from foomall a Speck as a firft Thought may be resembled to. The most horrid Thing that ever was done, as well as the most noble and virtuous Action that ever was accomplished, had no greater a Beginning. Of fuch a quick Growth, and fpreading Nature is Šin, that it rivals even the Kingdom of Heaven, which our Lord telleth us, Is like to a Grain of Muftard-feed, which a Man took and fowed in bis Field. Which indeed, is the leaft of all Seeds; but when it is grown up (in these Countries) it is the greatest among Herbs, and becometh a Tree, fo that the Birds of the Air come and lodge in the Branches of it. Mat. xiii. 31. But the Apoftle St. James, Chap. i. 13, 14, 15. reprefents it by a Simile of another Nature, comparing the Original and Growth of it to the Formation of an Embryo in the Womb. Let no Man fay when he is tempted, I am tempted, of God: For God cannot be tempted with Evil, neither tempteth be any Man. But every Man is tempted when he is drawn away bis own Luft and inticed. Then when his Luft bath conceived, it bringeth forth, Sin, and Sin when it is finished bringeth forth Death. It is conceived, bred, lives, and grows in a Man, till at last it domineers in him, and reigns in his mortal Body. Rom. vi. 12. And therefore it is abfolutely neceff B 5 neceffary, that we govern and manage our Thoughts, without which it will be impoffible that we should avoid filling into actual Sins, even the greateft; that we refift the Beginnings, the very first Emergencies of Evil, if we hope to avoid the last Degrees of it. It is manifeft Folly to imagine that we can indulge evil Thoughts, without being in Danger of committing actual Sins, or that Speculation and Practice are Things fo vaftly diftant from each other. This is fo far from being true, that there can be nothing more certain than the contrary. If we would preferve ourselves from falling into actual Sins, we must govern and fupprefs our Thoughts. And if we would have our Life pure and unfpotted, the Heart must be kept in intire Subjection. If we would not be plunged into the Guilt of prefumptuous Sins, we must be fure to refift the first Motions of Evil, all unlawful Thoughts. For no Man is always in the fame Temper; his Refolution is not ever the fame as it may be now, or at another time. His Paffions are fluctuating; fometimes there is (as it may be called) a Spring-Tide of them. And a Man at fome Seafons is more receptive of evil Impreffions, more yielding and eafy to be tempted, than at others. And though an evil evil Thought may not fo ftrongly move him at one time, yet it may at another. And every Encouragement of it, adds to the Fareness and Treachery of his own deceitful and wicked Heart, which will betray him whenever an Opportunity offers. And therefore he is neceffitated to be nicely careful over his Thoughts, if he would not fall into actual Sins. Let us think as boldly and confidently of ourselves as we pleafe; let us reft never fo much upon our own Strength; it is our Weaknefs. 'Tis not our prefuming Thoughts of ourselves that will make us invincible. Nay, there are none fooner overcome and thrown down than fuch as conceit great and mighty Things of themfelves. The fhameful Denial of the warm and boasting Apoftle, Mat. xxvi. 70, 72, 74. fhould be fufficient to convince us that the best of Men are not above that Advice, Wherefore let him that thinketh he ftandeth, take heed left be fall, Cor. x. 12. If we do not keep a ftrict Watch,' and a careful Hand over our Thoughts, they will inevitably betray us when an Opportunity ferves, and make moft furious Affaults upon us, when we are leaft aware of it. We can no more restrain them when we please (whatever we think) we can no more ftop them from breaking breaking out, than we can fmother a raging Flame, or chain a foaming Billow. And therefore whofoever he be that allows his Thoughts an extravagant Liberty, he is much mistaken if he thinks that he is fure to stop there. II. But admit that he could: Can it be thought by any rational Creature that God doth not take any notice of his Thoughts themselves? Suppofe it were in the Power of any Perfon to act contrary to his Habit of Thinking, and to avoid the Practice of those Sins which he indulges himself in the Speculation_of: Hath an omnifcient and an holy God, think you, no Regard to the Thoughts,and the inward Temper and Difpofition of the Soul? If we think fo, then we have mean Thoughts of him indeed; and make Religion degenerate into the Service of brute Beafts. For wherein doth Man differ from them but in his Reafon and Thought? and that he is capable of knowing God; of being ravish'd with his Excellencies and Perfections, and encouraged by his fuitable Rewards, and taking delight in the glorious Communications of himself to his Soul, and ferving him with his whole Heart, and being united to him by a Life of Thought? Upon which Confideration it must needs follow, that the Great God is fo far from difregarding our Thoughts, that that he hath a principal Refpect to them. And though it fhould chance that they fhould never break out into Actions, and grofs Practices, yet God looks to the inward Parts; is a narrow Obferver, and Searcher of the Thoughts; is pleased when his Throne is established in the Soul, and his Dominion and Empire over all its Thoughts and Imaginations; and abhors and abandons an unclean, wicked, or rebellious Heart. To him all the Pomp of Religion and Splendor of outward Performances is without it deteftable.Ifai.i. 11. TheSoul is the Seat of Religion; as for the Parts and Members of our Bodies, they are intirely at the Command of the Mind. The Understanding and Will are their defpotick Rulers. And as the Heart and the Thoughts are difpofed, fo is the Practice and Converfation; and therefore, them the Almighty principally regards. As a Man can never teftify the Truth of his Love to God, or evidence the Sincerity of his Soul, without having a fpecial Regard to the well governing of his Thoughts: So without it, Damnation may justly be his Portion, though the Plague break not out in the Botches and Ulcers of a profligate Converfation, though the Pollution be concealed and hidden. Indeed if we are so prophane as to think of God as a Man, and efteem him to be fuch an one |