Thought, or Defire, or Purpofe; as if it had proceeded to outward Action.

All this is taught us for true Divinity, by no less an Author than St. James, in the First Chapter of his Epistle, v. 13, 14, 15. Let no Man fay, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God tempteth no Man. But every Man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Luft, and inticed. Then when Lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth Sin, and Sin, when it is finifhed, bringeth forth Death.

Which Paffage of the Apoftle, doth plainly contain thefe Three Propofitions.

First, That no Man is drawn to commit Sin, by any State or Condition that God hath put him into; no, nor by any Temptation, either outward or inward, that is prefented to him. It is not a Sin to be tempted; no, nor to feel that we are tempted by fome disorderly Inclination that arifes in our Minds thereupon.

But, Secondly, then our Sin begins, when we yield to the Temptation, when we are drawn away by our own Lusts, and enticed, when they get the Victory over us, and we do consent to them: Then Lust hath conceived, and bringeth forth Sin.

But, Thirdly, Though the very consent of our Wills to a Temptation, be a Sin in us; yet that Sin is not fo great, as it will be afterwards, if it be brought to Action. Sin in the Defire or Purpofe, is but an Embryo; it is but the firft Rudiments of Sin, but when it comes to be acted, it is then a Sin in its full dimenfions; and the Confequences of it may be Fatal without Repentance. Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth Death. Having thus given fome Account, how far our Hearts or Thoughts do fall under Govern

ment;

ment; I now come to my Second Point, that is, to treat of the Art of governing them, or to lay down the neceffary Rules and Directions, which are to be observed in order thereunto.

And we shall not need to go far for thefe Rules, for they will all naturally flow from the Principles I have already laid down. And I think, they may conveniently enough be reduced likewise to thefe Five following.

First, from what hath been faid, it appears, that the First and great Point to be done by us, if we would keep our Hearts in a good Frame, and order our Thoughts to good Purposes, is, that we rightly pitch our main Designs; that we chufe that for the great Business of our Lives, that really ought to be fo.

Now what that is, can bear no Difpute with any Man that will fairly ufe his Reafon. For certainly, that which is our greatest Concernment in the World, ought to be our greateft Business and Design in the World.

And it is evident to every one, that believes he hath a Soul to fave, that his greatest Concernment of all, is to approve himself to that God who made him, and difpofes of all his Affairs; and who accordingly as we fincerely endeavour, or not endeavour, to serve him, will make us either very Happy, or very Miferable, both in this Life and the other. So that there can, as I faid, be no Dispute about what ought to be the greatest Business and Design of our whole Lives, and to which all other Businesses muft yield.

Now if we be fo wife, as really to propose this as our main End, and refolve to mind it,

and

and follow it as fuch; I fay, if we be fo wife as to do this; we have made a very great Step towards the obtaining a Security to ourselves, that the greateft Part of our Thoughts, and. Defires, and Affections, will be fuch as they fhould be; fuch as will be acceptable to God, and fatisfactory to our felves.

For, as I told you before, whatever is our main Business, be it what it will, it will, in a great Measure, draw all our Thoughts to it. Our Natures are fo contrived, that we muft always be thinking of fomething or other. But then they are fo contrived likewise, that we think most of that, which is most in our Eye, most in our Efteem, moft in our Pursuit. And this is that which our Saviour tells us; Where your Treasure is, there will your Heart be alfo. Whatever it be that you place your Happiness in, upon that will your Thoughts run; upon that will your Defires, your Inclinations, your Affections, be fixed.

We have a World of Inftances of the Truth of this every Day before our Eyes. If a Man hath fet his Heart on Money, and propofeth it to himself, as the Bufine of his Life, to be Rich; Why, I dare fay, fuch an one will own to you, that most of his Thoughts are upon that Project; and that he finds it fo far from being difficult to keep his Mind close and fteady to his main Interest, as he calls it; that it is rather difficult to him to think of any other Matters.

If a Man be given up to Pleasure, and thinks nothing worthy his living for, but Wine and Women, and good Eating, and good Compa

ny;

ny; Is it not natural to fuch a one to bend all his Thoughts that way? Or doth he put any Force or Violence upon himself, in thinking and contriving all the Day long, how to bring to pass the Gratifications of his Lufts or his Appetites?

Why, my Brethren, if we did all of us in good Earnest make the Service of God, and the purchafing Heaven and Happiness to ourfelves, as much our Bufinefs, our End, our Design, as thefe Men make Wealth or Pleafure to be theirs, we fhould certainly be thus affected. The common Courfe of our Thoughts would naturally and eafily, without the leaft 1 Conftraint, run upon those Objects: And we fhould take as great Delight in Thinking of our Treasure, and Contriving for the obtaining of it; as they do in Thinking and Projecting for theirs.

I fay, Thus it would be with us. For I cannot for my Life apprehend, what Charms. there can be in Worldly or Senfual Things, to attract a Man's Mind; what Fetters there can be in them, to bind his Thoughts, and tye them to themselves: But that there are the fame, or greater, in Vertue and Goodness; in the Love and Favour of God; in a Pure Con< science here, and Eternal Glory hereafter: Always provided, that they are as much made the Objects of our Choice and Purfuit, as the other.

And therefore I cannot but fufpect, where we see Men so very cold and backward to Spiritual Things; and fo apt to spend all their Thoughts upon trifling, vain, or worldly Matters, that it is with a great deal of Pains

and

and Reluctancy, that they can bring themfelves to think of their Everlasting Concernments: I fay, I cannot but fufpect that these Perfons have not yet laid up their Treafure in Heaven, as our Saviour expreffeth it; they have not yet so wholly devoted themselves to the Service of God, as to make it their Main Bufinefs. When once they have done that, I dare affure them, they will find it so far from being a Force upon them, to think of good Things, that it will be very natural to them; and they will find the greatest Pleasure in the World in fo doing.

Secondly, Whoever would keep his Heart always in a good Frame, and be able to give a good Account of his Thoughts to God, muft have an especial Care to avoid Two Things, viz. Idlenefs, and loofe Company: For both of thefe do ftrangely unhinge a Man's Mind; and difarm it of that Severity, which is its beft Guard and Defence against evil Thoughts; and make it become an eafie Prey to every Temptation that will attack it.

A wife Man fhould never be at fuch a pass as to fay, I have nothing to do, I do not know how to spend my next Hour: But fhould fo order the Course of his Life, that all the Portions of his Time, as much as is poffible, may be filled with fome useful, or at least some innocent Employment.

It is Idleness, and having nothing to do, that is the Mother of most of thofe vain, and unprofitable, and finful Fancies, in which fome Men spend their Days. And whereas Temptations do now and then come in the

way