Matter for good Thot~gl!'ts. l'f;a!. j]· fures, and how the profpcrity of fools deCtroycth them ; how rhc:y fburi(h to day as a grt:en Bay~ tree, or as the Aower of the field; and then go into the S1nCl-uny and ICe ti-:eir end, how to mor~ row they are cut down and withered, at1d the place of their abode cloth know them no more. Go fee l10w God dclighterh to abafe !he proud, and to fc.:ztttr them in tbe im.zg.iuatiou of tbeir htarts; to pta down tbe mighty from their featJ, and to cx<.~lt them of low dt.~rce : to fiU the IJltngry ~PitfJ good tbings; and to findt!Jt Rich empty away, Luk. I· 51, 52, 53· H1zv J!.YCdt are hif figns, andhuw might.y are hH wondtrJ l Hi1 Kingdom iJ an tverl.zjli,~ KingdJm, DJn. 4- 3• He rulctb in the King– d./m nf men, ~nd givCth it to wbomfotver he rviU, vcrf. 26. 32. For wifrlum and might are hH; and bs,. chaJtgeth tbe timet and the feafqnJ: be rcmoverb Ki1tg1 and {ettcth up _KingJ: he giveth wifclom to tire wifi, ·and Jtnowledg,e tn them that k,_now underjlanding, Dm. 2. 20, 21, 22. He revealeth the deep and fccret thinf!J: he k__11mwth what iJ ht dar~tejj, and the lif!ht dwelletb witb him. 7'he Lord i1 '<!lnwn JlflLt_cs u.. /;)'the judgement! which he cxemtcth; the wick,_cd i.J fizared in the work._.of biJ own ho~nd, Pfal. 9 . I6. ~~:;~~ J~~~. Mark Qow t~1e upright arc affiiGtcd daily,. and how the feet o~ violence. trample on them; and yet & 107, & 1n. how tht y reJoycc, anJ Jdherc to that God who doth afHict them, and pi try and pray for their mi– & 114 & 13~- ferable perfecurors and opprcffors; and how aU thingJ dJ work., togttbcr for th:ir r.ood, Rom. 8. 2 g. & 136-~ 1 4~· TYondcrjitl are all the wor~J of G,?d, {ought ottt of them tha1 have plcaf:~re tberein, 1-'[:II. I I r. 2· The ~ ~~~:&148· Hifl:ories of former ages, and the obfervation of the prefenr, may {hew thee a world of m:urcr for thy thoughts. DircU. I2• u. Gods lnuge. §. 12. Dir<Cl-. 12. Vndcrftand aU tbe lintamentt, and beamy of GodJ Image upou a ba!y [vJttl, the txccUency mzd 11{e 9/ eve~y Grare, and the harmony nf aU ; and thou wilt IJ.JVt !fore of prt~fitable m:zt– lfr for thy tln:rgbtJ. Know the 11ature of every Grace-, and the place and order of it, and the office, u{e, and cxcrcifr of it ; and the mram and motives, the oppojiter, d.Jngcrs and pre[trvativu of ic : Know it M Godr lm,tge, and fee and Love thy Mak!r and Redeemer and Regenerator m it: Know hbw God lo~'etb it, and how ufcful it is to our ferving and honouring him in the world; and how deform– ed and vile a thing the foul is,· that is without it: Know well what Faith is; whatwifllomand pru– dence are ! what Rcpmt~ZJtceand humility, and mortification are! what Hope and fear, and defire, and obedience, and mcclz.nefi, and temptrance, andfobriery, and chaftity, ancl co1fW1tation, and juftice, and filfdeuyalare; cfpecially know the nature and force of Lcve to God, and to his [ervtJIIti, and to neighbour I, and to wemieJ; Know what a holy refignation and devotednc[s to God is: and what is watchfulnefl, diligence, ztal, fortitude, and pcrfever.mct, pati.ence,[ubmiffion and peace: Know what the worth, and u{t, the helpi and hinderancer of all thefe are, and then your Thoughts willl")ot be idle. Diretl. I3· §. I3• DireCt. 13· If thou beuotajlranger to the fiiritof grace, or a nty,lc(;icr of.bH daily motion,; l"J· The daily and perfi.vajionJ and operation! on thy heart, the atten.dance and improvement of themwill Jr.!ep thy thought,; m~r_ionsofthc from rtifly idlencp and a vagrant courfC'· lt is not a £mall matter ro be daily enrertaining fu noble a fpmt. guc:fi, and daily obferving the offers and motions of fo great a benefactor; and daily receiving the gifts of fo bountiful a Lord, and daily accepting his necefTary helps; and daily obeying the faving Phi1.2-.TJ. 2Cor. 3· S· 2..Cor.12. 