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- fall from their Orbs, 2 Pet. iii. 12. Acts íì. 20. Mat, xxiv. 29. All this visible World be confum'd and ingulph'd, in an inconceivable Eternity of Happiness to the Righteous, but of Torment to the Wicked. Any one of fuch Subjects as thefe would be very proper to fix our Minds upon, in order to keep them from returning to ill Things. There is nothing can more awe the Soul, collect the Thoughts, and compose the Spirits, than thinking on fuch Subjects. They are Things fo very confiderable, that while we are imploying our Minds about them, it is an hard matter to think of any thing else, or foon to be drawn afide to any other Object. And therefore it is very advifable, that we make use of this Expedient, in order to the well-governing our Thoughts. To which end also,

VIII. Let us be careful to watch over our Thoughts on the Lord's-Day; then more especially than at other Times. The Lord's-Day is (I know not by what means) extremely flighted, and difregarded. And under a pretence of Chriftian Liberty, Profanenefs hath very greatly advanced itfelf. So that God's own Day is become almoft as one of ours, and but a very small difference obferv'd betwixt them. Men are generally fo far from be

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ing molt careful of their Thoughts on that Holy-day, that they fuffer them to be most profufe and extravagant then; and not only their Thoughts, but their Actions too are for a great part worse than at other times. Which, as it is a very great Sin in itself, and fuch as fhall be feverely accounted for; fo it is fo it is a great means of making our Thoughts loose, ungovernable, and wicked at other Times. For that, as it is a Day peculiarly to be dedicated to God, fo it is a Day wherein God designs in a more eminent manner to communicate himfelf, and his Grace, to our Souls. And therefore if we do fanctify it as we ought, by having a strict watch over our Thoughts, and by the delightful Exercises of Prayer, Praises, and Meditations, and a devout Reading, and hearing the Word of God, &c. it will (by God's Blefling) leave fuch an happy Tincture on us, and fo piously, and laftingly incline the Mind to Good, that it will be an excellent Means to order our Thoughts the better, when we have more Liberty for the World. How inconfiderable foever this Rule may feem to any, yet I doubt not but a great part of the Vanity and Evil of our Thoughts and Imaginations, is owing to a careless, and remifs Obfervation of the Lord's-Day.

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Neither can I think, that that glorious í Promife (any more than the Morality of the fourth Commandment) is ftinted to the Ferifh Oeconomy alone, tho' it may primarily concern that, (Ifa. lviii. 13, 14). If thou turn away thy Foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy Pleasure on my HolyDay, and call the Sabbath a Delight, the Holy of the Lord honourable, and fbalt honour bim, not doing thine one ways, nor finding thine own Pleasure, nor fpeaking thine own Words: Then halt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high Places of the Earth, and feed thee with the Heritage of Jacob thy Father, for the Mouth of the Lord bath spoken it.

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IX. Being watchful over ourselves when we are alone, is another Rule which we are to obferve in order to the well-governing of our Thoughts in general. Solitude is a Scafon when our Thoughts are very apt to rove, and then to light upon ill Objects. When a Man is by himself, he is not fecure from his fpiritual Enemies; and with refpect to the Multitude of vain, and evil Thoughts, that then are apt to come into his Mind, it may be truly faid of him, Nunquam minus folus quam cum folus. Upon which account: it was that the Devil chofe that Opportunity, to tempt our Saviour, when he was in the D2 Wilderness

Wilderness, alone. Mat. iv. Because he well knew that at fuch a Time as that, the Mind of Man being at Leifure, his Thoughts will be more relaxed and wandring, and fo more eafy to be won by his Suggestions, and to comply with his Temptations. A Monaftick Life doth not fecure a Man from evil Thoughts; but in some fort makes him the more obnoxious to them. The Devil will pay his unwelcome Vifits to us in our Privacy, as well as in Converfation. And the Hermite in his Cell hath as much Reason to look well to his Thoughts, as he that is in the Croud of this World. And therefore I take it to be very advisable, that at any time, when we are alone, we fuffer not our Thoughts to scatter and fly at random: For unhappy Conjunctions oftentimes prove the Confequence of fuch erratical Motions; but to confine them to fome certain Bounds, and determinate Subjects. Such as the Power or Goodness of Almighty God, or the like; which will fweetly imploy our Thoughts, and refresh our Minds. And the more profitably to think on any fuch Subject, we may when we are alone likewife think on our own Sinfulness; be judging ourselves, confessing our Sins, and laying open our Hearts before God, which will make the Goodnefs

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of God more illuftrious, and admirable; and alfo keep us from being affaulted with any dreadful and terrifying Thoughts, with any filthy and profligate Thoughts; and our Hearts from being deaden'd and ftupify'd with Mopifhnefs, and Drowfinefs, &c. which at fuch a time we are more efpecially prone to.

X. Again In the next Place, let us be very careful to entertain the good Motions of God's Holy Spirit, to obey his heavenly Infpirations; to bow to his facred Suggestions, when at any time we are bleffed therewith. Every good Thought fhould be made welcome, and cherish❜d, and improv'd by us; and by that means we shall not only avoid evil Thoughts, but in time arrive at an happy Temper and Habit of good Thoughts, which is one of the moft defirable Things in the World; and most of all prepares the Soul for the Purity and Ravifhment of the Contemplation of God, and the Joys of Heaven. Let us therefore always improve every good Thought or Motion that comes into our Minds; and entertain it as an Embafly from God, as a fpark of the Celeftial Fire. And let us diligently attend, and liften to the Counfels and Monitions of our own Confciences; by no means refift their Checks, or stifle their Advertise

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