speak on Lord for thy ſervant heareth: 1 Sam 3. 10. or as that devout Cornelius to Paul; We are all here preſent before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. Act. 10. 33
3. He that would have good thoughts, let him pray: let him intreat the Lord to enrich his ſoul by his ſanctifying ſpirit; for by multiplyed acts, the ſpirit doth renew our minds. God ſaves us, but not by works of Righteouſneſſe, which we have done, but according to his mercy by the waſhing of regeneration, and renewing of the holy Ghoſt: pray for that, therefore, that ye may be waſed and ſaved. Tit. 3. 5.
The fourth meanes to get good thoughts into thy mind, is to accompany Gods Saints, be thou as much as conveniently, and without prejudice of thy calling in the company of them that are godly, whoſe communion will edge the good motions that are upon thy ſpirit, as Iron ſharpens Iron.2 Pet. 3. 1. Peters Epiſtles had power in them to ſtirre up the pure minds of holy men; there is a power alſo in the interloquutories and familiar conferences of holy perſons, when they meet face to face; Paul had a great deſire of many years, to ſee (not ſo much the City of Rome in her then glory) as the brethren at Rome, Rom. 15. 23, 24. that he might be filled with their company, we believe a communion of Saints, and ſhall we not deſire to be aſſiſtants one to another, to impart and receive ſome ſpiritual gifts, interchangeably? God himſelf is ſeen in the congregations of holy men, and therefore as Manoah and his wife, when they had ſeen an Angel, thought they had ſeen the face of God. So when we ſhall ſee the face of Gods people, let us think we behold the face of God in them, for they are the livelieſt pictures of Gods image, their converſation will adminiſter thoughts of imitation, their conferences will ſeaſon our unſavory meditations, their diſcourſe will draw out waters of life, ſo that we may perceive the deep things of our ſalvation, flowing out of their bellies unto us: and though Satan in the company of wicked men, do beget upon their imaginations, a company of wicked thoughts, yet the ſpirit of God is as plentiful in producing good motions in godly minds by the company of ſanctified men: do but obſerve the iſſues of thy mind after thy fill of their company, how barren doſt thou return from the tables of thoſe, where thou haſt not ſeen the face of God, nor heard any talk of heaven, and if amongſt them, Satan have but whiſtled an horn-pipe, how is thy ſoul dulled or grieved, or turned out of the way; or unfitted for heavenly thoughts. But on the contrary, when thou haſt been praying, faſting, mourning, or it may be feaſting with Gods Saints, how cheerful will the ſoul be? it ſeems to have fed upon ſome diſh (like Elijahs meat) in the ſtrength whereof thy thoughts goe a long journey in holy meditations, therefore be ſure of a holy man to thy friend, and the more the better; and make much account of him or them, it's a wonder to ſee what force is in the company of godly men, to ſtirre up good thoughts: and lamentable to ſee how Satan ſtrangles good thoughts in ſome, when they are ready to appeare in action by evill company, ſo that thoſe thoughts never live to ſee the light.
5. He that would get good thoughts, and ſtore his heart with them, muſt make much of them, when they come: they are quick movers, they come ſuddenly, and they are gone as ſoon; if they be not kindly entertained: they will not ſtay long at the dore knocking, nor ſcraping for acquaintance, they are the meſſengers of Gods Spirit, and they bring good newes to the ſoul that bids them welcom, but the non-entertainment of them, or the ſlight entertainment of them, is a grieving of the holy Spirit of God, that ſent them. If Davids meſſengers be unkindly entreated by Nabal, or frowned upon, they will back to their Lord, and acquaint him with their uſage, and do not thou think but. thy carriage towards holy thoughts will be carried to Gods ear: But if thou give kind entertainment to good thoughts, they will ſtay with thee, to counſell and comfort thee; and they will bring with them home to thine heart, many more of their own kind to lodge with thee: for God himſelf will ſend them in plentiful manner, who loves to furniſh ſuch an hoſt with the beſt commers. Good thoughts in this reſpect are ſomething like unto riches, they come to them in moſt plenty, who eſteem them moſt: the world muſt be courted, and gracious thoughts muſt be much made of,
And conſider, good thoughts are worthy entertainment, they are to be reckoned amongſt our better friends, a man can hardly make too much of them:Pſ. in the multitude of theſe thoughts, the comforts of God refreſh our ſoules.
Make much of them, for firſt they are good in themſelves, the births of gracious minds begotten upon them by the Spirit of God, for we are not able of our ſelves to think a good thought.
