5. Even when we are good and devise 1good things, yet there is still some sickness of fancy remaining in the best of us, whereby we work trouble to our selves, and therefore it is necessary we should labour to restrain and limit our fancy, and stop these waters at the beginning, giving no not the least way thereunto. If it begins to grow wanton, tame the wildness of it by fastening it to the cross of Christ, whom we have 2pierced with our sins, and amongst other, with these sins of our spirits, who hath redeemed us from our vain 3thoughts and conversations; set before it the consideration of the wrath of God, of death, and judgement, and the woeful estate of the damned, &c. and take it not off till thy heart be taken off from straying from God; When it begins once to run out to impertinences, confine it to some certain thing, and then upon examination we shall find it bring home some honey with it; otherwise it will bring us nothing but a sting from the bitter remembrance of ⟨p. 190⟩our former misspent thoughts & time, which we should redeem and fill up, with things that most belong to our peace. Idleness is the hour of temptation, 4wherein Satan joins with our imagination, and sets it about his own work, to grind his grief, for the soul as a Mill either grinds that which is put into it, or else works upon it self. Imagination is the first wheel of the soul, and if that move amiss, it stirs all the inferior wheels amiss with it; It stirs it self, and other powers of the soul are stirred by its motion: and therefore the well ordering of this is of the greater consequence; For as the imagination conceiveth, so usually the judgement concludeth, the will chooseth, the affections are carried, and the members execute.
5. Even when wee are good and devise 1good things, yet there is still some sicknesse of fancie remaining in the best of us, whereby wee worke trouble to our selves, and therefore it is necessary we should labour to restraine and limit our fancie, and stop these waters at the beginning, giving no not the least way thereunto. If it begins to grow wanton, tame the wildnesse of it by fastning it to the crosse of Christ, whom wee have 2pierced with our sinnes, and amongst other, with these sinnes of our spirits, who hath redeemed us from our vaine 3thoughts and conversations; set before it the consideration of the wrath of God, of death, and judgement, and the woefull estate of the damned, &c. and take it not off till thy heart bee taken off from straying from God; When it begins once to runne out to impertinencies, confine it to some certaine thing, and then upon examination wee shall finde it bring home some hony with it; otherwise it will bring us nothing but a sting from the bitter remembrance of ⟨p. 190⟩our former misspent thoughts & time, which wee should redeeme and fill up, with things that most belong to our peace. Idlenesse is the houre of temptation, 4wherein Sathan joynes with our imagination, and sets it about his owne work, to grinde his greese, for the soule as a Mill either grinds that which is put into it, or else works upon it selfe. Imagination is the first wheele of the soule, and if that move amisse, it stirres all the inferiour wheeles amisse with it; It stirres it selfe, and other powers of the soule are stirred by its motion: and therefore the well ordering of this is of the greater consequence; For as the imagination conceiveth, so usually the judgement concludeth, the will chuseth, the affections are carried, and the members execute.
- 15.
- 2Zach. 12. 10.
- 31 Pet. 18.
- 4Luk. 19. 47
