The Sinfulness of Evil Thoughts, Treatise · Chapter 35
CHAP. XXXV. Containing directions what meanes to uſe to prevent evil thoughts, and to purge them out.
AND that thy heart may be rid of theſe evil gueſts of ſinfull thoughts, and kept from them; obſerve theſe directions, and conſcientiouſly uſe theſe meanes here preſcribed.
1. Above all getting to get thee a right and new heart; thy heart is not right, ſaid Peter to Magus here, therefore thy thoughts ſo curſed. Pray with David, Create in me O Pſal. 51. 10Lord a new heart, and renew a right ſpirit within me; The heart is the ſpring and treaſure, ſuch as the heart, ſuch the thought muſt needs be. Get the ſpring healed, or the waters muſt needs be unſavoury, 2 King. 2. 22. Get the heart well waſhed, or unclean thoughts will not out, Jer. 4. 14. If the Lungs be putrid, and rotten, the breath will ſmell; powders and perfumes on thy apparell ſweeten not thy breath: If the garment be ſpotted, it is not a new lace or trimming, but waſhing or bruſhing that cleanſeth it; if the hand be foul, it is not a faire glove or Gold ring, but waſhing that mends it; So it is nothing will cure the evil thought, without waſhing, purging and mending the heart.
2. Above all keeping keep thyheart, Pro. 4. 23. This is the firſt and great commandment, yea the firſt and ſecond too, on which hang all the law and the Prophets (the old and new Teſtament) keep thy heart and thou doſt love the Lord with all thy heart; and keep thy heart, and thou doſt love thy neighbour as thy ſelfe; this is Cuſtos utriuſque tabule, keep it and thou doſt keep all the ten Commandments. Therefore is it charged upon all in ſuch peremptory and undiſpenſable termes.
1. Keep, there is thy duty.
2. Keep with keeping, there muſt be thy care, not a ſingle but double care, a double diligence muſt be uſed here.
3. Keep with (All) keeping, not a ſingle, or double care ſufficient, but all care little enough.
4. Keep the heart (above) all keeping, ſaith the text, q. d. Here muſt be the chief care above all other things. The mouth muſt be kept too, v. 24. The eye muſt be kept, v. 25. The feet kept, v. 26. All the wayes of God to be kept, v. 27.That thou turn not to the right hand, or the left; But here is an Attamen imprimis, above all keep thy heart, not above all keeping thy mouth, thy eye, thy foot, or path, but above all keeping, keep thy heart.
5. It is made every mans particular and perſonall duty, keep thy heart thy ſelfe, another may be thy Parke-keeper; Thy caſh-keeper, thy …rſe-keeper, or thy house-keeper, but thou muſt be thy own heart keeper, yea if you be Lords or Ladies, you muſt be a Lord keeper, and Lady keeper. The greatest office in the State, is to be Lord keeper of the great seale, or Treaſurer; in the Church, is to be keeper of the Seal or Treasure of the heart.
2. He backeth this charge with two reasons.
1. Out of the heart well kept are the Iſſues or revenues of life; keep this, and thou keepeſt the tree of life, life and death are in the power of the heart (as he ſaith of the tongue in another place) and he th… Pro. 18. 21keepeth this, keepeth his life. Pro. 13. 3.
2. The ſecond reaſon is, keep thy heart and thou keepeſt all, as I ſaid, thy mouth thy eye, thy foot, (thy path, v. 24, 25, 26, 27. As great men, have a Porter ſtand at the great gate, and all men have ſtronger outward doors, locks, bats and bolts, there to keep the entrance ſafe, then are the inner roomes all ſecured, ſo keep thy heart well and the whole houſe (the whole man) is ſafe. The heart muſt have a watch, or ſentinell continually ſet before it, and is never to be truſted without a keeper. Therefore is this ſet as the porch, or porter, before all theſe other duties following.
And here I might ſpeak a little more particularly of this heart keeping work, but I ſhall haſten to an end, I might tell you what it is to keep the heart, and how it muſt be kept. To keep the heart, implies two things.
1. To obſerve.
2. To preſerve it.
1. If it be an evil heart, it would be obſerved, not kept, it is better to change then keep an evil heart, no breed ſo bad to keep as the evil heart, The heart of the wicked is little worth. Out of it are the Iſſues Pro. 10. 20.of death, yet obſerved it would be what the temper of it is, what the haunt, what the diſeaſes of it are, and kept the evil heart had need be.
