and ufurp Supremacy; and therefore, war in, and against the Soul. 1 Pet. ii. II. Reafon, who is the rightful Sovereign, hath the reaft Share in this Polity. Rebellious Slaves afpire to the Throne, and boldly prescribe to their Prince; the fundamental Laws of Nature, are fubverted, and all become moft deplorably ruinous and confused. Whereas the Soul of a good Man, and one that is diligent in the well governing of his Thoughts, is most quiet, peaceable, and compofed. All his Thoughts and Faculties are in good order, and then he is fit for any thing, and can do his Duty with far more cafe than others can. The prefent Harmony and Peace of his Mind, renders him capable of effectually minding the Things which belong to his everlafting Peace. In a Word, the Advantage of this happy governing our Thoughts is fo great, that we can hardly perform any thing that is acceptable to God . without it, in fome meafure. We cannot be eafy to ourselves, or ferviceable to others, we can neither mind the Business of our general nor particular Callings as we ought without it. But he that is fo happy as to have attain'd a Command and Dominion over his Thoughts, does and fuffers every thing well. He acts with Confcience, fuffers with Patience.

He

acts

acts with Vigour, fuffers with Courage. He does his Duty with half that Difficulty, and endures Afflictions with lef Diforder than others do, or can. And having approved himself to God, by an Internal and Spiritual Obedience, by Truth in his inward Parts, Pfal. li. 6. by the Subjection of his very Thoughts, to his moft pure and holy Law, he fhall at the laft and dreadful Day of Judgment be able to look up with Joy and Comfort to the eternal Judge and Searcher of all Hearts.. And when the Secrets of all Mankind fhall be difclofed, all the hidden Things of Darknefs, all the Mysteries of Ungodliness; when all the clandeftine Impurities of the Hearts and Souls of the whole World fhall be revealed and published; then shall he glory in his Sincerity, and the Purity of his Thoughts, and the Honesty of his Intentions. Then thall he avoid that everlafting Shame, which fhall confound the Minds, and cover the Faces of the Wicked and Ungodly, the Pharifaical Profeffors, and the crafty Hypocrites; when all the fecret Filth of their Hearts, Thoughts, and Imaginations, fhall be expofed to the View of Angels and Men, and thrown back in their Faces. When the gaudy Disguise fhall be taken off, and Sinners appear to be what they really are. Which

.

is

is a most antonishing Confideration, and fuch as fhould awaken us all to the utmost Diligence and Watchfulness in the wellgoverning our Thoughts.

Having thus briefly fhewn you the great Benefit and Advantage of well-governing our Thoughts (which deferved to be much more largely handled, but that I would not burden your Thoughts while I am attempting to inftruct you how to govern them) I proceed to difcourfe on the third Thing laid down.

I

CHA P. III.

Come now in the next Place to fhew, That evil Thoughts arife out of the Heart, and proceed from thence; which lays an Obligation on us of reftraining and governing them; and bow far we are able fo to do. Our Saviour here affures us, that out of the Heart proceed evil Thoughts. The Heart (i.e. the Soul) of Man is a Sink of Corruption and Uncleannefs. 'Tis defperately wicked. 'Tis Pandora's Box, which lets fly innumerable Plagues and Mifchiefs. 'Tis naturally the Source of Wickedness. And let a Man but look into himself, and furvey his own Heart, he will fee the greatest Cause to bewail his Corruptions, and find

that

that there is nothing more deferves his Complaints, and Tears, than his own Heart. What a Peft, what an Enemy doth he always carry about with him? 'Tis not an open Enemy, but a familiar Friend, that doth him the greateft Hurt and Dishonour. The Snake is lurking in his own Breaft; and while he is looking and gazing abroad, this moft perfidious and deadly Foe is a domeftick one. His own Heart is the worst of Traytors to him, and the most implacable Enemy that he hath cannot do him half that Mischief which he receives from himself. ""Tis upon this Account St. Paul exclaims, O wretched Man that I am! Rom. vii. 24.- And David, Create in me a clean Heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit within me! Pfal. li. 10. Create in me 'Tis a Work of Omnipotence; and that God alone who made the Worlds, and raised all Things out of nothing, can renew the Heart, and purify the Soul from its natural Filth and Corruption. 'Tis the Holy Spirit is that Fire that must purge and refine the droffy Mafs. Acts ii. 3. The divine Grace alone can restore Health and Vigour to the corrupt, depraved, degenerate Heart of Man. And that will never be wanting to our fincere Endeavours. It will operate with our Endeavours, but not without them.

Something

Something in our Power, in order to it; and let us do that, and the reft the Grace of God will fupply. And one of the

greatest Incentives to make us ufe our utmoft Endeavours, is, the ferious Confideration of the Sinfulness and Corruption of our own Heart. 'Tis neceffary therefore that we do not take a flight and tran fient View only; but be engaged in a deep and accurate Investigation of ourselves. Search every Corner of that Cell, every Recefs of that Labyrinth, with as much Earneftness as the Jews did for Leaven. Exod. xii. And upon an impartial View, we fhall find our Lord's Words verified; Out of the Heart proceed all evil Thoughts. No Good, properly fo called, proceeds from thence, but what is the Effect of the Operations of the bleffed Spirit of God. "Tis not the natural Iffue of the Soul, but the Product of his Heavenly Infpirations, who is continually ftriving with Man, and endeavouring to confecrate and hallow all his Thoughts and Affections, that fo he may be acceptable to God. Every good Thought, every religious Flight, or facred Defire, is ftirred up by him; is his immediate Suggeftion, who is wrestling with the ftubborn and rebellious Powers of our Souls, and with our impure Imaginations, to reduce them into their proper

Order