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think ourselves equally obliged to guard ourselves against the one and the other. And there is fomething unquestionably in our Power in order to it. We can do something towards it; unless we will look upon ourselves as Machines, and so destroy both Reason and Religion at once. will agree that by an Hypochondriac, or fome other Disease, or by a long Series and Habit of finning, which is a Disease more inveterate and harder to be cured, that the Oeconomy of the Soul and Spirits may be so broken and shattered, that the Power of Thinking is become very weak and impaired; and that the Laffitudes of the Soul are as great almost as those of the Body. But yet I think there are few Cafes, but a Man can do fomething in order to a regular Thinking. Few Men are arrived to fo great a Degree of either, as to be able to do nothing towards it; though it must be granted fome can do much more than others. Our Bleffed Lord, when He was upon Earth, did not give useless Defcriptions of Things, and deal with Men otherwife than rational Creatures; and therefore I cannot but fuppofe that when He fhews them that out of the Heart proceed evil Thoughts, it was to this end that they should endeavour to govern and fubdue them.

Now we may lay down this as a certain Truth, (viz.) that Evil Thoughts, whatsoever they be, do not endanger our Eternal Salvation

further than we comply with them. They are not our Sins further than we indulge them. But totally to hinder them I think is a Thing impracticable. It is impoffible but that fuch Offences will come. And I believe the holieft Men find it fo, fo long as they are in a World where there are so many Objects, and in a State where there are so many Imperfections. But yet when wicked Thoughts arife in our Minds, we may certainly choose whether we will harbour and embrace them or not. This we may do, as long as we have any Liberty of Will left. So much is unquestionably in our Power. Though it is confeffed they will make frequent Returns upon us, and every now and then with great Importunity present themselves to us, though but the laft Moment we thrust them out. Like an importunate Creditor, or an impertinent Gueft, they will obtrude themselves upon us, do what we can, and if we tell them we have never so great and weighty Business, they will ftill be troublesome and haunt us, while we are actually engaged in it; nay, will pursue us even to the Sanctuary, and affault us at the Altar of God. Yet if we as often thruft them out as they return, they will never be charged upon

us.

For it is a giving them Encouragement, and a Compliance with them, that makes us criminal. Then alone Thoughts will be imputed to us as our Sins, when we are pleased

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with them, or when we do not abominate and caft them out as foon as they come into our Minds, as foon as we have Power to discover that they are finful. It is true the Devil may continue to difquiet and disturb the Peace and Tranquillity of our Confcience, by his wicked Injections, and putting into our Minds evil Thoughts; but though they are our Grief and Moleftation, yet they (being refifted) are his Sins, and God will judge him for them, and spare and pity us. God knows whereof we are made, and remembereth that we are but Duft. The Bleffed Jefus affumed our Nature, and therefore well knows how to compaffionate us in fuch Circumftances. He was Himself folicited by the accurfed Tempter, Mat. iv. but He did not yield to him, but refifted him; and if we follow our Lord's Example, and do fo too, if he doth not presently flee from us, yet it is not our Sin, but Unhappiness, to be infefted with him. And this certainly we are able to do, we may undoubtedly choose whether we will confent to wicked Thoughts, and approve them, or not. If they do indeed meet with a kind Entertainment at our Hands, no wonder that they grow bold, and familiar; but if we deny them Admittance, and fhut them out, we shall at length be rid of them, or at least they will not be charged upon us. Even the Devil is put to Flight by Resistance, as St. James tells

us, Chap. iv. 7. He remembers his Apostasy; he trembles at the Name of Jefus; and when a Christian behaves himself bravely against him, he doth not care to abide the Combat. If we give the fame reply to all his Suggestions as our Bleffed Lord did, our Trouble is greater than our Danger. If we would but be watchful over ourselves, and have as much care as we can of our Thoughts, I am apt to think, we should not complain fo much of them as we often do. It is much for want of a due Obfervation of ourselves, and keeping our Hearts with all Diligence, that fo many evil Thoughts proceed from thence. The Malignity or Folly of our Imaginations is much owing to ourselves, to our own Sloth and Careleffness, to Idleness, or to an Habit of Sin, or fome fuch Cause; and when it is fo, we ought to repent of them, and look on them as our Sins. Though the Corruption of our Nature, and the Malice of the Devil, be many times the Cause of them, yet we ourselves are often more chargeable with them, than either of these; and if we narrowly and truly examine ourselves, we fhall find it fo.

Upon the whole, it is fufficiently plain, that out of the Heart proceed evil Thoughts; the Soul is the Soil where this Hemlock is fown. There wicked Thoughts are conceived; they owe their Original either to the Corruption of the Soul itself, or are thrown in by the Instigations of

the Devil. From thence they proceed; and therefore it must be acknowledged that there doth lie an Obligation on us of well governing them; that we are not altogether unable to do any Thing in order to it, but fomething is in our Power. We can choose whether we will cherish them or not; we can either bid them welcome, or bid them be gone.

And befides we can use other Helps and Affiftances, and follow thefe Rules and Directions, which are neceffary to the well-governing our Thoughts. And what they are, is the Subject of the following Chapter.

CHAP. IV.

General Rules and Directions for the virtuous Government of the Thoughts.

HE Rules and Directions which we are to follow, in order to the better Performance of this great Work (viz.) the virtuous and religious Government of our Thoughts, are divided into I. General

And, II. Particular.

The General will have Relation to all kinds of Evil Thoughts, whatsoever they be. The Latter will concern chiefly these forts of them hereafter mentioned.