c hap.,.sea 6, 7· Mercy; feed; enlarge, and improve them to the utmolt, fo _!hall w~ preferve our hearts in a foft, comfortable temper, and heaven-ward, wh1ch IS a fmguhr happifOl ne~~· Endeavour we to preferve and keep up lively_, holy, and Spiritual affections, and fuffer them not to cool ; or 1f we have_ grown rem1ffe, endeavour to recover thofe affections again: Thoughts and affechons an; mutual caufes of each other? Whdeft I P~al. l9· ;. wufed, the fire burned, faid D~tv•d; and agam, How love I thJ La1v? It ts my medt- P•al. 119 91· t tion day and night. Firll: his thoughts were the bellows that kmdled and enflamed h1s frections: And fecondly, his ajfefiions enflamed, made his thoughts to boy!, and to :editate on Gods Law day and night. Hence it is that men newly cbnverted to God, having new andll:rong affccrions, can with more pleafure think of God than any ~lfe ea~. Let us captivate and conform all the thoughts. and imaginations of our heart to the Rules and Sovera1gnty of grace; Brzng znto captwtty every thought to the obedience 2 Cor, 10 S· of Cbrijf: If thy change in words, actions, and all outwar~ carriages were Angelica\; yet if thy thoughts ?e finful and unfanct1fied, t~ou art a hmb of Satan _ll:ill: Purity, in the inward parts, IS one of the moll: found ev1dences of our portton m the PI!Hty and power of Chrifl:: ? Jerufalem, 1vajh thme heart from )Vtck.gdnej[e, that thou mttyejf )c1". 4. 14. befavcd: How longjiMI• thy vazn thoughts lodgewtthm thee? Godfccth (fatth the Pfalmtll:) 11 ndrmdcrjfandeth or<r thoughts afar off: And hence it is that many humble fouls, fenfiblc Pfd. Il9· •· of their fecret fins, in the prefence of Gods pure eye, are more grieved (fetting afide ill example and fcandals) for the rebeUioufneffe of their thoughts., than the exorbitancy of their actions, for of thefe the world fees the worll:; but conce~ni~g the other, it cuts them to the heart, that they are not fo well able to preferve thetr mward parts in purity, towards the all-fearching eye of God, as their words and actiuns in plauftblenej[e towards man. 10 . Get we ourheartspoffe£1: with deep, ll:rong, and powerful apprehenfionsand impreffions of Gods Holineffe, Majell:y, Omniprefence, and Omnifcience: If any thoughts be of power to fettle, fix, and draw in th~ mind of man, they are thoughts of him. What is the reafon that Saints and ~ngels m Heaven have not avain thought to eternity, but that thetr eyets never off h1m ? we finde lt,by experience a bleffed means to avoid difl:raCI:ions in Prayers, to enlarge a mans thoughts in -his preparations before, or at the beginning, if with a confidcration of Gods Attributes and Relations to us, he fets on the Duty. I 1. Let us Ekvate, and often lift up our hearts towards ·heaven : Confider the bliffeful depths of Gods boundleffe Mercies in Chrill:; Confider the glory, the ever– lall:ingneffe, the unutterable excellencies of that immortal lhining Crown above, which after this life (and this life is but a bubble, a fmoake, a fhadow, a thought) fhall be fet on our heads by the hand of God; a very glimpfe whereof js able to fweeten the bittereft griefs that can be, and to difpel thofe tnill:s of fading vanities whkh the world (heated by the fire of inordinate lu{(s) is wont to evaporate, and in– terpofe bet\\[ixt the fight of !I] ens fouls, and the bliffe of heaven. , • I2. Let us fpe~d fpme thoughts, yea many thou_ghts, abo\)t :the faving excellen– ctes of Jefus Chrifl:: confider the wonder of our Redemption, the moll: admirable, and moll: all:onilhing plot ?f the bleffed Trinity, fitting in Couocil ~bout the Hiving of our fo~ls; a ~yll:~ry. whtch the Angels ll:oop down to pry. into; an Orient Pearle, that wtll out-lhme all the fparkling Jewels ofthe whole Creation- Confider the Love– letters ofChrift in his glorious GOfpel: the Love.tokens.he·hath fent to our dear fouls: And ah! what flame~~f divine affection~ wha~ raptures of :z:eal ? what r3rvifuments of dc!tghts? what bnmfh farrows, and 'great indignation againll: fin ? what extafies of obcdtencc can be enough for our b~e(fed Lord, and dearell: Redeemer ? SECT. 7· Of the manner ojWatchfrdncfs rrver olir'Fong/les. THat we may IV4tch over the tongue, two things mull: be heede\1 : - <;I. That it be notunfeafonablyidlc. , . I 2. That it be not finfully exerci(ed. · t. That tt be not uafeafonably idle ; arid herein obftt"'le thofe generafty ~egleCI:ed Duties ' . ' and mucH of
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