The Right Government of Thoughts, Tract · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
ANd thus I have alſo diſcovered thoſe evil thoughts which ſurpaſſe the dulneſſe, and vanities of them, being in themſelves evil; and infecting the heart with wicked complacency, and the underſtanding with wicked inventions.
Having thus far proceeded in ſearching out the errours, and wickedneſſe of mens thoughts. I ſhall now endeavour by the aſſiſtance of God, to preſcribe ſome remedies or means of redreſſe: and the Remedies will be of two ſorts: the firſt equally oppoſe all errours of our throughts, whether dull, or vain, or wicked: the ſecond are more particular fitted to cure ſome kind or other, and not ſo much reſpecting all.
Firſt, the mind that travelleth, and feeleth it ſelf heavy laden with any of the former incumbrances and would be refreſhed with the reſt of God: muſt make a conſcience of his thoughts; contrary to the common opinion of Carnaliſts, and time-ſerving Formaliſts, who think, and often ſay it, That Thought is free, and that if they can refrain ſuch words and works as are of evil report and puniſhable, then their peace is ſound, and themſelves juſt, though their thoughts be black as hell, and conform to the works of the Devil. And indeed, thoughts are free from puniſhment by the Laws of men, which onelyonly reach to the outward man; and a man is not bound by Law, or any duty, to reveale all his thoughts unto another. Salomon tells us, That a prating fool, or a man of fooliſh lips ſhall fall: Prov. 10. 8. But the good man muſt perſwade himſelf that the Lord takes notice of, abhors, and will puniſh evil thoughts, as the breaches of his Law, therein extending more than the laws of men. It is a known diſtinction among all, that there are ſins of thought, as much as ſins of word or of deed. We read of ſome that erre, becauſe they imagine evil: of ſome that ſinned becauſe they tempted God in their hearts: Prov. 14. 22. Pſal. 78. 18. Pſal. 58. 2. of others that did work wickedneſſe in their heart. Our Saviour gives a check to the Scribes for their evil thoughts; Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? Mat. 9. 4. Yea in the Court of Conſcience, and in Gods ſight, evil thoughts are in ſome reſpect, more ſinful (or leſſe excuſeable) than either words or deeds. What is that condemning ſin of unbelief: what that of hypocriſie, whoſe puniſhment in Hell is the pattern how other ſins ſhall be puniſhed? They are not ſins of word, they are not ſins of work; but ſins of the inward parts, of the mind, and of the heart. Conſider further upon this matter, and ye ſhall perceive.
1. That evil thoughts are Ringleaders to other ſins: all other uncleanneſses begin at the heart, Mat. 15. 18. whether they be blaſphemies, or falſe-witneſſing, which are ſins of the tongue, or murders, and adulteries, which are ſins of deed. From contemplative wickedneſſe, we go on to actual: ſo luſt (within, when it hath conceived, at temptation without) brings forth ſin. Jam. 1. 15 Imagination is the great wheel of the ſoul: if that move amiſſe, all the whole man runs at random: for as the phanſie conceives, the judgement concludes, the will chooſeth, the affections purſue, or eſchew, and the members of the body execute. Wherefore in regard of precedency, or cauſality, ſins of thought are more ſinful, or inexcuſeable, than either words or deeds.
2. Our thoughts are more at liberty than our words or actions: there is leſſe byas hanging upon our thoughts, than upon our outward man. As theſe are more free from the ſhame of the World, the cenſure of enemies, the puniſhment of outward laws, the reprehenſion of godly brethren: ſo they are leſſe ſwayed by hopes of favour from ſuch we love or reverence, or hope to riſe by. In evil times eſpecially, many things may afford excuſe for miſcarriages in our words or deeds. Many dangers are following them that are of free language and open works which in this frailty of the fleſh, may put on our outward faults a mincing infirmity; but none, nor any of theſe, can any way diminiſh the fault of our thoughts. For notwithſtanding all theſe, our thoughts are freed from the byas of fear or favour. Jonathan could love David as his own ſoul, though he went in his Father Sauls Army, which hunted him as a Partridge upon the mountains. Obadiah thought reverently of the Lords Prophets, and preſerved many of them from the cruel rage of Jeſabel: though he lived in Ahabs Court: But if the inward parts be wickedneſſe, there is no faithfulneſſe in thoſe ſinners: There is no faithfulneſs in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedneſs. Pſal. 5. 9. Its poſſible, God may have ſome whoſe hearts are right with him in evil times, though they halt in their words and outward behaviour: But if the thoughts of the heart and mind be evil, whatſoever the outward appearance is, there is no believing of ſuch.