9· precepts of fo great and beneficent a God ! If you know how infufficicnt you are without him, to n'i!l or to do, toperfi.rm or to tbi1tb.J or purpoft.: any good, and that all your fufficiency is of him ! If you knew that iris the great skill and diligence uquifite in all that will S1il fllccefSfully to the defired Land of Rcft, to kuow the Winds of the Spirits helps, and to fet aJI your Sails to the right improve– ment of them, and to beflir you while [uch gales continue you would find greater work_, than wandering (or your tboughtJ. Di.rell. 14• §. I4• Direct. 14• 'Be not i~normt or 11cglcl1ive of that frame axd courfe of holy. duty to God and 14•All cur ma;z, iit -:l'hich aU your liver PJo1tld be tmployed, ant/. you cannot rvant matter to cmplo) your tbo~tght.r Duty t~ God upoR. Yollr pulfeand hreatb, and natural motions, will hold on whether you thinlz. ot them or nor: -and M ..n. But_fo w~llnct moral hol)~oti?n; for that murt: be rati:mal and voluntary~ You ~ave all the powcrr of{oul and body, to ex(rCJfe ctther upon Godor [or God. You mull: know htm, fear h1m, love him, obey· him, trul! him, wor!hip him, pray to him, praite him, give thanks to him, bewail your fins, and hear his Word, and reverently ufc his Name and Day ! And is not th~ underHanding and learning how to do all this, and the feafonable ferious practice of it all, fufficient to keep the TbottghtJ from idlene!f. 0 what a deal of work doth a ferious Chrifiian find for his thoughts, aboat forne one of thefe? about praying aright, or be.1ri1tg, or receiving the Sacrament o[ ChriLts Body 1nd Rloodaright! But he· fides all rhcfe, wJ:tat a de:~l of duty have you to perform, to Magifl:rates, Pafiors, Parents, Maflers, and other fuperiours? ~ fubjed-s, p~ople, children, tCrvams and other inferioms? toevery neighbour, for his foul, his body, hiseliate and name; and to do to all as you would be done by. And beudes all this, how much have you to do directly for your felvcs; for your fools, and bodies, and families, and efiates! -Againll your ignorance, infidelity, pride, j'elfijhmfr, [enfuality, worldlim[r, paffion, floth, intemperance, cowartlize, lujt, tmcharitablencjj, &c. Is not here matter for your thoughts~ DiretJ. 1 )• §. 15. Dircc~l-. I 5· Overlook._ net that life fuU of particular mercieJ, which God bath be.ftowed Oil your H· All our felveJ, andJ•ozt wiU ji11d pl!!afznt andprofitable m:llter fo1' your thsughu. To fpare me the labour of p:trticullr repeating them look bJck toCh:zp.3. Dir. 14· Think of that mercy which brought you into rheworJd, .Mcrcie~. and chole_ your Parents, your place, and your condition: which brought you up, and bore with you · patiently m all your fins, and clofely warned you of every danger : which feafonably affiiCtcd you, and feafonably delivered you; and heard your Prayers in many a dillrefs: which hath yet kept the worfi of you from death and Hdl: and hath Regeneratrd,jttjl.ificd, ad.pted and f.mEiificd thofe that he hath htted for e,rern:.1l life! How many fins he hach forp,ivcn ! How many he hath in part fubdued ~ How many and fuitable helpo; he hath vouchfafed you? From how ,many Enemies he harh faved y_ou ~ how oft he hath delighted rou br his word and grace? what comforts you have had in his Servants and ordinances,
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