100 Chap.j.SeCl:.6, than any other way; wherein fome have toiled all their time for power over co:rup– tions, and like Peter, have caught lm/e or nothmg, becaufe Jefus Chnll: was not mthe company. SECT. 6. Ofthe manner ofwatchfulnej[c over Mr Hearts, THat we may watch .over our hearts, obferve we thefc direcrions: . r. Guard we the wmdows of our foul, the Senfes: I made a Covenant wuh mine eyes ~ob 3'· 1 • (faid Job) why thenjho~tld I thmk_upon a Matd; '!'urn mme eyes from behold;ng vanitier f•l. "9· 3 7 • (faid David) and qmck!n thou me m thy way. It ts mcredtble, what a deal of pollution and ill the Devil conveys infenfibly into the heart, through thefe flood-gates of fin, and therefore we had need to watch over the Sences. 2 . Go we down into our hearts, and confider well all our thoughts; thefe, if good, will bring forth good fruit; and if evil, they arc the parents and begetters of all fins, the .lirll: plotters and cotatrivers of all Treafons and rebellions of our life, the bellows and incendiaries of all inordinate affecrions, the Panders to all other lulls, that .,,1<5 thought to provide for theJatisfy~ng of them, the dill:urbcrs in all good D uties, that ·in· t\!rrupt, and foil, and fly-blow all our Prayers, that they frink in thenoll:rils of God; and therefore confider and·weigh well all our tho~tghrs, for as our thoughts are, fo be QUr af!ecrions, prayers, fpeeches, actions. • 3· Let us make Confcience of ourthoughts :By them efpecially do wefanfrilie, or fin againll: God;by them efpecially do we evidence our felves to be fincere-hearted Chrifli– ans, or diffembling hypocrites ; by them efpecially will the Lord judge us at the!all: 1 Cor. 4, ·s. day, when he will mak! manifeft the counfels of our h:arts; by them efpecially (ifwe willnotmakcConfctenceof them)wtllGodfafh us m Hell to all eterntty, even by lfa. 33 . 8. thoughts accufing, there ~al.t thou meditate terrors, and ll:udy Gods wrath, together with thy own fins and mtfenes, for ever and ever. 4· Refill: and crufh we every exorbitant thought which draws to fin, at the very lirll: rifing: Is the temptation frrong? encounter it with this dreadful Dilemma, If I commit t~isfin, either I mu.ft repent, or not rep_ent; if.Jrepent, it will ;:oft me more heart· brMk_andfpiritua/Jmart, before I can purchafe affurance ofpardon andpeace cfConfcience, • ' 1 •" thAn theJenfual pltaJHre can be worth ; ifI never repent ;1 it rvilt be the deathanddanmation ofmy foul. 5. Lodge we not fo much as light thoughts,unprolitable or vain thoughts in our hearts; ·they willttill be entring in, whilell: w: are in thefe houfes of clay, yet lodge they muft £p~1.-4• 2 6. not. Hence the Apofrle, Let not the S,l'lt go down upon.younvrath; q.d. ifthoughts .of anger come in, in the morning or day-time, they mull: be turned out ere night; or if ildle ihotjghts offer to come to bed t<> thee, let them not lodge with thee. I deny not but many good thoughts and motions may paffe, as frrangers through a bad mans heart, ana multitudes of vain thoughts and l~otions may make a through-fare of .a Believers heart, and difturb him in geod Ditties, 'b:y knockings, and interruptions, and breakings in upon his heart,but frill they lodge not there,they are not'there fofl:ered ·and harbored. ·· 6. Forget and frifle we all thoughts of finful actions already pa!l'ed : The minde is very apt to run over the paffages and circumfl:ances of the fame fins, long fince com– mitted, .with a new and frefh delight; this argues wickednefs of heart, and fuch as when it is ordinary with the heart to do fo, is fcarce compatible with grace: Whatfr~tit 1\om. 6i 12, , hadyodofthofe thmgs whtreofye are now ajhamed? All that the Saints reap out of fuch fruit is lhame and farrow, and many a fad figh : When Ephr~im remembred hisfins, he war afoamed and repented; a truly fanctilied foul will hate the appearance of his former finnes, and will have his heart inflamed with a zeal and revenge againll: it. \Vhat? do you rep.;at to your felves your old fins wjth delight? this provokes God exceedingly, you t'heieby ftand to, and make good your former acr; you !hew a delight to rake in thofe wounds you have given Chrill: already, and therefore in hell it will prove the greatell: gall, to remember your old fins; every circumll:ance in every fin then, will be as a dagger in your hearts. 0 frudy not thefe thoughts, forget them, ll:iflc them. . ., •' 7· J\ntertain all good motions put into your heart by the bleffcd Spirit, howfoever .' occafioned; whether by the Minifrery of the Word, mindfulneffe of Death, Chnlhan admonition, reading fome good Book, fome fpecial Croffc, or extraordinary Mercy
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