Secondly, theſe have been kind to us, and done us many a good turn, witneſſe our ſolitary nights, and tedious houres of ſickneſſe, impriſonment, afflictions, travailes from place to place, while no comforters have been our companions, but God and our good thoughts. We may ſay with David, We have remembred thy name in the night, and have kept thy Law: Pſal. 119. 55. our ſolitary and night thoughts have benefited us, for the keeping of Gods Law, and have adminiſtred unto us ſongs, in the dayes of our pilgrimage 54..
Thirdly, our good thoughts are likely to do us good hereafter, and it may be at ſuch a time, when we ſhall have more need of them, then ever we have had yet; it was Hezekiah's great comfort in his ſickneſſe, to think how he had walked before God, in truth, and with a perfect heart, and he beſeecheth the Lord alſo, that he would remember him in this behalf:2 Kings …. 3. if bonds or afflictions remain us, if we be caſt into the Dungeon, or be wounded in battail, or lye upon ſick-beds; good thoughts will be unto us our ſweeteſt companions.
Make much of good thoughts, they will ſeaſon the rooms where they come, and make the heart the houſe of God: But here a word of admonition to them that have not good thoughts, or rather to them whoſe good thoughts make offer of departure. Suſpect (beloved) your entertainments of them have been harſh, or diſtaſtful: uſe them more kindly, entreat their ſtay, offer them violence, keep them by force, (if it be poſſible) that they go not over the threſhold from you. Imitate herein Jacobs bold wreſtling with God; hold them faſt, let them not go, leſt ye loſe a bleſſing.
6. He that would get good thoughts into his mind, muſt have a great care to keep his mind off from evil objects, wicked perſons, places of iniquity, things that are ſinfull in themſelves, or occaſionally; for though wicked men make no matter to offer themſelves to theſe temptations, as nakedly as madmen run into the tents of their enemies: yet the children of God who have obſerved what foyles other men, or themſelves have formerly received by ſuch fool-hardines, wil wiſely keep themſelvs at a diſtance; this made him pray, turn away mine eyes, Lord, leſt they behold vanity; he that hath no care in this caſe, may find great diſorders creep into his thoughts, before he be aware.
'Tis the nature of imagination to receive the ſpecies or ſhapes of things from the outward ſenſes, and laying of them up a while, till ſhe hath judged of them; then to report them to the underſtanding: and from what ſhe hath received, ſhe can alſo create new ſpecies, and non-entities, of which kind are the uſual fictions of Poets: it behoves a man therefore to take heed with what objects, or matters, he hath to do, leſt by them ſomething get into the mind to diſorder and diſſettle the government of his diſpoſed thoughts, or being themſelves in poſſeſſion, keep out better things then themſelves from entring; keep off therefore from things that are in themſelves ſimply unwarrantable, and from thoſe alſo which are ſuch by accident, and circumſtantially, as were thoſe things whereof the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Idols Temples, and meat ſacrificed unto Idols.
Why? but Paul doth not condemn ſuch things as unlawful, but notes them indifferent true; but to him that is perſwaded in his own mind, not to him that doubts: to him that walks in charity, not to him that gives an offence to a weak brother, for whom Chriſt died.
Why? but it is lawful to make ſin it ſelf the object of our thoughts, we may think of it: we may think of Adams ſins, of our own ſins; we may think of the miſery of man by ſin, we may conſider from whence we are fallen: what was our purity of nature, our proſperity in Paradiſe, and what Countenance we had from God in that ſtate, and how ſin hath now taken up the room wherein God kept; and curſes have ſucceeded in the ſtead of bleſſings: alas, our caſe is now ſo miſerable, that we have not a labour without wearineſſe, a pleaſure without ſatiety, or pain; a meat without poyſon, a way without a Serpent, a friend without weakneſſe: theſe things we may think of, elſe why are we called upon to repent our ſelves of our ſins, to confeſſe them, to pray pardon for them: to walk humbly, and to fear, becauſe of the terrours of the Lord. Yea further we may think of the workings of Satan againſt us, with what trains and ſubtilties he ſeeks to entrap and enſnare us, that he may bring us to deſtruction, both of bodies and ſoules, whiles our fleſh confederates with him againſt us, like a kingdome divided in it ſelf: and the world conſpires with both, by frowns and favours to ſeparate us from God: Elſe why are we ſo often called upon, to beware of the wiles of the Devil, to ſubdue our own fleſh, to take heed of the world, leſt our hearts be pierced through with many ſorrows: and if ſo, What need is there to have a care to keep our minds from evil objects?
