CHAP. VII. ~ Chap. 7· ~ A Vfe of Reproof Carnal Men repro·v'd for their Total NegleCl of Medi-' tation. And Regenerate Men for their too great Difufe of it, and R&- mijfnefs in it : wherein they are Guilty . of Vnkindne{s to God, and Dif. paragement of Him. · Vft. 2. F. 0 R Reproof and that, I. To Carnal and Senfual Men. 2. To tho[e that are truly .Gracious. · Fir!l, To the Carnal and Senfual Sinner, that lives in a con~ant Neglec,t of this Spi~ ritual Duty _of Meditation . Oh 'tis a fad complaint, G~r.IM.s 'lot i11 11il tbeir thoughts:. Confider wtth thy felf, how many Years thou haft h v.e.d, tn the World, and th}', thoughts l1ave been altogether Strangersto Heaven? Did God give unto tl1ee that Cabinet of thy Undedhnding, either to keep it empty, or to Treafure up in it only C haff or Dung? Did God intend when he made thee a Rational Creature, that thou fhouldft only fpend thy Thoughts either•upon thofe things that are unprofitable, ~-.~r~~~;~~a~o~;~ ~~f~;:rs7~~~'r;~g~~~is1~go~,~~~e~ 2~~fi&';e~l:~ ~~~~ ~~:;:~6: Sinfulnefs of negleaing this Duty of Meditation ; it degrades thee from that Honour ~~~f~~l~~o~;~a~l~f~~~tt~~~~:n ~he~~:a;~o~x~e\le~~~a[~:';J;~~c i~11~h~~~·~};/~~ ~~r~~~ 0 Lord hottJ great are thy works, and t!JY thoughts are -ver1 deep? It follows in the 6th: verfe, A Brutijb Man knowetb not, ne11he~ doth • Foo~ .Vnderjl4n~ tkis. Obferve the expre!lion, thofe Perfons that neglea thts Duty of Spmtual Medttatwn, and do not confider the works of God ; degrade and reduce themfelves into the order of Beafis. A Carnal Man that looks only upon the Form and Figure of external things, bath no better apprchenfion of them then a Brute hath : A Brute looks upon them with as clear an Eye, as a Carnal Wretch ; he that looks upon the things of the World, as only made for his own end, and not for the Glory of God; and he that neg leas the confideration of Spiritual things lives like a Brute. A Bt·urilh Man knoweth not,neither cloth a Fool confider this; fo that there's agreat deal of evil and fin in it. Confi der further fame of the heavieft Judgment s thar are recorded inScripture,IJave been cxercifed fo r the Sins of thoughts: You know the Angels loll Heaven for their afpiring thoughts; and the Old World wereconfumed by the Deluge for their unclean ones; therefore certainly the ncglea of this Duty, whi~h confifis in the exercife of thoughts is a very great Sin. Thy evil thoughts are ltk~ young Vipers, which deflroy the Mother that bare them; (o thy ev1l thoughts wtll deftroy thy heart which conceives them. At the lafi Day one of the great parts of <he account we muft give to God, muft be of out· thoughts,_ Rom. 2. 16. When God {ball 'Judgt the Secrets of Mens Hearts b7 'Jefi/S Cbrijl accordmg to mJ Gojpel. Then there fhall be a narrow in- ~i~~ \~a~:~e~~~~: :~~~~~g~n~~~~~s"no} ~!:~ ~~~r~~~~t0~~h~~r:~\~~Jh~~ t~~~:~:~1 i~~~; Numerous as the Sand, and prove as weighty. You that content your [elves to fpend days, weeks, and Years without Meditation: Oh you that fpend your thoughts upon Trivia l Vanities: Confider, ·in Hell your thoughts On ll be your chief Tormento<S, then every thought 01all be as a Dagger or Ponyard to Stabb thJ Soul. The Worm thar never dyes, implies the fad Reflexions of Confcience upon your evil ways, and that is managed by your thoughts ; thofe thoughts now that arc the chief parr of your Sin, they fhall then be the tbarpeft Executioners: Therefore rurn the Stream of your thoughts towards God. th;;c~ef~~~~ ~~1c:af~~o~ea~~~~r:s~c~~~n~~~·~a~cl~r~;:Y:fe %e;~efc::~~~~~~e~~ah;r;r; Duty of Medttation, ~nd partly becaufe they are fo rcmifS in the performance o f ir. 1. They
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