1. Kept cloſe priſioner, give it not too much liberty, keep it from evil companions, from ſinfull objects.
2. Do with an untoward heart as we do with a ſtubborn child, put him to a Maſter that will keep him in awe; we put our horſe to break to a skillfull rider, chuſe to put thy heart into the hands of a Miniſter, skilfull in that excellent art of heart-breaking and heart-taming.
3. Keep an evil heart with hard fare, with the bread of affliction, and water of affliction, let it have nothing ſet before it, but the terrors of the Lord, the wrath of God, the ſentence of the Law, the day of judgement, the torments of hell; A bad heart can't be kept too hard, as a good heart too well.
4. Truſt not a bad heart at any time without a keeper, a double keeper; Thy own reſolution is not able to keep it, deſire God to aſſiſt thy reſolution, that it may neither be enticed nor baffled by his priſoner.
5. But as ſoon as thou canſt rid thy hands of this evil heart, or get it changed; men care not for keeping a dead commodity by them, in which there is loſſe; The bad heart is the worſt dead commodity we can keep by us, part with it.
2. But the good heart is to be preſerved, and kept in good plight, well lookt to, and duely ordered, nothing needs it more, nothing deſerves it more, no garden needs ſo much looking to, that it may be well kept, nothing will ſo recompence thee. We ſay Keep thy ſhop and it will keep thee; but keep thy heart well and it will ſurely keep thee.
1. Keep it in tenderneſſe, be more choice of this then of the apple of thine eye. You may keep your child too tenderly, cannot keep your heart too renderly.
The tender hearted perſon howſoever he lives, whereſoever he dyes, ever dies in peace, as was promiſed to Joſtah, 2 Chron. 34. 27.
Four Notes of a tender heart.
1. It flies the firſt motions unto ſin, How can I do this wickedneſſe, ſaid Joſeph, and ſin againſt God? q. d. ſhall I take fire into my boſom, poyſon in my mouth? This were worſe.
2. It oft reflects on ſelf, and the heart ſmites for the leaſt ſins, when matters are ſmall or doubtfull, 1 Sam. 24. 5. much more for foul and manifeſt ſins. 2 Sam. 24. 10. Thus it was with David in both thoſe places.
3. It feares to partake of other mens ſins, Num. 16. 4.
4. Flies appearances and ſhewes of evil, 1 Theſ. 5. 22. Num. 32. 6. Et ſequ. Joſh. 22. 16.
2. The heart muſt be keep, in humility. Wines are kept beſt in loweſt Cellars, the heart in loweſt temper. An horſe may be kept too low, but all the danger of the heart is keeping it too high, Eſa. 57. 15. The loweſt heart is the fitteſt habitation for the moſt High God. God is called Deus optimus maximus, but Jeſus Chriſt in reſpect of his humility was Optimus minimus.
Three things ſhould keep our hearts humble.
1. Gods Excellency, Eſa. 6. 2, 3, 5. Job 42. 6.
2. His many and undeſerved mercies, Gen. 32. 10. 2 Sam. 7. 18. Nothing doth ſo kindly humble a gracious heart, as Mercies, nothing ſo unkindly puffs up an ungracious heart.
3. Thy own great ſins. Thus it was with Paul, 1 Cor. 15. 9. 1 Tim. 1. 13. Never was there a viler ſinner then I, never more grace ſhewed from God.
3. The heart muſt be kept up alſo in due height, 2 Chron. 17. 6. Jehoſhaphats heart was lifted up in the wayes of God.
Three things help to lift up the heart, and ſhew it well lifted up.
1. When we ſtrive to walk worthy of God, Cal. 1. 10.
2. To walk worthy of the Goſpel, Phil. 1. 27.
3. To walk worthy of heaven, and the expectation of it, 1 Theſ. 2. 12.
4. The heart muſt be kept clean and pure, Pſal. 24. 4. and 73. 1. Mat. 5. 8. We may be too choice of our clothes and houſes, to keep them clean, but cannot be of the heart.
Three things help to keep the heart clean.
1. Oft waſhing; ſome ſay, Caput nunquam, pedes raro, manus ſaepe, but, Cor ſaepius, ſaepiſſinie, Jer. 4. 14. Waſh thy heart that vain thoughts lodge not; Say to them, as we ſay to naſty and ſlovenly beggers, here is no lodging for you.