3. The temptations of Satan have not ſuch power over our thoughts, as they have in our outward man, in as much as the Devil is no ſearcher of hearts, and therefore cannot ſo eaſily puddle theſe fountains, as he doth, by Gods permiſſion, our words and deeds. I do not ſay Satan hath no power, but not ſuch power. The Devil knows the conſtitution and temperament of mens bodies, and can move the humours, and by them he can ſtir up the affections: he can repreſent falſe ſpecies by the ſenſes unto the cogitative faculty: and thereby diſorder the thoughts: But he hath not ſuch an immediate illapſe, or entrance into the heart, as into our outward ſenſes: and by how much our thoughts receive leſs violence and oppoſition from Satan, by ſo much the ſins of our thoughts are leſſe excuſeable: as he is leſſe a ſinner that ſins by temptation, than he that ſinneth without.
But thou wilt ſay, Our words and deeds bring more damage unto others, and breed a greater ſcandal amongſt the good, than our thoughts do. I anſwer, Yes: and therefore God condemns outward actions that are ſinful: But the evil of our thoughts are as filthy in our ſelves, and as open to the eyes of God, as our actions are: and God who eſpecially reſpects our ſpirits, whether in mortification to ſin, or in quickning to righteouſneſſe: hath equally forbidden our thoughts, as our words or deeds. He that ſaid, Thou ſhalt not bear falſe witneſſe, Thou ſhalt not ſteal, ſaid alſo, Thou ſhalt not covet.
Wherefore we ought to have a conſcientious care of our evil thoughts, as of our evil deeds; we muſt account them ſinful, and puniſhable: and take heed how we receive in thoughts, hand over head. Good thoughts indeed ſhould be welcom'd when they come, leſt we be found to reſiſt the Spirit of God; for in a motion upon thy thoughts the Spirit of life may come into thy ſoul. But on the other hand, if evil thoughts do offer themſelves, we ought to keep them out.
I have inſiſted upon this remedy the longer, becauſe until this be cleared up to the judgement that thoughts are ſins, and puniſhable, and we ought to make a conſcience of them, all other remedies of evil thoughts will be unprofitable, and the mind wil be peſtered with them.
The ſecond General Remedy againſt evil thoughts is. Let a man judge and condemn himſelf for evil thoughts: there is no man living can ſay his heart is clean: and 'tis meet that a Chriſtian feel a trouble and heavineſſe within him, wrought by that diſorder and trouble that is in his thoughts. Paul is our pattern, crying out, Oh wretched man that I am. Rom. 7. 24. Let us think it expedient for us to cry out againſt that body of evil thoughts within us, that God may deliver us from them:Pſ. 51. we ſhall never have true and ſound peace in our ſelves, unleſſe our hearts be clean created within us. The Phariſee which cleanſeth the outſide of the platter, hath no true comfort while his inward parts are full of ravening and wickedneſs. Luc. 11. 39, 40. For he that made that which is without, made that which is within alſo. There is no ſweetneſſe in that ſoul, which is a whited tombe without, and rotten bones within. Doſt thou look at that which is without? and doſt thou condemn thy ſelf for any uncomelineſſe there? Thou doſt well: for God made the outſide, and Chriſt purchaſed the outſide: but forget not to look at that which is within; and if any ſinfulneſſe be there, judge and condemn thy ſelf for it: for God made the inſide, and Chriſt purchaſed the inſide. It is a Wiſe mans counſel: If thou haſt thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth: Prov. 30. 32. evil thoughts ſhould be ſtopped before they get out upon the tongue: Surely the churming of milke brings forth butter: Prov. 30 33. and the meditation and agitating of evil thoughts will bring forth ſin. Stop them up therefore, and condemn thy ſelf for them: that they break not out, to thy ſhame, and danger.
Thirdly, ſet your ſelves againſt evil and vain thoughts, and be not quiet till ye have in ſome meaſure cleanſed your minds of them. Evil thoughts are not worthy to paſſe into your minds; much leſſe to keep houſe there. Oh Jeruſalem, waſh thine heart from Jer. 4. 14. wickedneſs: how long ſhall vain thoughts lodge within thee? Evil and vaine thoughts are bold intruders, they will come, yet let them not ſtay to take up lodging with thee. There are many birds that are unclean, and ſome of them are ſwift of wing; but they are not for ſacrifice. Thoughts are as ſwift as the birds of the air; they flie more ſpeedily, and thou canſt not hinder them from coming and hovering in thy mind: yet 'tis thy duty to keep them from building and neſting themſelves if they be of an unclean kind. If thou canſt keep evil and vain thoughts out from getting entrance, thou ſhalt quit thy ſelf like a man: but if they break in upon thee, gather thy ſtrength together, and ſtrive to beat them out again. If men did begin betimes to enter combat with their ſins, whilſt they are but thoughts; how many wickedneſſes would be prevented upon the knees? many of Satans temptations would be taken up, and waſted betimes, which ſuffered to grow into actions, become ſtrong and ſpreading wickedneſſe. Friends, ſet your ſelves in oppoſition againſt the evil of your thoughts: this is the way to be more than Conquerors. Know this, he that thinks to waſte groſſe ſins which waſte the peace of his ſoul, muſt begin to fight them within dores, even in his own thoughts, but he that thinks to beat ſin out of action, and leaves it in his thoughts, begins at the wrong end; it is an eaſie thing for ſin to paſſe from the thought into action: he that cuts off this paſſage, may be ſecure of this converſation outwardly: if therefore thou meet with any evil thoughts within thee, declare thy ſelf an enemy, and caſt them out.
