Gojpel gein.sion. of God fo much as this one work of the pardon of fin, and yet your thoughts are not taken up with it,you little mind it:certainly there is a great difproportionbetween your thoughts and Gods; -whereas thofe that are godly , fhould labour to work as God works ; and thofe things that hath taken up the heart of God, fhould tike up their hearts ; whereas thofe things that are even unworthy of an immortal Soul take up your thoughts, and thofe objefts that take up the thoughts and heart ofGod about pardon- ing fin, your own Confciences can tell you is very little in your thoughts and hearts : Certainly my Brethren,were the thoughts ofmen and women taken up about this fez`ious and great bufinefs of getting pardon of their fin, it would prevent and cure them of thoufands of other vain, flight, foolith and wicked thoughts. There are, I fuppofe, many of you begin to be fenfible of fin,and of the bate wandrin, filthy, unclean, and wicked thoughts of your hearts ; and you fay , O that we could but help our (elves againft thefe wandring, vile and wicked thoughts furely this would be a great help, if you would get your thoughts pof- feft with ferious fubjeds, it would have a great deal of weight in it,to help you againft thofe light and vain things your thoughts work about. Now of all fubjects in the world, this is themolt ferious about thegrace of God ; horn his infinite wifclom hath wrought to reconcile himfelf to yourfouls_, in the bringing about the pardon offn ;and making peace betweenhinfelfand th,Chil- dren of men. Now if you would take up your thoughts about the great bufinefs of getting pardon of your fins, it would take off your thoughts from other things : Suppofe a man have a vain, flight,wandring,foolifh heart : yet if he were condemn(d to dye fome dreadful tormenting death, his thoughts would quickly be taken offfrom other things, and taken up about ufing means, if there were any poffibility to deliver himfel from death. 7erom in one of his Epiftles bath this Relation ofone that was troubled with vile thoughts,& he,that heconiplained unto had this device, I name it not to approve it,but he had this device, he brought the man tohave a charge of a crime laid againft him andcaul,d him to be brought before a Judge, and put into Prifon, 'and af- terward he came to hint, and askt him, How is it now with you ? Does your vain thoughts (till abide with you as they were M 2 wont 8;
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