2. Often ſearching, 2 Cor. 13. 5.
3. Frequent and fervent prayer, Jam. 4. 7, 8. Cleanſe your hearts, and draw nigh to God joyned: Prayer is as Thunder and Wind, they purge the ayre, this the heart.
5. The heart is to be kept in Faith, Heb. 10. 22. Habak. 2. 4.
Three things help to keep the heart in Faith.
1. To eye Gods promiſe, this Faiths food, and the life of the life of Faith.
2. To eye and remember Gods paſt providences and our Experiences, 2 Cor. 1. 10. He hath delivered and doth and will deliver.
3. To ſtudy Gods alſufficiency, Rom. 4. 21. What he promiſeth he is able to perform.
6. The heart is alſo to be kept in due fear. The Child is well kept, when kept in awe; ſo is the heart. This is the great heart-keeper, and Covenant keeping grace, Jer. 32. 40.
Three things help to keep the heart in holy fear.
1. A due ſenſe of Gods dreadfull Name and Majeſty, Deut. 28. 48.
2. A due ſenſe of Gods goodneſs, Hoſea 3. 5.
3. A continuall ſenſe of our own weakneſſe, Prov. 28. 14. The child that fears a fall, eſcapes a fall. Vis in timore eſſe ſecurus, in ſecuritate time as, Bern. Fear in time of ſecurity, makes ſecure in time of fear.
7. In readineſſe and willingneſſe, 1 Chron. 28. 9. Exod. 35. 2. Gods people are a ready and willing people. And as it is a commendation to a man or woman, to be handy and ready, to be able to take our work and leave it, ſo it is here.
Three things help to make us more ready and willing.
1. Frequency and familiarity with duties. Uſe makes perfectneſſe. By praying thou wilt learn to pray. An inſtrument daily uſed is ſoon fit to play upon, long diſuſed asks much time to tune it. How unfit muſt they needs be for prayer, that pray not from ſabbath to ſabbath?
2. To conſider that God accepts a willing mind for the beſt deed, 2 Cor. 8. 12.
3. All other ſervice is unacceptable to God, 1 Chron. 28. 9, 10. Unprofitable for us, 1 Cor. 9. 17.
8. In ſteadineſſe, Pſal. 108. 1. Act. 11. 23. Cleave to God with full purpoſe of heart.
Three times when we ſhould look to keep the heart ſteady.
1. In ſtate of fullneſſe, The full veſſel evenly carried tries the ſteady hand and head, Phil. 4. 12. I can abound and not be proud, be lifted up, yet not be lifted up. A hard leſſon.
2. In time of ſtraits, Pſal. 112. 8. His heart is eſtabliſhed, and doth not ſhrink and warp, as unſeaſoned timber. Job ſaid, I will not curſe; God is where he was, I am where I was, my faith where it was, and my integrity I will not let go. This another hard leſſon.
3. In earthly buſineſſe, to have the heart ſteady, eying God; I am in my calling God ſees me. This a high leſſon. The wicked his heart is ſteady and fixed on the world; when at prayer, he cant get the world out of his mind: the godly have heavenly minds in earthly buſineſſes.
3. Wouldſt thou be free from evil thoughts, then get thy mind filled, he which hath his cheſts, his ſhop and his houſe filled, but his mind empty, is a poor man. We muſt not do with our hearts as with our houſes, have the lower rooms furniſht, and have nothing in the upper garrets but traſh; but have our upper roomes eſpecially furniſhed. Satan comes into the houſe that is empty, ſwept, and garniſhed; But Jeſus Chriſt chuſeth to keep his feaſt in an upper room that is furniſhed, Luke 22. 12. Take ſome good meditation, promiſe, Scripture, read next thy heart, to keep out wind, every morning. An empty addle heart is a fit bayt for Satan.
4. Get a heart fixed, as well as filled, that thy ſpirit ſit not looſe about thee. Keep thy loynes girt, this bow continually bent, arcum intentio frangit animum remiſſio, It is too much looſeneſs or unbending that breaks the mind, as too much bending breaks the bow. We love not a garment too big, or ſhoes to ſlop about our feet. We get our armes fixt, get thy mind ſo, and be ever and anon ſaying, ſurſum corda. The way of life is above to the wiſe, that he may depart from hell beneath, Prov. 15. 24. How ſafe was David when he could ſay, O God my heart is fixed, my heart is fixed? Pſal 108. 1. And the ſtable Pſal. 51. 12.ſpirit is that he prayes for, as well as the right or new ſpirit. The devil makes as good ſport with an unfixt ſpirit, as children do with light airy toyes, the ſquibs, bubbles, and empty hoops, which they drive before them, or the paper Kite, driven with the wind, which, though never ſo high mounted, they can pull to them when they will, theſe are taken captive by Satan at his will, as the Apoſtle ſaith, 2 Tim. 2. 26.
