DirctJ,,, Diretl. z; 'Diretl. 3· 'Dire8io1zs a,y;aillft e)lil ar!d idle Tougl)ts. CHAP. VI. Vire8io11S for tl)e Gowrmnent of tl)e Thoug!Jts. I Have Chewed you in my Treatife of walkjng ,.,;,b God, bowmuch mans Thought! are regarded by God, and Chould be regarded by himfelf, and what agents and inftruments they are of very much GO<Jd or Evil: This therefore I llnll fuppofe and not repeat; but only Direfr you in the Govern– ing of them. The work having tbrte parts, tfley mull have feveral Direaions: z. For the avoiding of evil thoughts: 2· for the exercife of good thoughts ; 3· For the improvement of sood thoughts, that they may be effectual. Tit. t. DireEtions againft e11il a11d idle Thoughts. §. 2• Direct. 1. l:(Nowwb;e are evil1houghu, and retein [uch an odjozu Charaaer of them crmtiX ttuaUy on JOH'f mindJ, M may provokJ yoH jlill to mctt them witb abhorrence. Evil 1bough11 a~e fuc~ a& thefe : z. All thoughts againfi the Being, or Atrribures, or Relations, or ho~ nour, or works of God; Atheillical and Blafphemous Idolatrous and unbelieving thoughts; All thmJghts that tend to difobediunce or 6ppofition to the will or word of God ; And all rim favour of unthankfullnefS or want of Love to God: or of difcontent and difirufi, or want of the fear ot God, or [hat tend to any of thefe: Alfo finful, !Clfifh 1 covetous, proud fiudics: to make a meer trade of the Minifiry for gain, To be able to ovcrtalk others: Searching into unrevealed forbidden things~ Inordinate cmiofity, and hafiy conceitednefs of your own opinions about Gods Decrees, or ebfcure Prophecies, Prodigies, Providence, mentioned before about Pride of our undcr11andings. All thoughts againn any particular word, or truth, or prC\Cpt of God, or again!\ any particular duty; againfi any part of the worjhip and ordinances of God : that tend to unreverenr neglects of the 11ame, or H1l) Day of God: All impious thoughts againJt publick duty, or family dury, or ftcret duty; and all that would hiuder or marr any one duty: All thoughts of difhonour, contempt, nrg~ Jeet, or difobedience to the authority or higher powers fet ovd- us by God, either Magifirates, Pafiors, Parents, Mafiers or any other Superiors. All thoughts of Pride, felf-exalting ambition, felf:.!ttking Covetoufi1efs; Voluptuous fcnfual Thoughts, proceeding from or tending to the corrupt inordinate pleafures of the fle01: Thoughts which arc .unjull and tend to the hurt and wrong of others : Envyous, malicious, repJOachful, injurious, contemptuous, wrathful, rcYenge(ul thoughts : Lufiful, wanton filthy thoughts: Drunken, gluttonous, fle!hly thoughts: Inordinate, careful, fear· ful, anxious, vexatious, di!compcling thoughts: "Prdumptuous and tC:cure, dcfpairing and dejeding· thoughts~ Slothful, delaying, negligent and di!cour_aging thoughts: Uncharitable, cruel, falfe, cen– forious, unmerciful thoughts : And idle unprohtable thoughts. Hate all theic as the Devils fpawn. §. 3· DireC.l. 2· Be not inftnfible what tt great de11l of Dt'ty or fin is in tbe 1bnughu, tJJld of how d1mgeroiM fignificatiott and co1t{equtnce a cottr[e c;f evil tbouf!.hiJ i1 to your foul!. They Chew what a Man IS as much as his words or ad: ions do. For M he tbinJ:..etb in bii beart, fo i-f he: Prov. 23· 7· A good man or evil is denominated by the good or evil treafirrc of the he.zrt, chuugh known ro men but hy .~he fruiiJ. 0 the vile and numerous fins that are committed in men1 thoHghu, and procred foo»z mlwr l.hou,gbtJ! 0 the prcrious Time that is lofr, in idle and other fintul thoughts? 0 the good that is hindered hereby both in heart and life ! Bu.t of this having fpoken in the Trtatife aforemen~ tioncd, I proceed. 9· 4· DireCt. 3• Ablrue all bt Jure tb:Jt you clean[e tbt Fountaiil, aJtd dcjiroy tbofe fin{nl i11clinati~ 0111 nJ the heart, from which your evil thouy)Jtr proceed. In vain elfe will you Jlrive to Hop the Hreams. Or if you Chould ·flop them, that very Heart it felf will be lothfom in the eyes of God. Are your Thoughts all upon the world, either coveting, or c&ring, or grieving for what you wanr 1 or pleafinz. your lclves with what you h..ve or hope for? Get down your deceived efiima<io~ of the world : call it
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