The fourth Remedy against this device1 of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that watching against sinful thoughts, resisting of sinful thoughts, lamenting and weeping over sinful thoughts, carries2 with it the sweetest, and strongest evidence of the truth, and power of grace, and of the sincerity of your hearts, and is the readiest and the surest way to be rid of them; many low and carnal considerations may work men to watch their words, their lives, their actions; As hope of gain, or to please friends, or to get a name in the world, and many other such like considerations; oh! but to watch our thoughts, to weep and lament over them, &c. this must needs be from some noble, spiritual, and internal principle, as love to God, a holy fear of God, a holy care and delight to please the Lord, &c. The Schools do well observe, that outward sins are of greater3 infamy; but inward heart sins are of greater guilt, as we see in the Devils. There is nothing that speaks out a man to be throughly, and kindly wrought ⟨p. 187⟩upon, as his having his thoughts to be4 brought into obedience, as the Apostle speaks, Grace is grown up to a very great height in that soul, where it prevails, to the subduing of those vain thoughts that walk up and down in the the soul; well, though you cannot be5 rid of them, yet make resistance and opposition against the first risings of them; when sinful thoughts arise, then think thus; the Lord takes notice of these thoughts, he knows them afar off, as the Psalmist speaks; he knew Herod's bloody thoughts, and Judas his betraying thoughts, and the Pharisees cruel and blasphemous thoughts afar off; oh! think thus, all these sinful thoughts, they defile and pollute the soul, they deface and spoil much of the inward beauty, and glory of the soul; if I commit this or that sin, to which my thoughts incline me, then either I must6 repent, or not repent; if I repent, it will c•st me more grief, sorrow, shame, heart-breaking, and soul-bleeding, before my conscience will be quieted, divine Justice pacified, my comfort and joy restored, my evidences cleared, and my pardon in the Court of Conscience sealed, then the imagined profit, or seeming sensual pleasure can be worth; What fruit had you in those things whereof you are now ashamed?
The fourth Remedy against this device1 of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that watching against sinfull thoughts, resisting of sinfull thoughts, lamenting and weeping over sinfull thoughts, carries2 with it the sweetest, and strongest evidence of the truth, and power of grace, and of the sincerity of your hearts, and is the readiest and the surest way to be rid of them; many low and carnal considerations may worke men to watch their words, their lives, their actions; As hope of gaine, or to please friends, or to get a name in the world, and many other such like considerations; oh! but to watch our thoughts, to weep and lament over them, &c. this must needs be from some noble, spiritual, and internal principle, as love to God, a holy fear of God, a holy care and delight to please the Lord, &c. The Schools do well observe, that outward sinnes are of greater3 infamy; but inward heart sinnes are of greater guilt, as wee see in the Devills. There is nothing that speaks out a man to be throughly, and kindly wrought ⟨p. 187⟩upon, as his having his thoughts to be4 brought into obedience, as the Apostle speaks, Grace is growen up to a very great height in that soule, where it prevailes, to the subduing of those vaine thoughts that walk up and down in the the soule; well, though you cannot be5 rid of them, yet make resistance and opposition against the first risings of them; when sinfull thoughts arise, then thinke thus; the Lord takes notice of these thoughts, he knows them afar off, as the Psalmist speaks; he knew Herods bloody thoughts, and Judas his betraying thoughts, and the Pharisees cruell and blasphemous thoughts afarre off; oh! think thus, all these sinfull thoughts, they defile and pollute the soule, they deface and spoyle much of the inward beauty, and glory of the soule; if I commit this or that sinne, to which my thoughts incline me, then either I must6 repent, or not repent; if I repent, it will c•st me more griefe, sorrow, shame, heart-breaking, and soul-bleeding, before my conscience will be quieted, divine Justice pacified, my comfort and joy restored, my evidences cleared, and my pardon in the Court of Conscience sealed, then the imagined profit, or seeming sensuall pleasure can be worth; What fruit had you in those things whereof you are now ashamed?
- 14 Remedy.4 Remedie.
- 2Psal. 139. 23. Thoughts are the first born, the blossoms of the soul, the beginning of our strength, whether for good or evil, and they are the greatest evidence for, or against a man that can be.Psal. 139. 23. Thoughts are the first born, the blossomes of the soul, the beginning of our strength, whether for good or evill, and they are the greatest evidence for, or against a man that can be.
- 3Majoris infamiae. Majoris reatus.
- 42 Cor. 10. 4, 5.
- 5Psal. 139. 2. Isa. 59. 7. ch. 66. 18. Mat. 9. 4. ch. 12. 25. Zen• a wise heathen affirmed, that God even beheld the thoughts, Mat. 15. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19.
- 6Tears in stead of Gems were the ornaments of Davids bed, when he had sinned, & so they m•st be thine, or else thou must lie down in a bed of sorrow forever.Tears in stead of Gems were the ornaments of Davids bed, when he had sinned, & so they m•st be thine, or else thou must lie downe in a bed of sorrow forever.