A fourth general Remedy againſt evil thoughts, is: Have reſpect unto Gods word; he that would hedge out evil thoughts, muſt look into Gods word: this is it which ſets bounds to all vain thoughts; the Pſalmiſt propounds a queſtion: how may a young man cleanſe his way, Pſal. 119. 9.Pſal. 119. 9 a hard matter for any man, but more hard in a young man, who by reaſon of his perturbation and violence of affections, the Philoſophers accounted unfit for their Schools, yet the means is preſcribed by taking heed, according to thy word: the word of God gives wiſdom unto the ſimple, if they will hear it, and give attendance thereunto; if the law of God be in a mans heart, none of his ſteps ſhall ſlide:Pſal. 37. 31. men may account the word of God a weak defence and ſhelter againſt any annoyance: but hear what the Apoſtle ſpeaks of it, from experience: the weapons of our warfare, are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of ſtrong holds, caſting down imaginations, 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. (mark that) and every high thing that exalts it ſelf againſt the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chriſt: high imaginations fall down before the word, and before it every thought goeth into captivity.
The fifth general remedy againſt vain and wicked thoughts, is prayer; pray againſt evill thoughts. This is a general remedy againſt all evills, and we have need to make uſe of it againſt the exorbitances of our thoughts, becauſe they are ſo continually working to bring forth ſin: the body grows weary in acting thoſe ſins, which require a concurrency of the members of the body, but the mind is never without its contemplative wickedneſſes, in one kind, or other, and therefore we alwayes ſtand in need of prayer, to help thoſe weakneſſes of our thoughts: if a clock be not every day wound up, it will ſtand, and not tell you the time of the day; and ſo will our thoughts fall upon lower and looſer objects, unleſſe they be pullyed and lifted up unto God by prayer: the Apoſtle therefore bids us to pray continually;1 Theſ. 5. 17. not that we ſhould do nothing elſe, (for the life of a Chriſtian is a buſie life, and full of variety of work) but that in all our buſineſſe, the thoughts of our hearts ſhould have their ſhort ejaculations, and quick prayers unto God, which hinder not, but forward us in our labours with better ſucceſſe: the mind of man is of that ſpeed in actions, that the body cannot keep pace with it, and therefore in all our bodily labours, gaine time to diſpatch a ſpeedy prayer unto God: but morning and evening do more eſpecially require our prayers unto God, that God being firſt in our thoughts in the morning, may barre out all vain thoughts from entring in all the day, and being laſt in our thoughts at evening, we may lye down and take our reſt, while the Lord is entreated to ſuſtein us by taking upon him our protection.
Sixthly, ſet your ſelves in Gods eye, I have ſet the Lord alwayes before mine eyes, he is at my right hand: Pſal. 16. 8. if men would ſet themſelves alwayes in Gods ſight, and be perſwaded that God is about their beds, and about their paths; and ſpyes out all their ways: many a vain and wicked thought would not be ſo bold to make their appearance. Bring your unruly and untruſty thoughts, like unfaithful ſervants into the preſence of God; it may be, and it uſually happens, that an evil ſervant hath private haunts to his Maſters dammage, yet in the eye of his Maſter, he will behave himſelf demurely and orderly; though Abſolom have a traiterous heart, and ambitious plot upon his Fathers kingdom: yet in the preſence of his Father, he will carry himſelf as one of the Kings ſons. God thought upon, as preſent, awes our otherwiſe unruly, cogitations, into a kind of quiet behaviour.
