n. Aims. Gods Omnlfoienij - think : Surety this lhould refrain men, not only from finfull lives, but alfo finfull thoughts ; this ~ouJd, make you be confcicnrious, not only abou.t your acbons, but your inward thoughts: Do not think them free; Did not our Saviour many times fpelk eo the Pharifees ~gainfi: their thoughts and·_ reafonings within thtmfelves? Thinft mt to fay 'a!ithin youA {elves, faid 'lohn 15nptift alfo, Mat.}.9• The very Hrathens thought avenuous ~?an would rake heed what he thought, as well as what be d~d, how much rather lhould Chrifi:lansJ who have Chrifl himfelf expounding the Law ofGod to the ' very thoughts of men, fo that unclean thoughts-are adulte– ry, maliciot:J.s thought• are murder. H~nce lt111t. 6. z5,.27. our Saviour fi:,ends a whole Chapter agamft fi11-fu!l, diflruft· · full and carejr4/l thoughts: and obf~rvable is that of Peter to Simon Magm, Act.8,22. Repent, if peradventure the thought of th) heart m11y beforgiven thee;as if his thoughts had lieea a– greater fin then all his other wickedneffe; fo Dem. 1 5.9. Bl!· war..e there he not a thought in thy Wick_ed he11rt,&c. Thus you fee the Scripture makes it a necdfuy pan to godlineffe tO– take heed of all kinde of finfull thoughts ;. he that is not godly in his thoughts, is not truly godly in his actions ; for if he refrain from wicked pradifes, it is in reference to men, and for outward confiderations; ific w·ere becaufe.qf God·, be would alfo morcifie all finfull thoughts;bccaufe Gqd doth as eafily behold them as our actions : If therefore thou'. wouldfi have this te.Uimony.of a fiocere and upright man, olt– ferve how tbou givefi any lodging or intertainment to evil thoughts: -Is no.t thy hearc as futl ofproud. earthly, luflfuH or vain thoughts as ~the fea is of water, as Egypt was once of • locufis and ca~crpillars? Ohmourn under this, becaufe God knoweth aJI thy vain and finfull thoughts. The fecond effect from tbe heart, which is fo difficulcly found out, art the aims 4nd intmtions ofmens hearts, to know why they do things: Certainly thefeare fo fubtfe, that men are not fooner dtceived in any thing, then about their aims; they think they do all for God, they comfort and fupport themfelves as if every thing were in reference to God,. whcnas (alas) they know not the hypocrific and rotten. ndfe
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