Perkins - BX9318 P47 1613 v2

Mans naturali Imaginations. 4-77 then reformation oflife: And 11 is exprelfely A commandedbytheholyGho~, Eph.4.>3. Sect. i. Beye-renued in the ffririt of7our mindu, that is, 0f the guArdidg 1ot<r hiarlt, in the mofl inward and fecret part of your (oules euen where the thoughts and imagiThe fecond rule for the reformation of ~.Rule. nation'sare framed and cooceiued.This duty b,P,o,4·'3 mull be remembred; for Chriflian religion 'our thoughts,lis giul:n bySalomon(b)k!epe or confifleth not in outward lhewes and behauicounter-guArd thJ he11rt A/JoHe all watch ittld our,(1hough thereby we may giue comforta· JVard:that is, guard& keepe thy heart more blotcllimonieof Gods inward~aces)but it tl1en any thing that is watched or guarded, flandoprincipally irlthe m10de.;•:lnd 10 the whethercirie,houfe,treafure,orfuch like:and i lieart, wh1ch mull therefore be~ reformed rhe reafon adioyned lhewerh rbcneceffitie of with ~he powers and;faculries rher~of. · the rule.for•ut <[itcomethe i!fuesoflif'. .... · In thcright guarding of rhe heart, three 3.Things '. ·CHAP. VIII. duties mufl beperformed:6rll,we mull coueinchcguar nanr with ouroutward fenfes, refoluing fully dingofth Rulesforth< rofarmatwn of our eufa B with our felues by Geds grace rhar none of heart. them lhallbetheinllrumenrs, the beginning thoughts, .or occafion ofany finne in bearr,orlite. This Secl. r. couenant (c) 1obm4dewit·hhU e7u,not tolooke cIob.j I•l vpon A m•ide, to lull after her: And Da•id .. ··; prayed th< Lord to dire£1 andk!epehidryttfrom Qurthoughumufl be.br.Jfght t'ntoobe6eheldU.gv•nitie: Pfal.119. 37· Now looke , tlienut,,Gsd. how rhefe holy men dealt with their eyes, fu I mull we proporrionably dealeforalithe out' .1\ule. fOrrhe reformationofourchoughrs, funward fenfes ofour bodie,bindingthem all,afdry rules mull be obferued: 6rfl-, Th•twe ur their e.xample, from beeing rhemeanes bring allourthoughtt iNto th< obedimre•of _God, of' prouotarion to any finne. This durie is Euery man will granttharwords and atl:&ons, mollncce!Tarie, for the outward fenfesbce mull be in fubietlion;bur I fay further, euery the douresand windowes ofrhe foule,and vn- 1 thought 10 the mind mull be conceiued in ole!Ic good.care~e had thercto, thediuellwill bed1ence to God,and noother waies:Sal•mon c enrerin by thQtn and·lill rhe foule w11h all faith, Prou. zo,.I8. EffabliP, th; th•ughts fl] corruption. co•n(eN, wh1ch mayadmit this meaning,that Sccondly,wemull obforueoureuill rhoghrs, a man mull not conceiue a thought in hiS and at their firll arifing, lloppe and rellraine mindc, vnle!Te he haue counfelland warrant rhem,nor (offering them to rakeany placein fromrhewordofGodforothinke: AndS. our hearts: this is afpcc1all meanes to prePaul falth,z.Cor.ro.;.The J#tApontofourwarferue and guard the hoart, for from che f.re ((peaking of the preaching of rhe Gof. thoughts proceed allbad defires, corruprafpell)•reHOt cArnal/, b•t mightietlirough _God t• fections,euil words lli actions:the mind mull throw down holdt,clffting d9wnethe imaginations. firlt concciue before the will can deure,or the ~tnd euery thit~g that is ~xa!t~d againft the~owaffoctions be delighted, or the members of !tdgt of God, .•"d bringinginto cAptiuilieeuery the bodie practiCe any thing, fo that wbofoethought to theoludienceofChriff ;· glu~ngvs to derisofaloofelife 1 andbadbehauiour, it vndcrlland, that thofe who fubmlt them- , commcrhfro the prophaneneife ofhis heart fcluos to the minilterie ofthe word , mull be in euill thoughts : neither can it bee hoped ofrhisminde, notonclytobeconformable D that any man fl10uld rcforme his lifo,that will thereunto in word and action, bur ·in euery hot guardhis hearr,and keepehis mind from thought oftheir minde,euen thofe mult bow wicked imaginarionSlthe diuel cannorworke the kneeto Chrill: howfoeuerwirb men wee hiswil vpon mans afFcClions,or preuaile ou:r Caytho•ghtid free, yet with God iris norfo. mans will, but by thoughts, and rhcrefore it And indeede bee which bath eifeClually reis necelfarie, that rhefirll motions of e01ll io ceiued thegrace ofChrill, will endeuour to the mind be rellrained at the beginmng. yecld obediencea(wel in thought, as in word Thirdly, wee mull with all care cherilh andadion : Wh,ctfoeuerthingsaretrue, {faith and mainraine euery good morion of Gods .Paul) Phi!. 4· 8. Whatfoeuer thingurehoneff, Spiritthar is caufcd in vs by the miniflerie of wbtfoemr thillg_.s ttreiufl, pmoe, andpertAineto rheword,or by rheaduiceof Gods children: /olle,what(o61Urthingslflrtofgoodreport, ifthtrt forthe[e arc thefparkes and flamesofgraa, heany ~mNe,ifthere hean;praife,(hefaith not whichPaul meaneth,whcn hefaith, 1. TbelT. vcrf.9. onely doe\a)thefe things, bur) think! on thefe ;.I9.f2!!<ncb""theJPirit. thimn. where the commaundement ts plaine, rha~amans thoughts mull beholj;pure,iHj/, Sect. 3 and of fuch things as arepr•ife-worthy and•f 0fthe el<HAtion•ftheheartto G•d. ~oodreport, rhar fo they may beconceiued in · obed1encetoGod. Thirdly, for the reformati6 0 ( our thoghrs J.Rule, we ••

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