5. See the Lords eye ſtill upon thee, and ſet him at thy right hand, 1 Chron. 28. 9. Pſal. 139. 2. The eye of the Maſter, awes and reacheth the Scholar, and the preſence of the Commander keeps the ſouldier from routing and diſorder.
6. Plant the word of God as battering Engines, againſt any evil thought approaching, and take this enemy off before he come too near, 2 Cor. 10. 4. Heb. 4. 12. Eſpecially ſuch Scriptures as do levell directly againſt thy thoughts. If thy thoughts be vain, diſcharge theſe Scriptures as Gods Ordinance againſt them, Jer. 4. 14. Rom. 1. 21. Epheſ. 4. 17. If wanton, Mat. 5. 28. If paſſionate, Mat. 5. 22. If malicious, apply that 1 Joh. 3. 15. If covetous, apply Col. 3. 5. If carnall, apply Rom. 8. 5. Keep this two edged ſword, ever turning at the door of thy heart, that thou mayſt ſecure the tree of life.
7. Attend diligently thy honeſt calling: Employment gives not a portion onelyonly, but protection; and is as neceſſary for the ſoul, as for the bodies health and ſubſiſtance; Give not ear to every idle diverting thought, ſtir not, but follow thy buſineſſe. Say with Nehemiah, I am about a better work, I am Neh. 6. 3.not at leiſure to parley with every one that envies my peace and would interrupt my proceedings. Nothing keeps the knife or plow ſhare ſo bright, as continuall uſage, nothing cauſeth ruſt but want of uſe. It is ſo with the mind; The hour of Idleneſſe is the hour of Temptation. Satan tempts the Buſie man, the Idle man tempts Satan. Get an honeſt calling firſt, then walk painfully in it.
8. Look well to thy outward ſenſes, thoſe Cinque-Ports, as one cals them; When the Suburbs are fired the City will ſoon be taken; if the Enemy be poſſeſt of the Out-works, he will ere long make a breach into the Caſtle: Sometimes the eye hath affected the heart, but more often infected it. Eve and David Lam. 3. 51.were betrayed by their ſight, and upright Noah by his taſt and palate.
It is not enough that we may ſleep ſecurely, that there be no thief within the houſe of our Domeſticks, but we muſt look to the doores and windowes that they be made faſt.
9. Make a Privy ſearch, ever and anon, and keep a privy ſeſſions often in thy own Juriſdiction, and ſet up a Court Martiall, that execution may be done upon mutinous, rebellious, and all diſorderly thoughts; and having in readineſſe, ever to revenge all diſobedience. It is a ſhame that we ſhould caſt up 2 Cor. 10. 6.our ſhop at leaſt once the year and beſides a many waſhings of linnen, and ſcouring of veſſels, we ſhould have ſome Solemn… ſcourings and ſome great and generall waſhing and whitening of all once, or oftner in the year, and it may be thy heart hath not had one day of examination, and enquiry into it all thy life.
10. Call in God to help thee in thy ſearch, Two eyes ſee more then one, as holy David often when he was moſt buiſie to look into himſelf, yet being full of holy jealouſie leaſt he ſhould overlook, prayes, Lord examine me and prove me, try my reines and my heart, for thy loving kindneſſe is before mine eyes, and I have walked in thy truth, Pſal. 26. 2, 3. and Pſal. 139. throughout. When he had been ſearching and ſcanning himſelf, he calls in God to help him in his heart, Search me O God, and know my heart, try me and know my thoughts, and ſee if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlaſting, v. 23, 24. Oh it is a happy boldneſſe that an upright heart (mens ſibi conſciarecti) hath before God, if our heart condemne us not (upon a through ſearch) then have we boldneſſe before God, 1 Jo. 3. 21. and can lay all before him as confidently, as honeſt Jacob leads Laban into his tents, and Judah and his brethren opened their ſacks, and ſay ſearch all my ſtuffe, and ſee what thou canſt find, Gen. 31. 32. How happy is he that can ſay with Peter, Lord thou knoweſt all things, thou knoweſt that I love thee, Jo. 21. 17.