I anſwer, 'tis lawful to think of our own ſins, of the malice of the Devil, of our own miſeries, of the deceitfulneſſe of the world, and of our own fleſh: while the thoughts of theſe things convey them ſo to the underſtanding, that it diſproves them, to the will that it abhors them ſo far as they are evil; and thereupon ſet our hearts upon thoughts of mortification: but if the thought of theſe things ſhal draw in the wil to like of them, and the underſtanding to plot a forwarding of ſuch wickedneſſe as theſe propound, then the thinking upon theſe things, become evil thoughts. And thus we muſt have a great care to keep our minds from evil objects: leſt too much poreing upon them, do ſecretly and cloſely conveigh ſome of their malignity into our minds and affections. Wherefore think not of ſin, but to loath it, think not of the Devil, but to reſiſt him, think not of thy fleſh, but to ſubdue: nor of the world, but to hate it ſo far as the love of it is enmity againſt God: But take off every thought concerning theſe things which draw in the wil to like, or the underſtanding to deviſe, miſchief.
7. That ye may get good thoughts into your minds, propound ſomething of worth and uſefulneſſe to your conſiderations. Imagination will create and multiply good thoughts from a ſubjectof worth and excellency: and here thou mayeſt take up into thy thoughts the four Cardinal Workes of God. Firſt the Creation is a uſeful ſubject to think of: the matter out of which all things made their appearance at the firſt was nothing: the power by which God wrought them, was a word: the variety of creatures produced, were all things in Heaven above, in the Earth beneath, or in the Waters under the Earth. All things were brought out of nothing by the Creators word. If thou caſt thy thoughts upon thy ſelf onelyonly, thou mayeſt ſay with the Prophet, I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Paſſe hence to the wonder of mans Redemption, and when thou lookeſt into the myſtery hereof: leave off thy marveling at the frame and furniture of the World, the Sun, the Moon, and Stars, which he hath made: What wonder I at the Leviathans greatneſſe, taking his pleaſure in the Deep, or at the ſmal dimenſions of the Wren and Piſmire? all theſe things are light in compariſon when I think of God, made Man, and deſcending from Heaven in the Son, a Babe born of a Virgin, ſwadled and laid in a manger: proclaimed by Angels, yet ſpitefully uſed by his creatures: dying and lying in the grave, and from thence riſing again, and aſcending back into Heaven from whence he deſcended before: This the Apoſtle commends unto us in the Goſpel,1 Tim. and calls it, The great Myſtery of Godlineſſe: God manifeſted in the Fleſh, juſtified in the Spirit, ſeen of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the World, received up into Glory. When thy heart hath ſomewhat filled it ſelf with the work of Redemption, thou mayeſt for variety ſake lawfully call up into thy thoughts the wonderful work of Gods providence: how manifold are Gods works: how in wiſdom doth he govern them all. Any of Gods works of providence may ſweeten the labours of the longeſt day: and ſhorten the tediouſneſſe of the longeſt night: Even Gods ſpecial care of thy particular ſelf, in the ſeveral ages of thy life, when ſeriouſly thought upon, is no leſſe than wonderful; How many dangers of thy childhood, of thy youth, of thy age, hath God diſcovered unto thee? and ſometimes prevented them, ſometimes carried thee through them, and yet delivered thee from them? How many mercies hath he prepared and performed for thee, which never came into thy mind? Or if thou wilt, Conſider that gratious work of Regeneration, whereby the Spirit of God which breaths where it liſteth, takes up a poor creature already dead in ſins and treſpaſſes, and breaths into him the breath of Life, ſets him on his feet, and teacheth him to go, and holds him by his arm, that he ſhould henceforth fall no more for ever. I do but ſhew you ſome things of worth and uſefulneſſe to think upon: not to conſine a larger ſoul to theſe ſubjects onelyonly. I know every particular work of God carries wonder in it: yet if thy ſoul do but climb, like promonts, to theſe mentioned, thy underſtanding will have ſo much in view, that thy thoughts need never be idle, nor ill employed: but find a matter to raiſe a good thought upon, and to multiply invention. Even every viſible and objective thing, is a book laid open before thy eye, wherein thou mayeſt reade ſomething of Gods worth, and thy own duty.
Reader, take theſe courſes for the getting conſerving and encreaſing good thoughts in thy mind. It may be ſome of theſe directions may ſeem uſeleſſe unto thee; yet thou haſt my offer of love to thy ſoul: and they may be unto thee, though unſeen at the firſt, like Minerals under ground, which lead to and fro with a thouſand veins, enriching the Miner.