Do not think within thy heart, Tuſh, God ſeeth not; there is no impotency in Gods omniſciencie, his eye is brighter then the Sun, and breaketh into the moſt ſecret corners of thy cogitations, it's a Sun above thy head, which never ſets; a Candle in a room which never goes out: God can no more be ſeparated from a perpetual view of our thoughts, then from his own immeaſurable infiniteneſſe. Wherefore think thy ſelf continually in the preſence of God, and be not blind like Balaam, whoſe aſſe was more quick-ſighted, to ſee God, then himſelf: the ſoul which apprehends God looking upon him, (unleſſe moved by ſenſuality, to think God like unto himſelf) will ſtand in awe, and not ſin: the preſence of God is like Sun, and wind that ſcatters all the fogs of evil, and corrupt thoughts that ariſe. This ſtubble cannot endure the day of Gods coming. The Prophet when he bringeth in the Atheiſt, with a heart ſet within him to do wickedly, renders a reaſon out of his own mouth, ſaying; Tuſh, God ſeeth not, how doth God know? Is there knowlege in the moſt high? Pſal. 73. 11 as if he would tell us, that a main ground of that prophaneneſſe which is in mens hearts, and lives, ariſeth from a ſuppoſition of Gods not regarding what is done upon earth by the ſonnes of men: and in another place 'tis written, the tranſgreſſion of the wicked ſaith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes; Pſal. 36. 1. as if he ſhould ſay, the tranſgreſſions of wicked men have a language whereby they ſpeak, if not to my ear, yet unto my underſtanding, and they perſwade me to believe in my heart, that there is no fear of God in them: now if the not ſeeing of Gods preſence give riſe unto ſins of deeds, which have many other reſtraints upon them; how much more ſhall the non-obſervance of Gods preſence open a dore for corrupt thoughts, to enter; whom no eye, but God can eſpye; upon which there are no reſtraints, but the fear of God: if the Ancients of Iſrael, who make lawes, and rule others, think the Lord ſeeth not; the Lord hath forſaken the earth: they will doe abominable things in the dark, in the chambers of their imagery. Ezek. 8. 12
Wherefore that ye may reſtrain evil thoughts; believe that your ſelves and your thoughts are continually before God: for this know, an evill thought can no more endure the look of God, then a runagate ſervant, the frown of his Maſter: and ſet God alwayes before your eyes: in all times, and in all places, when you are in the midſt of Gods Temple, think of his loving kindneſſe: I have thought of thy loving kindneſſe in the midſt of thy Temple; Pſal. 48. 9. I, that's no wonder, what ſhould a ſoul do elſe in Gods Temple, whither the Tribes of the Lord, the Tribes of the Lord go up to give thanks to the name of the Lord? Pſalm. but hearken again, I have remembred thy name oh Lord in the night, even in ſolitary places, and times, a righteous mans thoughts have recourſe unto God: Pſal. 119. 55. and mark the benefit of ſuch recourſes, I have remembred thy name oh Lord in the night, and have kept thy law: when our thoughts are fixed upon God, his preſence withholds us from ſinne, and keeps us to his Law.
7. Remedy againſt evil thoughts is, ſearch thine own conſcience, for the evil thoughts and purpoſes of thy life, which are paſſed: what is written there? how readeſt thou? what hath been the iſſue of ſuch thoughts, what ſucceſſe haſt thou had from them? have not evil thoughts drawn thee in to ſinne againſt God, to injure men, to defile thine own body? what fruit hadſt thou in thoſe things whereof thou art now aſhamed? ſuppoſe God had not kept thy ſins from the eare of the world, what a confounded creature hadſt thou been: how aſhamed to look men in the face? if God had not remitted them in the cenſure of his own juſtice, and given thee ſome hope of forgiveneſſe, what a wretched man hadſt thou been? what feares and horrours had been upon thy ſoul? or what if thoſe ſins be forgiven thee: think what it coſt thee to ſue out thy pardon, and to get Gods ſeal upon thy conſcience; what if here thou ſhalt make inqueſt after thy Maſter-ſin, and conſider how evil thoughts have made their way into thy practice; conſider how often, how upon ſlight occaſions, how after many vowes made unto God to the contrary, thou haſt dangerouſly, ſcandalouſly, cowardly, and filthily yielded up thy ſelf as a vaſſail upon baſe conditions to think and do wickedly.
Let a man always carry this remedy with him as an Antidote in his pocket, and hang it upon the file of his heart, and when evil motions at any time begin to creep into the mind, then caſt this buſh in the way, which will ſo aſtoniſh the preſent working of our thoughts, that it will either confound them, or turn their courſe into ſome better channel. It were a happy thing, if we could thus make a vertue out of a vice, and turn that ſin into a remedy, againſt evil thoughts, which it ſelf had not been a ſin upon the file of our conſciences, but that evil thoughts conceived it, and brought it forth. Some apply this receipt againſt the incurſion of proud thoughts, againſt the breaking in of heady and heedleſſe paſſions, againſt the breaking out of luſt, revenge, &c. I commend it unto every Chriſtian as a ſudden remedy againſt all evil thoughts: a ſubject it is, whereabout if a mind be ſeriouſly buſied, it will give him little joy to think ill or idly: Accept this with a Probatum eſt, as the remembrance of ſome one monſtrous ſin not forgiven, is inſupportable to a wicked man: ſo the remembrance of a foul thought, or other ſinne, though pardoned through Gods mercy, is very profitable to a righteous man, to keep him from evil thoughts, and to make his thoughts juſt.