10. Holy, humble, and ſervent prayer is another excellent meanes to make and keep the heart clean from evil thoughts, and at ſome times the onelyonly way to rid the heart of theſe meſſengers of Satan ſent to buffet us. As the North wind drives away the raine, and as Thunder purgerh the aire, ſo doth fervent and frequent prayer purge the heart, and drive away thoſe ſoaking ſhowers of evil thoughts; and without prayer, it is as impoſſible to keep the heart clean, as it is to keep the houſe clean without waſhing, or ſweeping: Pray with Solomon, 1 King. 8. 59. conſidering the untowardneſſe of our hearts; The Lord incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandements, and his ſtatutes, and his judgments: And when thy heart is in a good and holy frame, pray with David, 1 Chron. 29. 18. O Lord God of Abraham, Iſaac, and Iſrael, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts, of the heart of thy people, and prepare, or ſtabliſh their heart unto thee.
11. Holy and ſerious purpoſes of heart are an excellent underkeeper of the heart, under God and after prayer. Thus did Daniel keep himſelf from being defiled, Daniel purpoſed in his heart, Dan. 1. 8. And thus did Barnabas exhort the primitive Chriſtians, That with purpoſe of heart they would cleave to the Lord, Act. 11. 23. But they muſt be Serious purpoſes and reſolutions, de praeſenti, not de futuro, joyned with preſent performance, not put off by future promiſes, as Pharoah, Felix, and that diſciple did, who ſaid Lord I will follow thee, but I muſt Lu. 9. 59.firſt ſee my father buried.
12. Get and learn that excellent, and heavenly art to extract ſome profitable, morall, or divine meditation out of every object and occurrent. Solomon by this exerciſe raiſed himfelf to that high pitch of wiſdome; he could not ſee the Ant, Spider, and Conies, he could not look upon the drunkards eyes, the beggars rags, and the ſluggards hedge, but he took out divine obſervations thence to adde to his own wiſdome, and to inform his reader; ſo above all that greater then Solomon teacheth us this heavenly art, who upon mention of Leaven, muſtard-ſeed, fiſhers nets, ſeed ſowen and every thing, raiſed up his own and his hearers mindes to heavenly contemplations.
13. Art thou troubled with evil thoughts, be not then too much alone, if thy thoughts are ſad, and black helliſh thoughts. It was Gen. 2. 18.not good for man to be alone in his integrity, much leſſe now; it is good yea neceſſary to be ſometimes alone, ſometimes in a cloſet Mat. 14. 23. Mar. 1. 35. Lu. 6. 12.or ſolitary place by thy ſelfe, as thy Saviour often was; but it is dangerous for ſome to be too much alone, ſuch as are of a Melancholy diſpoſition, Satan will take advantage upon thy Solitude, as he did upon Eve. He ſet not upon Chriſt any where ſo furiouſly, nor continued the temptation ſo long as when he was in the deſart. He that walketh over the dry and lightſome places, and findeth no reſt, cometh into the wet, dark and ſolitary places, and there findeth it; Thoſe Auſtere Eremites of old, who forſook the world to dwell in caves and deſarts, could not fly from Satan, and from a ſinfull nature, though they fed on the bread of affliction, and water of affliction; ſin and Satan are not caſt out with ſuch Engines. We may go out of the world, while we are in it, we cannot run from the fleſh, or Satan ſo. Some old Eremites ſhut themſelves up from the ſight and ſpeech of man and woman. Aſepeſima ſixty years, Didimu… ninety years, and was never ſeen of any; John Sornany an Egyptian Eremite ſtood three years in a cliffe of a rock, till his legs and feet ſwelled, broke and run with putrified matter; But ſin followes us into caves and ſolitude. Lot was more ſafe in Zoar, yea Sodom then in his cave; whom the vicious Sodomites could no… corrupt thoſe that came out of his own bowels, watching their opportunity, overcame and defiled: Certainly it is ſafer living in a Sodom where God is not known, yea abiding in a corrupt Church as Pergamus was, where Satans Seat is, and where Satan dwelleth, Re. 2. 13. Then to ſhut up our ſelves too much in corners, where Satans circle is, and Gods protection is not, becauſe our callings and conditions lead not to it.